MOT passed - hurrah! Now for service - boo!

[BigGreenThing]

Originally Posted by Kev0607

I'm glad you like my eloquence.



Bonus of doing it yourself is you know exactly what oil you're using and exactly what parts were used. As your car is getting older, I think its time you invested in some tools and learned to do it yourself... you'll save money.

When you bring your car to any garage, you put your trust in them. They may put Castrol oil on the Invoice and charge you for it, but is that what they really used? Without being physically stood there watching, you haven't got a clue. When you do it yourself, you know what you put in and you can't blame anyone but yourself.

To be honest Kev0607....I couldn't agree more, my car maintenance "utopia" is to be able to have space, time and tools to do this stuff myself...and as you point out - to know precisely what'd changed where (and when) and for what reasons. I'll get there someday! I'm working on it!

[BigGreenThing]

Originally Posted by TeamG

Exactly why I won’t use dealers to service my cars. When my wife has insisted on taking hers to a dealer, I’ve marked every consumable and as noted in a previous thread, caught out a Nissan main dealer when they hadn’t even checked the brake fluid, let alone changed it.

I can also choose which genuine items to use and when not. Oil, oil filter, fuel filter genuine. Air filter, cabin filter, brake fluid, why bother as long as you go for a reputable brand.

I'd like to get to this point by next year! Just had to renew insurance....blaaardy hell that's even more of a rip-off!!!

[FreshAir]

Originally Posted by Andmurph

I was charged £48.87 +vat plus whatever labour at £80 an hour for replacement pollen filter when I took my car to a Volvo specialist near Taunton in September. When I changed it last week found the last one I put in was still there with the date and mileage when I installed it clearly marked.

I do wonder where these filters that are not fitted go to, do the tech's take them home and put them on eBay?

I wonder the same thing with the fake top ups of washer fluid. Had a dealer claim to have topped up my wifes Nissan, it went in with the level just about overflowing. Can't believe they syphon fluid out and replace it.

[Pidgeonpost]

"my car maintenance "utopia" is to be able to have space, time and tools to do this stuff myself".

A very worthwhile aim. Do it while you can. I still like to do things that are compatible with getting older, but some jobs I farm out to my local indie, even stuff like discs and pads. Although I've got a reasonable selection of hand tools, crawling around on a concrete floor for a couple of hours does no favours to my 75 year old knees and back.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by BigGreenThing

Hi folks!


With just over a 163k miles on the clock, my XC70 D3 MY2011 passed without any advisories! Again! Which I'm incredibly pleased about. Hurrah!

I know within the next week or so - the "ping light" will come on telling me it's time for a service.

The local Volvo dealership is wanting about £350 inc VAT for what they call a "minor" service. This basically covers:

- original service ref:17301-V7102 = £263.84
- wear and tear inspection ref:17302-3 = £19.80
- cabin filter replacementt ref: 17432-Y7005 = £65.40!!!

Other Volvo dealerships are same/similar pricewise.

To be fair, logistically, the dealers are easy as they're reasonably close, let me work at their offices until the car is serviced and they clean it too. The Volvo Indy is a bit more of a logistical challenge (out in the middle of the sticks and nowhere to sit/walk etc whilst waiting [and I cannot work])...but the mechanics there are "well seasoned" (and they will be cheaper).

To just stress, I'm not really in a position (with equipment/space/time) to service myself currently. Which is a shame!

My questions are:
Should I go dealer or indy at this point (on a 13 yo car)/ what might others do?

What are the pro's and cons of going to either?

What should be done as part of a minor service?

Over £65 for a cabin filter fitted sounds hefty!!!

Any thoughts warmly welcomed!

"Wear and Tear" is nothing to do with volvo thats something they have added on internally . However they should visibly check for any abnormalities when doing the service the items of which which are listed on the service sheet enclosed.

On the other hand they don't seem do the pollen filter as standard which IS part of the standard volvo service , and the labour for changing the pollen filter is 6 minutes If you just happen to call in and ask for a pollen filter to be fitted. However this is all included in the service.

Very odd for a dealer making up the rules as they go along.

163000 miles makes no difference to anything really service related.

What is important is cambelt and Aux belt servicing, if you don't know when it was last changed then get both done and their tensioners with Genuine parts.
The serve schedule is Cambelt and tensioner every 108000 miles or 10 years which ever comes first.
Aux belt only every 54000 MILES ( just the belt half way between the cambelt services)
Aux belt tensioner at every cambelt change when they change it and the belt.

They do a minor service which is called an Essential Service.

[BigGreenThing]

Many thanks for your response Clan! Hugely appreciated. And the pdf schedule was very revealing! Both can and aux belts (x2) along with tensioner have been replaced (at Volvo dealerships). I’m quite fanatical about keeping on top of those (and for good reasons!).

I think I will have service done…inc pollen filter…but I will stipulate that I want to keep the old one and for them to leave it in the boot…

[Clan]

Originally Posted by BigGreenThing

Many thanks for your response Clan! Hugely appreciated. And the pdf schedule was very revealing! Both can and aux belts (x2) along with tensioner have been replaced (at Volvo dealerships). I’m quite fanatical about keeping on top of those (and for good reasons!).

I think I will have service done…inc pollen filter…but I will stipulate that I want to keep the old one and for them to leave it in the boot…

pollen filters have the date on them somewhere 👍

[griston64]

I struggle to understand why someone would pay a dealership to change a pollen filter ? You can buy genuine Volvo for £38 on Ebay ( volvopartstrade )
and it takes about 10 mins to fit

[bananarama]

Originally Posted by griston64

I struggle to understand why someone would pay a dealership to change a pollen filter ? You can buy genuine Volvo for £38 on Ebay ( volvopartstrade )
and it takes about 10 mins to fit

To be fair it takes 10mins once you know how to do it but the first time is a right ballache, access is restricted and disconnecting stuff is difficult even without sausage fingers

This video helped me a lot but I believe you don't need to remove the glove box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pUIWEPywnQ

[griston64]

Originally Posted by bananarama

To be fair it takes 10mins once you know how to do it but the first time is a right ballache, access is restricted and disconnecting stuff is difficult even without sausage fingers

This video helped me a lot but I believe you don't need to remove the glove box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pUIWEPywnQ

You are right about not removing the glovebox. I don't recall disconnecting anything though