Hmm to Harwoods or not to……

[Captain Midlife]

Update from me.

Decided to go to Harwoods to keep the FJSH as she's being replaced next year. Fixed price £289. They have no idea about their own £299 deal that included brake fluid change. When I showed them the email they said it was a bit ambiguous! They then said the £299 deal had fewer checks. Honestly if I had a lie detector....

Next problem is that they discover an oil leak from the vacuum pump. This is when fixed price servicing hits the wallet as they now ask £205 per hour to do any repairs. Oil leak so I'm not too happy taking it away and bite the bullet. Labour charges so high that I agree to fit a new pump as well as the seal. Have I been conned? Seal cost £12+VAT. Repair £478+VAT. Yikes. Arun don't charge £205 per hour. I've learnt the hard way :shock:

 

[Casperrito]

Update from me.

Decided to go to Harwoods to keep the FJSH as she's being replaced next year. Fixed price £289. They have no idea about their own £299 deal that included brake fluid change. When I showed them the email they said it was a bit ambiguous! They then said the £299 deal had fewer checks. Honestly if I had a lie detector....

Next problem is that they discover an oil leak from the vacuum pump. This is when fixed price servicing hits the wallet as they now ask £205 per hour to do any repairs. Oil leak so I'm not too happy taking it away and bite the bullet. Labour charges so high that I agree to fit a new pump as well as the seal. Have I been conned? Seal cost £12+VAT. Repair £478+VAT. Yikes. Arun don't charge £205 per hour. I've learnt the hard way :shock:

£205 per hour!!! Jesus that's expensive :shock:

 

[Captain Midlife]

£205 per hour!!! Jesus that's expensive :shock:

Yeah but it does include Rishi's 20% :roll:
Service secretary/telephonist/invoice handler said it wasn't as exensive as Porsche. My reply "And your point is?"

It's not the labour cost alone I'm squirming at, it's the way they seemed to think an interim service was not the same as a minor service. It's just there to confuse me. Interim service included brake fluid change but was £7.17 more than a minor service, though they'd do my brake fluid for £83 extra on the minor. They're not impressing me.

 

[G13 V8]

I am amazed at how many people rave about Harwoods in my experience with them, they were utterly rubbish. I would rather service the car myself than have to deal with them. I left them a truthful Google review, warning other against going there, which of course they had removed. Absolute cowboys and I'd avoid. It's a shame as consumers we place such an importance on the main dealer service stamp for values, but as enthusiasts we all know a good independent is a MUCH better idea.

 

[scm]

I've had both good and bad experiences at Harwoods, at Chichester and Basingstoke. But I use my independent - I trust him to do any necessary properly and not rip me off. He's said on several occasions that if he could charge dealer rates he'd only work 1 day a week!

 

[MikeF]

I use the same independent as scm based on his recommendation. I have found them to be every bit as good as he says and I take my F type and the wife’s E pace there. I had similar experiences with my local JLR dealer to those described here and it is so much better with the independent.

 

[Tel]

How do you think JLR funds all the new, 'fancy', automated dealerships?....Now you know!