HOW MUCH!!! Van Service Costs - FIAT DUCATO CAMPER/MOTORHOME

HOW DID THE VAN GET ON ? , IT’S SERVICE TIME for the Vantage Neo Fiat Ducato 2.3 Multi Jet and i decided to use a regular garage (AUTOSPEED) rather than a main dealer due to the cost i was quoted by a fiat specialist dealer , i saved nearly half the price still using fiat parts in my local garage
Very pleased with the work and service
Please consider following us by clicking on subscribe , it’s totally free
thanks for watching the video

[@gallivantinggalantes]

Hi Mike, glad you got your van serviced and all ok. enjoyed your video thank you for sharing x

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

thanks julie like to keep up on the maintenance stuff , habitation now needed ! have a good week mike & kirsty

[@Greatxz2007]

Great video!! It’s great when you upload 😁!!

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

Thanks! 😁

[@HappyPlaceDiaries]

Good peak into your maintenance. Well done. We are like you and want to keep things as intended. Mildenhall, I spent a few hours there just passing through at the Air Force Base. They didn't let us Army guys see much, pretty much kept us on the base for the 12 hours we were there. Another nice video! Thanks for sharing

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

cant believe you were here ! we often see the army visitors here but they are in and out pretty quick , they’re first port of call is always a visit to the local pub , thanks for watching guys

[@startaylor123]

It's a relief to see that decent mechanics and indeed value still exists... somewhere 😏👌

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

yes somewhere 😂 , always good to shop around for prices and do some homework 👍 thanks for watching the video

[@sylviapage8572]

Interesting video. They make it look so easy! Thanks for sharing.

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

hi sylv yes they do don’t they , i wouldn’t have a clue ! thanks for watching

[@KazynGarthAdventures]

Thanks for the tips pal

[@tonyblake642]

Thankfully I do everything myself, now I know how much I am saving myself and my fair weather friends.

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

yes good idea , if i knew how to and had the means i would definitely have a go too

[@vansforthememories]

Seems good value, that’s the problem we have is fitting it in places height wise because of the dome on top 🙃 Glad you got it sorted & saved some camping tokens 😃 Em 💜

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

hi Em yeah it was way overdue i think lots of us are too preoccupied with the habitation side of things that we often overlook the mechanical side , me included! thanks again for watching and commenting 👍😀

[@steveelkins52]

£400 is a lot of money. Most of those filters are just badged with branding No wheels off, no brake fluid or coolant tests, no gearbox checks. Really just an oil and filter change rather than a service, but its all good, that needs doing, You are comparing apple and oranges on cost comparisons though.

[@robertsavage7804]

Hi Mike. I use our local garage too, along with many other motorhomers. Much cheaper than a dealership and just up the road. There's always a 'catch' though, aye?.......having to pay!! Why is EVERYTHING so expensive now? Well presented vlog as always. All the best. Rob

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

hi rob thanks , yes having to pay is so annoying 😂 .. prices have gone crazy i don’t know where it’s all going , everything has gone up , car parts too , madness ! thanks for watching take care mike

[@davidtodd907]

I serviced my 2017 swift m/home myself - really easy and my parts list using fully synthetic oil (magnatec 5w/30) with manf specified filters all from eurocarparts came to £169.

[@G.J..Journeys]

Nice to have a good garage instead of a pricy dealership 👍Graeme

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

yes always good to have faith in the people doing it and actually seeing it cheers graeme have a good week 👍

[@ericlacey6593]

Sounds a good price and supporting local business ,well done Mike . Great that the guys let you film ,very informative. I certainly didn’t know tha pollen filter was hiding there! 🚐👍

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

hi eric , we had to google where that pollen filter was 😂 even they wasn’t entirely sure but we got to it in the end it was tucked way back , it’s always nice to try & support local businesses if we can , hope you have a nice weekend and take care eric , as always thanks for your continued support of the channel 👍😀 mike & kirsty

[@anthonyquantuman730]

When I worked at a garage (MOT/Servicing) we got paid for our waste oils, and see they have charged you for disposal...... Also for that squirt of screen wash....LOL....

