Bought DB9 6wks ago - needs servicing already!

[yeti]

As per the title - I bought the car (DB9 Volante) from Lancaster Reading, AM main dealer about 6 weeks ago. Got a letter from them a few weeks later inviting me to bring it in for the annual service. Surely some mistake I thought...

Just checked the service book and lo, the car is due it's 4year service right now. Is this a total and utter p**s take?? I have never even bought a car from a back-street dealer that hadn't been serviced let alone an Aston main dealer!

I doubt servicing was even mentioned during negotiations - it shouldn't have had to have been.

Before I ring them and moan, am I expecting too much? Surely paying full price for a car from a main dealer gets you a car with a fresh service?

Advice please!

Edited by yeti on Saturday 19th March 18:18

[Tonto]

This is a mistake on their part, not looking at the service date. I would be amazed if they tried to charge you for the service.

[UH-Matt]

While you should definitely have checked this before buying (its one a whole bunch of things you should always check when doing a deal) they should certainly have serviced the car as part of the approved used commitment yada yada... Insist they sort this out.

[lambo_xx]

I have to say that's something I always check as well, in fact I have in the past even insisted on a service being done several months before it's due, so I don't have to worry about it for a year.

My advice would be to ring the dealer and say you're disappointed they didn't carry it out and see if they will do it as a gesture of good will.
Hope that helps

[yeti]

Quinny said:

Having just bought my first AM..... Service history and due dates were very high on my list of stuff to check... Can't believe someone would spend that kind of money, and not even check when the last one was done, and the next one was due

Well, believe it.

We reviewed the service history together on his screen as it's a one owner car and they had done all the servicing there at Reading. I didnt ask when the next was due as I 'assumed' it was done as part of the AM package. He talked a lot about the 140 point check and warranty... I guess I didn;t ask the right question.

This is an AM main dealer, I have always scrupulously checked every other car I have ever bought as there would usually be doubt. I hoped a main dealer would be above doubt, or there would be the comeback that you expect.

Hopefully they can at least see my point. 6 weeks isn't long.

Edited by yeti on Friday 18th March 23:24

[marcelg]

If you reviewed the service history on his screen it almost seems as if he withheld the information that it would be due a service shortly.
I think you have a decent case for them to do this without charge.

[MichaelV8V]

Hey, I bought a brand new Vantage in November, then in January, after doing 500 miles, it said it needed its first service. I wasn't happy!

Apparently it came into stock in Jan last year, and the service indicator should have been reset when it was first registered. But its a 450 mile round trip to get the indicator reset, so I just watch the message appear everytime I use the car, then ignore it.

[yeti]

Quinny said:

Ahh so you made 2 mistakes then

First you didn't check...
And second you assumed...

Yes and yes!

The second lead to the first. Big shiny showroom, nice people, decent cup of tea, Aston branding on everything leading to a feeling of security. And the car just sat there in the showroom and not taking my eyes off it!

I will call tomorrow to mention they havent stamped my book, could they check it's all done. Then ask to be transferred to the sales manager if I dont hear what I want to.

A sad lesson to learn really. If you can't trust a prestige main dealer, why bother going to one

[Murph7355]

Call the dealer and politely explain the situation. I'm sure they'll address it.

Out of interest, was it a few k lower in price than any other cars available...?

[williaa68]

I am surprised it wasn't serviced as part of the preparation for an approved used car. I don't have any direct experience of AM but the Porsche equivalent includes a full service if one is due within 3 months or 3,000 miles. I think that is a reasonable expectation. Good luck with the negotiations,

[yeti]

Murph7355 said:

Call the dealer and politely explain the situation. I'm sure they'll address it.

Out of interest, was it a few k lower in price than any other cars available...?

It was (and probably still is) the only manual Volante for sale at the time, it is also green - so nothing to compare it to really! Price was on the lower side though for an 06, thought I had a great deal...

[steve_amv8]

MichaelV8V said:

Hey, I bought a brand new Vantage in November, then in January, after doing 500 miles, it said it needed its first service. I wasn't happy!

Apparently it came into stock in Jan last year, and the service indicator should have been reset when it was first registered. But its a 450 mile round trip to get the indicator reset, so I just watch the message appear everytime I use the car, then ignore it.

Not sure why you got one at 500 miles, but a new V8 Vantage usually has a 1000 mile Initial Service (or at least my '06 and '08 cars did) which should be provided for free by the dealer. The handbook defines this as an inspection service and "includes fine adjustments to compensate for initial 'bedding-in'". The 'Service' section of the handbook tells you what they actually do and has a space for the dealer stamp after the 1000 mile service has been completed. Has yours been stamped? I wonder if ignoring it affects future warranty claims?

[tonyhall38]

Just caught this thread mate.....i had the same problem when i bought mine...turned out the service light just hadn't been re set.....i'm sure Reading will resolve the issue with no fuss...if they don't they will be besieged by Green Astons......baying for blood....



well a little revolution doesn't hurt........much...

[sjp63]

I bought a nearly new E46 M3 once from a main dealer and 1 week later I had a phone call to bring the car in for new big end bearings.......!
As if they didn't already know about the recall when they sold it to me.
as an aside, 6 months later, in for a service, they kept it for 2 weeks "waiting for parts" and when I picked it up the service guy read off the work done.....Brakes, 2 new tyres, new engine fitted......

[yeti]

To close this off; before I had even called them, received this email from the dealer themselves this morning:

"Hi Lewis

Hope you are well.

It would appear that we have overlooked the service that was required on your Volante prior to sale etc. Please accept my sincere apologies for this oversight.
As a rule we employ a 3 month policy whereby any vehicle requiring a service within 3 months of collection is serviced and this was obviously overlooked in your case.
Please feel free to contact our service receptionist and he will organise getting your car collected at a convenient time."

As you can imagine, I am pretty pleased with that outcome! Don't know whether it was flagged in their system by conincidence or someone within the organisation monitors the forums (also on AMOC and SELOC) but that's moot now. Good for them, I will be taking my business back to Reading after this.

Thanks for the thoughts and opinions as well

[Odhran]

Great outcome!

[lambo_xx]

Glad it all got sorted for you. Now go enjoy the car

[AMFan]

Good to hear that your issue is being sorted.

I have dealt with Reading for many years and have always received excellent service.

I suppose it's a bit Naive to think that the dealers don't monitor the forums, let's just hope that any derisory comments made don't effect the subsequent service provided.

[yeti]

NOt many negatve comments towards the dealers, most were aimed at my naivety! And fair enough. Thou shalt check everything.

The fact that it was a genuine oversight and they contacted me is great to know and a weight off my mind at least.

[tonyhall38]

it was the green thing.....scared em st less....