Elise just been serviced - is the cost justified

jamie · Post by **jamie** » Wed May 30, 2007 6:18 pm

I think you have to look at it as a total cost
so MMC vs drive down (petrol) + service + your time
It think for most a trip to Dans is worth it but there was a period when I was based in the Burgh I just could not spare the time.

douglasgdmw · Post by **douglasgdmw** » Wed May 30, 2007 6:56 pm

Jamie,

Agree that you have to look at convenience/cost but at the other end I would hope that a company would not take advantage of their customers due to location.

It's the age old argument that a lot of members here have decided to not go to Murray's due to the increasing costs. There is a big difference what was quoted to me and the costs for Formula 1. I agree that Dan is a lot cheaper and has glowing reports but I would prefer to have Lotus stamps in the car until the warranty is up. I realise this does not make a difference but it does give you greater arguing skills if something does go wrong.

I previously had an S1 and always went to Murrays with it, including incurring an £600-£800 charge for the cambelt change (cannot remember exact figures). So it's not as if I have not been good to them.

Anyway will be speaking to MMC tomorrow as I told them the ABS warning light was coming on, seemingly reset it but put the car in the garage and guss what came on again

Cheers
DMW

jj · Post by jj » Wed May 30, 2007 7:17 pm

I paid Dan £140 for my A service on the toyota exige.

Worth also noting that when I was selling my car last month and the Lotus main dealer who bought it was asking who had serviced the car and at what intervals, no mention was made of it being a problem that a specialist had serviced it.

roadboy · Post by **roadboy** » Wed May 30, 2007 8:55 pm

That's good to hear JJ. It seems to be generally accepted now that specialist service is as good as, if not better than dealer service.

Lotus are very good and I have never had any customers have a problem when making warranty claims on cars that I have serviced from new.

I had an Exige S in for its for its first service on Saturday, and he didn't drive up from Leeds to save money but because he knew he would get the job done right.

All I would say to anyone who insists on using a dealer and is prepared to travel down to Newcastle is, I would whole-heartedly recommend Hexham Horseless Carriages (01434 601666) over F1. They are excellent.

HTH

Dan@JPS

ngaff1 · Post by **ngaff1** » Wed May 30, 2007 10:32 pm

From all the reports it would appear that Dan is the most respected but since my car is still under a year old I can't get my head round not having an official dealer stamp on it. Never heard anything about Hexham Horseless Carrages before.

Day off work tomorrow, nice drive down to Newcastle, drop car off at F1, walk into city centre to spend some of the money I'm saving by not going to MMC and then a run back up. Seems an obvious choice to me.

Post by **campbell** » Wed May 30, 2007 10:58 pm

meatball wrote:My car is due a timing belt in couple of months.......
MMC want £250 for it.
Where is there that is tried and tested and can their contact details be posted.
Greg, can you post Dan's contact please?
cheers

If they do the full timing belt "service" for that, it's good value. But there must be vat to add for a start, and I cannot believe it's the full C service. F1 in Newcastle were close to that when they did it for me about 4 years ago and they remain good value IMHO.

Can't vouch for any other outlets, last time my belt was changed was with help from a certain Jedi Master during a head swap and it sure is a pig of a job so the garages do at least earn their money on this one...

Campbell

dezzy · Post by **dezzy** » Wed May 30, 2007 10:59 pm

Used Dan for my A service in March (previous one done by MMC while the car still belonged to them as a demo). With the price, it was a no-brainer, but it was mainly the recommendations on here that led me to go to Dan's. Excellent work and I genuinely trusted Dan and Luke with the car. I still feel nervous every time I leave the car at MMC.

IMHO, if someone buying a 2nd hand Lotus is put off by seeing Dan's stamp in the book rather than an official Lotus dealer, then they need to go do some more research. I personally would rather see Jude stamps in a book when buying my next Lotus than an MMC stamp. MMC stamps might actually put me off buying it!

For me, the only reason I continue to use MMC is for warranty work. Will happily purchase from them again, but all servicing or repairs will go to Dan's and if there's anything I can do myself or with the help of people here, I'd rather do that than pay MMC rates.

roadboy · Post by **roadboy** » Wed May 30, 2007 11:01 pm

campbell wrote:it sure is a pig of a job

Campbell

Not when you've done a hundred or so.

tut · Post by **tut** » Wed May 30, 2007 11:02 pm

I heard on the grapevine that Dan is also now thinking of setting up in Aberdeen, but rent prices were so high, that he found an ideal premise in Old Deer, about 400 mtrs from tut towers, belonged to Cathay Halogen Heaters, which incidently I have about 25 of in the house, but have gone bust, so he could pick up for a pittance, and is an ideal big building.

Any truth in the rumour Dan?

tut

Post by **campbell** » Wed May 30, 2007 11:08 pm

roadboy wrote:
campbell wrote:it sure is a pig of a job

Campbell
Not when you've done a hundred or so.

rather you than me matey

respec'

minkypotglory · Post by **minkypotglory** » Wed May 30, 2007 11:08 pm

We will ALWAYS go to Dans JPS

See you on Sunday

Mags

craigieb · Post by **craigieb** » Wed May 30, 2007 11:12 pm

dezzy wrote:Used Dan for my A service in March (previous one done by MMC while the car still belonged to them as a demo). With the price, it was a no-brainer, but it was mainly the recommendations on here that led me to go to Dan's. Excellent work and I genuinely trusted Dan and Luke with the car. I still feel nervous every time I leave the car at MMC.

IMHO, if someone buying a 2nd hand Lotus is put off by seeing Dan's stamp in the book rather than an official Lotus dealer, then they need to go do some more research. I personally would rather see Jude stamps in a book when buying my next Lotus than an MMC stamp. MMC stamps might actually put me off buying it!

For me, the only reason I continue to use MMC is for warranty work. Will happily purchase from them again, but all servicing or repairs will go to Dan's and if there's anything I can do myself or with the help of people here, I'd rather do that than pay MMC rates.

My first A service (9k) is being done at JPS on Friday. I plan to keep the car for at least another 2 1/2 years by which time a full book of specialist stamps certainly shouldn't put anyone off, especially if she ends up getting sold to someone on here

cheers
craig

cla5h · Post by **cla5h** » Thu May 31, 2007 9:46 am

Used Dan for a B service last year, and as the car was 4 years old (service schedule had gone out of sync) also had the belt done - couldn't complain about price or service.

Will shortly be due an A service, but as it's only an oil change, I'm going to use Falkland, as they've also had all good (bar one) reports.

Thought of doing this myself and foregoing a stamp in the book, but for the relatively little money involved, thought it would be best to let a professional cast their eye over it, in case there's anything else needing done.

MacK · Post by **MacK** » Thu May 31, 2007 10:25 am

Dan was cheaper than MMC for an A service and timing belt, than MMC were for just an A service.

And that includes fuel etc for getting to Newcastle and back.

Chewitt13 · Post by **Chewitt13** » Thu May 31, 2007 3:39 pm

Guys

Ricky Gauld just did my A Service, Changed the Cambelt and fitted a new exhaust for a little over 300 notes - good value if you ask me!!!!!

Scottish Elises

Elise just been serviced - is the cost justified

A service - Rick Gauld