$390 First Service

[seventytwo]

What a bunch of pr(cks.

My 15000 service cost me $175 @ Kinghorne Motors nowra

Labour 82.07

washer bottle solution 1.39

oil fitter 11.45

fuel clean 9.05

engine oil flush 9.05

engine oil 38.08

environmental levy 4.00

shop suplies 4.00

Total 159.09+ GST

[turbomuz]

I have a Question.

What are the 2 items here you listed?

Engine flush 13.10

fuel system cleaner 13.10

These are not in the normal service shedule.  So they charged you whatever they wanted to labour wise for these items.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why does a car with only 15k supposedly need an engine flush and fuel system cleaner? I refuse to pay for any additives and crap like this unless it is stated on the service schedule.

[Chooka]

I have a Question.

What are the 2 items here you listed?

Engine flush 13.10

fuel system cleaner 13.10

These are not in the normal service shedule.  So they charged you whatever they wanted to labour wise for these items.

These are basically an upsell item, they dont have any labour attached. there is no need for them if you change you oil etc regually, I personally would not put flushes through my motor

As far as service times, retail customers gets charged what the service guys think they can get away with! so if you don't question them they will charge the earth

Chooka

Edited 07/12/05 09:25 PM by Chooka

[Guest redgum]

Thanks for starting this thread. Think I'll be asking for a quote and list of items before the 15k service.

Interesting comment above that these days most people trust their mechanic. Wonder if that's just people feeling comfortable withe regulative control in place?

So far I haven't found a service shop I can trust (some of the specialised shops excepted). I've grown used to having to: 1) show the service guys the problems I want them to check to avoid the "there's nothing wrong" response; 2) check the conditon of the car on return (I have had a car returned with new damage); 3) finding things they haven't checked that are on the service list to do (have had cars returend with faulty lights, worn pads etc but not identified by the shop); 3) often getting second opinions on repair work the service guys idenfity themselves (I've had several miss-diagnosed problems that resulted in additional costs later - like damaged bushes being diagnosed as tie rod play that landed up costing 2 new front tyres and a wheel alignment!!!!); 4) make sure I know what they intend putting in the car, some load the account with after market additives etc many of these additives are of questionable value.

[Schmooth]

Had a 45k service in July at the local Ford dealer (Gregory's in Canberra) that set me back $180 (excluding GST because of lease). I didn't think that was out of the ball park for a major service. Although I don't have the account in front of me to itemise it. But this thread will have me searching for it so that I can see if the manifold bolts were checked/tightened.

But another local dealer (where the car was purchased) doesn't get the business as they botched the 30k service and a warranty job.

30k service failed to flash CPU with upgrade or carry out mods to heat shields that was a known problem.

Warranty job was on fuel sender unit located in the tank. I was getting frustrated at having trip computer read 0kms range remaining and only being able to squeeze in 60L of fuel in a 68L tank. To me, there is a missing 5L that would get me another 30-50km out of tank. They replaced the fuel sender, but when we got the car home, we found the photocopied instructions for replacing the unit sitting on the floor in the rear, the fuse cover was sitting on the back seat, and grease was smeared on the inside of the passenger's door (lucky it's plastic and cleaned off easily). But the next morning we got a phone call from them asking if we left a babyseat behind???? Actually, we had (well, they had forgotten to refit it), and we would have discovered it was missing in about 30 mins when we would have driven out for work! We also found a scratch on the roof paint the next day where someone wearing a watch had obviously leaned into the driver's side of the car with their left hand supporting their weight. What was worse, it didn't fix the problem! I can still only get 60L in when empty!

Now I just have an annoying exhaust or suspension rattle on the left side to find and fix. Driving my wife mad.

[Guest FatBAt]

I am lucky that my wife works for a parts wholesaler so I get my parts real cheap. I think a lot would be suprised to know just how BIG the margin is on parts. Obviously some wouldn't be.

that's why they rely so much on the up sell items moreover than the actual labour. I would not take mine back to Ford for a service again.

After filling out a survey they sent me, I received a phone call from the service manager and I just told him that your just too damned expensive. I asked him to justify how any regular maintanance service can be so expensive and he just went on to say that ".....we know fords etc etc....". He said that I can reduce my costs by not running synthetic oil. Not a chance. $390!!! I can have two 8 tonne trucks serviced with 40ltrs of oil for that.

Cheers

[XR06T]

I can still only get 60L in when empty!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

its weird hey!!!

mine is the same but I figure its better to have 5L left and think I have none than the other way around..

PS $160 for 30K service recently, but I didn't get my manifold bolts tightened..

I didn't get any of those additives and crap either which im pretty sure you dont need in a new car..

[Schmooth]

its weird hey!!!

mine is the same but I figure its better to have 5L left and think I have none than the other way around..

Yeah, true. I was wondering if I was going to have to push it the other day when my wife came home and said that it had been on 0kms DTE for the last 20kms...... Took 62.5L that time.

[XR06T]

its weird hey!!!

mine is the same but I figure its better to have 5L left and think I have none than the other way around..

Yeah, true. I was wondering if I was going to have to push it the other day when my wife came home and said that it had been on 0kms DTE for the last 20kms...... Took 62.5L that time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

aaahahahahhahah

how come she didn't fill it up I wonder??

[Guest redgum]

Schmooth: "But another local dealer (where the car was purchased) doesn't get the business as they botched the 30k service and a warranty job..."

Just wondering, this wasn't in Phillip was it???????

Used to have the one in Braddon work on the car, but after a miss-diagnosis that cost me $$$$$s that even a first year apprentice would not have made, missed service items etc I never returned... I did hear the previous principle took steps to improve things there...