Main dealer or independent for servicing
Discussion
I felt I had to post this, during my years on here I have seen numerous debates as to what one should do ref servicing, main dealer or independent, indeed I have contributed my two pence worth.
I appreciate and fully agree that the skill and competitiveness is not in question of the various people offering these services, I debated long and hard a while back on exactly what I should do, in the end I went main dealer for my ferrari.
Well today whilst discussing with a main dealer the possible sale of my car it came home to me that one only has one real choice, and that is go main dealer every time, general repairs clutch maybe or similar maybe independent, but that service stamp with uninterrupted stamps is priceless.
One of the early leading questions from the dealer was "Does it have full main dealer service history and if so with whom", I believe that without he would have politely concluded the conversation/ dealings.
I was just so glad that I went the main dealer route because for whatever extra I might have paid it certainly has paid for itself. Mike
I appreciate and fully agree that the skill and competitiveness is not in question of the various people offering these services, I debated long and hard a while back on exactly what I should do, in the end I went main dealer for my ferrari.
Well today whilst discussing with a main dealer the possible sale of my car it came home to me that one only has one real choice, and that is go main dealer every time, general repairs clutch maybe or similar maybe independent, but that service stamp with uninterrupted stamps is priceless.
One of the early leading questions from the dealer was "Does it have full main dealer service history and if so with whom", I believe that without he would have politely concluded the conversation/ dealings.
I was just so glad that I went the main dealer route because for whatever extra I might have paid it certainly has paid for itself. Mike
Mike Brown said:
that service stamp with uninterrupted stamps is priceless.
It's not priceless but there is a premium for FFSH cars. I would argue that the older tipos that have been looked after properly by an independent are probably better cars than FFSH ones - but I'm biased as I'm not a main dealer...If you're considering selling to or through a main dealer that is exactly what I'd expect them to have said.
The bottom line is what the car will return to you. It may sell at a higher price but the delta will be higher and the return to you could be the same or less than the independent route. No?
The bottom line is what the car will return to you. It may sell at a higher price but the delta will be higher and the return to you could be the same or less than the independent route. No?
That's exactly what I'd expect a main dealer to say - if they don't put a premium on a FFSH, why would anyone else?
I'd say if people are happy to buy/ consider buying from an independent then they are likely to be happy with that independent's service history. If neither main dealer nor independent can provide a history then the value will be compromised. I'm happy with my independent and I'm likely to sell to or through them when the time comes to move on.
I'd say if people are happy to buy/ consider buying from an independent then they are likely to be happy with that independent's service history. If neither main dealer nor independent can provide a history then the value will be compromised. I'm happy with my independent and I'm likely to sell to or through them when the time comes to move on.
Mike Brown said:
I understand the comments so far, bear in mind the main dealers now try to be as competitive as possible ,
So overall apart from clutches major repairs it pretty much is in the owners favour I think
They may be competitive on price but they have far larger overheads than many (I'd say any) independent so will not put as much time into the car.So overall apart from clutches major repairs it pretty much is in the owners favour I think
I choose the independent route based on quality of service and care. Price doesn't come into it. I know many people will disagree buts that's how I see it.
It seems like a no-brainer on a newer car. No matter what the arguments are in favour or against main dealer servicing vs independent, not getting the stamp from a main dealer means when it comes to sell you're having to explain why it went outside of the network. On cars like this - again in my humble opinion - the less off-piste questions you're having to field the better.
In my (limited) experience if you're having to answer "why did he do that?" questions you're limiting your market straight out of the gate. There will be many I'd wager who won't even pick up the phone to you.
Personally I've never quite understood why people would willingly put themselves into that kind of position. Like servicing, why wouldn't you do it yearly, to schedule, even if it's only travelled a few miles? Again, as soon as you start having to explain to someone why it has a 2 year gap between services you're on the back foot...
Obviously main dealers know this and play on it. There is certainly no obvious reason I can think of that a main dealer would necessarily be better than an indie, and could easily be objectively worse. Main dealer staff are not automatically enlightened angels who would never accidentally scratch your car, forget to do something but still charge you for it, or whatever.
Just my 2p.
In my (limited) experience if you're having to answer "why did he do that?" questions you're limiting your market straight out of the gate. There will be many I'd wager who won't even pick up the phone to you.
Personally I've never quite understood why people would willingly put themselves into that kind of position. Like servicing, why wouldn't you do it yearly, to schedule, even if it's only travelled a few miles? Again, as soon as you start having to explain to someone why it has a 2 year gap between services you're on the back foot...
Obviously main dealers know this and play on it. There is certainly no obvious reason I can think of that a main dealer would necessarily be better than an indie, and could easily be objectively worse. Main dealer staff are not automatically enlightened angels who would never accidentally scratch your car, forget to do something but still charge you for it, or whatever.
Just my 2p.
As an aside to the point of my posting it is interesting that from two dealers the price offered by both is way below the prices being asked by dealers both main and otherwise .
