Mechanic Lottery

I have used Servicing Stop three times now and have enjoyed varying degrees of satisfaction. Firstly, it must be said that my dealings with Servicing Stop have been excellent; easy to make bookings both online and on the phone, easy to make amendments and payments and reminders the day before the service by both text and email ensure you don't forget your appointment. All very good.

However, here begins your lottery with which garage does the work, and which garage you trust to do an honest job, quoting for work that may or may not be necessary. The flaw in the system is that the garage contact Servicing Stop who then contact you. If you have any queries or issues about additional work you're left speaking to an operator who can only go on notes under headings. There is then the difference between work which is necessary, advisory and compulsory (as per manufacturer's guidelines to maintain warranties); it is easy to get swept up in what they tell you and say yes to everything so listen carefully.

My £105 VW Polo service nearly cost me an additional £476 of 'advised' work until I advised them that the car passed an MOT 3 months prior and all this work was not compulsory or necessary.

So all in all Servicing Stop are very good at what they do but they are not the mechanics who you trust not to fleece you. My first service was flawless; excellent timely service, very friendly and completely trust worthy. My second and third services (both by the same garages) were not as professional, late picking up and delivering the car back, and both times tried charging me several hundred pounds for work which plainly did not need doing, but would have earned them more money.

Servicing Stop will get you a rock bottom price for a service, so the garage will want to make money by other means.

So my advice is after a garage is allocated for your service do a bit of research to satisfy yourself that they have a good reputation and if you're not sure then cancel.