Courtesy cars are really expensive for the dealers to run - especially when people don't put any fuel in them, but if you are only there because something has gone wrong with your car then why should you have to pay any more than the fuel that you would have used in your own car?

Personally I won't pay for a courtesy car as I have another that I can use rather than pay to use a Hyundai or something for the day! Also, as my car is IMO the best in the range there is nothing that I want to drive so much that I would pay anything for anyway (maybe if they had a Ferrari or something I would)

My view is that if it's a warranty job then a car should be supplied free of charge, out of warranty etc I would expect a fee but pleased when there isn't. 2005 Zambezi TDV6 - Gone but not forgotten
2009 Alaska TDV8 - Gone and much missed.



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The Independent Porsche specialist I used to use for my Carrera 4 had a FREE Monaro VXR 500 courtesy car (actually his own car) and only charged £50 + VAT for labour as well, so franchised dealers have no excuse for charging as far as I'm concerned!

Having said that, if they offer a choice between collecting and delivering back your car for free, or paying a nominal fee for a 'hire car' then I have no issue with that... I just think there should be at least one 'free' option for any work that the manufacturer requires you to do (and that includes scheduled servicing as far as I am concerned), rather than work that you have 'chosen' to have done (e.g. extra oil-changes, modifications, accident repairs or off-road damage).

I'd agree with that... it's not like courtesy cars don't get used either, so not sure they can claim that they've bought these cars which then don't get used. I drive to and from w**k so I've always needed courtesy cars. Sometimes this has meant that I've had to wait a couple of weeks for a slot... personally, I don't like or want to rely on someone from the dealer picking up and dropping off, even if maybe convenient for some people. 

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We don't charge for the vehicle, just the insurance. If our customer can cover the vehicle fully comp by a reputable insurance company then they can take the vehicle without charge.

Another SW wrote:

The Independent Porsche specialist I used to use for my Carrera 4 had a FREE Monaro VXR 500 courtesy car (actually his own car) and only charged £50 + VAT for labour as well, so franchised dealers have no excuse for charging as far as I'm concerned!

.

Sorry guys, but the charge for 'insurance' doesn't wash with me either... I've paid for my insurance on my own car (which costs me double what a Freelander 2 TD4 would cost by the way) for the days it's in your garage, so why should I pay for yours as well?

In any case, even at just £10 per day (and I know of at least one dealer that charges £20), that's an annual premium of nearly £3,000 per car!!!!

Considering that you are exposed to much less risk than a hire company (as you have the customer's own car in your workshop) and your customers already have 3rd-party insurance to drive other cars (with permission) as part of their own policy, your risk should be limited to the value of the car you are lending: If you can't insure that for less than £500 per annum it's time you changed your insurers...

As for the 'million pound' premises: If you didn't use the 'service absorption' accounting method, you wouldn't need to charge for insurance (or more than about £75 per hour for labour)... I HATE subsidising the new car sales department every time I need a service or repair and that's why I used Independent technicians with my older Porsche.

Another SW wrote:

I used Independent technicians with my older Porsche.

Sorry mate, but I know a little more about the retail motor industry than most and your analogy of the restaurant is fundamentally flawed in that we choose to go to a restaurant for our pleasure. I don't know of anyone that goes to visit a car service department for pleasure - do you?

Personally I'm seriously hacked off that I have to drive two 50 mile round trips at my own expense and in my own time just because the manufacturer or dealer has cocked up in the first place... To ask me to contribute to your dealer fleet's running costs on top of that is adding insult to injury - IMO you should be paying me for my fuel and time if my inconvenience is the result of a failure of the vehicle - especially while it is under manufacturer's warranty.

If you care about what people like me will say about you on our CSI questionnaires I strongly recommend that you review your policy on these charges

[quote="Another SW"] I don't know of anyone that goes to visit a car service department for pleasure - do you?

Depends on your fetish.........you may be the minority

I go to the dealer that offers the best service, irrelevant of location and loan car charging principles. On reading the posts here, it seems charging for loan car insurance or suchlike is the norm, whether it be a direct up front insurance fee or profiteering exercise.

I guess I have been exteremely lucky throughout my many years of car ownership as, to date, I have never been charged a single penny - James take note

I too do the 50+ mile round trip, not by force, but by choice. The local dealer here is nothing but useless. At the end of the day, I am reasonably happy to absorb a little inconvenience and travel for the right service. Plain and simple.

As for dealers paying for my time...........they couldn't afford it - period.  L322 Big Daddy SUPERCHARGED 5.0 Autobiography - Here & Now!

5 series for the miles

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