Lately...this has increasingly been a ripoff.

I have two Hondas in my garage - a 2001 CR-V and a 1999 Civic Coupe - both were recently due for its 60,000k and 80,000k service respectively. So I rang my local Honda dealership to get a price for a service on the two cars with the intention of booking it in as well.

I got my quotes and for some reason decided to try ringing other Honda dealers around the area to get their quote for the same service, assuming it would be exactly the same price for the same service, since it was all part of the Honda network. Alas...nothing could be farther from the truth. Prices for the exact same service varied substantially among Honda dealers! Why would this be?? You'd think that pricing would be standardised among Honda dealerships for logbook servicing?? I certainly wouldn't want to think that all Honda owners are required to ring around all their dealerships everytime their products are due for service just to get the cheapest price?? Where is the standardisation?

Anyway, both cars were eventually booked at the cheapest dealer and the work performed. This is when shock number 2 reared its ugly head. The CR-V cost a total of $750 and the Civic cost a total of $1200. Holy god....... OK, both cars needed some extra work done such as front brake pads (which I knew was coming), and the Civic needed a wheel alignment, and the CR-V required a transmission flush. That was all. The CR-V's 60k service isn't a large one, however the Civic's 80k is (they change all fluids and filters and everything). Now I have a huge dent on my credit card.

Then I got talking to a relative who has two Hondas as well (a Euro and a HR-V). She said she used to take it to the same place I did for servicing but once the warranty ran out on both cars, she now takes both vehicles to Ultratune. She swears by them and says that their fees are half the cost of Honda dealers for the same log book service. Now I've heard many horror stories about Ultratune but she says she has never had a problem with them and her Hondas are running beautifully, and the savings she is making by going to Ultratune just makes Honda dealerships seem like a ripoff as the bulk of the charge is in the LABOUR. Hmm.......

Then another bloke with a Toyota Camry said he used to take his Camry to Toyota themselves and ran into the same ridiculous high servicing costs. He now takes his Camry to K-Mart Auto every time and saves a fortune, also never had an issue with them.

Now I am beginning to question taking our cars to the dealership for servicing...we've always been led to believe they look after the car best but the costs are becoming increasingly and ridiculously high, especially when compared to other places like Ultratune and even K-Mart (heaven forbid).

Not sure what to do now for future servicing...