[Santa]

With warmer weather on the way, it's time to shake off winter’s wear and tear with our Spring Check!

Upgrade your cabin comfort with a Ford MicronAir® ProTect Filter^{^^}, checked and deodorised A/C to breathe easy this spring. We'll also top up your washer fluid and give your tyres a thorough check to ensure your Mondeo is ready to bring your spring plans to life!

All for only £79 RRP^*.

I can buy a filter for a tenner and even I can check my tyres and top up the washer bottle.

[Drivingforfun]

Mini do stuff like this, like £40 for effectively fluid top ups and a check over, everything you should be doing anyway. Last time I had a service they offered simply to top the wiper fluid up for £20

I wonder if it's some kind of mutually beneficial tax thing for company car or fleet drivers

The only other thing I can think is Motability, as they are quite liberal with what they will authorise, and a disabled person would benefit from having those things done. However my argument would be a good old fashioned garage would do that for free for a disabled customer

[Nick]

Yeah, I guess for the constituent parts it is expensive - some of this is likely time (labour) cost as well. I would assume that the people who can do this stuff themselves are not the target market here, rather those that can't - I can do everything listed except the air con bit!
Don't think I've ever done this kind of maintenance though on any car I've owned!

[Rolebama]

I have bought and fitted charcoal pollen filters for my last three cars, assuming that's what they mean, for around £10 a time. (Always Mahle). As for AC, I know I will have to pay around £50 for a leak test and refill, but only if needed. As for the rest it costs me nothing.
FWIW: I took my car in for a recall in January. They very kindly did a free check. They told me I needed discs and pads all round and quoted just over £700. Main dealer prices. I took it to my usual garage for a second opinion. No replacement necessary, and if I wanted them to do the work anyway, they estimated £40 for pads, £250 for discs, and up to £100 labour.

[Santa]

My real point was that This main dealer, with whom I have an existing relationship, sent this "offer" implying that it is a good deal.

[Drivingforfun]

@Santa I would wager money against it being manually sent by whoever you have the relationship with, but that's a fair point, I do think companies now like to treat their regular customers like cows for milking

[Santa]

@Drivingforfun And I wouldn't take your bet.

It was undoubtedly sent to everyone on their (e)-mailing list. I don't really object as it is simple to just delete it. The car is booked in for a service and MOT in June anyway and they will (hopefully) change the filter then. They will also service the A/C as an eextra.

[olduser]

Originally Posted by Drivingforfun

Mini do stuff like this, like £40 for effectively fluid top ups and a check over, everything you should be doing anyway. Last time I had a service they offered simply to top the wiper fluid up for £20

I wonder if it's some kind of mutually beneficial tax thing for company car or fleet drivers

The only other thing I can think is Motability, as they are quite liberal with what they will authorise, and a disabled person would benefit from having those things done. However my argument would be a good old fashioned garage would do that for free for a disabled customer

Who pays for the maintenance on Motability?

[olduser]

Originally Posted by Santa

My real point was that This main dealer, with whom I have an existing relationship, sent this "offer" implying that it is a good deal.

It is a good deal, for the dealer, gets the car into the garage, and there always chance they can find other work once it's there, and there is the, 'offered' work which if they make a hash of it you will have to pay for remedial work.
Sort of win, win, win.

[olduser]

Originally Posted by Santa

@Drivingforfun And I wouldn't take your bet.

It was undoubtedly sent to everyone on their (e)-mailing list. I don't really object as it is simple to just delete it. The car is booked in for a service and MOT in June anyway and they will (hopefully) change the filter then. They will also service the A/C as an eextra.

From my experience, I would say, 'hopefully' is the key word.

Not that I believe all garage owners are crooks but it is tempting for the mechanics to, 'forget' the bits that don't show.

The last car I looked at (I only looked), reporting a misfire, the offending plug's gap was almost zero, and the other plugs were well worn.
I also noticed the oil filter was dirty and an original Ford fitment, the engine air filter was seriously dirty, neither of us could get at the cabin air filter to check it (too old!).
The oil had been changed, Alternator belt was slipping.

The owner said it had had two annual services, and the last had been a month previously!
Looking at his invoices and work sheet, all the recommended service items were ticked, and Oil, Oil filter, Air filter, and Cabin filter were charged for each year.

Now, I know it can get tricky as a manager checking tradesmen's work but that is what managers are paid extra for.
Theses days (if they ever did) the customer will not check but someone needs to, to keep standards up.
Modern cars are much more robust than they used to be but the extra sensors, and control items have increased the potential for trouble.

[Rolebama]

There are any number of examples of service items being neglected but signed off, that have caused airliners to drop from the sky, or trains to crash/derail. On almost every occasion, where this is discovered it is the servicing technician/mechanic held to account, never the manager or whoever made the decision to ignore the schedule because it would cost too much, or take the plane or track out of commission for too long causing loss of profit.

[Santa]

Originally Posted by Rolebama

There are any number of examples of service items being neglected but signed off, that have caused airliners to drop from the sky

Reminded me of this:

After every flight, pilots fill out a form called a “gripe sheet” which tells mechanics about problems with the aircraft. The mechanics correct the problems, document their repairs on the form, and then pilots review the gripe sheets before the next flight.

Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor. Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers. Funny airplane repair logs ensues.


P: Mouse in cockpit.
S: Cat installed.

P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.

P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.

P: Something loose in cockpit.
S: Something tightened in cockpit.

P: Dead bugs on windshield.
S: Live bugs on back-order.

P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent.
S: Cannot reproduce the problem on the ground.

P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
S: Evidence removed.

P: #2 Propeller seeping prop fluid
S: #2 Propeller seepage normal – #1 #3 and #4 propellers lack normal seepage

P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
S: DME volume set to a more believable level.

P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
S: That’s what they’re for

P: IFF inoperative.
S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.

P: Suspected crack in windshield.
S: Suspect you’re right.

P: Number 3 engine missing.
S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.

P: Aircraft handles funny.
S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious.

P: Target radar hums.
S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics

And the best one for last.

P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
S: Took hammer away from midget.

[NMNeil]

@Santa No cabin filter on my truck, the A/C was checked and all I got out of the vents was dead bugs and dust, so operating normally, and I checked the tyres, and there's one on each corner.
Checks completed, time for a beer 😎