mx5cartalk.com

What is the value of a Dealer Service, if any?
I have never had my MX5 serviced by the Dealer since I have owned it. (Don't like 'em, don't trust 'em.)
Since I bought it 3 years old with 19K on the clock I have done the oil changes myself and had my backyard mechanic do the brakes and radiator once.
It has never had what we once used to call a "tune up" although I have replaced the plugs several times in it's 75K life.
Virtually all it's 75K has been spent on the open road. On my second OE battery in 19 years.
Starts well, runs well. Accelerates cleanly/smoothly/strongly. Hoses and rubber are all in good condition.
I still sometimes wonder if there is anything to gain from a proper Dealer service (assuming of course that you could find a Dealer who would actually DO a proper service - i.e. check everything.)
What do people think about this.

Since the advent of ECU's controlling/tuning everything, and the easy availability of OBD2 readers, I've never seen that the dealer/mechanic will do any more than any decently self educated DIY home mechanic can do. My checks that I do every time I service my cars is probably as good if not more comprehensive than any dealership or mechanic shop would take the time to do, and would charge a fortune in labor time to do it!

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Depends. Some buyers are fussy & want complete service books filled in with no services missed. While others are suspicious of anyone saying nothing wrong with it, nothing else to spend just drive away.

Having said that, some dealerships when doing a trade-in also value a complete service book as that is one big factor on whether they then retail that car in their 2nd hand section or whole-sale sell it off to some other small car yard.

If the car is under warranty, missed services might also play a part in whether warranty repairs are claimable if something goes wrong.

If the car is well past warranty stage, high kilometres (80,000km is high K's for a dealership), you don't intend on selling at all or for it's highest market value (though unintended change of circumstances can happen), then nothing really wrong with DIY'ing if you have the know how/tools/time/space/can be bothered etc.

Yeah I should have mentioned under a warranty I'd be keeping up dealer services....

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Service my own cars, that way I know what has been done and what products were used. Never had a problem. I've never bought a new car either and probably never will, I don't like depreciation, the smell of burning cash.

Doesn't matter if the logbook is filled out or not. If it has missing entries, they will fill it in the entries way before you first see the logbook.

On one hand -
In the distant past, when I had new vehicles (novated leases), I would always have them serviced by the dealership, with the costs being part of the lease. Don't recall ever having any problems with the cars due to that servicing.

On the other hand (different place, different dealership) -
Recently my work vehicle (a 2018 Astra wagon supplied by my employer) went in to the dealership for a scheduled service. Towards the end of the day they called my boss to say the car was running very poorly and they would have to investigate further. The next day they called him again, noting the fuel tank was full, and asking if maybe I had topped it up with diesel (it's an unleaded fuel engine) - fortunately I had the receipt for the fuel purchase to prove that wasn't the case. They ended up having the car for well over a week, giving me a loan car in the process, while they worked with Holden to resolve the issue. The problem ended up being a faulty new spark plug they had fitted as part of the service! Oh, and they handed the car back with only a quarter tank of fuel.

So, I guess it depends on the quality of the service department of the dealership in question.

KevGoat wrote:Yeah I should have mentioned under a warranty I'd be keeping up dealer services....
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Despite what some dealers say, you don't have to get your car serviced at a dealer to maintain full manufacturers warranty, nor do the parts have to be genuine. The ACCC states that the servicing can be done by any licenced mechanic, using quality parts, with the log book signed by the mechanic.

Dealers are only interested in new cars. They would love to work on old cars as nothing is under warranty and they find more wrong with them. Which is why they don't get the work, their hourly rate is too high and if they got every car they sold back they would never handle the load and you would be waiting a month to get in for a service.
The other point is I have seen the results of DIY mechanics and some people should never be allowed under the bonnet of a car.
Such as filling the engine to the top with oil or sometimes water. Putting battery terminals on the wrong way and frying the ECU.
I also hear cars frequently pass my house and when they brake you can hear the metal backing pad of the brake pad running on the metal disc rotor. I don't know how people can stand that noise, they must turn the radio up.

RS2000 wrote:...you don't have to get your car serviced at a dealer to maintain full manufacturers warranty, nor do the parts have to be genuine.

I was aware of this for purchasing a used car from a dealer, is this also applicable to new cars? Been a very long time since we bought a brand new car, 17 years in fact (wife's unbreakable Toyota Echo!).



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Yes, applicable to new cars.

Yes.
Part reason why I don't buy a brand spanking new car as it would be difficult to DIY ie. servicing a Golf R beyond an oil and filter change (and then the Service Due light would still be on).

Rocky wrote:What is the value of a Dealer Service, if any?

Rocky, for someone in your particular circumstances, there's none, ie no FOMO!

If you have an old NB it's not really a big issue about servicing home or local mechanic. The cars are relatively simple by todays standards and known for robust design and reliability though there are some things that will fail like coil packs. Insofar as dealers and competence then that should be a plus. A good Mazda dealership expects their mechanics to be doing things properly ( same goes for Toyota) and they get training and and have access to model information.They do know their products. Take it further - any of the BMW Mercs Landrovers etc - these vehicles can be specialist fixes and using data/ information not readily available to the local mechanic. Supermazdakart is right in that servicing by a dealer esp on a up market car can assist at sell time. I have been assisted by Mazda guys including getting a fuming problem fixed at nominal cost and a referral by Mazda to a co they used for a Bose radio problem. PS- if you buy a new car with fixed service costs then I would be getting the dealers to do it.
Some servicing even oil changes are now not possible for home diy.

...and of course I am not suggesting there are not 'good' Dealers around, for e.g. I believe Grand Prix Mazda in Brisbane are very reputable.
The problem is that once you get out of the Metro area you quickly run out of choices and star to encounter the "We're the only game in town so we do what we like" attitude from businesses.