Potential Main Dealer Scam

[scharlton]

This is not directly F Type related but could impact anyone still using main dealers.

A main dealer recently carried out the 4 year service on my wifes Evoque, I've continued as we bought it from new from them and paid for a 5 year service plan with them. The Evoque has 16,000 miles and we received and nice video of the health check and recommended repairs totalling £1500!

I declined the repairs and a week later decided to write to dealer / customer services to complain about what needed doing to such a low mileage car and see if they'd agree and cover some of the costs. However, when I revisted the video and work required with prices via the internet link, all the prices had dropped, as below.

Alternator/Belt/Baterry condition – Remote Battery £7.44
Rear Brakes – Both rear brake hoses corroded advise replacement £63.97
Brake Fluid Condition – Brake fluid change £32.62
Heater / AirCon operation – Air con service and de germ £144.57
Engine Smoke / Noise – Injector clean £17.94
total £266.54

I can't remember all the prices but I know the brake hoses were around £563 on their own. I wonder if this is a new scam when they quote inflated prices while they have your vehicle and if you decline, they reduce them after the car is returned to avoid any evidence remaining.

What is also disappointing is that they did not record this service or the previous years service on OSH and did not do half of the jobs required in this service as they did not put the costs of the filters etc on the invoice.

SO - reason for the post, just be careful before accepting pricing while the main dealer has your car!!!!

 

[basher]

That's shocking!

Has your dealer (recently) changed ownership?

I ask this because my local has changed from InchCape to Hendy. It'll be interesting to see how that affects my next service.

 

[Lunar]

No way is an injector clean £17.94 - I'm sure these are the parts costs only and the £199 p.h. labour charge is additional.

I would expect any additional advisory work to be itemised and included with the invoice too.

I would give the service manager a call and ask him nicely to explain, before going in all guns blazing.

It's likely typical JLR electronic gremlins again :roll:

 

[Captain Midlife]

Some of those prices seem quite exceptional. Brake fluid change at Harwoods Chichester is £100 and even my local it's £60. Two hoses will set you back more than £63.97. I'd have gone with Lunar but for the A/C service, that's steep? Could it be that they have received your letter and applied a goodwill gesture to certain things already?

if it was me I'd go in smiling and pleasant and see. You can always raise the game if you detect a scam.

 

[Brendub]

Not sure if a scam rather incompetence by the dealer. As Captain says go in smiling and see what happens. With dealerships you have to question everything and do not leave or pay until you have all the answers. Best of luck.

 

[scm]

Some dealers think if you drive a Jaguar your wealth is in inverse proportion to your knowledge of cars.

 

[Mr.Tea]

Some dealers think if you drive a Jaguar your wealth is in inverse proportion to your knowledge of cars.

I think this applies to all dealers. I had my Astra VXR in for a free health check at my local Vauxhall stealer.

The exhaust flexi was split so they advised I needed a WHOLE exhaust... the whole thing totalling to £1k in parts alone, not including the labour! Needless to say I laughed myself out of their dealership. For comparison, I bought a full 3" stainlesssteel exhaust, with sports cat, for 1k. They could have welded the exhaust for cheap and it would have been fine. They could have slapped a load of exhaust putty on it and it would have been fine too.

Some dealerships are absolutely insane and it's hard to find a good one nowadays.

 

[scm]

Main dealers aren't in it for the benefit of their customers, they diagnose "faults" with their systems and swap parts (at customer's expense) until the fault goes away. I'm sure there are some decent ones about, but you have to go looking for them!

 

[JurassicF]

Main dealers are useless, many don't even know their own internal systems.
Having just found out that the fixed price service is no longer available I have started shopping around rather than pay almost full price at Matford.
Called Chichester and they are quoting even higher stating plugs need changing. I pointed out that they were changed last service and this is shown on my OLSH. Chichester said they can't see this work as having been done I asked them to check their OLS correctly and revert. Heard nothing so far
V6s plugs should be changed 5th service this will be service 6.

 

[gasgas]

not surprised, my macan first service 20,000 advised needed new front pads, declined and they went onto 38,000, main dealer

 

[Anonymous]

Main dealers are useless, many don't even know their own internal systems.
Having just found out that the fixed price service is no longer available I have started shopping around rather than pay almost full price at Matford.
Called Chichester and they are quoting even higher stating plugs need changing. I pointed out that they were changed last service and this is shown on my OLSH. Chichester said they can't see this work as having been done I asked them to check their OLS correctly and revert. Heard nothing so far
V6s plugs should be changed 5th service this will be service 6.

I used Chichester for my service in March and had confidence in the work done after speaking to their technician before and after the service, however their communications prior were not good. I wrote to the service manager about my experience (politely of course) and got a good response from him, thanking me for my feedback and promising to brief his team to do better in future, maybe he hasn’t had time to brief them yet?

 

[Fez]

I would not knock chichester, they are extremely knowledgeable. Language is the key to ensuring you get the best service. If you place your keys on the desk and walk out then yes they will service your car! However if we learn to communicate with the staff, service manager and technicians then you will get a better service. How many of us know the service manager and the technicians by name. I personally have the service managers number in my phone and personal emails from them. Talk to them ask questions and thank them to reap the rewards of good service.

 

[Tel]

Matford in Exeter will get mine in once I'm in a position to get the car to them - They have always been good as gold with me, even changed all the underbody braces for the thicker plated versions without even a quibble.

Fez is right, it's all about building a relationship, and no, you shouldn't have to, but hey if it's what's needed these days, then I'll have the service manager round for Sunday lunch!

 

[JurassicF]

I would not knock chichester, they are extremely knowledgeable. Language is the key to ensuring you get the best service. If you place your keys on the desk and walk out then yes they will service your car! However if we learn to communicate with the staff, service manager and technicians then you will get a better service. How many of us know the service manager and the technicians by name. I personally have the service managers number in my phone and personal emails from them. Talk to them ask questions and thank them to reap the rewards of good service.

Not knocking Chichester per se, but main dealers.
I also make sure I discuss in detail, what the car needs and why. I have/had a great relationship with Matford and they have gone to great levels to make sure my car is perfect including changing the cross braces out of the Topix period.

However, how Chichester can say my car needs plugs when the OLSH shows the work was done a year ago and then say they can't see this work on the OLSH, is not acceptable IMHO!

 

[Anonymous]

I would not knock chichester, they are extremely knowledgeable. Language is the key to ensuring you get the best service. If you place your keys on the desk and walk out then yes they will service your car! However if we learn to communicate with the staff, service manager and technicians then you will get a better service. How many of us know the service manager and the technicians by name. I personally have the service managers number in my phone and personal emails from them. Talk to them ask questions and thank them to reap the rewards of good service.

I’m not knocking the service I got at all and the staff I spoke to were knowledgeable and helpful. I never put my keys on the table and walk out, I always engage with staff and ask to talk to the technicians as I’m genuinely interested and I know that building a relationship with them can only be beneficial to both sides. And yes, I know the names of both service receptionists, the service manager and the technicians who worked on my car.

The problem I had was being asked to email pictures which I did but got no reply. I telephoned and asked them to confirm the pictures had got there and was promised a call back, which never came. I emailed asking them to confirm they had received my pictures and again, no reply. After another call I was told they had received the pictures. Then, the day before my car was due in they asked for pictures again. I told them I had already sent them and received confirmation that they had them but they didn’t know where they had gone and so I sent them again. I had also applied for a quote for a service plan from them and despite receiving an email saying someone would be in touch shortly I never got contacted.

I do realise they are working short handed due to current restrictions and I was calm and polite throughout as I know that no one deliberately does a bad job but their communications are not good IME. The service manager got in touch with me afterwards and I explained what had happened in my case, as above he thanked me for the feedback and gave me his personal contact details for future use. I will almost certainly continue to use them for servicing as they are very competent with the work they do, but I just hope they communicate better as being promised calls/emails that never arrive is frustrating.

 

[scm]

If you place your keys on the desk and walk out then yes they will service your car!

Problem is, a lot of dealers encourage such behaviour by having GP-type receptionists to keep customers at arm's length from the technical staff. And our cars are taken away where we can't keep an eye on them. That's why I prefer my indy - I can see my car at all times and watch him doing his stuff!

 

[scharlton]

UPDATE

Thanks for the advice and I did write to the dealer and politely asked for an explaination, I received this answer.

"When you decline the work on the day, it takes the VAT and labour of the prices so it only comes up with the parts."

At least I know now, however, in the email there was no mention of correcting the OSH or explaining the missing service elements.

As for getting to know the technicians / service manager, in all of my visitS to this dealership, I have never met anyone other than the service people who take your details and keys. Even with queiries, they go off, talk to technicians and then come back with answers. I think the GP surgery receptionist analogy is very good.

Thinking about my F Type service with my Indy in July, I know it will cost money but feel so much happier knowing it will go to actual work done and not posh buildings, (not so) free coffee and group profits.

 

[Anonymous]

Language is the key to ensuring you get the best service. If you place your keys on the desk and walk out then yes they will service your car! However if we learn to communicate with the staff, service manager and technicians then you will get a better service. How many of us know the service manager and the technicians by name. I personally have the service managers number in my phone and personal emails from them. Talk to them ask questions and thank them to reap the rewards of good service.

Spot on. I've said the same to a few people on PM who were buying but concerned with servicing, repairs, costs etc. A good relationship with a garage is key.

After a good chat years ago, the service manager at my new swanky branch gave me his personal number so for things like 4th service, rear diff and MOT I go through the official Jaguar channels to get a quote and then contact him.

For example Jaguar said £64 for wipers and you have to book in, service manager said £37 and just swing past anytime you want and give me a call when you get there.

4th service, rear diff, mot and a loan car Jaguar said over £900. Manager said £567.19 all in which was cheaper than a local independent.

But the main reason is that if that anything crops up and the front desk person calls saying some garbage about air con needs doing otherwise it will fail MOT (I call that doing a Kwik-Fit) then I always say get xxx to call me, cheers.

 

[Hammers]

Do they do the satisfaction survey every time you have a service? They do in Australia and where I thought the contact person gave me poor advice I put it on the survey and then got a call from the manager of the service department to sort it out. Had one guy once tell me they recommended rotating all the tyres as the fronts had worn more than the rear and wanted to charge me a huge amount more than any tyre shop would do. When I asked him how they would do that given the fronts and rears were different sizes he tried at first to suggest they weren't, then told me he must have gotten wrong information from the guys doing the work and it was probably left to right. I told him not to bother and put it on my survey form. The manager rang me and apologised and told me to see him next time I come in.