Free first service on a new car.

nudger

Is this still the norm or do garages now charge?

Bpmull

Never heard of that before normally they charge I suppose it depends on the garage car. But generally they charge.

Anan1

Depends on the car/garage/buyer.

MuppetCheck

It's usually something that you get in the deal you agree to. I usually try and get it as a sweetener as the actual cost of the service to the garage is much lower than the cost to you.

coylemj

There used to be a free 600 mile service for new cars, they changed gearbox oil and did a few other things but it disappeared years ago.

colm_mcm

Cars are ready to go when you get them new now, they needed oil change and bits and pieces after a short run in period before.

V Eight

could be a max of two years before your car needs it's first service thesedays; as most new cars are using long life oil......

Anan1

My Forester needed an oil & filter change after 1600kms - apparently they use special running-in oil, and it's critical that it be changed on time. That's the exception these days, though.

L1011

Very much a thing of the past unless the car has a specific early oil change in its service cycle - as that's realistically all that was done anyway.

sunnysoutheast

I've only ever bought two new cars.

One (Ford) about 20 years ago had to go to the dealer after 500-1000 miles for a free oil change after "running in".

The other (1999 VW Golf 1.9TDi) had no requirement for this early change. Incidentally I believe can get problems later down the line if cars are driven too gently in the "running in" period which makes ex-hire cars a better bet!

When I bought an approved used VW after the Golf they threw in a "free" 20k mile service as part of the deal as they wouldn't budge any further on the price!

cml387

Traditionally, cars were so badly put together that a free service was a must to sort out the bits that needed to be screwed back together after a few hundred miles.

Then the Japanese arrived with their statistical process control methods.

Nowadays ( with the exceptions mentioned above) it's not required.

nudger

Charged €140 for the first service at a vag garage, not bad I suppose.

bazz26

nudger wrote: »

Charged €140 for the first service at a vag garage, not bad I suppose.

Depends on what they did for the €140.