Dublin Ford Dealer service recommendations?

useless

My SMax is due its first service next month. Will be a main dealer job, Dublin southside for convenience. Does anyone have any reason why I should choose one of Appleyard/Rialto/Fort Motors over the other two? Or a compelling reason (apart from the cost) to avoid all three?
Thanks.

bazz26

Ford dealers have fixed price service menus these days.

Nissan doctor

A first 'service' is basically an oil change and vehicle inspection.

There is also no compelling reason to even have it done in a ford dealer.

useless

Nissan doctor wrote: »

There is also no compelling reason to even have it done in a ford dealer.

Until you have a warranty issue and the manufacturer tries to weasel out of paying for it to be resolved on the basis that you didn't follow the 'manufacturer's service instructions' or some other nonsense.

Nissan doctor

useless wrote: »

Until you have a warranty issue and the manufacturer tries to weasel out of paying for it to be resolved on the basis that you didn't follow the 'manufacturer's service instructions' or some other nonsense.

If you use a good independant garage they will service the car as per manufacturer scheduals and warranty won't be an issue.

useless

Nissan doctor wrote: »

If you use a good independant garage they will service the car as per manufacturer scheduals and warranty won't be an issue.

I don't doubt for an instant that an independent garage would do the job as well as or better than a main dealer. You're right in saying it's basically an oil change and a visual inspection. I'm also confident an independent garage would be cheaper than a main dealer.

However, I'm also 100% confident that in the event of a warranty claim, the manufacturer will do all possible to avoid paying out. Not having the dealer stamp in the service book is just making it easy for them. I vaguely recall there's some EU law that says that a customer isn't bound to the main dealer network, as long as the work is carried out to manufacturer standards, but I'm not so sure that quoting the finer points of law down the phone to Ford customer services while a dealer has my car in his workshop and is demanding €1k+ from me to fix a DPF or some other expensive problem within the warranty period is going to get me very far. And frankly, I can do without that kind of hassle.
The car will get a main dealer history for the 3 years of its warranty, then it'll be independent all the way.

creedp

The car will get a main dealer history for the 3 years of its warranty, then it'll be independent all the way.

My 08 S-max is due its 50k mile(UK car)/ 80k km and I got a quote from main dealer of €330 for a major service. Another guy said €189 for a minor service but had difficulty telling me if 80k service was major or minor.

I was thnking of going indpendent as tyre/tax/nct due this month and next and was wondering if worthwhile give that the car is now 4 years old and I intend (have no choice) but to keep for a few more years.

George Dalton

creedp wrote: »

My 08 S-max is due its 50k mile(UK car)/ 80k km and I got a quote from main dealer of €330 for a major service. Another guy said €189 for a minor service but had difficulty telling me if 80k service was major or minor.

I was thnking of going indpendent as tyre/tax/nct due this month and next and was wondering if worthwhile give that the car is now 4 years old and I intend (have no choice) but to keep for a few more years.

What engine is in your S Max?

creedp

George Dalton wrote: »

What engine is in your S Max?

Mine's a 2l TDCi 140. First service was in the UK, the last 2 were at a Ford dealer in Dublin. Both times cost approx €220 for basic service ( i was foolishly hit for €80 to change wipers - they rang I gave go ahead without asking price!) but this time upped to €330 as a major service required, inlc all filters, brake fluid, etc, etc. However don't understand the 2nd dealer telling me €189 for the same service although I not sure was he leading me into his web ..

George Dalton

It is impossible to say what is needed without knowing the previous service history. If everything has been done by the book up to now then it will just be a basic service needed plus a brake fluid change. However this is often not the case so each car has to be considered on an individual basis.

According to Ford's own schedule the 4 year/50,000 mile service should be just oil and filter, cabin filter and inspection plus a brake fluid change. The 3 year/37,500 mile service should have been a major one with fuel and air filters replaced as well as the oil and filter, cabin filter and inspection.

However, it sounds like this may not have been done to your car as you say the last 2 services were just basic services. If this is the case then the upcoming service should be a major service as the air and fuel filters are now overdue if they have not been changed before.

To be fair €330 isn't a bad price on one of these for a full main dealer service with all filters and a brake fluid change. You will still save money by going independent but not a huge amount.

HTH

George

creedp

George Dalton wrote: »

It is impossible to say what is needed without knowing the previous service history. If everything has been done by the book up to now then it will just be a basic service needed plus a brake fluid change. However this is often not the case so each car has to be considered on an individual basis.

According to Ford's own schedule the 4 year/50,000 mile service should be just oil and filter, cabin filter and inspection plus a brake fluid change. The 3 year/37,500 mile service should have been a major one with fuel and air filters replaced as well as the oil and filter, cabin filter and inspection.

However, it sounds like this may not have been done to your car as you say the last 2 services were just basic services. If this is the case then the upcoming service should be a major service as the air and fuel filters are now overdue if they have not been changed before.

To be fair €330 isn't a bad price on one of these for a full main dealer service with all filters and a brake fluid change. You will still save money by going independent but not a huge amount.

HTH

George

Thanks for that George. I'm surprised the guy didn't do the extra stuff last time around if it was scheduled because it had over 36k on it at the time. I would have preferred to have that work done that he slipping €80 on for wipers .. he also wanted to change 2 tyres even though they had another 3-4k miles on them. I was lucky there because less than 1,000 miles later I hit a pothole and blew on of them!!

You may be right on main dealer price .. my problem is I suspect there will be extras (e.g. Im getting a warning that the high brake light has gone .. should really do that before he gets his hans on it!) and there is never a good time ... Thanks again

George Dalton

I'm not saying you should go to a main dealer. I would never suggest such a thing I am just saying that €330 is not totally OTT so if you get prices from independents don't expect them to be half the price of the dealer or anything like that. I would say anything around or under €250 would be a good price for that work at a decent independent garage.

creedp

George Dalton wrote: »

I'm not saying you should go to a main dealer. I would never suggest such a thing I am just saying that €330 is not totally OTT so if you get prices from independents don't expect them to be half the price of the dealer or anything like that. I would say anything around or under €250 would be a good price for that work at a decent independent garage.

I'd be happy enough with €250 given what has to be done so I'll make a couple of calls! I went and checked the service history and found to my embarassing horror I'd forgotten the fact that my commute more than doubled in the last year so I went from about 8k miles a year (and an annual service for the last 10 years) to 19k last year and still didn't get a service ... so Im way overdue an oil change!! Hope I haven't done damage ..