What is the SOP for 3rd party servicing?

[Cocoleak]

Hi hope the experts here can advise. What is the procedure if want to send car to 3rd party for servicing?

1. Do I just tell them I want to do xx000km servicing then they know what to check?
2. Or I have to specifically tell them what are the parts I want them to check?
3. This also means the technician probably may not know how to service/check my car if is not the common vezel qasqhai type?
4. If they find a part defected, doesn't mean they have the suitable spare parts and I may waste time having to make another trip to buy for them to replace?
5. Worse they may not even know how to replace the spare parts?

[Keithchue]

usually, they will do the basic, items like EO change, EO filter change and many points eye power check, specialist workshops like VAG or benzworld, use their scanner to scan for codes.  items not able to diagnose depends on your relationship with the mechanic, and the how deep your pockets are.  bear in mind that, since your car isn't the vezel / qashqai, there should be elements of trial and error. if you don't feel comfortable.  maybe send back to your AD to get them to check what to replace and defer the report to outside workshop. 

[Philipkee]

Hi hope the experts here can advise. What is the procedure if want to send car to 3rd party for servicing?

 

1. Do I just tell them I want to do xx000km servicing then they know what to check?

2. Or I have to specifically tell them what are the parts I want them to check?

3. This also means the technician probably may not know how to service/check my car if is not the common vezel qasqhai type?

4. If they find a part defected, doesn't mean they have the suitable spare parts and I may waste time having to make another trip to buy for them to replace?

5. Worse they may not even know how to replace the spare parts?

My experience is unless you know what to replace or what to look out for, don't go third party blindly.

 

I did some servicing at autobacs. They did the servicing and found multiple faults in my car, even things that I never realised was wrong. They want to replace a lot of stuff as it is a potential safety issues. Of cos with the charges. I had to stand firm and say no. So you need to be specific what you want and not just xxx km servicing cos next thing you know, everything is replaced, even the tires.

 

My bro did servicing at JB. If he just needs engine oil change, they just change engine oil. Nothing more, nothing less. But super cheap.

 

Experience is that it is unlikely a workshop will find a fault with your car that they don't have a replacement part. If it happens they will try to persuade you to leave your car with them, maybe overnight.

 

Hope this helps.

Edited August 1, 2018 by Philipkee

[Cocoleak]

Thanks guys for the replies. If it is just change engine oil type I can go any workshop. But it's those wear and tear like timing belt.. steering wheel or brakes.. not sure how to.. looks like going AD still better option

usually, they will do the basic, items like EO change, EO filter change and many points eye power check, specialist workshops like VAG or benzworld, use their scanner to scan for codes. items not able to diagnose depends on your relationship with the mechanic, and the how deep your pockets are. bear in mind that, since your car isn't the vezel / qashqai, there should be elements of trial and error. if you don't feel comfortable. maybe send back to your AD to get them to check what to replace and defer the report to outside workshop.

This is a good idea. But also means the workshop needs to know how to handle my car and I have to diy find the parts

[Kb27]

Refer to your car manual.

It has a list of what to check, change, inspect, by month/km table.

 

3rd party or most workshops would just do the regular oil change that they know.

 

It's up to you to tell them what to do, or what to change.

 

If you leave it to them, then they decide for you based on what they know as any regular car servicing.

 

The regular stuffs that needs changing most often is engine oil, followed by transmission fluid, and all those filters, oil filter, air filter, aircon filter, etc.

 

Another important part to change is the battery, about 2 yrs. You don't want to be caught with a dead battery when you need it to start the engine.

 

If you have an older car, you might want to change the "hot" coolant rubber hoses as well or wait for them to leak.

 

You can stop at there. Wait for other faults to appear before fixing them.

 

Servicing also does not guarantee that your car will not breakdown.

It's just a preventive measure to reduce the chances of a breakdown.

 

If a workshop does more, some people may accused them of wanting to milk you. So some will just do the minimum.

Any fault that appears and not related to the servicing, they can washed their hands.

 

As for parts, workshops only stock the fast moving parts. The slower moving ones they don't stock, but they can usually get it ordered and delivered from the supplier within the same working day.

Edited August 1, 2018 by Kb27

[Othello]

Hi hope the experts here can advise. What is the procedure if want to send car to 3rd party for servicing?

 

1. Do I just tell them I want to do xx000km servicing then they know what to check?

2. Or I have to specifically tell them what are the parts I want them to check? Unless you have a specific request, mine just do a simple undercarriage visual inspection.

3. This also means the technician probably may not know how to service/check my car if is not the common vezel qasqhai type? Possible, if your car is a rare make 

4. If they find a part defected, doesn't mean they have the suitable spare parts and I may waste time having to make another trip to buy for them to replace? My workshop does that, tell me what spoil and ask me to go buy. I can choose not to and they can order in PLUS markup. 

5. Worse they may not even know how to replace the spare parts? You worry too much 

 

 

Ask around your friends for recommendation, then pay a visit and see how. 

 

If not, better to go back AD 

[Theoldjaffa]

Hi hope the experts here can advise. What is the procedure if want to send car to 3rd party for servicing?

 

1. Do I just tell them I want to do xx000km servicing then they know what to check?

2. Or I have to specifically tell them what are the parts I want them to check?

3. This also means the technician probably may not know how to service/check my car if is not the common vezel qasqhai type?

4. If they find a part defected, doesn't mean they have the suitable spare parts and I may waste time having to make another trip to buy for them to replace?

5. Worse they may not even know how to replace the spare parts?

If u wanna choose a 3rd party workshop, choose from a list of workshops that's used and recommended by drivers of the same make/model.

