Ford service too expensive?

[metalhead_mike]

does anyone know how much ford usually charge for a full service? im not sure weather its worth taking the fairlane to a ford dealer for a service or private garage. the guy i usually take my cars too charges between $120-180 depending on what needs doing

[ratter]

With servicing you get what you pay for, you can't expect a $120 service would be the same as a $300 service, but saying that, a dealer ship normally has a higher labour rate than the smaller workshop. Talk to several workshops/dealerships and ask a few questions and go with who you feel more comfortable with.

You also have to remember that although ford may be the "experts" but an e series car is an old car to them and probably more than half the workshop staff have no knowledge of them.

[sexr6tasy]

Just try the services yourself change a couple of filters and your own oil its pretty much the same anyway as for ford skip them overprice and overrated imo.

[apolloxbgt]

Originally Posted by ratter

With servicing you get what you pay for, you can't expect a $120 service would be the same as a $300 service, but saying that, a dealer ship normally has a higher labour rate than the smaller workshop. Talk to several workshops/dealerships and ask a few questions and go with who you feel more comfortable with.

You also have to remember that although ford may be the "experts" but an e series car is an old car to them and probably more than half the workshop staff have no knowledge of them.

Dead right,most of their techs have probley never worked on anything older than an au.

[Gohan]

i took my EF to New Oaks and they charged me 800 odd of a service! i'd rather get it serviced my mechanic any day of the week than dealerships he only charges 200 bucks for a basic service

[Gunns]

Learn how to DIY. I never let a mechanic service or really do any work on my car, if I can help it.

[FORD EB 4.0]

Yes you definitely should shop around, I recently rang around for quotes to have my EB's radius rod bushes replaced at two Pedders stores. Quotes were supply and fit bushes and a wheel alignment $290/$310. I ended up buying the two Nolathane kits for $81 + $60 to fit by a mechanic, that did not include a wheel alignment as it didn't need one. I have 3 different mechanics that I call to get quotes on any work I need done.

[T3ts50]

My new Mechanic usally charges around $80 for a service. Very thorough and honest. He wont fix anything without asking you first and will give you a price on how much it will cost to fix.

[apolloxbgt]

Originally Posted by Gunns

Learn how to DIY. I never let a mechanic service or really do any work on my car, if I can help it.

I'm the same,only pay for what I can't handle myself.

Buy tools if you need to ,they will pay for themselves after one service.

[SVT8]

Yeh just have a crack at it yourself, or if you know anyone who is handy with cars then that could be a good option. Unless your car is playing up, then really you can do oil, filter changes etc yourself. If you dont feel comfortable doing it yourself then i would suggest maybee ultratune, they dont charge an arm and a leg and usually know what they are doing. Or even just the local mechanic. I would only go to ford for authentic parts, but with many e-series car (as they are common) it wouldnt be worth spending the extra money.

[metalhead_mike]

the thing is this is the first service since i bought the car and im not sure what condition everythings in and i want it checked thorough for signs of the head gasket blowing or the tranny giving out and i just cant check those things myself

the tranny has been clunking just as it changes gear at 50km's and again when the speed falls below 50 all the other gears seem to be fine so i dont know if its a bad sign

[apolloxbgt]

Originally Posted by metalhead_mike

the thing is this is the first service since i bought the car and im not sure what condition everythings in and i want it checked thorough for signs of the head gasket blowing or the tranny giving out and i just cant check those things myself

the tranny has been clunking just as it changes gear at 50km's and again when the speed falls below 50 all the other gears seem to be fine so i dont know if its a bad sign

Better off going somwhere like fluiddrive,or an auto specielest to check the auto,most mechanics,ford service included wont have much idea with auto's unless it's fairly simple.

[sexr6tasy]

What about a check from your raa or i think its racv there? the automobile mob who help you a when you break down on the side of the road they seem pretty honest in s.a anyway lawl

[LTDHO]

Mike you can get a way better job elsewhere, I'd never go to Ford service... EVER.

If you had you location updated, people could refer you to a person or could halp you with a major service.

[Sundeep]

There's a guy on the forums I sold some stuff to who used to work at a prominent inner city Ford dealer. He reckons for a brake fluid flush they'd take the old fluid out of the master cylinder clean it up with a tissue and put new stuff in there so it'd look clean.

Sundeep

[LTDHO]

Originally Posted by Mr. Dose

There's a guy on the forums I sold some stuff to who used to work at a prominent inner city Ford dealer. He reckons for a brake fluid flush they'd take the old fluid out of the master cylinder clean it up with a tissue and put new stuff in there so it'd look clean.

Sundeep

customer car treatment of Ford service

When I was in high school, my mate had got a job in the service dept of a Ford dealer.
He told me that they would do the service and for extra customer service the car would be washed, not before it was taken out the back an did figure '8' around the star posts.

I didn't really believe him until I took a day off and went to see him.

Hence more reason not to fo to Ford service.

[EF_Frmnt]

you cant say that is exclusively a ford problem... there is d-ckheads in all service areas.. whether its claiming they have done something they havent or flogging your car its gonna happen no matter where you take it.

and as for no techs having worked on anything older than au thats probably 99 percent not right. every dealership usually has at least one master tech there and these days it takes many years to become a master tech. and there is a an advantage to taking it to a ford dealer because of the knowledge, but they do charge a lot more. they have all the specialist tools and diagnostic to sort out any problems.

[russellw]

I'm going to support the view that (for newer vehicles anyway) a good dealership service centre is the way to go.

I've used one for the last decade and been impressed by the standards they maintain in both the quality of their work and the way they look after customer cars.

Sure there are bad ones but that's why we have a guide in the Tech section about how to select a good one.

I'm not arguing that theya re expensive - but when the current generation of diagnostic tool (IDS) costs $20k per unit plus training costs it isn't hard to understand that you get what you pay for.

Hell - my Chrysler goes to a Ford dealer for all non scheduled work.

Cheers
Russ

[peterban]

Whilst under warranty I use the Ford dealership, after that I wouldn't go near them as they are too expensive and in my opinion quite slapdash at what they do. This might differ at the different Ford dealers, but I have had similar problems at 3 different Ford service centres in Melb S/E.
Whilst basic servicing is done O.K. the warranty items and how they treat your car are another.
I have had spilt coffee on the carpet, seen them take off with a screech of tyres from the driveway and had trim pieces broken and just stuck back on with silicon

[mik]

Originally Posted by Mr. Dose

There's a guy on the forums I sold some stuff to who used to work at a prominent inner city Ford dealer. He reckons for a brake fluid flush they'd take the old fluid out of the master cylinder clean it up with a tissue and put new stuff in there so it'd look clean.

Sundeep

thats unfortunate that blokes do that but sorta thing , but some are very professional in small shops and dealers, its just finding a good one, totally agree with Ratter pay peanuts get monkeys.

[EL Monty]

Originally Posted by Gohan

i took my EF to New Oaks and they charged me 800 odd of a service! i'd rather get it serviced my mechanic any day of the week than dealerships he only charges 200 bucks for a basic service

New Oak are the most expensive around my area, the difference in a 100K service between New Oak and Jeffersons in Moorabbin was $120. 10 years now on mine, and as said previously, the dealers couldn't give a fat ones about it anymore. Find a goer, who knows what he's doing and doesn't sting ya, and stick with him as long as the service and quality is still there.