124 abarth 2nd year service

[Geoffxb]

Just booked my car in for its second service for next Friday with a company called Italia -Tec they have such a good reputation and the price isn't to bad £220 plus VAT but ive only done 1800 miles 

[A]

Let us know how you get on as it turns out this firm is really close to me and I want to find a trusted expert.

A question is Do they give you an Abarth stamp in the log book and I suppose is that required to keep the warranty valid. I only say this as a novice car user and my Ford warranty was only valid if serviced at a dealership.

Thanks again for sharing.

Andrew

[Geoffxb]

You don't need an abarth stamp in the book you can service your car at any garage as long as its VAT registered and they use the original parts  and the last time I was at Italia Tec they had a couple off 595s and and a 4C booked in for a service I did a lot of research and they have a good rep and as I to be honest its not just that they are cheaper I really don't trust the main dealers.

[Geoffxb]

In fact I got my first service done at 1100 miles at my local garage who I have used for years I will always take it to a specialist for the big services but to my local garage for the small services.

[A]

Thanks for the info. They are really close to me and I did not know they existed.

Using a specialist just feels right for this sort of vehicle.

Top tip, thank you. 

Andrew

[Geoffxb]

Andrew your welcome there not to far away from me also

[buckwits]

My second service is due now, just bought 4 litres of oil, filter and drain plug washer from Fiat. £66. My local garage will do the service for about £90. Christ knows how much the main dealer would charge. They charge £20.20 plus vat for a 2litre tin of oil. You cant tell me they use 2 of them when they service it, surely they buy it in a 50 gallon drum. Gits.

[Geoffxb]

I just paid 275 from an abarth  specialist I plan to take it there for every second service and for the others I will take it to my local garage

[rsk289]

Just had my third service at the Abarth dealer who supplied the car:  it cost the same as the second service, so not sure how you distinguish between 'big' and 'small' services.  Interestingly, I had a long chat with the senior technician as we went out for a drive in it to see what he thought about a possible diff noise (warranty date coming up, wanted to cover all the bases).  He was telling me that they've had real issues with resetting ECUs, because of the Fiat/Mazda electronic interface and logging on with the system in Turin.  However on the plus side, they've had a fair number of people wanting to replace their two-year-old Abarths with a new one, who have not been happy to learn there are no new ones.

I think, at the moment, I'll be sticking with Abarth dealer services for a few more years.  Sure, my local guys can service this car, but they won't have access to the manufacturer system, and at the moment it's a long term keeper (my wife loves it), so I'm happy to pay an extra hundred quid or so for someone who knows the wrinkles.  Don't judge a dealership by the front of house staff, talk to the senior techs.  Knowing the trade helps, but these are the important guys.

[Geoffxb]

ive only done 1700 miles in 2 years so the third service just oil and filter change what people forget this is just a normal car not some sort of hi powered sports car

[rsk289]

I don't leave brake fluid in for more than two years, but that's pretty easy to do as well if you're going to diy.

Don't forget to check the spanner on the dash - it comes up for tyre rotations as well.  Easy to turn off.

[Geoffxb]

yes I forgot about that I can do most of the small stuff myself and I have to remember to start it up more often when I took it for the service it had sat there for a few weeks and I think the fuel in the lines had evaporated it was a pig to start I keep it on a trickle charger  my last car I used to disconnect the battery but this one I am scared to do that in case ive been told by the dealer that it will be ok just reset radio ECT but I don't want to chance it.

[buckwits]

I imagine your car is just showing off due to lack of use Geoff! 1700 in 2 years, that's obscene!

[Geoffxb]

Yes your most probable right ive always had a 2 seater as a weekend car my last car was a VXT I had it for 13 years and did 13000 miles and that was only because the first couple of years it was my only car and I don't get much time to use the spider and when I do get time its usually raining but when I do get time it always puts a smile on my face.