John H Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 My Fiat Ducato 2.3 jtd is due for it's first service. I live in the Walsall area and the nearest Fiat agents are in Oldbury (Arnold Clark) or Wolverhampton (Guest Trucks). Has anyone had any experience of either of these or can you recommend anyone else? The motor has only done 6400 miles. Are they likely to give a better price for low mileage or am I being silly? Regards, John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enodreven Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Hi, If your MH is still under warrantee you may also need the habitation checked, if you do, you may find that its easier to get them both done at the same time, also it may be prudant to take it to the suppling dealer if they can do the Service/checks etc as if anything is wrong, and it is covered by the warrantee, they will be able to do the repairs at the same time ? Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John H Posted October 9, 2006 Author Share Posted October 9, 2006 Hi Enodreven, The MH is still under warranty but I bought it from Don Amott who don't service the Fiat bit, only the caravan bit. It is due for the habitation check as well but it has to be arranged separately. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
degsy Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 John, I don't live near you but I have recently taken my Fiat 2.3 jtd MH for its first service. I did go to a FIAT dealer - in fact it was a 'multiple dealership' - but as the manager pointed out to me it is not necessary to to take your vehicle specifically to a your 'badged' dealership. It seems that these days you can take your MH to any 'competent' garage - by competent I think he meant a garage that has been 'authorised' or something like that. Others more knowledgable will advise on the legality I sure. The upshot is it doesn't need to be specifically FIAT; if you know a good friendly reliable garage approach them. Like you my MH had not done many miles, in my case about 4500, but the senior maintenance man advised that a complete service should really be carried out - he looked an honest person - so I erred on the side of 'better have the proper job done' and agreed. Later I had to sit down and take a breath because it came to just under £250 - but I feel the MH has benefitted, psychologically if not in any other way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enodreven Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Hi, John Its a pity that they can't service them both at the same place ? as it does simplfy things, but obviously if they aren't Fiat or have no service workshop then they can't ?? As for using a reputable garage rather than a main agent I beleive this is a european directive, albeit I would not use anyone other than a main agent as if it needs any warrantee work I would imagine that it could be extermly diffecult for the non-Fiat garage to obtain approval to carry out the work and if anything went wrong during the rest of the warrantee period i would think you could have a great deal of diffeculty in proving that the service work was carried out inaccordance with the latest techincal knowledge. As i beleive that the main agents get regular circulars updating them on servicing methods which would not be available to the non franchised workshop ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter lambert Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Had ours serviced recently. Both the Fiat van and the Habitation. BUT had them done at different places. The Van service was done at the fleet workshop of the large company I work for, and the Habitation was done at a local caravan and motorhome dealer. Saved ourselves about £100 on the quote from our van supplier to have it all done there. So, shop around a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Dwight Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 John, The Vehicle service that you need is a low mileage service, done by Fiat approx £140. Your maintainance manual will tell you and also on your milometer that the first service will be at 18000 miles. Mine was done last April. Habitaton service was.seperate, this being done by the dealer again about £150 . David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Ahh main dealers don't you just love them? My last two dealings with main dealers? A Volvo 960 with a slipped timing belt- dealer took off head and said it required new engine, we took head away replaced 4 valves, job jobbed, dealer replaced head but didn't bother changing oil. One of the biggest dealers for Land-Rover claimed not to know of the design fault in head of TD5 engines, we went to independant who gave us the low-down on how to fix. I am looking forward to having a new van but not looking forward to going to main dealer for servive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carebear Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Hi John H We needed our van serviced this year for its 3rd still under warranty, we are the second owners, so phoned our local Fiat dealers £402 when we give details of length of our van Kontiki they could not do it ramps not long enough ?? , rang another Fiat garage slightly further away same Price, same reason couldnt do it . I rang Fiat and they found a garage for us, 60 MILE ROUND TRIP, IT WAS A HGV SERVICE CENTRE cost us £77. They said because of our mileage there was no need to change certain bits ? they didnt want to take money off us unnecessarily, we think they were very fair. During the sevice they found an oil leak, they got in touch with Fiat and the job was done through the warranty. Friends