AUTUMN20
Found this when I was looking to service my car. :)
Book NRMA Car Service before 31st March and Get Free Windscreen Wipers, Tyre Rotation and Balancing
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Better of going to a dealer.
Log Book Servicefrom $195 No oil change!
Essential Servicefrom $178
Essential Service Synfrom $225
Essential Service Plusfrom $306
Far out. My local is $150 for minor service and includes oil/filter change.
No oil change? That's the main part of most log book services.
Why not try your local mechanic?
I have been to the NRMA Motoserve in Marrickville for a new radiator for my Hyundai Elantra, and it was absolute highway robbery.they wanted something like 650 bucks, which I told them was too much. Apparently the radiator part alone was 450, so I sources my own for 190 delivered to them, and they refused to put it on! In the end they said they would do the job for 430 after I wanted at the manager. This was about 6 years ago, but assume they are the same or even more expensive.
A family member took his outback to their Liverpool centre last year for a new alternator and was quoted 688! Anyone who has seen where the alternator is on a 4 cyl outback, it's right at the top, at the front of the engine, in the dead centre but at the front , so it couldn't be in an easier position to change. On top of that, they changed it, charged him, and it still didn't fix the issue, so he had to have the car towed to an auto electrician who spent another couple of days working on it, totalling 1350.
This guys are absolute thieves IMO. If you end up getting wipers, you will have paid double to triple what a regular mechanic would have charged for the rest of your job.
Small freaking world.
See my comment below.
Did you give feedback to NRMA itself? If agents aren't performing that's the best way to keep them honest. NRMA is a mutual organisation for motorists and their reputation's very important to them.
Can't see the problem with the Outback alternator as you describe it. Subaru parts are notoriously expensive. He/she asked for it to be changed, they did the job as requested? Perhaps you mean they diagnosed the problem wrongly? If not they can't be blamed for additional issues. Lucky he/she gave Subaru agents a miss. Their services cost a bomb. Btw, depending on the part and its job, it's not unusual for servicing businesses to refuse to fit a (major) part supplied by the customer. If they do they will not guarantee the work. Eg they fit your Ebay-purchased alternator and it fails within their usual 3 month service guarantee period you shouldn't expect them to fit another without charge.
The quality of servicing ranges enormously. Had one business (well-known tuning franchise) tell me they had to remove the rotors to skim them when they replaced the pads. Rotors were in very good nick. Brake specialist quoted less than half for the total job. What the franchise meant was that they didn't have the equipment or expertise to machine them on the vehicle so they priced in r&r labour.
If you find a mechanic or business you trust stick with them but still shop around for prices.
I did call nrma, see: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/8367349/redir
RE: the alternator, yes they misdiagnosed the problem so changed a $700 part for nothing. On top of that, I don't believe they fitted a new part, they fitted a reco, so the cost wasn't justified.
RE: the radiator, I didn't care if they guaranteed the work, the guy giving me the part said he would if the part failed (for the record, he was a radiator specialist and it was an OEM part, and the entire job from him would have been $320). Motorserve just flat refused to do it.
I wouldn't go back to them and can't recommend them, there is literally nothing good about this place, even NRMA seem powerless to do anything about issues.
Thanks for the clarification. Good to see you took the effort to complain to NRMA. I'm surprised at their response. Suffice to say that their executive would also.
I use to take my car too NRMA. Their servicing is good, no complaints except one time they forgot/didn't secure the wiper blades. Only realise a week later when it started raining and the blades flew off.
I also get the impression most of the employees are less-experienced apprentices, it's always very young person. Whenever I've had a major mechanical problem it's a lot of "replace the whole system for thousands of dollars" rather than let's narrow it down to what exact part may be malfunctioning.
Obviously, your miles may vary. This was my particular service centre.
I am a bit confused, you say ”the servicing is good” but then point out two glaring issues. I wouldn't consider that good servicing
Most of the time, if it's just plain servicing it's okay.
Wouldn't go there for anything major.
Yeah but any monkey can change oil, I do that myself usually. We go to mechanics to get more serious with done. These guys suck on every level, price, experienced staff, diagnosis, Fair treatment, decent work. Just don't go. Try local mechanics until you find one that is good that you can be happy with
Watch out about the free windscreen wipers
they claimed my car requires euro wipers and asked for $50 extra dollars
I asked if my wipers had been replaced as per deal last year at Gosford depot and they told me they weren’t worn enough to require replacing.
I'm surprised they didn't just clean then and tell you they're new.
These stories from Motoserve are rampant. I called to complain to NRMA and they basically said they have nothing to do with us apart from paying for the name. I told them if you are going to put your name on something, you ought to maintain at least some level of influence because they are running your name into the ground.
Last years offer was better, free rego check, this one is pretty crap.
Free rego check… so they can charge you $1000 for unnecessary work. and now if you go somewhere else it can flag on the RMS systems, at least that's what I heard
In my experience dont fall in trap for their any offer. They going to rip you off anyways. Last year I went for my servicing when there was some offers for the members. I booked online for minor service, ended up paying $780 including discount. Car supposed to be washed off as per the offer but it was untouched, went inside to mention about the wash they were adamant that they washed. Took my key waited for 20 mins for the wash went back it was the same. Complained to manager didnt bother to come out to check. Made complaint through NRMA Facebook page about everything they assured me that someone will be in touch never heard from anyone. This was happened in NRMA Padstow NSW. Never again.
The time I went to my NRMA, they had no wipers like mine for the car so can't change.
Tyres won't do anything as the thread was below 40% therefore they won't do it.
Stay away from NRMA Car Servicing. I had a bad experience with Parramatta branch.
How much does the minor service cost?