Fiat Punto Mk 3

Tricky area this.

Under new EU/UK rules you DO NOT have to have your vehicle serviced by a
Fiat dealer to maintain the warranty. What you have to do is have and
proved your vehicle has been maintained in accordance with the
manufacturer's recommendations. So if you go to an independent garage for
the service get them to warrant/agree in writing that they have odne the
serove as per mfg requirments AND alos to carry the can/warranty repairs if
the mfg. disagrees.

For the bodywork/pain warranty inspection/validation this in the uk is free
of charge if you have a service done as well. Alternativley you can ask the
dealer to do the inspection and stamp your bodywork warranty ticket. They
can charge up to 45 mins labour for this, however if you are having an MOT
done at the same time most dealers will do the inspection for free as a good
will gesture/service. In reality they are hard pressed to object because
for an MOT corrsion and bodywork condition is part of the MOT. Before they
charge you 45 mins labour, over and above the MOT they have to prove/justify
their time. Very easy for the customer to claim "double booking" fraudulent
charges

Nick /////
"SteveH" wrote in message

> Omega wrote:
>
>> my new multijet diesel punto is fast coming up for it's 12,000 miles
>> service
>> .... upon looking in the service schedule, apart from changing the
>> oil,
>> oil filter and air filter, there seems little more to be done than
>> checking
>> a few things ... so balls to FIAT I'm going to do it myself
>> ....
>> I lost confidence in my local FIAT dealer a couple of months ago, when I
>> took my car in when an engine management alarm came up on the dash, and
>> they
>> couldn't investigate because their diagnostic machine was broken, and
>> said I
>> would have to wait twelve weeks while a new one came from Italy! ...
>> I ended getting the work done fifty miles away! [a faulty boost valve
>> detector, whatever that was, inhibiting the turbo coming in.] ....
>> I've spent £42 on 5 litres of synthetic oil [I'll need three], an oil
>> filter
>> and an air filter with a local motor factor this afternoon and just
>> wondered
>> what FIAT would have charged including their labour and V.A.T. for this
>> service?
>>
>> as I understand, when the car reaches 12,000 miles a *service* alarm will
>> appear on the dash .... once I've serviced the car, does anyone
>> know
>> how to reset the alarm? ....
>
> I'm sure you can google for a way to reset the service indicator.
>
> However, you do realise that you're about to invalidate not only the 3
> year warranty, but also the anti-corrosion warranty as well?
>
> --
> Steve H 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
> http://www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - MZ ETZ300 - Alfa 75 TSpark
> Alfa 156 2.0 TSpark - Coming Soon ! - COSOC KOTL
> BoTAFOT #87 - BoTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #
 >> Stay informed about: Fiat Punto Mk 3 

Nick ///// wrote:

> Tricky area this.
>
> Under new EU/UK rules you DO NOT have to have your vehicle serviced by a
> Fiat dealer to maintain the warranty. What you have to do is have and
> proved your vehicle has been maintained in accordance with the
> manufacturer's recommendations. So if you go to an independent garage for
> the service get them to warrant/agree in writing that they have odne the
> serove as per mfg requirments AND alos to carry the can/warranty repairs if
> the mfg. disagrees.

Yes, but the OP appeared to be suggesting they'd do the oil change
themselves, which would definitely give Fiat a get-out on the warranty.

> For the bodywork/pain warranty inspection/validation this in the uk is free
> of charge if you have a service done as well. Alternativley you can ask the
> dealer to do the inspection and stamp your bodywork warranty ticket. They
> can charge up to 45 mins labour for this, however if you are having an MOT
> done at the same time most dealers will do the inspection for free as a good
> will gesture/service. In reality they are hard pressed to object because
> for an MOT corrsion and bodywork condition is part of the MOT. Before they
> charge you 45 mins labour, over and above the MOT they have to prove/justify
> their time. Very easy for the customer to claim "double booking" fraudulent
> charges

Well, it's a new car, so they'd be charging the 45 mins for the
inspection. However, the inspection is probably going to be effectively
FOC as part of the annual 12k service.
--
Steve H 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
http://www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - MZ ETZ300 - Alfa 75 TSpark
Alfa 156 2.0 TSpark - Coming Soon ! - COSOC KOTL
BoTAFOT #87 - BoTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #
 >> Stay informed about: Fiat Punto Mk 3 

Omega wrote:
> my new multijet diesel punto is fast coming up for it's 12,000 miles
> service .... upon looking in the service schedule, apart from
> changing the oil, oil filter and air filter, there seems little more
> to be done than checking a few things ... so balls to FIAT I'm
> going to do it myself .... I lost confidence in my local FIAT
> dealer a couple of months ago, when I took my car in when an engine
> management alarm came up on the dash, and they couldn't investigate
> because their diagnostic machine was broken, and said I would have to
> wait twelve weeks while a new one came from Italy! ... I ended getting
> the work done fifty miles away! [a faulty boost valve
> detector, whatever that was, inhibiting the turbo coming in.]

I don't know why an unforseen breakdown of an expensive piece of kit at the
dealer would have you lose confidence but I suppose confidence is such a
personal thing.
Notwithstanding, keep a record of the oil and filters used and your receits
etc. You may well hold your second year manufacturers warranty but Fiat is
different to some in that the third year of warranty is an insurance
warranty called a 'dealer warranty'. If you do not get the car serviced at a
Fiat dealer you will not have a cat in Hell's chance of retaining the third
year warranty.

Huw
 >> Stay informed about: Fiat Punto Mk 3 

On 9-Jul-2006, "Huw" wrote:

> If you do not get the car serviced at a
> Fiat dealer you will not have a cat in Hell's chance of retaining the third
> year warranty.

OTOH you'll be ripped off for consumables, the dealership prices
for oil, brake fluid, anti-freeze, filters, whether they need replacing or not
tends to run way over retail prices, though the dealerships buy in
bulk at a whopping discount. Still I suppose they have to cover the
costs of the sales people and keeping them warm in the Winter
somehow.
 >> Stay informed about: Fiat Punto Mk 3 

wrote:
> On 9-Jul-2006, "Huw" wrote:
>
>> If you do not get the car serviced at a
>> Fiat dealer you will not have a cat in Hell's chance of retaining
>> the third year warranty.
>
> OTOH you'll be ripped off for consumables, the dealership prices
> for oil, brake fluid, anti-freeze, filters, whether they need
> replacing or not tends to run way over retail prices, though the
> dealerships buy in
> bulk at a whopping discount. Still I suppose they have to cover the
> costs of the sales people and keeping them warm in the Winter
> somehow.

I doubt if dealers are making much money selling Fiat. Too much competition
and their imposed costs will be high. If their prices appear to be a
rip-off, then it is probably a reflection of their high costs rather than
greed. Their wealth is all visible in the shop front with very little of
substance to the foundations IYSWIM.

Huw
 >> Stay informed about: Fiat Punto Mk 3