We have only ever had one new car, and that is the Honda Jazz. Purchased from Trivetts at Parramatta, with six monthly servicing costs at $300.00 odd. My understanding is that the time taken was about one and a half hours, carried out by Junior staff, and it did not take long to realize that they weren't rotating the tyres. After the last service, the car and screen appeared to be covered in smeary water marks - presumably they had used a gurney to wash a car that was handed to them in pristine condition, and I mean just that. I had always believed that if you'd trust them with a beautifully maintained car, that you'd get extra care. Well,you can forget that erroneous reasoning. Needless to say, the next service was carried out by an Independent at half the price.
We received a follow up letter from Trivetts urging us to carry out the service. We sent a comprehensive, and most courteous reply, explaining our reasons for taking the car elsewhere, and to date we have received no reply. The matter that Sean mentions is probably indicative of various "cash cow' practices engaged in by any number of business organisations. Yes, Australia can now rightly be regarded as the ultimate cash cow.
Look at the prices of European, and other countries, spare parts. VW, Audi, Land and Range Rover, dare I say Mercedes ? Look at the size of chocolates and country of manufacture (Indonesia etc.), the greatly reduced size of cakes of soap and many other products now manufactured elsewhere, the price of Chinese made but branded clothing, such as Polo shirts,Shorts,anything at all,and you're getting ripped off. That's the norm with business, both big and small nowadays. I could go on - IKEA, the cost of Mobile Phones, the cost of 'Pay Television', the cost of professional services,the continual sneak increases by Government Instrumentalities, the cost of Real Estate - yes,welcome to the jungle. My say. Regards. Styriaq