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

yeah cheek that’s what i thought lol

[@stephenwright5181]

Just to say I didn’t see any wheels removed for a service or gearbox levels checked etc, we also service Motorhomes including wheels off brake checks and grease up underneath. I noticed original parts but not the oil 😢 Great video as usual

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

hi stephen i had limited time during the service to get everything on camera , rest assured they checked everything required throughout the day , however the oil was the same grade used for fiat based vans , is there a difference between that and actual oil from fiat ? just interested for the future, thanks for watching and commenting mike 👍

[@anthonyquantuman730]

IMHO, I dont think you can check the oil level in the gearbox? not on the earlier Ducato/Relays/Boxer 5 speeds..May be different on later 6 speeds... Fiat dont make oil, but recommend a grade/spec...

[@andrewcummings4119]

Did the same with my motorhome,Mike. Bought a 2017 swift bessacarr in December last year. It’s only done 8000 miles. But when I checked the oil,it wasn’t clear. So decided to change all filters and oil. Genuine Fiat parts. My local garage did the service at a fraction what a dealership would charge.

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

hi andrew yes it’s always good to know your van has been fully serviced , i hadn’t had it done since we got the van a year and a half ago and although mileage wise , it wasn’t really due , it’s comforting to know it’s now been done , habitation next ! never ending .. 😩 thanks for watching the video all the best mike

[@HubbynHerMotorhomeMoment-ir4dk]

That's really good, I was expecting at least £500 with parts. That gives me an idea when mine needs a service - Also a Fiat Ducato 2.3. All the best, Gary aka TheGazzDJ

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

yes wasn’t bad at all , they did a great job too , thanks for watching the video & have a good week , (just subscribed to your channel)

[@HubbynHerMotorhomeMoment-ir4dk]

@@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel Great they did a good job and thank you, that is very kind of you to subscribe.

[@stephenhayward6445]

Good vlog with plenty of information on cost and what's actually involved with a service at a fair price in my opinion, I service our motorhome with quality parts like you have, as I say, if you have a 50 pence motorhome use 50 pence parts, but if you have a quality motorhome use quality parts, another enjoyable vlog keep them coming 👍.

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

thanks stephen yeah always good to have faith in the people doing it too and actually seeing it being done was comforting 👍😀 have a good week

[@gasgas2689]

I knew a guy who worked in the research department of Fram filters. He went into some depth with me about microns of particles and said the original manufacturer's parts - in this case filters - are much better than aftermarket filters.

[@NBNatureTrailvan]

Nice one Mike - is that the two year Service? Big saving - looks like the way to go for us too Great to watch - cheers mate 👍👍👍👍

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

hi thanks yes when i called fiat they said it would be the 2nd service , even though my van is 5 years old iit goes by mileage , thanks for watching , have a good week 👍😀

[@NBNatureTrailvan]

@@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel you too mate

[@The-Salty-Bager]

@@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel if it’s 5 years old are you not due a cam belt change too ?

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

@@The-Salty-Bager yes next year 😩

[@debshamish6533]

I did exactly the same with my Adria for servicing. The nearest Fiat van dealership is Carlisle (an hour away) and the price was hideous, so I asked my local garage if they could service my van without affecting warranty and they confirmed all OK as they only use genuine (Fiat) parts…. Which saved me a fortune. I’ll be taking my new van there too when it comes around to servicing time. Thanks Mike 👍

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

that’s great it’s always good to save if you can and especially trust the right people to do it 👍😀

[@gasgas2689]

AND . . . .what about lubricating moving parts - hinges etc and checking brake hoses, suspension rubbers, tyre pressures and so on? The water drain hoses under the windscreen get blocked so should be flushed through in a service. There's more to a service than changing oil and filters. I am not defending main dealers, but if that work you showed was all I got, I would go home, jack it up and continue with the rest of the work that needs doing. Still, I suppose you would have got a rubber stamp in the service book. As for main dealers I took my petrol car to a Nissan franchised main agent in Coventry and they didn't change my spark plugs and tried to tell me that was because it has a diesel engine. I exploded.

