Maintenance Advice Please

T

Two of usI

Joined
Jul 5, 2020
Posts
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Location
Southampton, UK
Funster No
72,663
MH
Rapido 696F
Exp
4yrs
I have now had my M/ Home for 12 months and today took it for the annual service and habitation check.......... When I saw the bill and they picked me of the floor I couldn't believe the cost................. £700

Can anyone tell me if that is around normal ????? Rapido 696F ????? 2yr old, 8,000mls

I will now phone around other service areas, I'm guessing its because the place was a Motor home dealership !!!

Would I be better with a mobile man for the habitation, and would he do the service
Do I need a habitation every year ??? or just if I want to sell, suppose the argument could be warranty, but, they do manage to squirm out of most issues!!!
Any constructive advice would be most welcome

Thanks in advance, as I know there will be some really experienced people !!!!
 
Last time I had a service and hab service it was about half that figure. I hope that included vat,which is no small sum.

Many folk on here say don’t bother to have a hab service,unless it’s needed for your warranty. It depends how hands on you want to be really. My Rapido handbook gives detailed info about Winterisation,which basically covers what you need to look at.
 
You were ripped off. On the new vans that I’ve had I only had the damp check done which cost around £40.
The vehicle service was done at at my local VAT registered garage for around £200.
 
I think you have been stitched up, I wouldn't expect it to be more than £300 absolute tops.
You need an annual damp check to keep the warranty, the hab check depends on the manufacturer some require it to keep the warranty some don't but at two years old I suspect it is out of warranty or soon will be.

Hymer don't require a hab check for the warranty on my 3 rd Hymer in 13 years never had a hab check, it's easy to do yourself. I just have the damp check done.
 
The cab, engine and running gear could be serviced by a normal garage(assuming the mh is on a van chassis not Alko). The hab check can be done by a mobile eng if they're qualified to do so or by yourself if you have the skills.
It really depends if the mh is under warranty.

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Cheap damp meter and eyeballs, service costs depend on the chassis make so get more than one quote.
 
I get the van bits serviced annually, but leave the habitation side until I think there's an issue developing. While living in the Salisbury area, I used Adams Morey there to give the moho it's medical; they were very good. You've a Adams Morey in Southampton, may be worth giving them a call when your vehicle next needs attention.

Motor Home Servicing in Southampton, Salisbury, Portsmouth, Basingstoke, Bournemouth and IOW

Welcome to Adams Morey Ltd Southampton, where we offer a full range of DAF services including new and used truck sales, genuine parts and servicing.
www.adamsmorey.com www.adamsmorey.com
At the bottom of the linked-page are their costs.
 
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I think urine is being extracted in an ultra fast fashion, but........ what did the Service include? We’re ALL the filters changed, breaks stripped, oil replaced etc etc
 
Vehicle service until warranty runs out then independent or someone like SES who have a garage to service their own vehicles
Habitation check by supplying dealer until warranty runs out then self inspect with damp meter
Habitation area, if it works I don't worry, most things I can fix or wait to get a few things done together by an independent or local

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Why wasn’t you given the price when it was booked, assume you didn’t ask?
 
I would check the invoice and contact them to justify that price.
 
How Much
the office rage GIF
name & shame
 
When you break it down £120 vat =580 hab service would be at least 200 = 380 oil and filter at a dealers 180 =200 brake fluid change. 70 =130 for air fuel and pollen filters that is what dealers charge it soon adds up.
 
£240 in warranty Adria twin HAB inspection with VAT
 
Alfie159 said:
£240 in warranty Adria twin HAB inspection with VAT
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I bought a15 year old range rover with a full service history
Years 1-4 were all at a main dealer then 5-15 with a local garage

The invoices were something like £350-£500-£350- £1600

I read that as , warranty warranty warranty , right I'm not going back there again

Price varies depending on who is paying the bill :D
 
I paid £316 excl VAT for the scheduled 2 year big service including all new filters and change of brake fluid and coolant. I recall this was a FIAT Professional fixed price. Adding MOT and VAT it came to @£485.

I (over)paid for a hab service for PVC at £250 inc VAT. Seems like poor value so never again. Total cost to me £735.

Reasons for using a FIAT Professional dealer are (a) Warranty and (b) VOSA recall for brake pipe check.
 
Just booked in van with Fiat Professional Garage who I have dealt with for the last 10 years and found to be extremely fair. Vechile due first service at 2 years. 8000 miles on clock. Fiat price £565 all in. approx 4 hours have to say I was shocked last major service I recall on previous reviews van was £300 approx.

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Prices vary a lot I seem to recall Lowdhams were really expensive for a jab service.
 
Two of usI said:
.......... When I saw the bill and they picked me of the floor I couldn't believe the cost................. £700
Click to expand...

To be fair to the OP there are a whole load of motorhome owners who get stung by huge annual prices. It seems to be the grey area of motorhome ownership which very few people study before they press the purchase button.

