Main Dealer or Independant

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RichardR
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Main Dealer or Independant

Post by RichardR »

Back in August I bought a Xsara VTS which will be due a service (62,500) in a couple of thousand miles, and I can't decide whether I should use a main dealer or go to a local independant or specialist (if I can find one in the Bracknell area).
I've used my local main dealer in Wokingham to sort out a couple of warranty items for me, and they seem to have been quite helpful and efficient in that respect, but the only other time I've used main dealers is for company cars I've had previously.
For my own cars I've always stuck with independants of the basis of better value for money (and, quite often, workmanship). However, my concern now is whether an independant would have the necessary equipment to be able to handle the electronics on the Xsara, particularly with the multiplex wiring, and also whether there's a risk of any other service items (e.g. cambelt, although I know this has been replaced) being missed.
I'd be grateful to hear other people's opinions on this (I've already read the other thread with the less-than-complementary feedback about dealers), and also to get any recommendations for a specialist in the Wokingham/Bracknell area.
Thanks, in anticipation, [:)]
Richard
Stuart McB
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Post by Stuart McB »

Personaly I'd go for a quote from both. My local independant is great but miles from you (Birmingham). He's good on the prices but he was more that £50 more than any one else for a cam belt change. As for the main dealer he was well out of the ball park for a cam belt change but has recently been on a 'price cut' in the service dept. Like the local Renault garage a simple oil 'n' filter chager is now only £30. As for the electrics all modern cars are the same aren't they?
RichardR
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Post by RichardR »

I've been quoted £215 by the main dealer but I know that if I go to an AA Service Centre, for example, it's £170 for their standard full service, and if I use the same guy who used to service my last car, he only charges £25ph + VAT, so I'm pretty sure I can find a lower price.
My main concern is whether the Citroen dealer will have access to equipment (particularly relating to the car's electronics) or information that the others won't, and that I'll therefore risk something being missed or done incorrectly if I don't use the dealer.
MW
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Post by MW »

I think most of them can do the engine electronics these days, for pretty well any car. They just punch in the details of the car they're working on, and the tuning equipment adjusts itself to make sure that the engine gets set up correctly. My missus's VW is an import, and is non-standard in some respects, but my local indie had no trouble setting it up.
Obviously there's a lot more to electronics than just engine electrics - what with climate control, GPS systems and all that gubbins. And if those things go wrong then the indie is going to have to scratch his head a little bit. But not, I suspect, much longer than a main dealer would!
If it had been a 7 series beemer, I might have said the main dealer would know better than the independents about electronics and such like. But on a Xsara it shouldn't make a lot of difference, except in the wallet department.
RichardR
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Post by RichardR »

That sounds fairly hopeful then. It's always handy to save a few quid where possible!
Stuart McB
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Post by Stuart McB »

Your local yellow pages will more than likley have all your independants listed. Don't forget that a Puegeot specialist can do the Xsara /Citroen service aswell.
RichardR
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Post by RichardR »

Thanks for the advice guys. I think I'll go the independant route, although I'm not having much luck finding a local specialist.
madasafish
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Post by madasafish »

If you think any garage will test engine electronics on a normal service, you have far more trust in garages than I have...
RichardR
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Post by RichardR »

I was thinking more about them being able to plug in to read any fault/error codes rather than including a check of the electronics in the service. [:)]
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Post by RichardR »

Problem solved, this time at least...
My local dealer (Wyatt Concorde in Wokingham) has a half price MoT and servicing offer until the end of October, so I think I'm going to get the service done a bit early and benefit from the offer.
I didn't find out about the offer until Friday when I came to pay for my MoT and found out that it was only £21 - bonus! [:D]
ACTIVE8
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Post by ACTIVE8 »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by RichardR</i>


My main concern is whether the Citroen dealer will have access to equipment (particularly relating to the car's electronics) or information that the others won't, and that I'll therefore risk something being missed or done incorrectly if I don't use the dealer.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
I wanted to get my Xantia Activa suspension checked out, and because of the reasons stated above, and knowing that the Activa has an additional E.C.U. to control the suspension, expected it to be looked over properly.
Well as far as I know this was not checked, it went on the ramp, and they carried out a visual check. They suggested that to cure it, would require two new Activa struts, located N/S/F & O/S/R.
This didn't seem right to me, and I only wanted their diagnosis to assist with sorting the problem out. Which it didn't at all !
I went to an independent, they knew what to look for, and have more respect for the customers wallet, I.E. cheaper bills !
I had only just got the car, and resorted to others as I was still getting used to the car, and was quite busy.
Normally, I will not let a garage touch a car I own as I will do all my own maintenance, but with the Activa carrying out Citrobics without me operating the height control lever, it seemed like a good idea (at the time) to see the main dealer.
Well they will not see me again, as they did not do what was requested, recommended the expensive struts as being at fault when they were not, and took to long.
Independents are better ! [:D]
The parts needed, which cured it amounted to about £6.00 ! [:D]
The Activa struts would have cost over £550.00 in parts alone.
Avoid main dealers !
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