Advance pitstop

Gladiator.

Anyone every get a full service in Advance pitstop?
I'm looking to get a service and diagnostic done , was going to go to Atlas service centre in Drumcondra but looks like they shut down

Anyone recommend them? what price?
Thanks

Mr Benevolent

Very few will recommend Advance Pitstop as they're not mechanics who work for them. They certainly wouldn't be much use in diagnosing a fault light. Go to a real garage, it's cheaper in the long run.

Gladiator.

Thanks,
Does anyone know if any of the following garages have diagnostics , or would you recommend them

J murphy motors ,Clontarf
Forrester motors, Grange gorman/Phibsborough
Santry motors ?

In fairness some of the staff in advance are most definitely mechanics. In saying that I wouldn't give them a lawnmower to service.

Gitb1

Confab wrote: »

Very few will recommend Advance Pitstop as they're not mechanics who work for them. They certainly wouldn't be much use in diagnosing a fault light. Go to a real garage, it's cheaper in the long run.

Not all are but some are. My cousin works in one over the north side, where exactly I cant recall. He was one of Pat Whites mechanics for a few years and knows his stuff about all Whites old marques and a fair bit about the rest of the VAG stuff

tossy

Confab wrote: »

Very few will recommend Advance Pitstop as they're not mechanics who work for them. They certainly wouldn't be much use in diagnosing a fault light. Go to a real garage, it's cheaper in the long run.

That's simply not true,my mate(highly qualified mechanic with toyota and VAG main dealer experience) works in a branch of Advance along with 2 other mechanics.As for fault lights they have the most up to date diagnostic gear.

Pablod

tossy wrote: »

As for fault lights they have the most up to date diagnostic gear.

While this may be true, they do not know how to use it....
I had my car in with them last year for a service it also had the engine maintenance light on. They were able to disable the light temporarily but after 3 visits it remained permantly on... and could never find what the problem was.

Also last year the car had an NCT, so while it was in getting a service advance gave it their 30point NCT check or what ever you call it.
They charged for 1 main item, adjusting the position on a headlight (saying it was not level)
off I go to the NCT the next day - FAIL - on only 1 item the headlight that was apparently adjusted!!!! ...
As others said its cheaper in the long run to take it to an official garage.. enough said..

Colonel Sanders

I've also found Advance to be horrifically expensive

ART6

Possibly not all Advance depots are the same standard, but I have used the one in Waterford over a number of years, including once for a clutch change on wife's car, once for an all round suspension components change, and for a diagnostic check and repairs on a second car. They were quick and efficient and their mechanics did a good job. Their great advantage for me was that I could phone them for an appoinment, get told to bring the car in tomorow morning, and have it back by late afternoon. None of my local garages could offer that.

voxpop

The one in Dundrum - up the road from the luas bridge - is decent enough. Got a few things done about 2 years ago and couldnt fault them (apart from the insanely steep and tight parking). Advance are a franchise - so each branch is going to be different. From stories Ive heard of a certain vag dealer in Tallaght (now gone bust I think) - advance arent the worst.

sundodger5

Each branch will be different as people are different. however they are not a franchise.

declanobrennan

tossy wrote: »

That's simply not true,my mate(highly qualified mechanic with toyota and VAG main dealer experience) works in a branch of Advance along with 2 other mechanics.As for fault lights they have the most up to date diagnostic gear.

Left my VW polo (95, 1.3) in this morning to Advance on Glasnevin Road, Finglas. Full service 170. New tyre needed cos it is ballooning on the inside. 60euro. Full re-alignment of wheels and steerings - 80e - which I know needed to be done cos the steering wheel was fecked. They put a temporary fix on the problem with the lock on the back door and advised going to a breaker's yard for a part for the catch and also for two spacers needed for the back hubs (eh I'm a bit sketchy on this bit).

Total 310. I'm don't think they have taken the mick really though..

biko

It really depends on the mechanic and what the job is.
I've used them for some stuff and they've never tried to rip me off (although they're always trying to sell me this and that, like tyres).

To read codes, sure why not? Usually about a 50 anywhere.

Veloce

I think advance would be fine for small jobs like fixing a puncture / tracking but I wouldn't bring my car to them for anything else.

I went in to the branch on townsend street during lunch last week to ask them pricing on doing a small number of specific jobs. All I got was smart answers and your man couldn't have been any less helpful. But as a previous poster said they are a franchise so feedback will vary from shop to shop.

Nissan doctor

Advance aren't a franchise, they are a single company owned(untill recently at least) by Continental tyres.