In this instance the £700 has included the first Fiat service (24-months), a hab check plus a damp check on top of that.

My 1st 24-month service was £320, incl VAT, at a Fiat Professional garage and the hab + damp check came in at £254.

.........so £574 in total.

Some people can pay over £500 just for the first service and £350 for a damp/hab checks so the motto is that you really need to do your homework before buying and subsequently servicing your van.
 
This appears to be for a base service and hab check and whilst expensive it's not surprising, but I'd certainly question it - its a shame that the cost wasn't ascertained before it was done though.

We've always used an independent garage for our base servicing, so long as they are VAT registered and use proper parts/oil etc then there isn't a problem. The hab part is more difficult as for some you have to go to an authorised agent, in our case a Carthago dealer, so the cost for that alone was £380 (fortunately we negotiated it as a freebie in with the purchase deal).

For our Carthago I'm not sure what we'll do about the base vehicle service due to it being an A-class with restricted access, will see what our local chap says as he's done all our vehicles for a few years now including our PVC so as the Carthago isn't any heavier or much bigger hopefully he will still be willing to do it. As for the hab, not sure as we don't need to have it done in full, just the damp for warranty purposes, but who can/will do just that is gonna be the problem I suspect - we don't need to decide now so I have time to explore possibilities.
 
Thanks for all your help, I took the van back to the place of purchase purely so that if there were any issues they would hopefully have been covered on the warranty, however, my mistake was not getting a price prior to taking it in, or, having a chat on here.......... It won't be happening again.!!!!!!!!!
Thanks

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Interesting thread - my PVC is due its first 2 year Fiat service in May and I'm undecided what to do... I could take it to nearest Fiat Pro dealer but its 25 miles away and when I enquired, they wanted it the whole day and really discouraged me from waiting for it - so got find something to do on the outskirts of Northampton for the day ....

The alternative would be to take it back to the supplying dealer who has been excellent throughout the first two years fixing the odd minor niggle and always available on the phone if needed. Not using Fiat would normally depress resale values a touch maybe, but in the current climate, thats irrelevant - plus hopefully, I'm not selling soon

Theres nothing wrong with the van but the dealer would be able to fix it even if there was - I guess Fiat might decide against a goodwill payment if I've never serviced it with them, but other than that, can't see a downside ?
 
Ernesto said:
Interesting thread - my PVC is due its first 2 year Fiat service in May and I'm undecided what to do... I could take it to nearest Fiat Pro dealer but its 25 miles away and when I enquired, they wanted it the whole day and really discouraged me from waiting for it - so got find something to do on the outskirts of Northampton for the day ....

The alternative would be to take it back to the supplying dealer who has been excellent throughout the first two years fixing the odd minor niggle and always available on the phone if needed. Not using Fiat would normally depress resale values a touch maybe, but in the current climate, thats irrelevant - plus hopefully, I'm not selling soon
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We've never been asked 'where' ours were serviced, just if they had been, that's all they're really interested in as it shows they've been looked after, and we've never had the 'value' reduced when px-ing due to us using an independent. On high value cars etc not using a same make authorised garage might have a difference but IMV not on MHs, certainly not for any we've ever bought or looked to buy.

Ernesto said:
Theres nothing wrong with the van but the dealer would be able to fix it even if there was - I guess Fiat might decide against a goodwill payment if I've never serviced it with them, but other than that, can't see a downside ?
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There's nothing in the Fiat warranty terms to prevent you using another garage so that shouldn't have any effect on a warranty claim whatsoever.
 
Minxy Girl said:
We've never been asked 'where' ours were serviced, just if they had been, that's all they're really interested in as it shows they've been looked after, and we've never had the 'value' reduced when px-ing due to us using an independent. On high value cars etc not using a same make authorised garage might have a difference but IMV not on MHs, certainly not for any we've ever bought or looked to buy.


There's nothing in the Fiat warranty terms to prevent you using another garage so that shouldn't have any effect on a warranty claim whatsoever.
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Thanks 👍 ...I agree. The only possible downside is if something catastrophic happened say 3 months out of warranty - very often big brands will make a goodwill payment, and the size of it can be affected by your service record with them - but its such a small risk, its one I'm willing to take I think
 
Ernesto said:
Thanks 👍 ...I agree. The only possible downside is if something catastrophic happened say 3 months out of warranty - very often big brands will make a goodwill payment, and the size of it can be affected by your service record with them - but its such a small risk, its one I'm willing to take I think
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As you say it's about risk and cost/convenience.
 
The Wino said:
As you say it's about risk and cost/convenience.
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It is... its also for me, about feeling a little like a second class customer at Fiat Pro dealers.

The bulk of their business has to be businesses running fleets of vans, so I know camper van owners are lower down the food chain, but its still a chunk of money and I've never felt my custom is valued ?

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