 

Then go to each workshop to talk to the owner, find out about their charges, have a look at the environment before deciding on your own which to use.

 

What car do you drive? We can help to recommend some workshops.

 

Generally, I don't go to places like Stamford Tyres, Autobacs etc to do servicing.

[Mkl22]

My experience is unless you know what to replace or what to look out for, don't go third party blindly.

 

I did some servicing at autobacs. They did the servicing and found multiple faults in my car, even things that I never realised was wrong. They want to replace a lot of stuff as it is a potential safety issues. Of cos with the charges. I had to stand firm and say no. So you need to be specific what you want and not just xxx km servicing cos next thing you know, everything is replaced, even the tires.

 

My bro did servicing at JB. If he just needs engine oil change, they just change engine oil. Nothing more, nothing less. But super cheap.

 

Experience is that it is unlikely a workshop will find a fault with your car that they don't have a replacement part. If it happens they will try to persuade you to leave your car with them, maybe overnight.

 

Hope this helps.

Hahaa autobaccs? No thanks for me.

[giraffey99]

Hi hope the experts here can advise. What is the procedure if want to send car to 3rd party for servicing?

 

1. Do I just tell them I want to do xx000km servicing then they know what to check?

2. Or I have to specifically tell them what are the parts I want them to check?

3. This also means the technician probably may not know how to service/check my car if is not the common vezel qasqhai type?

4. If they find a part defected, doesn't mean they have the suitable spare parts and I may waste time having to make another trip to buy for them to replace?

5. Worse they may not even know how to replace the spare parts?

1. Do I just tell them I want to do xx000km servicing then they know what to check?

 

It is best to inform them what needs to be additionally replaced or done on top of the basic oil change and inspections. When in doubt, follow your car's recommemded maintenance schedule. Generally, the minor and major servicing are alternate.

 

 

2. Or I have to specifically tell them what are the parts I want them to check?

 

As above. In addition, you may also want to highlight any issues for them to additionally check.

 

 

3. This also means the technician probably may not know how to service/check my car if is not the common vezel qasqhai type?

 

There are specialised workshops that focus on a make or some makes only if you need better assurance. But more importantly, as the cars are heavy in electronics, check with the workshop if they have the diagnostic tools available for your car. In addition, it is advisable to get a trustable and reliable workshop (at the start, you might need to try out a few workshops first)

 

 

 

4. If they find a part defected, doesn't mean they have the suitable spare parts and I may waste time having to make another trip to buy for them to replace?

 

I think it would be the same problem as sending to the authorized workshop. Of the parts are not available by any stockist or authorized dealer, it has to be ordered.

 

 

 

5. Worse they may not even know how to replace the spare parts?

 

This is unlikely unless your car is really niche. If it us a bread and butter car, it should not be an issue. But there are specialised workshops which yiu can consider.

[Banz86]

Hi hope the experts here can advise. What is the procedure if want to send car to 3rd party for servicing?

 

1. Do I just tell them I want to do xx000km servicing then they know what to check?

2. Or I have to specifically tell them what are the parts I want them to check?

3. This also means the technician probably may not know how to service/check my car if is not the common vezel qasqhai type?

4. If they find a part defected, doesn't mean they have the suitable spare parts and I may waste time having to make another trip to buy for them to replace?

5. Worse they may not even know how to replace the spare parts?

 

1. For most workshop (but I highly recommend those with case trust and proper SOP), they have their own checklist to go through for every mileage. They will usually advertise their 80 or 120 step checks, which I'm not sure if they do perform them. But you still have to tell them if it's a normal 10k, 20k, 40k, 60k service.

 

2. Yes, you usually have to do that especially if those parts are not the common wear and tear like brake pads, suspension, etc.

Example: There are some resistence when I drive the car. I told them to check my steering cone and steering fluid. Ended up just changing the steering fluid which solved the problem.

 

3. If I drive more exp cars (BMW, Merc, Audi, etc), there are a lot of workshops that specialise in a certain make. You can easily find them on sgcarmart or Google.

 

4. I think regardless of outside workshop or AD, if they don't have the parts, they will usually order from an OEM importer. If the importer do not have parts, usually have to wait. I remembered bringing my Ducati for servicing, I had to wait 2 weeks for a part as both AD and the workshop do not have it. They had to indent it from Italy.

 

5. This might be true. But for common parts, this should be easy to do. But if you need to replace batteries on a Hybrid system, then you have to go to a specialist to do. This is by own judgement.

 

I learn the hard way after my warranty ends and going out to a few workshops to get chopped up. Now I found a few trusted workshops that I frequent, as they have good quality, checklist, workmanship and customer service. The regular full servicing workshop I frequent might be slightly more exp (+5 to 10%), but as long as I have a piece of mind, I don't bother.

Edited August 2, 2018 by Banz86

[pegasi]

if your car still under agent warranty, most likely you have to go back agent workshop

if out of warranty, most people dont go back due to higher costs so its 3rd party workshop

 

but not every 3rd party workshop and their technicians know every car, it is better to google and read up recommendations from fellow car owners, so you have a rough idea who are the so-call 'specialist' workshops for your car

 

usually these 'specialist' will follow the car manual in terms of minor and major servicing and parts replacement for preventive maintenance, using original parts

to cut cost, some will recommend use 3rd party parts 

 

for minor servicing (just oil change and filter change), 3rd party workshop usually alot cheaper than agent workshop

for major servicing, sometimes 'specialist' workshops charge rather close to agent, probably because they use the original parts for preventive maintenance