OP: what gave you the impression Atlas in Drumcondra was closed? Our shutters are open 7 days a week....

-Corkie-

Nissan doctor wrote: »

Advance aren't a franchise, they are a single company owned(untill recently at least) by Continental tyres.



OP: what gave you the impression Atlas in Drumcondra was closed? Our shutters are open 7 days a week....

Its a old thread. Maybe something was wrong that day..

Nissan doctor

-Corkie- wrote: »

Its a old thread. Maybe something was wrong that day..

Doh! I only looked at the date on the last couple of posts, not the OP.

I believe the front of the garage was getting renovated around that time.

batman2000

Gladiator. wrote: »

was going to go to Atlas service centre in Drumcondra but looks like they shut down

I've had work done in Atlas, Drumcondra (beside Skylon) and I was happy with the work they carried ouot, full service, Oil, Air, Spark, Other Fluids. There are open 7 days !!

declanobrennan

declanobrennan wrote: »

Left my VW polo (95, 1.3) in this morning to Advance on Glasnevin Road, Finglas. Full service 170. New tyre needed cos it is ballooning on the inside. 60euro. Full re-alignment of wheels and steerings - 80e - which I know needed to be done cos the steering wheel was fecked. They put a temporary fix on the problem with the lock on the back door and advised going to a breaker's yard for a part for the catch and also for two spacers needed for the back hubs (eh I'm a bit sketchy on this bit).

Total 310. I'm don't think they have taken the mick really though..

My car just broke down. Less than two weeks after the service. Rang Advance, they had very little to say. In fairness I suppose they need to diagnose the problem ( it just conked out mid drive and then it just started choking when I try to restart it. Seems like there might be an airlock or something preventing the gas getting to the engine?).

Anyone know if I can just send it to a reliable mechanic I used to use and bill Advance? Or demand my money back from them? I'm running off now to check my consumer rights....

Wats_in_a_name

declanobrennan wrote: »

My car just broke down. Less than two weeks after the service. Rang Advance, they had very little to say. In fairness I suppose they need to diagnose the problem ( it just conked out mid drive and then it just started choking when I try to restart it. Seems like there might be an airlock or something preventing the gas getting to the engine?).

Anyone know if I can just send it to a reliable mechanic I used to use and bill Advance? Or demand my money back from them? I'm running off now to check my consumer rights....

How do you know the car breaking down had anything to do with advance?

dr.fuzzenstein

Throw in some oil, change filters, check fluid levels, bulbs and brakes.
There's your advance service. Save yourself a few bob.
And if something goes wrong, go to a real garage.

declanobrennan

Wats_in_a_name wrote: »

How do you know the car breaking down had anything to do with advance?

Well yeah I don't. But after forking out so much for the full service I am a bit annoyed that it suddenly breaks down again. I suppose I have this irrational idea that after a service nothing should go wrong for a while. But I suppose a service only covers a certain pre-determined set of checks.

Still bloody annoying. What if I bring it to this other small mechanic and he finds that the problem was something they should have spotted? Perhaps I have some comeback then?

Fuel pump can go whenever, so too the likes of a distributor, lots of things can make a car a non starter or breakdown in spite of servicing.

dudara

voxpop wrote: »

The one in Dundrum - up the road from the luas bridge - is decent enough. Got a few things done about 2 years ago and couldnt fault them (apart from the insanely steep and tight parking). Advance are a franchise - so each branch is going to be different. From stories Ive heard of a certain vag dealer in Tallaght (now gone bust I think) - advance arent the worst.

Had a terrible experience there about 3 years ago when getting the lamba sensor changed on my exhaust. They managed to short the electrics in the car, probably because they had to hammer off the old sensor. The owner then tried to convince me that I needed a new fuel pump. I had a fair idea that the problem was being caused by a blown fuse, but he wasn't buying it. I told him to look at it overnight and ring me in the morning.

Next morning I got a call saying - "We found the problem, it was a blown fuse after all". Really got the feeling that they weren't listening to me cause I was a female. If I hadn't known what I did, I could have been down a few extra hundred Euro for a new fuel pump and labour.

declanobrennan

RoverJames wrote: »

Fuel pump can go whenever, so too the likes of a distributor, lots of things can make a car a non starter or breakdown in spite of servicing.

