Discussion
Just called my local dealer and a local indie for costs on my 48k service due next month.
One was 240 quid, another 374. You can guess which was which!
I was offered a 10% discount straight away from the dealer. And then was given the "volvo trained mechanics" and the "t5 is a specialist car" lines.
Well funny how these trained mechanics and T5 specialists haven't been able to fix the rattles and knocks coming from the front of my car. It's also funny how, because of their errors, I have had to return my car twice after one visit, and FOUR times in the same week after another visit, before my car was back to normal.
And having chatted to one of the sales guys who was leaving about a year ago. I discovered they only had one master technician left as all the others went elsewhere to be paid better. So it was clear my money was just being spent on new decor, glass walls and coffee machines whilst they let chavs have a poke at my motor.
Needless to say, that dispite the "volvo ageing warranty" scheme or whatever it is which *might* save me a bit of money, I'm going to go down the independent route.
I am just shocked that the difference can be so high when, in my experience, the service hasn't been all that great in the three years I've owned the car.
The penny has dropped....
One was 240 quid, another 374. You can guess which was which!
I was offered a 10% discount straight away from the dealer. And then was given the "volvo trained mechanics" and the "t5 is a specialist car" lines.
Well funny how these trained mechanics and T5 specialists haven't been able to fix the rattles and knocks coming from the front of my car. It's also funny how, because of their errors, I have had to return my car twice after one visit, and FOUR times in the same week after another visit, before my car was back to normal.
And having chatted to one of the sales guys who was leaving about a year ago. I discovered they only had one master technician left as all the others went elsewhere to be paid better. So it was clear my money was just being spent on new decor, glass walls and coffee machines whilst they let chavs have a poke at my motor.
Needless to say, that dispite the "volvo ageing warranty" scheme or whatever it is which *might* save me a bit of money, I'm going to go down the independent route.
I am just shocked that the difference can be so high when, in my experience, the service hasn't been all that great in the three years I've owned the car.
The penny has dropped....
signia said:
Just called my local dealer and a local indie for costs on my 48k service due next month.
One was 240 quid, another 374. You can guess which was which!
I was offered a 10% discount straight away from the dealer. And then was given the "volvo trained mechanics" and the "t5 is a specialist car" lines.
Well funny how these trained mechanics and T5 specialists haven't been able to fix the rattles and knocks coming from the front of my car. It's also funny how, because of their errors, I have had to return my car twice after one visit, and FOUR times in the same week after another visit, before my car was back to normal.
And having chatted to one of the sales guys who was leaving about a year ago. I discovered they only had one master technician left as all the others went elsewhere to be paid better. So it was clear my money was just being spent on new decor, glass walls and coffee machines whilst they let chavs have a poke at my motor.
Needless to say, that dispite the "volvo ageing warranty" scheme or whatever it is which *might* save me a bit of money, I'm going to go down the independent route.
I am just shocked that the difference can be so high when, in my experience, the service hasn't been all that great in the three years I've owned the car.
The penny has dropped....
One was 240 quid, another 374. You can guess which was which!
I was offered a 10% discount straight away from the dealer. And then was given the "volvo trained mechanics" and the "t5 is a specialist car" lines.
Well funny how these trained mechanics and T5 specialists haven't been able to fix the rattles and knocks coming from the front of my car. It's also funny how, because of their errors, I have had to return my car twice after one visit, and FOUR times in the same week after another visit, before my car was back to normal.
And having chatted to one of the sales guys who was leaving about a year ago. I discovered they only had one master technician left as all the others went elsewhere to be paid better. So it was clear my money was just being spent on new decor, glass walls and coffee machines whilst they let chavs have a poke at my motor.
Needless to say, that dispite the "volvo ageing warranty" scheme or whatever it is which *might* save me a bit of money, I'm going to go down the independent route.
I am just shocked that the difference can be so high when, in my experience, the service hasn't been all that great in the three years I've owned the car.
The penny has dropped....
James i think you get a much better service at the independant garages, you get to know the people in person and they are easy to deal with.
Not sure whereabouts you are but RT Mechanics are going to be servicing mine when the time comes, reasonably local to me and get good reports.
Took mine into the local Volvo to do the ETM software upgrade which they did fine and without a quibble... but then were going to start work on £200 worth of immobiliser problem I don't have. I don't care what the fault code says - it works just fine thanks and if it stops working THEN I'll ask you to do something about it. But then my car is 6 yrs old and I think full Volvo service history isn't going to add much weight to re-sell value in 4 yrs time!
Took mine into the local Volvo to do the ETM software upgrade which they did fine and without a quibble... but then were going to start work on £200 worth of immobiliser problem I don't have. I don't care what the fault code says - it works just fine thanks and if it stops working THEN I'll ask you to do something about it. But then my car is 6 yrs old and I think full Volvo service history isn't going to add much weight to re-sell value in 4 yrs time!
digger man said:
James i think you get a much better service at the independant garages, you get to know the people in person and they are easy to deal with.
That's what I'm hoping.
RT mechanics I've heard are good, but just a bit far away to be convenient. The Mrs works in Slough, so she's gonna take it to Phil Whittaker (who also install RICA - which I'm also considering
). I really think main dealers are missing a trick here. No-one cares about lounges, TVs and PS2s. Employ and handful of decent techies and forget about huge volvo flags and turning half the workshop into a Cadillac dealership (WHY?).
Cheers guys.
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