servicing: Honda dealer vs independent garage

[surreyfrog]

Morning all.

Trying to work out the pros and cons of using Honda vs my local independent garage when it comes to servicing.

It's a 2015 Mk2 Jazz I bought from a Honda dealership a couple of months back. It's in top notch condition with only 26000 miles on the clock and almost feels like a new car. It has always been regularly serviced by Honda.

Honda are quoting £240 for a small annual service (they call it a Honda 12 service).

Not sure what my local independent garage would charge, I haven't asked yet and they're closed at the moment.

Has anyone got any thoughts on this? I'm assuming taking it to Honda will cost more but on the other hand they''ll know the model inside out and might pick up on issues the other garage wouldn't. Plus, if I sell the car in the near future it might help the sale if Honda have serviced it throughout its life.

Thanks!

[Kremmen]

My thoughts :

I've always used a dealer because they are trained, have the right equipment and are kept up to date with service bulletins

I'm sure you will get indy recommendations but just my opinion, plus, I've always had a car that's under warranty and the full honda service history is often key if you need to claim

[Mr Onion]

I used to use a Honda main dealer but their front of house attitude was getting worse and worse until we had to go elsewhere

Now I use a local independent garage (almost opposite to the main dealer) who specialises in Honda. Far better service, willing to collect and deliver the car (the Honda dealer always made me feel I was asking for too much and I should be grateful for anything they could be bothered to do) and no need to book the car in a month or more in advance.

Good pricing too

[madasafish]

I diy after 5 years of Honda Service plan.
Even a humble Jazz has peculiarities and if the garage doing your service work is learning as they do your car, you don't want them to do it.
You need someone with Honda expertise.

(think plug changes, rear brake  pad replacement - simple things done very differently from most cars. Let alone CVT oil changes)

[Westy36]

My thoughts, it's an 8yr old car that is not complex and needing specialist servicing. I would use an indi all day long and put the saving towards your road tax.

Resale? I can't in all honesty imagine a buyer giving you any more. Once a motor is out of warranty, most folk use non franchise. As long as the car has had a service as per schedule with evidence, then that's good enough.

FWIW I've bought cars with full dealer history, only to discover they've not changed service items they've charged their customers for. EMG Ford in Haverhill one owner Focus. Service receipt charged for the pollen filter, but it'd never been changed. The big manufacturer sign above the door counts for nothing IMHO.

[MartinJG]

I actually use my local Honda dealer for three reasons.

1) 12 month AA full relay which would cost me @ £180 when I checked a couple of months ago.
2) Oil and filter change @ £60
3) Full Honda Tyre kicking report which highlights any weaknesses and routine work/service requirements which goes straight into my full service record file in case I sell the car. Honda Jazz drivers love a full service history.

I use my local trustworthy independent to do any necessary work.

Oh, I almost forgot. The Honda service charge works out cheaper in real terms than the total itemised costs above which I review every year.

[surreyfrog]

Thanks for the replies, understandably some mixed opinions there. I suppose, costs aside, it might boil down to whether the car is simple to work on, meaning any competent garage could do it, or whether it has quirks that might need specialist knowledge and best left to Honda. I looked at the Honda 12 service plan and get the feeling they do a more comprehensive vehicle check that can pick up issues an independent garage might miss. At the end of the day I want to do what's best for the car...

[Kremmen]

I think the "simple to work on" is the key here

These days with ECU, computer controlled, etc, they aren't simple to work on except for the old plugs, oil and filters

Suspension changes are more specialised but any competent garage will be able to do that work

It's the diagnostics and specialist knowledge of known problem areas

[olduser1]

Another option, buy the parts needed from coxhondaparts then hunt around Honda dealers who want your busines. I find local owner run garages care about their customers.

[GBH]

My thoughts, it's an 8yr old car that is not complex and needing specialist servicing. I would use an indi all day long and put the saving towards your road tax.

Resale? I can't in all honesty imagine a buyer giving you any more. Once a motor is out of warranty, most folk use non franchise. As long as the car has had a service as per schedule with evidence, then that's good enough.

FWIW I've bought cars with full dealer history, only to discover they've not changed service items they've charged their customers for. EMG Ford in Haverhill one owner Focus. Service receipt charged for the pollen filter, but it'd never been changed. The big manufacturer sign above the door counts for nothing IMHO.

Have always been a DIY fan and only used main dealerships or brand specific independent specialists when I have not had the tools/facilities for a job.

Once bought a one-owner, full service history car which turned out to have the original, factory fitted pollen filter still fitted. The folds in the filter were so full of dirt that the filter appeared to be flat!

[jasonevans]

Oil and filter, Brake pads and disks and spark plugs I do myself.
CVT gearbox oil I take to dealer as I know it's a simple task but its a little arkward for me.
I make a note and do a "pretend" invoice to myself in Excel listing items I've used and prices of said items along with the mileage and date etc.

[John Ratsey]

Can the Honda dealer do a free one year renewal the Hondacare breakdown recovery? I've had this benefit in the past.

[Rory]

I used to use a Honda main dealer but their front of house attitude was getting worse and worse until we had to go elsewhere

Now I use a local independent garage (almost opposite to the main dealer) who specialises in Honda. Far better service, willing to collect and deliver the car (the Honda dealer always made me feel I was asking for too much and I should be grateful for anything they could be bothered to do) and no need to book the car in a month or more in advance.

Good pricing too

Apart from the indie we use not being across the road, that's word for word my experience too.

The old dealer used to be great, they got canned and new 'glass palace' dealer is just awful.

We even had an incident that needed breakdown and the dealer hadn't put it on the car at service as it hadn't been explicity asked for.