Evora C service, how much?

[C8RKH]

Lee - I would go back to MMC to confirm what was done. As the main dealer I would have thought they are obligated to follow the manufacturers service schedule to the letter and should explain the reason for any deviation. Would be a factor I am sure if your gearbox implodes and you ask them / Lotus to investigate.

[CocoPops]

Yep, think a bit more digging is required.

and some alternative quotes!

£647 inc vat for base service and transmission fluid plus pollen filter.

seems quite high to me? £75+vat for 7 litres of 5/40w for example?

[Hangar 111]

3 minutes ago, CocoPops said:

Yep, think a bit more digging is required.

and some alternative quotes!

£647 inc vat for base service and transmission fluid plus pollen filter.

seems quite high to me? £75+vat for 7 litres of 5/40w for example?

Lee, if you let me know where you are in the schedule, I can see where we are at, if it's of interest?

Dave

[Alfa2Evora]

Now you've all got me a bit worried about mine. I bought it the week before you got yours Lee, and likewise MMC did the 4 year service prior to my taking delivery of it. When the 5 year service was carried out a couple of months back (mileage triggered rather than time) by Craig Moncrieff (former MMC Service Manager) he commented that the pollen filter was pretty filthy so that was replaced then. I've since been back to him as the heater has been blowing colder and colder, and on releasing the pressure cap on the expansion tank to see if there was an airlock, the coolant that bubbled over the top was very discoloured (brown rather than pink) suggesting that it was still the original factory fill that was in there.

I'm booking it in to have the cooling system drained, flushed and vacuum-filled so it sounds like I'll need to add transmission oil to the list as well. Makes you wonder how much of a service a post-sale/pre-collection service actually is!?!

[C8RKH]

My car had it's 5th service after I bought it from MMC, but your post Lee is making me dig out my paperwork to see if the tranny oil was changed at the fourth. I'll be seriously pee'd off if it wasn't as I bought the car with a stated FULL service hisroty to that point - so that means these little extra's too....

[CocoPops]

Car is Oct 2010.

42,500miles.

last service at 38k (March 2015). Service Plus brake fluid.

So I need a service (normal oil, oil and air filter, gubbins) plus Pollen filter and Transmission fluid.

[C8RKH]

I think that we (Dave and Lee) bought our cars pretty close to each other. Mine was serviced 9 months before I bought so it should have been the full 4 year service done then which included the Tranny oil, then I paid for it to be serviced in the July (5th year service). I'm expecting it all to be good. If they have sold you a car with a FSH, then I expect that to be as per manufacturers specifications, otherwise, it is NOT a full service history and you should be informed that a service is required.

I've just checked my paperwork and the 2014 year 4 service included the Tranny Oil being done by MMC. So all good for me.

I'd expect to have these conversations for cars bought from non franchised dealers. My car was sold by (every time) and has been fully serviced by, the same main franchised dealer I bought it from - so I don't expect any surprises

This July will be year 6 for me, so the spark plugs need doing

 

 

[CocoPops]

Agreed @C8RKH My history looks like:

18/10/10 Registered (Lotus Cars)
17/11/10 1067miles First Service. (Lotus Cars Service Dept)
03/04/11 8612 Service (Lotus Cars Service Dept)
10/10/11 17890 Service + Pollen (Lotus Cars Service Dept)
08/1/13 30374 Service + Pollen + Air Filter + Brake Fluid (Christopher Neil)
21/03/14 33658 Service+Coolant (Christopher Neil)
31/03/15 38374 Service+Brake Fluid (Murray Motor Company)

So based on the above, I would have fully expected MMC to have done the transmission fluid as it was due at 4yrs/36k.
The Christopher Neil service in March 2014 was too early, both in terms of miles and time, so the following service (MMC) March 31st 2015 should have included Transmission Fluid IMHO? Why would Murray's not have done it?

Looks like I need to have a regular service + Transmission Fluid + Pollen Filter + Air Filter.
Save the Spark Plugs for next year or later this year, apparently they are at 54k in the service book, but I've seen 6yrs mentioned elsewhere. Car will be 6yrs old in October.

[Hangar 111]

7 minutes ago, CocoPops said:

Save the Spark Plugs for next year or later this year, apparently they are at 54k in the service book, but I've seen 6yrs mentioned elsewhere. Car will be 6yrs old in October.

Spark plugs are 54k interval (time interval not specified).

Dave

[C8RKH]

Maybe check with them Lee. Could have been done - but a 4 year / 4th service item from CN not MMC.

[j2 lot]

I'm with Andy- should have been done by CN rather than MMC. 

[CocoPops]

But should MMC not have noticed and sorted it?

[C8RKH]

Possibly but maybe a bit harsh as they would have looked at the service bookle and seen it was stamped by a main dealer, so not unreasonable to expect the main dealer to have followed the correct maintenance schedule.  Might be worth given CN a ring to see if it was done - don't they log this stuff on their dealer maintenance system which also, I believe (but may well be wrong) gets uploaded to Lotus?

One of the main reasons I'll continue to get my car serviced at MMC - they supplied it to all owners and have maintained it to date so any comeback.......... goes right back to their door in my opinion. Also, the fact they will have "known" the car and can vouch for its provenance from new I think will help come resale time.

[Alfa2Evora]

It looks like I'm in the same boat as Lee and contact with Christopher Neil for clarification is my next move also.

