My little Vauxhall Corsa needs an oil change. And every time I start it, the mileometer displays a cryptic symbol for several seconds, which is irritating. And the low petrol indicator light doesn't come on, which gave me a nervous time recently. It's 3 years old; time for a service.
I live within walking distance of Marshall's so I took it there. They want £180 for a service. This doesn't include changing spark plugs, or most of the filters. I pay up, and afterwards ask for a list of what it does include. It's not available, it seems. In fact, as far as I can see, all they are doing is changing the oil and checking various things are working. The latter is good, but can hardly take a lot of time. Anyway, that checklist gives them to the chance to sell me more services.
And they do! Brake pads and discs are worn -- that's another £120. They check my tires, and one is worn. Luckily for me, they don't have a tyre that size. They don't check the pressure in my air-conditioning system. I happen to know that National do this as a free check. But Marshalls tell me that there is no way to do this. Perhaps I misunderstand; but any system involving a liquid and a gas can be tested. That's common sense, isn't it?
They do change the screen-wash. They change a windscreen wiper; likewise. They give me some 'free' oil and cleaning materials. Thus I go forth, £324 lighter. That is a phenomenal sum; yet what do I have to show for this?
But I still need a tyre. So I ring around. Anglian Auto Assist -- who appear as a Hi-Q franchise in the phone book -- they have a Pirelli of the kind that I want, at a price that is not too out of line with the web. Down I go, and they do it while I wait -- £65. But on the wall I see servicing sheets, listing what they do. All of them include oil, spark plugs, filters. I ask for prices. The cheapest ('bronze') is £80; the next one ('silver') £140. The top one ('gold') isn't even mentioned. I ask about the little nag feature, if I don't take it to a main dealer. They laugh and say that they have the tool to turn that off themselves. So long as the book is stamped, the full service history stands. I ask how much notice they need; they say about 2-3 days for a service. They can do the job in a morning. They work Saturdays, so it's possible to leave the car with them, walk into town, and pick it up after lunch.
I come away, feeling that I didn't get much from Marshalls for my £180. In fact I feel that I got about £60 of value. Is it too much to ask for filters and spark plugs changed?
One thing tends to reinforce this impression. Marshall's charged me £10 to dispose of the old oil -- an 'environmental' tax. But Auto Assist charge half that, according to their price list. Are Marshall's inflating that appalling bit of government interference? Can it be so?
Moral: I must resolve not to deal with Marshalls, however convenient they are, because I feel that I do not get value for money. I will go to Anglian Auto Assist instead. If I go in a few months time, then I can get the filters and spark plugs done before winter comes on, and an oil change too.
Details: Anglian Auto Assist. Ipswich Tyre Centre. 37-41 Holywells Road (at the bottom of Landseer Road). (01473) 256321.
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