alcazar

iTrader: (2)

<<<Welcome to Block Exemption people... and its going to get worse>>>

Would anyone care to elaborate?
I'm not sure I know what this is, or how it affects us?
Alcazar

chiark

This stinks. This really stinks. It also explains a lot.

subaru is not, and will not be, a premium brand. It's doing well for itself as is skoda, but I can't see it being a credible alternative to a premium brand.

I was charged 59 quid + VAT for 45 minutes labour. The labour was basically an oil change. That's premium pricing...

...now where's the premium service?

Nick.

kentscooby2

Scoobsouth: "Lancaster Sevenoaks goes soon"
Lancaster Sevenoaks has technically "gone" already (letter received last week) - but has been replaced by Oxted Motors - yet stays at same premises.
Confused?

ozzy

It's been on the cards for a good while. My own Dealer mentioned having to refurbish if they wanted to keep their Dealership - that was well over a year ago.

I can understand Subaru trying to re-invent themselves. I mean, just how should Subaru market their products. Purely affordable performance cars? reliability? a premium product?

They benefited in the past from cult-car status with the Impreza and people would wait 9 months to get their hands on one. Those days are long gone and people aren't willing to pay a premium now the car is easier to source and residuals are just as **** as any other japanese car.

They need to do something, but it'll be a hard job convincing customers to pay premium prices when the car doesn't actually live up to being a premium product itself.

Stefan

pwebb

New Legacy is definitely premium quality - will compete with audi and bmw on equal terms if not on badge snobbery factor -
However, enlightened folks will still import their cars and use independents for servicing - mugs will buy from dealerships and go to them for exhorbitant servicing charges - ho hum not much changes.

Monks Heath will always survive up here since they have the fleet contract for the uk with people like Lex.

Paul W

Andy Gough

M STI8 appears to be depreciating at the rate of £40 per day. Glad I bought a premium product or I would be getting REALLY bad depreciation!!!

GC8

It will come as no surprise to most of us that IM couldn't organise a ****-up in a brewery. I've heard from a number of good sources that IM's days are numbered and that Subaru will soon be importing its cars directly. The sooner the better. IM did insist that dealers pay for a showroom upgrade, the minimum charge being £100,000; I'd also heard that in a number of cases the quality and value of the work fell well below that. Perhaps IM was constructively removing dealers? Or perhaps, they offer dealers the same value as they do us....

Simon

McRash

As long as Cross Roads in Tredington, Warks is still staying put then I'm fine - great dealer, good service.

Steve Lawson

I know from my experience within the motor trade that this is happening to all the franchises in the UK not just Subaru.
If you want to keep ANY franchise now you will have to meet a set of guidelines laid down by that franchise operator,basically most manufacturers have used it as an excuse to get rid of dealers who didnt want to invest in the product for the long term(or to winkle out the crap ones as well ).
Its not the end of the world,hopefully just a little bit of turmoil for a short period of time which will only benefit you guys.
In short as of Oct 1st you will be able to take your car to anywhere for servicing as long as they use parts of equivalent quality of better so in effect saving you money on main dealer rates.The only time your car would have to go near a dealer is for warranty work where genuine parts have to be used.
Quite what effect this will have on residuals if you dont have those nice dealer stamps god only knows tho.

As I said above thats a very brief outline of what is happening and let me tell you the manufacturers are even struggling to understand it/get it right.

Hope this clarifies it for you a bit

Steve

SimonH

So am I right in thinking that if I get my servicing done at an independent place my warranty remains intact?
Surely IM will just say that inferior parts were used or something if I have to make a claim.

Steve Lawson

They have to prove that the parts used were of inferior quality and were the cause of the larger problem(probably unlikely in a investigation cost versus warranty payout) but dont quote me LOL.

Like I said in my earlier post even the manufacturers are unclear as to whats really happening.So I guess the dealers are even more confused.

Steve

slasha

What extra value does a full main dealer rather than independent dealer service history put on your car any way? Surely not enough to justify having it done at a main dealer, unless you want to keep your warranty of course.

Does anyone know a good independent in the Cov/Warks area.

ozzy

But try selling the car to a private buyer. All of them usually want to see a full Dealer service history. Don't think it actually adds value, just makes it more saleable to potential buyers.

It's like those who service their own cars for the small oil change ones. I'd be very wary buying one from someone how told me they did the servicing themselves unless I knew them very well.

Stefan

Steve Lawson

Slasha,

Reread what I said,anyone as in any VAT registered garage can service your car now without it having any effect on the warranty.Any warranty work that the car may need HAS to done at a main dealer using genuine parts regardless of where it has been serviced.

The only downside to not having main dealer stamps in your book is come trade in time or if you wish to sell privately,some buyers dont like having non main dealer stamps.Seems odd I know as some specialists treat the cars with more care and respect than dealers and that applies to any marque.

Steve

pslewis

Mill Lane went the way of many - I have a service book stamped up fully with Mill Lane stamps.

If I had my servicing done there still - would my extended warranty still be valid??

Mill Lane will use Subaru parts and Subaru trained mechanics also, I would guess??

I know I will end up travelling somewhere miles away though!

Pete

slasha

Steve,
is it not a condition of Subarus warranty that they carry out the servicing, or is this now something they can't legally enforce. Obviously any work done under warranty you'd want done by Subaru anyway if they're picking up the tab, but i can imagine them arguing the toss if you didn't have it serviced by them.

Steve Lawson

Hi Pete,

I cant answer the question regarding extended warranty I am afraid,as all the dealings I have ever had with these "cough" companies "cough" has been pretty poor so who knows.

Hi Slasha,

As of Oct 1st the ruling changes for the better suppsosedly.
http://www.autopolis.com/media/bestory.PDF (this gives you some more insight into Block Exemption)
So basically no they cannot argue the toss,the onus is on the manufacturer to prove that the part you req has failed directly from you using a non genuine part.Obviously all Scoob owners cosseting their cars they will all be using genuine parts anyway so none of you will have any issues LOL.

Steve

David Blows

Frustrating - word on the grapevine is that Jordans of Hull, the only Scooby dealer in East Yorkshire, will soon no longer be part of the family. Unconfirmed rumour, i should stress, but the source seems reliable.