23 replies to this topic

[Bawbag]

I took our base model 1.1 2010 Panda to Perrys to see about a 24,000 mile service and was quoted, wait for it...£367! This was for a basic oil service, i.e. only oil & filter changes; no belts, tensioners, gold-plated wheelnuts etc. to be fitted. I was shown the job sheet to confirm this.

I pointed out the following:

• This was over 7% of the purchase price of the entire car
• Their labour rate of £97.50 is nearly the same as an Official Porsche Centre would charge
• That a franchised BMW dealer would charge about the same for an oil service on a V10 M5

The chap hastily backtracked and said he could offer 2 years servicing and MOTs for £349 - more like it, but still expensive.

Short version: Any good independent garages in Amersham?

[Gooner]

Please point me to the car sales place where you purchased a 2 year old Panda for under £400? That's great!

These boys are pretty good and always have a deal on or two http://www.wefinch-chesham.co.uk/

[HP6]

Please point me to the car sales place where you purchased a 2 year old Panda for under £400? That's great!

These boys are pretty good and always have a deal on or two http://www.wefinch-chesham.co.uk/

£5243 sounds more like it, but I'm inclined to agree with you about Finch, although their halo slipped following my last visit to them.

[BoisBoy]

John Cox & Son in Brazils Yard off Plantation Road are well worth a try too. Richard there is very reliable and always seems to quote a fair price.

Tel: 01494 725498

[struthie]

I always take my car to John Cox in Plantation Road - can't fault them.

[PaulEden]

was quoted, wait for it...£367!
This was over 7% of the purchase price of the entire car

Please point me to the car sales place where you purchased a 2 year old Panda for under £400? That's great!

He means the £367 amounts to 7% of the purchase price.

[Jinni]

T & F on White Lion Road are reliable and always refer before doing anything expensive.

There are versatile too - all kinds of modern vehicles and anything from a Disabled trike to a Model T.

Telephone 01494 765286

[Fran]

I find Perry's friendly and helpful and I haven't felt overcharged, but maybe I should shop around for my next service.

[PaulEden]

T & F on White Lion Road are reliable and always refer before doing anything expensive.

I've been using them for ages. Nothing but praise for them.

[Gooner]

He means the £367 amounts to 7% of the purchase price.

Phew, thanks for clearing that up! Lucky you're around to assist and advise!

[PaulEden]

You're most welcome.

What do you think about Wenger being touchline banned for complaining about the referee? Sarcastic whingeing and whining is so dull isn't it?

[Bawbag]

Funnily enough, today I got a text from Perrys offering a service & MOT for £129.

They know my car is only 2 years old though so maybe they assume I'll punt the MOT on Ebay...

[Gooner]

You're most welcome.

What do you think about Wenger being touchline banned for complaining about the referee? Sarcastic whingeing and whining is so dull isn't it?

Good one! Hehe

[Dunnsdale]

Took my car to Kwik Fit,off the White Lion Rd, for it's MOT this week.It passed thankfully and only cost £35.I normally use T&F but they were charging £49.Every little helps.

[Zoom]

I've been using Perry's for 6 years and they have been very helpful... in some cases they have given me discounts on particularly large bills... and in one particularly protracted intermittent case they undertook a chunk of the work at their own expence even though it was outside warranty.

[Embem]

Ian at The Car Clinic is very reliable, honest and fairly priced - plus bonus is that he collects your car and delivers it back to you!

01494 771342
07958 754045

[Eaton]

Ian at The Car Clinic is very reliable, honest and fairly priced - plus bonus is that he collects your car and delivers it back to you!

01494 771342
07958 754045

Whereabout is The Car Clinic and do they do all cars?

[Fran]

A "thank you" to Perrys from me:

On Thursday evening, I realised my MOT would expire at midnight. My fault, but the problem was, my son needed the car on Saturday to go out with his friends for his 18th birthday, and he's not insured on my husband's car.

So on Friday morning, I drove up to Perry's first thing and asked if they could squeeze my car in (and explained why). They had no free slots that day, but said they would try, so I walked home, with my fingers crossed.

It was duly done before 4pm. The fact it passed without any work was a bonus (a dodgy garage, knowing my need to have the car back asap, might well have found a fault or two).

I'm sure there are other garages that might have managed to fit it in, but I doubt they're walking distance from my house, and I might have had to spend a while phoning or driving round to find one.

(And if anyone from Perrys is reading this and is puzzled by a name discrepancy, "Fran" is my middle name, which is a little more anonymous on websites and forums.)

[David P]

I've a friend who recently realised his MOT was 11 months out of date. I suppose it might have been a problem had he had an insurance claim but the DVLA didn't seem to notice.

Lancaster (née Merritts) is closer to you than Perrys. Despite their upmarket image their MOT's are less than the official price. Their customer service is excellent and I'm sure they, too, would have squeezed you in.

[Fran]

Lancaster (née Merritts) is closer to you than Perrys. Despite their upmarket image their MOT's are less than the official price.

Thanks, David; I wouldn't have guessed that. I may bear it in mind for another time.

[147]

Perrys don't actually do the MOT's, when my car was in there last month they took it to Crossroads Garage at Prestwood for the MOT.

I would echo zooms reply in that my Alfa had a fault which took and age to find, yet I was only invoiced for the hours to replace the parts once the fault had been found.

[Speedy]

I do all my own servicing and repairs, £70 for parts for a big service last time

[Bawbag]

I do all my own servicing and repairs, £70 for parts for a big service last time

In the days when my time was my own (i.e. before kids) I used to do this too! That's why the dealer charges gall me so much; I know exactly what is involved.

[Speedy]

The kids hand me the tools and watch. Keeps em occupied