Hi, I purchased my MX5 from RRG in Stockport and they were spot on with how they handled the sale and other after sales questions however my car is now due its first service and as I live in Hinckley it is a rather long trip just for a service.
When I was looking at buying I travelled all over the country so went to all my local dealers but some of them just didn’t seem to care much so they never got a sale and am reluctant to go back and get it serviced by them, the best dealer that I had the pleasure of talking to was Mazda at Tamworth but unfortunately they could not get me the car I was after otherwise I would have had it off of them.
They also need to do servicing on a Saturday.
So my local choices are as follows any body use these dealers and which are best in your opinions.
Tim (also from Hinckley - Stoneygate Estate) here!
I assume you have new car and looking for VERY FIRST service?
Personally, I don’t use main dealers for my MX-5’s - so can’t really comment on the locations below, but remember that you don’t need to take a new car to main dealer to keep your warranty intact. As long as you have the car serviced and inspected in accordance with Mazda specifications/schedules, you’ll keep warranty and service history. For warranty recall work, of course keep with main dealer then.
We do have an excellent specialist MX-5 garage close to us; I’m not affiliated in any way to the garage, but Sam Goodwin Nuneaton really know their stuff! Sam and Steve have long history right back to Mk1 and will give very honest advice, great prices and excellent service. You might prefer main-dealer for brand-new car of course, but worth checking with Sam/Steve as well; their website is samgoodwin.com. If you visit them Saturday mornings, you’ll normally also find an unofficial owners’ meeting, especially when the sun is shining!
What about the absence of the digital Mazda service history – would that be a problem when it comes to moving the car on in future
From my experience of Volvo main dealers in the past, they liked to try and regard any service other than by a Volvo dealer as being “a missed service”.
Main dealers, sales and service may occasionally occupy the same premises. But they are usually run as 2 separate businesses. They have different staff and different managers. Sales won’t care where you take the car for servicing, and the service staff won’t care where you bought the car. Don’t let poor sales staff put you off what could be a good mechanical service team. That said, I’m not a big fan of Main dealers and tend to not use them after the warranty period has expired.
Thanks for the advice guys, I normally like to stay with the main dealer when the car is new and still in warranty but will think about the other options you have suggested, Tim I think we have met do you live about three doors from my Brother, I am also on the same estate if you do.
Really really simple independent garages can register for free to have access to the DSR and this will allow them to update it (they can also gain access to the technical manuals from Mazda for a cost). (http://www.mazda.co.uk/euro5/)
Or
if you have had it done with a garage with no DSR then send a copy of the parts changed and fitted, alongside registration, mileage and when the next service is due to enquiries@mazdainformationcentre.co.uk Mazda UK will then update the DSR service record.
Unlike my Mazda Dealership back in Cheshire that told me this was not possible…when clearly Mazda UK even promote it!
Thank you Ninja… I knew I’d seen that info somewhere, but couldn’t re-find it.
Hi Warbird, your brother must be DB with the 25th AE?? What an excellent deal he got! Also a neat MX-5 Parking Only sign outside his house… do you think I should sneak mine onto his drive when he’s out next? Didn’t realise you also living so close by.
In regard your original post, I collected a few negative comments about Maz-Leic last night (general Maz cars, not just MX-5) , but not the same regarding Maz-Cov…
Please remember this is a car, just because it has no roof does not make it any different to other cars, it has an internal combustion engine, brakes and tyres, technology that is not exactly new. They do not use unobtanium axle grease or Gypsy tears brake fluid and does not require Unicorns to service it. It will be change oil and filter and inspect over parts, just like any other car.
Thanks for that Tim I had other people saying the same about Leicester, I was going to use Tamworth but when I rang yesterday to book the car in they were busy so they said they would ring me back but never did.
As far as it being just a car I know that but over the 33 years that I have been driving I have owned over twenty cars and some of the garages that I have dealt with have been terrible, I also drive a lot of company cars / vans that are owned by the company and also hired in and they are pretty much falling apart most of the time so I would like a garage that is actually doing the job I pay them for.
Also had problems with parts supplied by a very well known car manufacturer that were dangerous and a DPF on a car that the garage wanted me to pay £2.500 to sort out and it had 2 years warranty left on the car after some very frank discussions I paid nothing got the car fixed and sold it a week later, had a Punto that went in for glow plug light and they had it in bits for over five weeks because they broke the glow plugs off trying to get them out, car was only 12 months old and when they re-built the engine it had lost power.
The main reason for my question is because it is my first Mazda, my other cars are Vauxhall and I use the main dealer that I have used for some years they do what they say and always go that extra mile.
I took my Mx5 into Coventry Mazda today on some recommendations I had, I can honestly say they were great serviced my car while I waited and drank coffee did a bit of reading looked around the cars, all sorted engine flushed, oil changed filters changed car checked over all good, very busy garage but Kirsty on reception was great all finished off with a nice valet / hoover.
Came home the long way Leamington shopping and walk in the park, back in the car through Warwick, Stratford and lunch in a pub.
Top off all the way of course and we enjoyed every minute.