Obviously some people are trying to maximise where they can but the market forces I am feeling bear out what the dealers are saying, so in my case 20 percent less at least, therefore this must be the same right through with not just Ferrari, or even model spcicific.
That's 20 percent below what I thought a fair trade in value might be not retail!
Obviously some people are trying to maximise where they can but the market forces I am feeling bear out what the dealers are saying, so in my case 20 percent less at least, therefore this must be the same right through with not just Ferrari, or even model spcicific.
That's 20 percent below what I thought a fair trade in value might be not retail!
My 355 was serviced at independents in the UK and When I bought I did not differentiate at all between cars with main dealer vs respected independet service history. i also did not care about stamps in the book, just invoices were relevant to me. If I bought another one in Germany now, I would probably also go to the main dealer, simply because I do not have a trusted independent here. I would even consider driving it back to London once a Year just to get work done by the guy I trust and then do everything in the interim at the main dealer if work is required. And the cost from my experience is a lot higher at the main dealer - I think they charged in the mid-100s euro (possibly even pre vat) per hour when I had sth done while in germany, while cost at independent in London was a double digit figure per hour at the time. So that should make a substantial difference on an engine out service on a 355 ....
My FF gets serviced at the main dealer for 2 reasons - 1) it is free.... And 2) i want to keep the Ferrari warranty for the full time it is available. On this car it feels like too much of a gamble not to have a warranty the 4RM and the gearbox worry me too much.
My FF gets serviced at the main dealer for 2 reasons - 1) it is free.... And 2) i want to keep the Ferrari warranty for the full time it is available. On this car it feels like too much of a gamble not to have a warranty the 4RM and the gearbox worry me too much.
Surely the most important thing is the quality of the service both to car and customer, the garage provides? The important thing is that the car runs well, from year to year.
I've had great service from an independent - Hoyle Fox and from a dealer Lancaster. Anyone buying one of these 20 year old cars will expect to see a few different names in the service book.
I've had great service from an independent - Hoyle Fox and from a dealer Lancaster. Anyone buying one of these 20 year old cars will expect to see a few different names in the service book.
Durzel said:
20% sounds ridiculous, but I suppose it depends on the car & spec...
Maybe but I can confirm it.. Main dealer offers on my 430 ( immac rosso /crema FFSH 10000 mile car) are 20% less than they indicate they would sell it at in the showroom.I am surprised that posters havent mentioned car age. In the up to 12 year old period when the car can have the Ferrari guarantee ( FWIW!)its a no brainer whatever the EU says about freedom to use non franchised dealers. But one past that watermark, I cant see the relevance. On a 20 year old 20000 mile car, does it really matter if it has missed the odd annual service or had some done by a competent outfit like Migliore. Indeed would you be bothered about selling via the dealer and would the main dealer be interested in selling your car.
Personally I would be far more concerned about a car that had had a new owner each year or had been tracked.
Edited by bordseye on Thursday 25th August 14:24
Edited by bordseye on Thursday 25th August 14:27
I can confirm that the offers received from franchised and non franchised dealers to buy was circa 54/5 k and mine is two owner full ffsh and absolutely like new, it's no problem because I am very happy to keep it so it does not matter , just thought I would post the information for like minded friends to digest.
Might help anyone contemplating selling exchanging , Mike
Might help anyone contemplating selling exchanging , Mike
For your information it's a 360 spider red cream manual 33k on the clock and is immaculate , I thought it would have been worth around 60ish, but no matter as I am not going to sell it anyway.
My point is that I believe some people will have paid far to much recently both privately and certainly at auction, so are the cars such as Gt Porsches etc really worth the current asking premiums , and are these cars the investment vehicles people believe them to be ?
My point is that I believe some people will have paid far to much recently both privately and certainly at auction, so are the cars such as Gt Porsches etc really worth the current asking premiums , and are these cars the investment vehicles people believe them to be ?
ferrisbueller said:
Based on what I've seen, I'd go for an well recognised indie service history ahead of a main dealer.
Obviously there's a cross over point, which on the V8s is at 430/458 at present. I guess 575/599 on the V12s. Knowledge of older cars is much deeper in the indies IMO.
I'm more than a bit cynical about "knowledge". The older the Ferrari the more ordinary / standard they are, and for routine servicing rather than rebuilds your local garage could do the work. So could many home mechanics. After all what real skill is there in oil changes, brake pad changes, new plugs, air filters etc? At least party of the problem is a whole new generation of owners growing up playing on computers rather than taking an old banger to bits so whilst tot their dads the computers are incomprehensible, to the kids the working of a car are unknown. Sure I m exaggerating but the modern obsession with dealer servicing is simply ridiculous. As well as a rip off.Obviously there's a cross over point, which on the V8s is at 430/458 at present. I guess 575/599 on the V12s. Knowledge of older cars is much deeper in the indies IMO.
Gassing Station | Ferrari V8 | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff