Servicing cost

Mobilvetta

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Just had a quote today from Walton Summit Fiat professional garage to perform a two year service, thinking of getting it done a couple months earlier has we will be somewhere in Europe when it will be due. They asked the milage which is around 8,000 miles and said they do a low mage service that is £425.00, this just sounds like a check over, top up the fluids and change the oil and filter and brake fluid.

I rung another fiat agent and they quoted a full service at £499, but this included the same as above but also changing the fuel filter, air filter and pollen filter. I'm now waiting for an independent garage who can service commercial vehicles to see what price they come up with.

Because the motorhome is from a continental manufacturer, you only get a two year base warranty on the cab and chassis, as opposed to a three year from a UK manufacturer.

Just wondering if you were in my position which route would you go down, if the independent is far cheaper would you use them or stick to the main agents.

One of my other vehicles is a Jaguar and I always have it serviced at the main agent, first three years it was free servicing, once it became three years old the servicing costs dropped dramatically as they have fixed cost servicing, think the last service was classed as a major service and it was fixed at just over £300, intermediate was just over £200, cheaper than a independent garage could do it for. So in that case I didn't mind sticking with the main agent as it was very competitive and they also valet the car and lend me a new one in with the price. A bargain compared with the prices I have received so far for the motorhome and these quotes don't include a habitation check.
 
Depends on what you are looking for.
On my last Ducato I went to a local garage and paid £160.
But if you have a problem with your van outwith warranty and you have built up a relationship with a fiat dealer both they and Fiat may prove more helpful.
So what I would do is go to a local garage for the first service, which is basically an oil change then after that, I would consider going to a fiat dealer.
There is no easy answer, and luck comes into this, like most things,
 
As above. If you have an issue with the engine and you have followed the service schedule with one of their Dealers you may get it fixed or a contribution.
 
Thanks Fisherman and QFour for your replies, on that basis would you go for the low milage service at £425.00 at the fiat professional garage or the £499 service at the fiat dealership which includes a few extra filters, although with the low mileage not sure if they would need changing. Its is the motorhomes first service although it's coming up to two years old, the dealership said its first service is due at either 30,000 miles or two years, which ever comes soonest.
 
The Fiat Professionals know what they are doing and will update software etc if its required. Fiat Dealerships don't normally look after trucks and don't always have the height to get them on the lift. Does it really need filters etc? I had mine done at the local Fiat Professional garage. They were very good and always have been. I asked them about changing the oil at 12 months and they said don't bother it's a waste of money at 9000 miles.

Fun comes with the MOT. Our local council has their own garage and they also do MOTs on their own big trucks so the MH was small compared with some and I drove it in and switched all the lights on and off for him. The rolling road was a bit of a shocker when he slammed the breaks on for a break test :oops:
 
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The Fiat Professionals know what they are doing and will update software etc if its required. Fiat Dealerships don't normally look after trucks and don't always have the hight to get them on the lift. Does it really need filters etc. I had mine done at the local Fiat Professional garage. They were very good and always have been. I asked them about changing the oil at 12 months and they said don't bother it's a waste of money at 9000 miles.

Mine is coming up to two years old though, I got it in 2018, so although it is classed as its first service, it is the second year service, just wondered about the other filters.
 
I get my motorhome (no warranty any longer) serviced at an independent and I've not had any problems. After all, it is just a Fiat van with a nice body, there are loads on the road and most commercial garages know them well. I wouldn't give Fiat my hard earned. BUT having said that I bought a new Honda CRV 10 years ago and have had it serviced by Honda every year. Early last year a fuel pipe burst on it - Honda covered the £1200 parts and labour. At its service in December, the EGR valve had stuck and again Honda covered the £180 for the part, I just had to pay the labour. However, I don't think Fiat would be so customer focussed so I would go independent with the motorhome. Bob.
 
I get my motorhome (no warranty any longer) serviced at an independent and I've not had any problems. After all, it is just a Fiat van with a nice body, there are loads on the road and most commercial garages know them well. I wouldn't give Fiat my hard earned. BUT having said that I bought a new Honda CRV 10 years ago and have had it serviced by Honda every year. Early last year a fuel pipe burst on it - Honda covered the £1200 parts and labour. At its service in December, the EGR valve had stuck and again Honda covered the £180 for the part, I just had to pay the labour. However, I don't think Fiat would be so customer focussed so I would go independent with the motorhome. Bob.

Bob, Fiat are part of the General Motors group and they tend to value their customers just like Honda.
 
OK fair enough, I've never owned a Fiat apart from the mh, but would a Fiat dealer push Fiat to get things done free when the vehicle has not been bought through the dealer. If they do cos you get a service every 2 years, then I would agree they value their customers. Bob.
 
I have to differ and consider Fiat to be quite the worst in terms of customer service, trying to make things right, product quality, and downright obstructive when confronted.

As for Fiat "Professional" quite useless. Apart from having to take it back to them (60 mile round trip and a day off work, mine doesn't work weekends) for two urgent safety recalls. Spare wheel carrier likely to fail and dump the wheel on the road for whoever was behind to try to avoid, and gearbox bolts to engine might come loose. They did admit that they had all come loose already and a couple even were missing. That was a narrow escape. They even damaged the bodywork slightly whilst it was with them, but denied it, what could I do, my word against them. I had to sit around in the waiting room most of the day sustained only by drinks from a machine that I had to pay for (they are literally in the middle of nowhere) whilst observing that nothing was actually going on with the van despite having been booked in for maybe an hour's work.

Thankfully otherwise my camper has been OK, apart from major things such all the OEM tyres condemned at first MOT, but more importantly part of the power steering hydraulic piping had split and peed out the fluid, and I was not far away from losing the power steering altogether. Out of the 2 year warranty by then. That cost £300 for the replacement (improved) parts. And nearly £400 for the tyres. No recompense.

The local independent truck specialist who fixed it was quite unsurprised he had seen dozens with exactly the same problem. If that wasn't worthy of another safety recall I don't know what would be.

At the same time I bought a new Fiat Grande Punto. Unbelievably bad. I'll try not to bore you, but in the first three months it needed:

One new front driveshaft.

New gearbox.

New aircon compressor and other bits.

Both electric window motors failed, one after another, leaving the windows open, so I had to cover it with a tarpaulin both times until I could take it back

Wafer thin paint already pebble dashed not by stone chips but just, I dunno, insects, you could actually leave an impression just by pushing hard with a fingernail, and rust already developing beneath, seemingly no galvanisation or other treatment.

Loads of other bits already beginning to rust.

Major water leaks, boot flooded after any rain, never fixed.

And many other things.

Always the excuse from the dealer that they had to wait for authorisation from Fiat UK before proceeding, and the new gearbox took two weeks to arrive even then. And it turned out to be a "reconditioned" one. I.e another one that had possibly already failed and maybe been repaired perfectly, or not. Not what you want in a brand new car.

This is within less than three months with a new car. I actually spent more time in the courtesy cars, though curiously they were always either Hyundais or Suzukis that were excellent.

I gave up and rejected it whilst I still could, and got all my money back after a solicitors letter and a very tense meeting with the Dealer Principal, his parting words were "maybe you aren't really the sort of person who appreciates Fiats"

Less than a year later they had gone bust and nobody around here had a good word to say about them.

Total contrast with my Seat dealer from whom I bought the replacement for the Punto. Even several years out of warranty when the one and only major thing went wrong (ESP sensor embedded inside the ABS hydraulics module, a well known problem) he got it sorted as a "goodwill gesture" otherwise it would have been £700. The couple of other smaller little, but quite expensive, problems that inevitably can happen he had the authority to just fix. What a contrast.



.
 
I do all my own servicing and repairs as that way I know exactly what has been done and how, plus it saves me a few pounds too.
If I do need to use a garage it would be I know a couple of independent garages that I trust a lot more than the main dealership
 
I do all my own servicing and repairs as that way I know exactly what has been done and how, plus it saves me a few pounds too.
If I do need to use a garage it would be I know a couple of independent garages that I trust a lot more than the main dealership

Same here but i still check what they`ve done because they can be prone to " forgetfulness " as well :mad:
 
Full main dealer service history on some vehicles can pay a dividend in several ways, that are not immediately obvious particularly with the prestige brands eg Porsche BMW,Mercedes jaguar Range Rover.

Before we discuss warranty /goodwill claims the impact of main dealer fsh is it can drastically affect residual values. A couple of thousand pounds not unknown , cars with non dealer history albeit correctly serviced may eell be excluded from that dealers used car retail scheme so the car has to be traded hence the difference iin trade value.

As regards warranty /goodwill,a main dealer fsh removes one area of wiggle room for the manufacturer

The next important point is don’t rely upon the dealer service manager or warranty administrator ultimately they are not the decision maker , they may ask the question but have little impact.

Each dealer for each marque will have an area technical manager, each of whom has a goodwill budget and authority to approve a claim ( there are teams at head office too but better off not speaking to them unless you have too) arrange a meeting with the area technical rep when he is next at the garage. Face to face with a DM often produces a result that resolves or partly resolves especially when you can demonstrate 100 % compliance with the servicing and support for their dealer network.

I was involved with a fiat franchise for fourteen years, so speak from experience , it might not always work but is a measured approach that often does. fiat in the main I always found fair and balanced but out the industry a while things may have changed the best was Lexus and Isuzu the latter like fiat now part of the General Motors family
 
I have to differ and consider Fiat to be quite the worst in terms of customer service, trying to make things right, product quality, and downright obstructive when confronted.

As for Fiat "Professional" quite useless. Apart from having to take it back to them (60 mile round trip and a day off work, mine doesn't work weekends) for two urgent safety recalls. Spare wheel carrier likely to fail and dump the wheel on the road for whoever was behind to try to avoid, and gearbox bolts to engine might come loose. They did admit that they had all come loose already and a couple even were missing. That was a narrow escape. They even damaged the bodywork slightly whilst it was with them, but denied it, what could I do, my word against them. I had to sit around in the waiting room most of the day sustained only by drinks from a machine that I had to pay for (they are literally in the middle of nowhere) whilst observing that nothing was actually going on with the van despite having been booked in for maybe an hour's work.

Thankfully otherwise my camper has been OK, apart from major things such all the OEM tyres condemned at first MOT, but more importantly part of the power steering hydraulic piping had split and peed out the fluid, and I was not far away from losing the power steering altogether. Out of the 2 year warranty by then. That cost £300 for the replacement (improved) parts. And nearly £400 for the tyres. No recompense.

The local independent truck specialist who fixed it was quite unsurprised he had seen dozens with exactly the same problem. If that wasn't worthy of another safety recall I don't know what would be.

At the same time I bought a new Fiat Grande Punto. Unbelievably bad. I'll try not to bore you, but in the first three months it needed:

One new front driveshaft.

New gearbox.

New aircon compressor and other bits.

Both electric window motors failed, one after another, leaving the windows open, so I had to cover it with a tarpaulin both times until I could take it back

Wafer thin paint already pebble dashed not by stone chips but just, I dunno, insects, you could actually leave an impression just by pushing hard with a fingernail, and rust already developing beneath, seemingly no galvanisation or other treatment.

Loads of other bits already beginning to rust.

Major water leaks, boot flooded after any rain, never fixed.

And many other things.

Always the excuse from the dealer that they had to wait for authorisation from Fiat UK before proceeding, and the new gearbox took two weeks to arrive even then. And it turned out to be a "reconditioned" one. I.e another one that had possibly already failed and maybe been repaired perfectly, or not. Not what you want in a brand new car.

This is within less than three months with a new car. I actually spent more time in the courtesy cars, though curiously they were always either Hyundais or Suzukis that were excellent.

I gave up and rejected it whilst I still could, and got all my money back after a solicitors letter and a very tense meeting with the Dealer Principal, his parting words were "maybe you aren't really the sort of person who appreciates Fiats"

Less than a year later they had gone bust and nobody around here had a good word to say about them.

Total contrast with my Seat dealer from whom I bought the replacement for the Punto. Even several years out of warranty when the one and only major thing went wrong (ESP sensor embedded inside the ABS hydraulics module, a well known problem) he got it sorted as a "goodwill gesture" otherwise it would have been £700. The couple of other smaller little, but quite expensive, problems that inevitably can happen he had the authority to just fix. What a contrast.

Gosh you must have been unlucky with your fiat, I bought my kids a fiat Punto each when they passed there test, my son abused his, only fault was a gearbox problem that got sorted, granted they only run them for three years. I ran a Fiat Ulysee for 5 years, didn't miss a beat, used to go up to Scotland every fortnight in it with all my gear in for boating up there nearly a 500 mile round trip. Used to get the mickey taken out of me by my mates, they used to say Fiat means Fix it another time. It was a bargain pre reg buy, I got the last laugh, list price was 21k and got it for 14k, back in 2004 though.


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One of the issues I had with Fiat UK was that they said my Globecar was not a UK model from them. They had no record of it's existence until I told them the VIN and tracked it down. Supposedly. Nevertheless fortunately I got the recall letters, so that must work on a different system.

Of course it wasn't, Dethleffs in Germany had bought the base vehicle. So they told me it was nothing to do with them, no goodwill possible for the power steering fault, 1 year out of warranty by then.

Also I had had the work done by my excellent local independent who works on these all the time, actually he is given work by BT Fleet when they are overloaded, which is how I found him, I went to BT Fleet first (ATS did the MoT and recommended them, they are also local) but their first slot was two weeks away. No way was I going to drive 30 miles with a split hydraulic pipe, can you actually steer a Ducato without the power steering unless you are very strong, I am not.

This pipe was made of aluminium, and the replacement was much heavier gauge, so Fiat obviously knew about this and had silently upgraded the part. For those with an X250, mine was made in 2010, you might want to keep a close eye on your PAS fluid levels in case you have the earlier pipe, you can't tell by looking at them but when you pick them up the weight difference is obvious, as is the wall thickness. It's quite a complex piece too, not something that could be easily improvised.

Unless they have changed this policy this may apply to many other motorhomes as well.

I kept my Seat fully serviced by the main dealer, whose fixed price services are very reasonable, done with OEM parts, not pattern, more so if you buy a package for several, and that also includes free "Seat Assistance" breakdown cover. I got on well with the service manager who kept me informed of other things done behind the scenes, including an update to the engine management firmware which noticeably improved fuel consumption, an independent wouldn't have that.
 
I wouldn’t trust ANY main dealer to do anything correctly. My new VW had its first service at a local VW indie and will continue to do so until it’s out of warranty.

all of my other vehicles I service myself and have done so for the past 40+ years.

my Fiat motorhome, because of its sheer size and weight I take to a local indie who I have known personally for many years when I don’t have the space to do it myself. He is a highly trained mechanic in the true sense of the term, and not simply a “fitter” who has to plug in a machine to work out what to do. He knows my MH extremely well and has proven invaluable helping me with the jobs I can‘t do myself. People like him are hard to find. But when you do find him, keep him.
 
I like main dealers because I get free coffee , a carpeted lounge with TV and comfy chairs .and a pretty face to take my money .
 
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I like main dealers because I get free coffee , a carpeted lounge with TV and comfy chairs .and a pretty face to take my money .

Typical.
Free coffee
Free warmth
Free tv
Free seating
Free letching

I bet you hang on to use their loo too!
Free toilet paper

And I bet there is the obligatory toffee tin.
Free sweets

Don't tell me you get free servicing too. 😭😭
 
I had my Fiat 2nd year service done at a Fiat Professional garage in The Netherlands and it was over £140 less than in the U.K..
Lisbon Fiat Professional garage labour rates were €40 an hour when we used them on our last van so do consider a service in Europe.
 

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