[Red Devil]

We had our Scooby Legacy in for it's 90,000 km service yesterday, not authorised Subaru dealer but still specialising in Subaru's. This included having the cam belt changed and 'Warrant of Fitness' thrown in for good measure... total cost including labour $630 :nice1

We had the same service done in the UK last December for a Scooby Forester with an authorised Subaru dealer... total cost £750 (approx. $1900) :laugh

Just thought I'd share that one with you... more beer money for tomorrows curry session :D

C'mon you All Blacks :clap

[James 1077]

Everyone tells me that non-European cars are cheap as chips to service and repair in NZ. It really makes me wonder why anyone buys European cars! :)

[Arwen]

We had our Scooby Legacy in for it's 90,000 km service yesterday, not authorised Subaru dealer but still specialising in Subaru's. This included having the cam belt changed and 'Warrant of Fitness' thrown in for good measure... total cost including labour $630 :nice1

We had the same service done in the UK last December for a Scooby Forester with an authorised Subaru dealer... total cost £750 (approx. $1900).

Just thought I'd share that one with you... more beer money for tomorrows curry session.

C'mon you All Blacks

I'm crying into my tea as I read this Red Devil after the whopping service bill we got recently!!!:wah

But still.........chuffed to bits for you!! That's more like the bill we were expecting. Nice one. :nice1:yes

[Arwen]

Everyone tells me that non-European cars are cheap as chips to service and repair in NZ. It really makes me wonder why anyone buys European cars! :)


If that's directed at me James, then just for the record, we didn't buy our european cars in NZ. We shipped our cars over because we just didn't have time to sell them (for the decent money they're worth anyway).

In hindsight, yes we should have probably got rid, but we had worked very hard to buy them outright from new and were reluctant to 'practically give them away'. Both cars have little mileage and are in really good condition.

Yes it is expensive to have them repaired and serviced here, so any potential migrants thinking of bringing their european cars to NZ would best be advised to check up on the costs of services, parts etc before commiting to shipping their cars over.

[Arwen]

The posts seem to have been posted the wrong way around on this thread!??!

[JandM]

Don't worry - it's a glitch that happens occasionally, nobody knows why. It's quite fun when it makes some clever forumite give a long and detailed answer to a question someone else hadn't asked yet.:laugh

[Wooly_Cow]

C'mon you All Blacks :clap

Allez Les Blues!!!!

[M-Squared]

Arwen, I read the OP and thought of you :( (((hugs!)))

[Arwen]

Arwen, I read the OP and thought of you :( (((hugs!)))

Ah thanks for the hugs hun, much appreciated. :nice1

We received a Workshop Customer Satisfaction Follow Up slip from the garage today. Gives us a great opportunity to get onto them and express how 'dissatisfied' we were with the bill (not the quality of work I might add, which is fine).

I was going to give them a call the day after getting the bill and 'vent my spleen', but hubby suggested we calm down first and then get in touch.

I guess he's right. These guy's have us over a bit of a barrel at the moment. :(

[James 1077]

If that's directed at me James, then just for the record, we didn't buy our european cars in NZ. We shipped our cars over because we just didn't have time to sell them (for the decent money they're worth anyway).


Not directed at you - I had forgotten about your bad experience (to be honest most of that is main dealer related I would say - proper mechanics have to work harder for customer loyalty so don't charge an arm and a leg!).

A lot of the English guys at work have European cars (as that is what they are used to - indicators being on correct side etc) - one of them recently had to spend $9000 on getting their VW repaired due to the cost of parts and time spent fixing it.

Modern European cars really do seem like they are designed to be as difficult to fix as it is humanly possible to do - probably to keep dealer networks busy I would imagine.

[Arwen]

Not directed at you - I had forgotten about your bad experience (to be honest most of that is main dealer related I would say - proper mechanics have to work harder for customer loyalty so don't charge an arm and a leg!).

A lot of the English guys at work have European cars (as that is what they are used to - indicators being on correct side etc) - one of them recently had to spend $9000 on getting their VW repaired due to the cost of parts and time spent fixing it.

Modern European cars really do seem like they are designed to be as difficult to fix as it is humanly possible to do - probably to keep dealer networks busy I would imagine.

Do you know, I think you're spot on there my friend. :nice1

Crikey $9000 for a VW repair!!!!! OMG!!!!!:exit

[Red Devil]

... yep, Japanese is the way to go I'm afraid :D

That's why my next purchase within the next week is a very tidy looking Scooby Forester 2.0 XT (I'd prefer the 2.5 version but difficult to source at the moment).

Happy motoring all :nice1

[M-Squared]

Do you know, I think you're spot on there my friend. :nice1

Crikey $9000 for a VW repair!!!!! OMG!!!!!:exit

My entire car only cost $6,000 :laugh

[Arwen]

Good on ya M-Squared. :nice1

That's what my next car will cost when my Volvo takes it's terminal breath!! :laugh:laugh

[Red Devil]

... it's Subaru for us since 2002, we just love 'em and can't see us ever changing :D

[drakew]

This is good to hear. We have always been happy with Japenese and are looking foward to the many more options we will have.

[Moorf]

... it's Subaru for us since 2002, we just love 'em and can't see us ever changing :D

Ditto - love our old (95) scooby grandwagon thingy - had it 4.5 yrs now - it gets a good old bashing when we head off on tracks to nowhere, has tattooes from all the gorse we've screeched our way through and is thermally lined in dog hair! When (IF!) this one ever gives up the ghost we'll certainly get another :nice1

[NikT]

... yep, Japanese is the way to go I'm afraid :D

Not if I can help it!:wah

Nick.:cheers

[bobo]

A lot of the English guys at work have European cars (as that is what they are used to - indicators being on correct side etc) - one of them recently had to spend $9000 on getting their VW repaired due to the cost of parts and time spent fixing it.


Used to drive me mad in the UK swapping between the OH toyota and my ford, never seemed to get it right. I find the correct side is just the side that I have gotten used to.

[JandM]

Well, quite - we've had dozens of cars down the years, all European (being in the UK), and the controls have been - wherever. The normal thing has always been that you had to 'learn' each vehicle as you came to it. I think this 'in the right place' idea is fairly recent.

(Anybody ever tried driving a Model T Ford?:laugh http://www.modelt.ca/background.html )

[Spudgun]

I've found the AA garages are the cheapest place service and repair European cars.

They charge the same hourly rate for every make and have access to huge stocks of part.

[fye]

Just curious, how much difference could one expect let's say for an oil and filter change between a Japanese and a European car of the same specs?

[Ngeru]

As someone mentioned above you can go to places like the AA or Pitstop for an annual check and service which costs about $200 and it makes no difference what make of car.

e.g. http://www.pitstop.co.nz/acatalog/extensive_service.html