Re: More proof that a full service history...
 

Depends on your mileage and other factors affecting your residual value IMO. If your residual value is screwed anyway, then a FDSH makes little difference.

I buy cars with longevity in mind, I aim to get my moneys worth by diving the cost by the number of years I keep it, not by worrying about what it will be worth 3 years down the line. My car will get replaced at 5 years when my work says I have to, my wife's car is 8 years old and she'll still have it for as long as it's still going strong, it's been so reliable I'm very reluctant to change it.

Re: More proof that a full service history...
 

Dealer servicing hasn't affected the reliability then

Re: More proof that a full service history...
 

The car has been 100% reliable, until Saturday when it failed because the stealer hadn't done what they were paid to do. The stealer is the only thing that's affected the reliability. The car would have been just as reliable if the same work had been carried out by myself or an independant, it's only had routine servicing, the stealer has done nothing special with it.

The only reason I started using stealers was because I had got to a point in my life where i could afford to buy new or nearly new cars, and wanted to keep them with a FDSH and without any warranty arguments. A mistake on my part IMO.

Re: More proof that a full service history...
 

Why did it take you 5 instances of being ripped of to realise this,

I was 18 and my first bike came back from insurance repair still with its bent forks...

I stopped using dealers then and I wont ever unless I am forced by for example company policy.?

Keep the plugs, write a ****ty letter to vauxhall demanding all ur invoice monies back, and then find a god independent, your company cant get ****ty about it as by law we don't have to have vehicles serviced by dealers any-more to keep the warrenty so they have no argument about it not being done properly.

or next time around, take the company car :-)

ps.. sorry to hear it, we all hate being ripped of.

Re: More proof that a full service history...
 

if you want the service history then you need to check its being done. - every time any of my vehicles have gone in for servicing - i get a full run down of what they are going to do and challenge it if needed and ask for old parts to be available when i pick them up. If ican old parts are marked (always do it on the bikes)
The garages I used are alsways happy for me to check the engine over before i leave too.
I am still capable of servicing my own but sometimes needs must.
The new car is going in for service at A VW specialist on wednesday and although thay have ablistering reputation - they will still get the same treatment off me - parts required and list of exact what is required and additionals. I will also inspect the whole car before i leave and pay.

Rather than just booking it in an dleaving it - ask questions about it - I've never had any problems so far.

Re: More proof that a full service history...
 

5 instances, but it only took 2 for me to stop using stealers wherever possible

Vectra oil - noticed on the invoice straight away and had it rectified

SV clutch - noticed at 18000 miles when it needed adjusted at the worm drive for the first time. I figured out how to do it myself and was annoyed to find it was still in the OEM position.

(Stopped using stealers at this point and done all work on motorbikes and Ibiza myself since, but noticed the following problems as a result)

Ibiza oil - noticed the first time I serviced the car myself and had to buy oil of the correct spec, knew it wasn't fully synth that was on my service invoices, car has never needed top ups.

XT plugs, oil and filter - previous owner had the bike serviced by this stealer before selling to me, I found the problems with it after a few hundred miles of ownership. Have serviced it myself since.

Vectra plugs - I don't service this, how would I find out about this until it broke down at 60k miles?

Seat plugs - as Vectra, I had serviced it myself once since I stopped using stealers, but it wasn't scheduled for plugs. I found out when it caused a problem this weekend.

I don't have option of a company car, the company changed that policy before I joined, everyone with less than 3 yrs service has car allowance. I make money out of my car allowance anyway, as I could run a large prestige car on that money if I wanted to, but choose to drive a Vectra, car badges are not important to me. I would be financially worse off with a company car because what I save by running a Vectra not a BMW 5 series goes in my pocket.

Re: More proof that a full service history...
 

That's good advice, I'll be doing this with the Vectra in future.

Blistering reputation means nothing BTW, because 99% of customers don't do this, so long as their car doesn't break down, they judge the dealer on how nice the man at the front desk was. Look at the reputation of Saltire Suzuki, and the walls at W Livingston are covered in customer service awards. Can't fault either of them for being nice people to deal with, but that's no good if behind the scenes the work isn't being completed.

Re: More proof that a full service history...
 

Should have got a Ford...

My TDCi is up around 60,000 now and has never required a spark plug in it's entire life...


Problem?;)

Re: More proof that a full service history...
 

Fair Play then mate,

I have the CC option as the car allowance is when all told, pitiful to run a decent car, (£220 in your pocket) and I went through 2 cars both with significant failures during a 2 yr a period of trying to make money from the allowance.

Best thing I ever did with my allowance was buy the tuono :-)

Re: More proof that a full service history...
 

Id get onto the dealer ....