Timing belt gone. The breakdown assist guy figured it out on Friday and but I was too busy to update this thread (in case anyone is on the edge of their seat....!) With poss damage to valves estimated bill = 600 - 800euro. Car worth about a grand. Conclusion - scrap it. 350euro wasted on a service.

dr.fuzzenstein

declanobrennan wrote: »

Timing belt gone. The breakdown assist guy figured it out on Friday and but I was too busy to update this thread (in case anyone is on the edge of their seat....!) With poss damage to valves estimated bill = 600 - 800euro. Car worth about a grand. Conclusion - scrap it. 350euro wasted on a service.

It has to be said that the timing belt is quite separate from a regular service.
Several factors to be taken into consideration.
Was the timing belt gone way over it's life?
Then they might have said something out of courtesy. If they had some way of knowing. It's not always obvious from the cars documentation and it's not always written up on the engine when it was last done.
At the main dealers they would have surely checked the service history, but a car worth a grand is not worth servicing at the main dealers since the service could cost more than the car is worth.
Also: Did you keep track of when the belt was last changed?
They are a critical item to keep an eye on as a broken belt can wreck the engine.
If you are driving a banger and getting it serviced on the cheap, it's always better to keep track on things such as brakes, shocks, timing belt, etc...
It definitely pays to know when stuff needs to be changed.
If the belt broke and it was within it's life:
It's certainly not a great thing to happen.
But look on the bright side.
You might still get a few bob from the scrappies (or maybe not, times have changed, but try anyway) and, at the end of the day, it's better to wreck a car worth a grand than a car worth ten.
I once spend hundreds on getting a clutch replaced on a VW van only for the gearbox to pack up the very next day.
Tough sh*t, c'est la vie.

declanobrennan

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

It has to be said that the timing belt is quite separate from a regular service.
Several factors to be taken into consideration.
Was the timing belt gone way over it's life?
Then they might have said something out of courtesy. If they had some way of knowing. It's not always obvious from the cars documentation and it's not always written up on the engine when it was last done.
Tough sh*t, c'est la vie.

In fairness to Advance Pitstop they did flag it with me and I said that I thought the belt had been changed when I bought it, with 60,000 on the clock.

I'm ringing around but finding it hard to get a scrapyard to take it off my hands. A lot of them say they are full up.

neilthefunkeone

Confab wrote: »

Very few will recommend Advance Pitstop as they're not mechanics who work for them. They certainly wouldn't be much use in diagnosing a fault light. Go to a real garage, it's cheaper in the long run.

Actually their branch on the kylemore rd has a full time mechanic... I know a manager in their head office and he took my GF's car in there.. he replaced clutch and brakes for NCT.. No problem with it at all..

Maybe their smaller branchs dont have mechanics.. Or maybe there is one person on site that is a mechanic.. Guess you could ask!

Derinacahara

Well I got 2 vans serviced this week in the Vicars Road Branch in Cork & checked them on return and everything I asked to be done was done and they're definitely not expensive so why pay double to a garage when the same work can be done for half price. A service is a service at the end of the day.

dr.fuzzenstein

declanobrennan wrote: »

In fairness to Advance Pitstop they did flag it with me and I said that I thought the belt had been changed when I bought it, with 60,000 on the clock.

I'm ringing around but finding it hard to get a scrapyard to take it off my hands. A lot of them say they are full up.

It sounds like they did spot the potential problem and made you aware of it.
A timing belt change is not part of a regular service, it's usually done separately and on it's own because it can take some time, depending on the car and if there are complications.
My tough sh*t comment was actually directed at myself, I once paid out hundreds to have a clutch replaced , got the van back, drove off and on the way from Dublin to Cork the gearbox packed up, car got stuck in 4th gear and I could not disengage 4th, no matter how hard I tried.
I was stuck in 4th at a traffic light in Cork on an uphill section, so I floored it, revved the nuts of it and made it around the corner with smoke pouring out of my brand new clutch and was lucky enough to get 100 pound for it from a friendly scrappie.
I took a bath on that one, but fear not, no matter how knackered it is, someone will want it.
You could advertise it to sell for scrap or parts, there's always someone who wants a donor car.

coylemj

Stinking review by a first time poster - very suspicious.

Seth Brundle

coylemj wrote: »

Stinking review by a first time poster - very suspicious.

First time poster's post now deleted!

rachos89

This is making me worry a bit....I bought a service from Advance as part of one of the Citydeal offers so I got it for €20 instead of €60...which branch in Cork should I take it to?!My options are Patricks' Quay in the city or Little Island, but town would be easier for me in terms of getting home!Any feedback welcome!

If Willy still manages the one in Patrick's Quay I reckon you'd be ok there
It's 9 years since I was in there so f knows if he's still there or not though !!