The service history for mine is :

08/11/10   Registered (Lotus Cars)

22/11/10   1024mls First Service (Lotus Cars Service Dept)

14/04/11   8933mls Service (Lotus Cars Service Dept)

15/03/12 21626mls Service + Pollen Filter (Lotus Cars Service Dept)

01/05/13 25304mls Service (Christopher Neil)

21/05/14 30004mls Service (Christopher Neil) - has "4 Year" written across the 'Regular Service' box but no mention of transmission oil or coolant in the 'Special Operations' section,

24/02/15 32161mls Service + Brake Fluid Change (MMC)

20/10/15 41192mls Service + Brake Fluid Change + Auxiliary Belt Change + Pollen Filter (Craig Moncrieff Cars)

So that muddies the water a bit as the 4 year service was done 6 months and 6k miles early and I suppose it's not unreasonable for MMC to think that the tranny oil and coolant had been done by CN at that previous 'marked as 4 year' service.

[CocoPops]

See I still think it's MMC that have dropped the ball.

Had CN done it 'early' and why would it be done early, then they should have seen it was not written in the book as @Alfa2Evora says above.

No writing... It needs doing... Surely that's common sense?

[Alfa2Evora]

UPDATE: I've just spoken to a very helpful lady by the name of Christine at Oakmere (CN) who has confirmed that they changed the pollen filter, brake fluid and coolant (I'm surprised at how discoloured it is already if that's the case) only - the transmission oil was not done, EEEK!!! Next call to MMC.

[C8RKH]

Wow - did she say why it was not done? After all, the service schedule is clear that it should be done.

I think this is an issue CN needs to look at, as it sounds like two cars they have serviced have not been done as per the manufacturers recommendations. On your car it looks missed when due (2013 - 4 years) and then not rectified in 2014 (5 years). Not sure you can expect MMC to do anything other than do the tranny change and charge you for it - not nice I know, but clearly a CN issue surely. But then maybe it was not marked as special operations as part of the normal 4 year service. Only way to check is to see the bill to see if Tranny oil on it.  My car has the service schedule ticked for Tranny oil, but the only service bill missing is the lasts owner service in 2014 so I can't verify easily if it was really done or not. Shame as I have all other paperwork from new (including bills).

Lee - looks like you are in the same boat - tranny oil change due 2013, not done it seems, missed again in 2014 it seems - both CN.  Can't see how you be pissed off with MMC as the issue is clearly with CN. Hopefully CN have picked up on this and their Service Manager has changed processes etc to capture this now.

I think Lotus needs to get a grip and remind dealers of their obligations re servicing to schedule. But then, am I missing something here?

 

[j141]

It could always be that previous owners opted not to have bits done?

[C8RKH]

That is very true James. Just when is a FDSH a FDSH?

 

[j141]

True true

[CocoPops]

Andy, I still can't see why it would be CN.

car was reg October 2010 so it was due Ocrober 2014 or 36k.

it was not done in March 2010 as car was at 33k, so early on both counts.

therefore it should have been done by MMC in March 2015 as that was following service.

[C8RKH]

Lee,

Service schedule says 36k or 4 years, your car below details below. It was serviced by CN on 21/03/2014 12 months after your last service and this I would argue is the service that the Tranny Oil should have been done - the 4th service. Service schedule is 1 yr or 9k miles.

Not trying to defend / blame anyone here, just merely pointing out that the service schedule went awry before MMC had the car -

S2 - 5mths and 7.5k miles after first service - car 6 mths old

S3 - 6 mths and 10k miles later - car 13 mths old

S4 - 15 mths and 12k miles later @30,374 miles - car 28 mths old

S5 - 14 mths and 3k miles later - @33,658 miles - car 42 mths old

I really do think a 4 yr or 36k miles item should have been picked up at S5 stage although I accept the car was only 3.5 years old and 33.5k miles as opposed to 4 years and 36k. But to be fair to CN, maybe, as James points out, the owner decided not to do it. In which case I can possibly understand why MMC could have missed it. 

Next service, S6 was done bang on 12 months and 5k miles later by MMC - so @ 38,375 miles and car 54 mths old.

Sorry probably not helping. But as said before, Lotus needs to reinforce to dealers adherence to service schedules. Dealers need to check better. And when is a FDSH not a FDSH?

 

[21gg]

Alfa to Evora, as you know it was my old car and the gearbox oil was done.

Basically I purchased the car and it was specced as having the short ratio box but it didn't have it despite the build sheet at the factory saying it did, I never got to the bottom of that one. So lotus took it back and put a replacement short ratio gearbox (and clutch while they were at it) on the car. When the car was serviced at CN (which from memory was the big 4 year one) I told then the gearbox oil didn't need doing as it was done when the new gearbox went in. They still decided to change it and charge me for it, so after a short conversation the gearbox oil charge was removed from my bill, hence why it doesn't show up on their system. So the oil, gearbox and clutch will be fine for some time to come yet! Everything else was requested/done/charged as per the schedule. I've never been one to scrimp and have always used main dealers to keep the history.

 

Gav

[C8RKH]

One of the reasons I love this forum and pay for the full account is this ^^^

Also, with cars like these always good to buy "known" cars from "active" users surely if nothing else to find out the facts. I managed to get hold of 3 of the 4 owners of my car through the forum, but Craig Moncrieff (servicing) knows all four owners.....

[Alfa2Evora]

I knew from the condition of the rest of the car, and from meeting him at Brands last year, that Gavin was one of those fastidious owners who wouldn't scrimp on anything that was required which was why I was getting all confused over what had and hadn't been done. I remembered him telling me about the gearbox swap but couldn't recall the timing or the mileage at which it was done so didn't know where to slot it in the maintenance timeline.

'Relieved of Bathgate' will now withdraw from this conversation and get on with planning what's next to be scored off his wish-list now that some of the funding required doesn't need to be diverted to the maintenance and repair pot.