of ours also took their Fiat van there for its 2nd service and they were pleased with what they were charged. Fiat dealers are scandalous, i am sure it was said you could use any garage as long as the parts replaced are Fiat. THIS YEAR I WILL EXPECT TO PAY MORE , BUT SHALL CERTAINLY GO BACK TO * DRAGON TRUCKS * at Cardiff Bay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spartan3956 Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 I Live in walsall and found that a couple of years ago Fiat at wolverhampton didnt have the size ramps to do a job on my Kontiki. You could check again. Fiat uk which ive contacted in the past by email. yes they did ring back and were on the ball. Ask them if you can use another garage with the ramp issue They might advise you of a commercial vehicle service bay. if they confirm you can use any garage other than Fiat in writing of course just as a precaution they can deny later. I would recommend Interserve Brickyard road Aldridge, they MOT my campers and have the ramps to do it. They service all their own commercial fleet and are helpful people. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 Hi John- If it is possible to keep to warranty with using other marque garages, then there is another garage near you which is a Peugeot main dealer( they are all made in the same factory) its Regal garages in Bilston. I take mine there, a Peugeot, and its large enough to take any size motorhome. Mine is not due yet for its first service so cant say how much it would cost, but they are pleasant and thorough with the small niggles I have had ( under warranty) Chas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enodreven Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 Hi, As I meantioned above I don't think Fiat or any other european manufacturer has any option but to allow you to use any garage you chose I beleive it is a european law. Albeit I would think they would need to have some form of acrediation ?? eg. I don't think they would allow your mate next door to do it ??. The real point is would that alternative garage have the upto date knowledge as techincal items are constantly changing/developing and these are covered within the main agents network ? The second point is would they be authorised or get authorisation to carry out any warrantee repairs ?? I doult It ? and the third point is if subsequent to you having the annual service carried out anything went wrong with the mechanical side of the vehicle just how easy would it be for the manufacturer to say that this was as a direct result of the independant not carrying out the service correctly ? To save a few quid I don't think it is worth it ?? [QUOTE]spartan3956 - 2006-10-10 10:16 AM I Live in walsall and found that a couple of years ago Fiat at wolverhampton didnt have the size ramps to do a job on my Kontiki. You could check again. Fiat uk which ive contacted in the past by email. yes they did ring back and were on the ball. Ask them if you can use another garage with the ramp issue They might advise you of a commercial vehicle service bay. if they confirm you can use any garage other than Fiat in writing of course just as a precaution they can deny later. I would recommend Interserve Brickyard road Aldridge, they MOT my campers and have the ramps to do it. They service all their own commercial fleet and are helpful people. Pete [/QUOTE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John H Posted October 10, 2006 Author Share Posted October 10, 2006 Thank you all very much for your input. The Fiat UK website is playing silly buggers at the moment but I'll try again later when I get home and have more time. I hope they will allow me to use a non Fiat garage but I doubt it. The one in Brickyard Road would be ideal. Arnold Clark seems to like the sound of ringing phones because they never bl---y answer it. I've been trying for 2 days now and I only got to speak to the receptionist who said she would get someone to phone me back. Needless to say, they haven't. I did finally manage to get through to Don Amott so the habitation inspection is sorted. Moan, groan, grumble, mumble etc, etc. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Madge Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 It's all very well going to a non Fiat garage for the servicing but will they have the software to do the job (?) Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spartan3956 Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 Inter serve 01922 741567 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spartan3956 Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 Re the habitation inspection/service Have you tried Hayes motorhome dealer in Darlaston save the mileage. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John H Posted October 16, 2006 Author Share Posted October 16, 2006 Just collected my van from Arnold Clark at Olbury after it's 1st service and had quite a pleasant surprise. I emailed to ask how much it was going to be and was told it would be £210.00 but they only charged me £164.70 :-D Don Amott quoted £105.75 (£90.00 + VAT) for the habitation check which isn't as bad as I thought. I knocked SAGA down by £70.50 by sending them a quote from another company and they matched it. There's a slim chance, I may not be going into overdraft, after all. Perhaps Dave will give me a discount on a reversing camera?? Spartan: Good idea about Hayes but I'd already arranged it with DA. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Give me a ring and we'll see what can be done. (lol) (lol) D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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