I don't think you bought a service though, some sort of a check with a fluid top up me thinks that deal was.

slinky2000

rachos89 wrote: »

I bought a service from Advance as part of one of the Citydeal offers so I got it for €20 instead of €60...

I doubt any service for €20 is worth it. 4L of cheap oil would be the same price as this! As said above I bet you just got a summer health check. I doubt they'll do more than check over a few essential items.

I've always found advance pitstop to do the job especially for tyres, alignment, brakes and exhausts. That said I've always found them quite expensive, but they've got me out of bother a few times.

rachos89

i take it back, they call it "spring car maintenance" but it includes fluid checks and light checks etc.

Run_to_da_hills

Advanced Pitstops is to motoring as McDonalds is to eating out.

rachos89

rachos89 wrote: »

i take it back, they call it "spring car maintenance" but it includes fluid checks and light checks etc.

I thought it was something along those lines. Just drop it in to wherever suits you, whatever they recommend you need ask them for a written quote so you can price around in these recessionary times. Tell them you want nothing aside from whatever the €20/€60 thing covers

rachos89

RoverJames wrote: »

I thought it was something along those lines. Just drop it in to wherever suits you, whatever they recommend you need ask them for a written quote so you can price around in these recessionary times. Tell them you want nothing aside from whatever the €20/€60 thing covers

Thanks! first car, first ever time getting anything done to it since i've not had it very long but the voucher expires in the middle of June.

Heisenberg.

This post has been deleted.

rachos89

Mine's a 00 reg so there's probably stuff that needs doing alright but i'm a student so that's not really going to happen, don't have the budget for it and it's a starter car, not interested in making it last forever! I'll be happy to get a couple of years out of it. It'll be interesting to see what they say needs to be done though, and I can always work away on the little bits myself if I get the time/money!

slinky2000

Do not pay anyone to change your wipers for €45! You can even get them from halfords for €20 and do it yourself!

Heisenberg.

This post has been deleted.

rachos89

rachos89 wrote: »

Mine's a 00 reg so there's probably stuff that needs doing alright but i'm a student so that's not really going to happen, don't have the budget for it and it's a starter car, not interested in making it last forever! I'll be happy to get a couple of years out of it. It'll be interesting to see what they say needs to be done though, and I can always work away on the little bits myself if I get the time/money!

Post up here whatever they reckon it needs

Takes the biscuit

why was my first time post on advace deleted, i had a recent bad expierience with them looked on the net to see if people had similar bad service stories and i found this post. if i upset advance empoyees here with my comments tough.

Alanstrainor

Takes the biscuit wrote: »

why was my first time post on advace deleted, i had a recent bad expierience with them looked on the net to see if people had similar bad service stories and i found this post. if i upset advance empoyees here with my comments tough.

Do not discuss mod decisions on thread. Send a PM if you wish. I am unaware of what post was deleted. Any further posts relating to this issue on thread will result in your posts being deleted and infractions/bans being given.

MarcinG

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Advanced Pitstops is to motoring as McDonalds is to eating out.

they are not as good ;/


Got van full serviced/checked by APS and few days later got puncture
then i discovered that entire spare wheel is in bits (caused by cage it sits in)
literally i could see steel thread under rubber (how came no one check condition of spare wheel?). Went to nearest garage and they said that my brakes are worn and they don't like to let me back on road without replacing shoes at least.

at other occasion i checked oil in 1.9 cdti vivaro (same van) literally 10miles/20 minutes after replacement and i found it black as tar (look nothing like new oil - but I'm not expert)

Other day i went to FF (as i got brake pads warning light on dash) got replaced pads (which happened to be left in my car and were over 1cm thick!) + discs (total 280euro) and light remain on (they told me to go to vw service and "cancel" it by computer (pure b*it - all what was wrong was broken cable leading to sensor (finally sold the car without solving light/poor service problem).

Ps recently went for balancing wheels to FF and they said that my front and rear discs+pads are worn and need to be replaced ASAP (estimated 500-600 E job) paid less than hundred at local garage (replaced pads only as disc had very little wear) for less than 100 euro... got nct afterwards and had no problem (job done 3k miles ago)

the longer I'm driving car the less i trust garages.

ps. in mcdonalds you would at least get what you paid for....

Not many places will check the condition on your spare, if you could see the steel belting that's under the rubber the tyre was bald. You should check your spare yourself.

Oil in a diesel will go black as night after a few miles quite easily.

fraggle23

Off today to get spring car maintenance on my Opel Astra 05,got a deal on Citideals...hope it goes well. NCT booked or next month too