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

oh definitely i agree some try to take the p … they did do everything i just wasn’t quick enough to capture it on film , they checked levels and i saw them check the drain bungs , i had both block on last van and couldn’t figure out why water was collecting on the scuttle panel then i found the holes under all the bits of leaves etc !

[@gasgas2689]

@@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel Thanks Frenchies, that is reassuring. When I bought a new Fiat Ducato camper I was astonished to see the first service was at 35,000 miles - but I think there was a proviso - 'or one year'. Now I see it's 'or two years'. With improvements in oil qualities and quantities they use I think that is reasonable.

[@kevinthepilgrim5441]

Very useful and informative video. We have an issue with the build up of rainwater in the scuttle/air intake unit 8:15 which fills with water and spills down the air intake pipe assembly and pours over the engine compartment when you lift the bonnet. There doesn’t seem to be a drain pipe to prevent this. We can only park on a down facing slope outside our house which may be the problem. Have you come across this?

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

hello & thank you for watching the video , funny you should mention the drain holes in the scuttle panel , ive often had blocked ones in previous vans and have always managed to unblock them (if i remember) , i found a part on ebay that attaches just above where the water lands and directs it away from the engine , i’ll search for it again and hopefully reply to you here with the link to the part in the next few days as we are away now and struggling with a signal all the best mike

[@PoshcatsCamping]

We had our first service a while back. We used the local VW Van Centre. No idea when the next one is due. They said the van will tell me 😮🤣🤣 Trev

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

😂😂 i knew vw’s were good but they speak now ? 😂 hope ethel got on ok will watch video in the morn 👍😀 mike

[@PoshcatsCamping]

@@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel 🤣🤣 yes impressive as long as it speaks English or else I am in trouble 😜 Take care Mike 👍🏻 Trev

[@michaelfitzpatrick3641]

Whilst a main dealer can add at a service that very few independents have facilities for, is to update softwere in the various modules. There have been updates that improve performance and prevent issues. Although not a recall there have been overfueling issues on non addblue Fiat Euro 6 engines with the complex EGR system. Ultimately,. if not corrected, it can lead to damage with engine fault codes and very costly repairs. Mike

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

hi mike , interesting read thanks for the information , i think i’ll book it in , we tend to forget these days the amount of tech in these engines and i assume many overlook it , for the sake of a plug in and scan its worth checking , thanks for watching the video

[@gdreading9088]

Good video Mike. Strangely I only checked my oil last week and . . . yes it was black. I need a oil change etc and was wondering just how much it is going to cost . . . your video was just what I needed. Thanks.

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

your welcome glad you appreciated it thanks for watching

[@Stigman101]

diesel cars and vans oil goes black unlike petrol that can look clear and golden even after many months i have both and do all my own serviceing..

[@ipirrie6734]

Black oil is no indication that it needs changed. Its normal after a few 100 miles

[@ianfreeman7817]

Black oil on a diesel engine will appear within a few miles. It doesn't mean it needs changing!

[@frankfurter726]

I don't yet have a motorhome but enjoy your posts. I don't like this idea of a 2 yearly oil change, even on a low annual mileage I think it should be no more than once a year. I have a Volvo XC 70 and pay about £70 ( near Manchester) for and oil change and Volvo filter plus the cost of the oil which I supply myself (A5 B5 0 -30 Casteol Edge fully synthetic) . Oddly the oil is cheaper at my local Volvo dealer than I can find it online

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

hi yes that is rather strange the oil being cheaper at the volvo dealer , everything has gone up its madness , and that’s if they can even get hold of certain parts now , don’t know where it’s all going to end but it can’t carry on!.. thanks for watching our videos really appreciated mike

[@michaellawson7864]

Hi Mike great savings, I've just been Quoted £1,825 for service, mot, and cam belt at Fiat main dealer in Hull, for my 2018 V line 636se. Think I'm going to do same as you and use local garage and genuine parts. Great Informative Video thanks 😊

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

hi mike wow that’s a fair bit , most of that the labour for the belt no doubt , big job , can i ask how many miles you have done now please , we will need to think about getting our cambelt done within the next 12 months , and tyres ! 😩 never ending ! 😂

[@michaellawson7864]

