First service prices? £310?!

[FMJ]

Hey, just wondered what people are paying for a first service?

When I purchased my GT last March I asked everything before I signed on the dotted line including service costs.

I was told £220 first year, £270 second year, £220 third year. Expensive but to be expected really.

On booking my first service this year I casually asked how much it will be and was told £310!

But they will clean it for me if I want..... well it’s already clean so not much point there.

£310 for an oil change and casting their eyes over!? Ouch! That’s £90 price rise in 11 months. Anyone else had a similar experience?

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[hinch]

just don't take it to a main dealer then a service should be about £140-180 depending on where you are inc filter and oil

 

[FMJ]

I would happily do it myself if it weren’t for warranty! Yeah I guess non main dealer is an option, just a shame not to stay with where I purchased it.

 

[hinch]

I would happily do it myself if it weren’t for warranty! Yeah I guess non main dealer is an option, just a shame not to stay with where I purchased it.

you know you don't have to go to a main dealer just to maintain warranty 99% of the time the fitters in a main dealer have less knowledge than the little interdependent at the end of your street. as long as they're vat registered and stamp the book with a stamp that matches the vat registered company name then your warranty remains intact.

 

[Tim_]

£200 for a first service by me including the 12 months breakdown cover (now £12 extra) and the body work inspection.

 

[SteveS]

They must be having a laugh surely...?

 

[Alfa Male]

My first Service at Bristol Street Ford in Birmingham was £180.

As for them washing my car, not a chance in hell am I letting them near my car with a sponge after I’ve spent a fortune having it detailed and ceramic coated !!

 

[Stuart0202]

Just had my third service, £180 including the years breakdown cover and that was at a Ford dealer too!

 

[FMJ]

Cheers guys, surely they must have quoted the wrong price based on what you have all paid. I wanted a few other examples so cheers for posting before I question it on Tuesday!

 

[Splash]

My service contract is £900 for 3 years. But that's based on an estimate 5 X 10000 mile services, based on my projected mileage in that time. So £180 a pop.

 

[Gregs24]

The requirement that you don't have to use a Ford dealer for servicing / warranty purposes is an EU directive implemented in UK law - whether that will continue post Brexit (if it ever happens) is a moot point.

If you look on ETIS you can download the service sheets

£310 is £258 plus VAT. Take out consumables from the £258 and you will be around £180 (lots of oil in a V8). That has to cover the technician's wages, NI, pension, establishment costs specialist equipment demanded by Ford etc etc. It's actually not expensive at all. Yes an independent will probably be cheaper but in order to be a franchised dealer the costs are huge and demands from Ford (or any other car maker) equally onerous. Don't for one minute think dealerships make loads of money out of warranty work or even selling cars. This is the reason small independent Ford dealers are fading away - they can't afford to continue.

Here's a quiz question - What do you think the dealer margin on a full priced sale of a Ford Ka is (and don't forget there is about 3 hours work involved in a new car sale covering PDI and paperwork) I'm certain all of your guesses will be wrong !!

 

[slowhand99]

My third service broke down as £95 inc vat plus oil, oil filter, air filter and washer fill. Ford dealer (not a Fordstore but Mustang savvy and enthusiastic) in Hungerford. Yes, they mark up on oil and parts, yes I’d like them to stay in business.

Mark up on my Mustang in 2016 was £500. Which was why the supplying dealer couldn’t give a toss.

 

[vernonator]

Okay a Yank here - why does an "oil change" as we call it here cost you the equivalent of $237 US? Here I get a full synthetic oil change at the dealer for under $50 US, they will also wash it (not happening) and do the full inspection. Just interested to know why it is almost 5x more expensive. I can get it even cheaper when I buy a 3-pack of changes in advance for around $130 US.

 

[hinch]

Okay a Yank here - why does an "oil change" as we call it here cost you the equivalent of $237 US? Here I get a full synthetic oil change at the dealer for under $50 US, they will also wash it (not happening) and do the full inspection. Just interested to know why it is almost 5x more expensive. I can get it even cheaper when I buy a 3-pack of changes in advance for around $130 US.

because mechanics/dealerships over here are robbing bastards. it costs me £80 for enough oil and a oil filter and a new sump plug + washer. so even our materials are a little more expensive than yours but yeah then the dealerships stick insane hourly rates on top and say a service takes all day when in reality a single mechanic can do 3 services at the same time in under an hour

 

[SteveS]

£310 is £258 plus VAT. Take out consumables from the £258 and you will be around £180 (lots of oil in a V8). That has to cover the technician's wages, NI, pension, establishment costs specialist equipment demanded by Ford etc etc. It's actually not expensive at all. Yes an independent will probably be cheaper but in order to be a franchised dealer the costs are huge and demands from Ford (or any other car maker) equally onerous. Don't for one minute think dealerships make loads of money out of warranty work or even selling cars. This is the reason small independent Ford dealers are fading away - they can't afford to continue.

Valid points however I think the issue here is that one Ford dealer will do it for £180 whilst another wants £310.

My service contract cost £590 for the first three years, one service per year.

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