I’d have to add another thumbs down to Leamington Mazda. I was happy with the sales experience last year (until they set the tame insurance salesman on us, anyway).
Yesterday, against my better judgement, I let them do the first service. What a rip off. I don’t know if all Mazda dealers are this dear? £225 to change the oil &brake fluid. That’s twice what we pay our Ford dealer. They even charged £6 +VAT extra because I’d stupidly neglected to top up the washer bottle before taking it in.
They offered to fit new wiper blades for £48 +VAT!! I have just ordered a pair of Bosch blades for £13 delivered.
Then they did a “complimentary wash and leather”. This consisted of a chap squirting the car with a pressure washer and leaving it to dry. It was fairly clean when it went in, it came back covered in smears, I could hardly see through the windows with the sun on them. When I pointed out the birdie doings still on the roof, they replied that it’s a convertible, so they don’t wash the roof…
I used Donalds Mazda in Bury St Edmunds for an early 5 year service on my Mk3 earlier this month. Good service, everything done properly, but quite expensive.
However I am less impressed with the supplying dealer JCT600 in Leeds. I bought the car in March 2011 when it was just under 4 years old. Was assured it would have a proper 37500 miles service and the usual inspection as it was subject to the 12 month Mazda warranty. After a few weeks I wasn’t happy with the way the handbrake had to be pulled on so tightly to make it hold properly on a moderate slope, so I took it to Donalds Mazda in Bury St Edmunds. They said that the rear discs were badly rusted and “they wouldn’t have sold it like that”. Of course, being wear and tear items, not covered under warranty. Donalds advised me to contact JCT600. Started with the sales guy’s boss who quickly passed me to the Service Manager. Service Manager looked up his record of what had been done and what was noted pre-sale (about 5 weeks before) and said, “well it was fine when it left our workshop”. Took the car to a local indy I trust to have new rear discs/pads fitted, got a call a few hours later, “there’s no locking wheel nut key in your car”, walked down there, checked everywhere, nothing. Went to Donalds who explained I would have to buy a new set of wheel locks and key, which I did. Wrote to JCT600, asking for reimbursement of cost of parts and Labour for fitting. To their credit I got a cheque back from JCT600 covering the amount, but no letter or apology, nothing, just a cheque in an envelope!! Customer Service anybody?
I would not use JCT600 Mazda in Leeds again and if I hadn’t lived 200 miles away I would have made a real nuisance of myself to get these things sorted by them…
P.S. When Donalds did the service recently, they said the brake fluid was black and recommended it being changed. This is less than 12 months and after just 3500 miles since leaving JCT600 as fully serviced and checked. I suspect this overall sloppiness was because I bought the car on 30/03/11 and they wanted to rush it through to get their figures for the year end bonus - never again.
It’s a shame you folks have had such poor experiences.
I’ve used Underwoods Mazda in Colchester for my last few MX5 purchases and have to say I am really pleased with both their personal assistance and their prices.
I can’t say enough how good they were, but I suppose this is the third car I’ve bought off them and the fourth MX5 I’ve owned since 2004, so I suppose they know who their repeat customers/profits are
I have heard from other OC members small tales of dissapointing levels of service/support, but I’ve never had that at all, in fact I’d say that the salesman, Paul Cox, who sold me my last two, is great and lets me drive the sale, I accept that they have to make a profit, but I know what I can knock them down too/get chucked in for free.
Service wise I am still pretty happy, they give a 10% oc discount and are flexible and knowledgeable, they display clear resonable prices and are even okay with allowing the great unwashed (car owner) into the workshop to be nosy/noisy
to Leamington Mazda. I was happy with the sales experience last year (until they set the tame insurance salesman on us, anyway).