caught in a dilema regarding servicing

[Ums]

i called up a nissan dealer and they told me its £360 for a full p3 service and mot including vat.

they also said that i could get the basic service done as my car has only done 27000 miles and that would be 260 along with a MOT and including vat.

i reckon thats waay too much and i rang up a local garage who r saying they will give my car a 'full' service for £99 excluding vat and that also includes the MOT (they are also saying they can stamp my book)

so i went ahead and booked the one at the garage for £99 but i am having second thoughts tbout whether to just go for the servicing by nissan (and if so which one a basic 'p2' or a full service 'p3') because nissan should do a more thorough servicing and a better job in general i assume.

what should i go for? i have never serviced a car before so i have no idea at all who to go for. if it helps my car is a 53plate and its manufacturers warranty has just finished.

any help will be very much appriciated, thanks.

 

[Fred]

As you can`t do the work yourself, I`d say stay where you are & not even think about the rip off merchants... sorry, I mean main dealers.

I`ve just had my 54 plater serviced @ the dealers where I got it from, they charged me £188 for a P1 service, & sprayed the battery terminals & bonnet lock (plus my CAI pipe & some of the engine bay with white gunk, that took forever to clean up ) & they also said "we`ve cleaned the car for you" but they hadn`t, it came out dirtier than when it went in!

From now on, I`ll be doing it myself, sod the remaining year of warranty!

Just get the parts direct from the local parts supplier, (any independant garage will get them from the same place!)

Just ask for "service parts for an N16 Almera", & they`ll get them off the shelf.

 

[Ums]

so u say i do them my self?

hmm that is 1 thought that gives me goosebumps, i'd probably end up blowing my car!

n e way i ahev gathered that main dealers are not reccomended but what about the £99 garage?

 

[Damo-Sri]

99 quid sounds reasonable and the job will be exactly the same. The only difference is the the service book will get a nice shiny nissan stamp if done there. a stamp from an independant garage will still class you as having full service history if that sort of thing bothers you. go to the independant and save yourself a fortune!!!

 

[Deleted member 939]

Normally I'd say do it yourself but as you're car is relativley new i'd say go to the independant garage, and keep the FSH = keep more value of the car when you come to sell it.

 

[Ums]

i wanted to hear it from someone else that an independent garage will do it exactly the same as an official dealer

yes i am sort of hoping to get my book stamped, so i think i will stick with my appointment on thursaday and go to the independant garage. (p.s- ive heard the cheap garages sometimes re use the fluids and dont really change the plugs is this common?)

thanks a lot guys

 

[Deleted member 939]

Depends on the garage,been told stories of them putting sawdust in the gearbox to quieten it down a bit instead of changing the oil, just find out which ones have good reputations in your area and use them!

 

[Damo-Sri]

i wanted to hear it from someone else that an independent garage will do it exactly the same as an official dealer

yes i am sort of hoping to get my book stamped, so i think i will stick with my appointment on thursaday and go to the independant garage. (p.s- ive heard the cheap garages sometimes re use the fluids and dont really change the plugs is this common?)

thanks a lot guys

Only in very rare cases i think, i know loads of mechanics and engineers and they only ever mention the scummy backstreet one man bands that do that so you need not worry. go by word of mouth is the best bet, how did you hear about this garage?

 

[Ums]

from my dad he usually gets his mot done there and says they are good for that but he has never had a servicing there.

 

[Damo-Sri]

MOT's are where most stitch-ups take place, recent examples that spring to mind (as told by before mentioned mechanics)

Replacement diff rear required.......Renault megane Coupe.
Front indicators not orange enough........E46 Bmw
In-accessible bootspace, failure to check for rust and/or faulty welding....

....On my fucking Almera!!!! needless to say i left the premesis without paying and after rmoving my car from his ramp myself! Reckons the ICE was in the way. i had to book it in with the first avalisable place as the MOT was due to end on the day it came back from the bodyshop!!! i had no choice and was nearly shafted! So if your dad reckons there ok then go with that.

 

[Fred]

n e way i ahev gathered that main dealers are not reccomended but what about the £99 garage?

Sorry, that`s what I meant, stay with the £99 garage.

The best advice I can give someone with little mechanical know-how is, buy an N16 workshop manual cd from www.WorkshopManuals.co.uk (where I got mine from, but can`t remember how much for, :O as Haynes don`t do one! ) & have a go @ DIY, as it has very easy to follow instructions & will save you a stack of cash in the longterm.