Years ago, my boss told me to take the office car into the local main dealer for an annual service. It probably did about 5k a year, pottering around the harbour.
When I went to collect it, although I wasn't paying the bill, just signing for it, I almost fell through the floor - around £400. So I refused to sign it and asked for a complete breakdown of the charges. They grudgingly printed it off and I went through it. What I found was shocking. Example - "tightening loose battery connection - minimum labour charge, 15 minutes". "tightening loose wheel nut - minimum labour charge, 15 minutes". "changing offside indicator repeater bulb [/size]- minimum labour charge, 15 minutes". And so it went on, there were around a dozen of these, so they were attempting to charge 3 hours labour for maybe 15 minutes' work. And then 'changing engine oil and filter'. I asked to see the old filter, they couldn't find it. I did - still there on the car.
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[/size]With a little (loud) complaining to the manager at the desk (in earshot of the queue behind me) the will was halved.
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[/size]I've never been to a main dealer since then, apart from one company car on a service plan, and that was mileage based. My independent garage is run by a friend of almost 40 years who was my nextdoor neighbour for 30 of those. If he says something needs doing, I get it done. If says don't bother, he means it and knows what he's talking about,