Car Servicing Stop

Peanut2011

All,
I've just come across these guys and I was wondering if anyone here has used them before http://www.servicingstop.ie
I like the idea of them picking up the car and dropping it back when finished as well as the prices seem to be decent. 
BTW, I am not affiliated or know anything about them apart from what I saw on their website. I will say that I tried researching the company and the CRO website and is showing one business name registered in 2010, however I can't seem to find the actual company. Also, the VAT number for Ireland stated on their website is coming up invalid so I am a bit sceptical.
Anyone have any more info or dealings with them?

Cee-Jay-Cee

Why would you pay someone to bring your car for a service when you can do it yourself?

I think how they work is that they have a list of dealers/mechanics signed up to their scheme so when you book your car in they contact the mechanic nearest to you to organise collecting and servicing your car. They take their cut for simply getting a mechanic or dealer to contact you.

I personally wouldn't bother with them.

Peanut2011

According to how the service works, that is not what happens. Have you had dealings with them?

The reason why you would get someone to pick up the car and drop it back is because maybe you work all day and just can't find the time to do that yourself.

coylemj

Peanut2011 wrote: »

According to how the service works, that is not what happens. Have you had dealings with them?

Whether it's someone from the garage or Servicing Stop that collects your car is neither here nor there. The fact is that these people are middlemen who take bookings and them farm out cars to independent service garages. They don't really add any value other than a small amount of convenience.

You have no control over where your car will be serviced - they decide. That alone would put me off them.

Any service place with a half decent reputation would be mad to deal with them because with those boys now between you and your customers, all they will do is apply downward pressure on your prices to maintain their margin - aka 'race to the bottom'. I'd say their typical garages are cowboys who rip everyone off and get no repeat business and I can think of a few of them around Dublin.

bazz26

I just put my car (BMW 5 Series) in there for a quote - they are charging €142 for an oil service. BMW main dealer is charging €168 for an oil service on my car.

bucketybuck

coylemj wrote: »

They don't really add any value other than a small amount of convenience.

Never underestimate the lengths people will go to for convenience!

The collection and delivery of the vehicle alone would be considered a massive advantage to a lot of people for very obvious reasons.

There is also another factor to be considered, namely all those people who do not know any independent garages and don't know how to judge or choose from the various garages advertising. For good or ill this service will be taking the hassle of that decision away.

I work in a garage so obviously I'm not going to using that website, and I'm not sure the margin is there for them to succeed but I wouldn't dismiss them so easily, as I say there are a hell of a lot of people out there that will pay a premium to have a middle man sort out the car for them.

CIP4

Minor service in for my Leon €104 Local SEAT garage €135.

Also the Major service is not very major as they only check the pollen filter and charge extra to change the spark plugs main dealer major service change both as standard.

Also says they charge extra for special oil I wonder do they consider 5w30 fully synthetic oil as special.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Peanut2011 wrote: »

According to how the service works, that is not what happens. Have you had dealings with them?

The reason why you would get someone to pick up the car and drop it back is because maybe you work all day and just can't find the time to do that yourself.

No never had any dealings with them.

Ok so why don't you book your car in with them, give your keys to a complete stranger and see how you get on. Make sure to come back and let us know how it went.

coylemj

bazz26 wrote: »

I just put my car (BMW 5 Series) in there for a quote - they are charging €142 for an oil service. BMW main dealer is charging €168 for an oil service on my car.

Which simply proves that they can get someone to do it for less than a main dealer. Are we supposed to be surprised at this?

It would be a far more valid comparison if you got a quote from a local indie service place, the main dealer will always be the more expensive quote.

CeilingFly

Plenty of disgruntled customers in the UK and were featured on watchdog recently.

Avoid

https://www.google.ie/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/money/2017/mar/18/servicing-stop-charges-can-add-up-car-garage-driving

CeilingFly

CIP4 wrote: »

Also says they charge extra for special oil I wonder do they consider 5w30 fully synthetic oil as special.

The "special oil" was mentioned on watchdog - hard sell. Way overpriced.

Similarly they will find other things "wrong" and again hard sell and overpriced.

Their highly trained hard sell sales team can be very convincing, but as many many reviews say, "never again"

bazz26

coylemj wrote: »

Which simply proves that they can get someone to do it for less than a main dealer. Are we supposed to be surprised at this?

It would be a far more valid comparison if you got a quote from a local indie service place, the main dealer will always be the more expensive quote.

My point was they were not far off what a main charged.

And I priced an oil service from a local BMW indy some time back and they were charging something like €120/€130. I'd quite happily pay the extra €30 or so for retaining the main dealer service history in that instance.

coylemj

bazz26 wrote: »

My point was they were not far off what a main charged.

And I priced an oil service from a local BMW indy some time back and they were charging something like €120/€130. I'd quite happily pay the extra €30 or so for retaining the main dealer service history in that instance.

I wasn't sure which side you were on in this discussion. I think we're in agreement that the difference isn't worth it, especially when you consider that SS are taking a slice of the action.

Peanut2011

CeilingFly wrote: »

Plenty of disgruntled customers in the UK and were featured on watchdog recently.

Avoid

https://www.google.ie/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/money/2017/mar/18/servicing-stop-charges-can-add-up-car-garage-driving

Perfectly helpful post!

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

No never had any dealings with them.

Ok so why don't you book your car in with them, give your keys to a complete stranger and see how you get on. Make sure to come back and let us know how it went.

Not such a helpful post!