80K mile service for S40 £560!!!

[EZD]

Hi all,

Just wandering if anyone has any suggestions for my 80k mile service on 1999 S40 T SE (Auto).
Should I go to a dealer and pay £560 or go to an independent garage?
Are there any specialist Volvo dealers near Bedfordshire / Cambridge?
Will they have the right tools to do the job?
It’s the big service including Cam belt change.

Some advice and if I could save money would be great.

Thanks in advance.

Easy D

This service includes the timing belt and pullies. You could do it yourself but it is about an 5 hour job IIRC. If you want to keep that book full of Volvo stamps the best thing to do it get an indipendent garage to fit the timing belt and pullies, then take your car to volvo, tell them the belt has allready been changed and have them service the car for about £150.

Jsut out of curiosity, anyone know the current Volvo labour rate?

Not sure on current labour rate but Volvo in Birmingham just quoted me £280 to do a 140k service on a 98 R v40

Sunday Times quote
"Volvo Evans Halshaw Barkingside Ilford £108 per hour with a National average for Volvo £61"

My Local independent £18

[SpeedyReedy]

There is an independent volvo dealer up near Ely, called Kings Witcham they do have a web link and can be found easily with google.
They were once a official dealer as they supplied my old 340.
I did call for a quote for a service a few years ago on the 340 and they came in more expensive than dealer prices.

I live on the Cambs/Beds border and my car has been serviced in Lincolnshire for the last couple of years.

Speedyreedy
1999 s40 GDi

[EZD]

Thanks for that, who do you use? would you recommend them?

ta
EZD

[SpeedyReedy]

The S40 has now had 3 services since I have had it and on each occasion I have had problems with the dealers its been to two.
Most recently I have been using TMS in Grantham now part of the marshalls group, It's quicker to take it 50 miles up the A1 than the 12 miles to Cambridge.
Now considering taking it back to Bells in Bedford in the hope that as they now have the Mitsubishi dealership as well as Volvo they might have more ideas on how the GDi engine works.

Speedyreedy
S40 GDi

[gnhuk]

I don't know if it's too far away for you but Cecil & Larter in Bury St. Edmunds are good from the customer service point of view. I would not advise anyone to go anywhere near Pillings in Milton Keynes as they are awful (and very expensive). I found an advert for a "Volvo specialist" in Bletchley but have yet to check them out (and the advert is in my desk at work....).

I'll have to join the owners club to get the inside info....

G

[EZD]

Hi all Thanks for everyone’s input. I got the S40 serviced this week for under £175.!!!!! :-) Yep, a 80K mile service including Cam belt. Its by a Independent volvo specialist in Leicester called Sheffield & Meredith ltd.

Now that’s what I call value for money, looking under the bonnet it looks as thorough they also gave it a clean up, not chemical clean but rag clean, checked all the vital and non vital parts and gave me a summary of the state of health of the car. A loan car was included and although they didn’t wash and hoover the car ( I didn’t expect them to) I felt they had thoroughly looked after the car.

I am definitely going to them again and would also recommend it to anyone.

Hardened fans of this web site will note that this company has been recommended before (look in the general section) And thank you to that man who originally posted his message.

I tried the other garages mentioned and although they were cheaper than A Volvo dealer they were still quoting around £350.

Brilliant:-)

[GorgeousGeorge]

D

mines coming up to the 80k service, and i must admit i was having a little panic at the £560 quote.

now if i can get my garage to match £175.00 i'll be one happy bunny.

fingers crossed

scott