Servicing costs - Main dealer

[Superhans_]

I always do my own work as I don't trust garages. However as the car has a fully stamped book I'm thinking it may be worth getting a Vauxhall dealer to service it. I'm in Devon so MF aren't an option. Does anyone know the prices Vauxhal charge?

[vxr2010]

i would get the parts from MF , then get any vat approved garage to service it , i would do the work myself but i think on the v8 a good service history is important

[fastbikes76]

My oil change service was £240ish from VX, I was in the same situation where my car had full history from the same dealer as the day it was sold. Having OCD like I do, I drove a 100miles back to that dealer for an oil service just to keep the stamps up. I do all my own work too but felt it was worth keeping the stamps going. While I appreciate enthusiasts who know these cars wont care for VX history (in fact some shun it !) My concern was Joe Blogs buying it and then spotting a 'missed' service in the book and moaning etc.

[preciousmetal]

Eden Vauxhall in Devon do not have a VXR8 / Monaro specialist twch / mechanic anymore

Customer who has a VXR8 took theirs there the other day and they were hopeless so took it to an independent garage instead

So I wouldn't bother taking it there. Get you parts from MF and take it to a performance reputable independent garage

[mfp4073]

You might find that a Vauxhall dealer will refuse to service your car, as only certain dealers were appointed Monaro specialists.
Once my car was out of Vauxhall warranty I serviced it myself. Any specialist jobs, then I go to MF or AAS.
I don't like to slag main dealers off, but they really don't know these cars very well, it's not their fault, but that's how it generally is.

John

[ARAF]

If you really want Vauxhall to service it, then Picadors is a couple of hours from you in the Southampton area.

[tvrtuscans]

preciousmetal said:

Eden Vauxhall in Devon do not have a VXR8 / Monaro specialist twch / mechanic anymore

Customer who has a VXR8 took theirs there the other day and they were hopeless so took it to an independent garage instead

So I wouldn't bother taking it there. Get you parts from MF and take it to a performance reputable independent garage

Merely out of curiosity James, where is the nearest Monaro approved Vauxhall main dealer near me...Chesham/Amersham in Bucks.... just curious that's all. I think it will be going to MF.

[Superhans_]

I don't trust gauges not to do silly things like round off the sump plug. I returned the car to a high end performance car specialist under warranty as the A/C had a leaking pipe. Well when I got it back from them they'd had the bumper off and it was wonky and they'd rounded a bolt off. Taking it back to be fixed but that's why I don't trust "professionals"

If VX don't even know what a Monaro is maybe I should just do it myself!

[ARAF]

tvrtuscans said:

preciousmetal said:

Eden Vauxhall in Devon do not have a VXR8 / Monaro specialist twch / mechanic anymore

Customer who has a VXR8 took theirs there the other day and they were hopeless so took it to an independent garage instead

So I wouldn't bother taking it there. Get you parts from MF and take it to a performance reputable independent garage

Merely out of curiosity James, where is the nearest Monaro approved Vauxhall main dealer near me...Chesham/Amersham in Bucks.... just curious that's all. I think it will be going to MF.

Motorbodies Luton or Bellingers in Oxfordshire, I would think. Not sure which of the Bellingers addresses will deal with V8s though. Maybe SpeedyMidget can advise where he got his VXR8.

[Mud_]

Superhans_ said:

I don't trust gauges not to do silly things like round off the sump plug. I returned the car to a high end performance car specialist under warranty as the A/C had a leaking pipe. Well when I got it back from them they'd had the bumper off and it was wonky and they'd rounded a bolt off. Taking it back to be fixed but that's why I don't trust "professionals"

If VX don't even know what a Monaro is maybe I should just do it myself!

"Movano? Yep, we do loads of 'em mate!".

[Fuelish]

I just put VXR8 specialist service into google and apart from the usual non main dealer services it came up with a list of 29 Vauxhall dealers that are VXR8 service specialists, my nearest being Bristol Street Motors Northampton.

Ian.

[vxr2010]

they are not hard to work on , i would go with any recommended garage that can stamp the book oil change wise , if that's causing concerns then go further for other dealers but no reason you should , but most jobs are that straight forward any mechanic could do it , all i know that's different is when gearbox slave cylinder goes then remove box from bell housing then take bell housing off , or job is a lot harder to do

[ARAF]

vxr2010 said:

they are not hard to work on , i would go with any recommended garage that can stamp the book oil change wise , if that's causing concerns then go further for other dealers but no reason you should , but most jobs are that straight forward any mechanic could do it , all i know that's different is when gearbox slave cylinder goes then remove box from bell housing then take bell housing off , or job is a lot harder to do

That comment has prompted me by a couple of procedures I have seen. Garages that work on these cars regularly know what they do, and don't have to take apart to do the job efficiently.
Hourly rates may be higher, but the time they take is less to balance it out.

[vxr2010]

i agree but any one can do an oil change , bigger jobs go some where else that has the knowledge and parts , still going back to you owning a porsche , hope you get used to speed limits again and using indicators lol

[ARAF]

vxr2010 said:

i agree but any one can do an oil change , bigger jobs go some where else that has the knowledge and parts , still going back to you owning a porsche , hope you get used to speed limits again and using indicators lol

I still have the BMW, so plenty of time to practice having my own lane, and not having to advise other road users of what I'm about to do.

[vxr2010]

lol

[TonyTwoTribes]

I live in Southampton tried the main dealer expert 2 years ago on a VXR Monaro. useless mechanic didn't have a clue then they tried to flog me a throttle body that was not required (ignored that advice and did another 5000 trouble free miles on that supposed bad TB) . I now buy the parts off Monkfish and take the VXR8 to my local independent in Shirley Southampton. Even let me use the ramps at weekends. just my personal experience. So main dealer stamp in the book means zip so far as I am concerned. just so long as receipts show correct service intervals.

[preciousmetal]

tvrtuscans said:

preciousmetal said:

Eden Vauxhall in Devon do not have a VXR8 / Monaro specialist twch / mechanic anymore

Customer who has a VXR8 took theirs there the other day and they were hopeless so took it to an independent garage instead

So I wouldn't bother taking it there. Get you parts from MF and take it to a performance reputable independent garage

Merely out of curiosity James, where is the nearest Monaro approved Vauxhall main dealer near me...Chesham/Amersham in Bucks.... just curious that's all. I think it will be going to MF.

Tony, personally as you are quite close to MF, I would take it to them as they know the car and will be better than Bellingers VX

[HappyMidget]

preciousmetal said:

Tony, personally as you are quite close to MF, I would take it to them as they know the car and will be better than Bellingers VX

I always take mine to Bellingers, they are really good there and quite a few of the staff have at least owned Monaro's and VXR8's in the past.

[Greg VXR]

I got completely stitched up at Aldershot Vauxhall. The promised the earth for a fixed price and only just managed to change the oil and filter.....I think that the person booking it in must have selected movano.....idiots. This was 7yrs ago so it may have changed. Its been MF visits or parts for me since. Speaking of which I am going to try to service it for the oil and filter this yr so need to get that ordered from them.