@@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel Hi Mike, we bought the Van New from Brownhills in November 2018. So we had two free Hab+Vehicle services and because of Covid the service schedules are not as they should be. My last Vehicle service was in 2021. So this November the van is five years old and Fiat recommends the cam belt changing at 120 k miles or 4/5 years depending on use, however we have only covered 15k miles so in November i thought i would get it done +service +mot. Didn't expect the price that fiat have quoted 😳 and they said the prices will be going up by November !!!!, so ring back nearer the time for new price !!!. I use a local Garage near me in Beverley for mot each year so I'm going to get a quote from them. Hope this helps. 🙂

[@Stigman101]

jeeess... cambelt ony £350/400 at most places oils and filters £150 ish good aftermarket i've done mine for a lot less than that useing bosch, mann, etc.Oil from opie oils for fiat.. fuchs for my van 5w 30 got 7 litre pack delivered for £43.45..

[@davidtodd907]

My local Fiat 'stealer'ship wanted £1300+VAT to change the cam belt on my 2017 / 9k mile ducato / swift m/home - tthey told me that it needs to be changed after 5 years and it's an engine out job and they would need my vehicle for 2 -3 days. I politely to them to f^kc off , and got it done by local garage in a day for £450 inc VAT ( £55/hour labour rate)

[@jeffshaw4553]

Servicing and cam belts so expensive just been quoted £1,000 including vat for cam belt and water pump change that’s without the service which probably gonna be another £300 plus without the hab check which just booked in for next year at £250 as he gets busy in summer months as that’s all he does so booked it in now good detail of your service do they do cam belt and water pump changes willing to travel from Essex if they cheaper 👍🏽👍🏽

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

hi jeff yes mate ridiculous prices out there , what van do you have please , year make model as will need to check height for service bay thanks mike

[@davidlindley485]

Excellent price for a very thorough service. Mine is due its first (2 year) service and it is booked in next week with a Fiat dealer at a charge of £540! The service includes oil and filter, pollen filter and brake fluid change. I chose to use a Fiat dealer because the warranty is up at the end of the month. However, once out of warranty, I will probably look at cheaper options next time including doing it myself.

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

yes my van is 5 years old coming up and only 2nd service due to mileage and just thought better to use a garage and save a bit but if i was in your situation i would have done the same most likely , thanks for watching the video mike 👍

[@debbiel6443]

Hi Mike. A very useful and informative video. I was also wondering if local garages could service such a big vehicle. How many miles between services? And does it tell you on the dash when your service is due?

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

@@debbiel6443 hi deb good question about the dash notification, I’m sure it would come up but don’t hold me to that , depends on age of van , I’ve never let it get to that on other vans i’ve always roughly known when they are due , but it depends on the miles you do , id say a basic interim service every 6 months or 6,000 miles whichever comes first but that’s only if you do a lot of miles , if not , then probably just a 12-18 month oil change won’t hurt , just dip the stick every now and then and check the level between changes 👍😀

[@debbiel6443]

Good advice Mike. We are away every other weekend in the summer. Had the van for 15 months from new. It had a hab check in December, not yet had a service, but we have topped up the oil.

[@billsimmonds6005]

I bought a Fiat Ducato which was just over 5 years old without realising that Fiat recommend all belts are changed after 6 years ! So this month I have 2 year service plus all the belts and water pump as well as the MOT !!

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

the cam belt thing always gets me , 6 years yes and i know it’s always better to be safe than sorry but how many miles does it have , how often is it used etc , how do you drive it was one question i read on a forum , others have drove over 100k miles and still on same belt ! others not so lucky , id rather be safe but that’s just me , an expensive month for you then i don’t envy you 😬 but at least you will know it’s done !

[@broadpete]

Unfortunately I fear it's a degradation of the rubber (a bit like tyres) which they use to worry us about the time limit. Only with vw, the time and mileage rules both apply in the UK, on the continent, it's only mileage! I just bought a 12 year Neo with 30k miles and no sign of a cam belt change. I obviously did it straight away.

[@jimjeffries8804]

I have short service and mot Sept,Oct usual cost £140.00. Full service in March £190.00((just done ,although my vanwhich is an older version of yours) all my warranty did say when valid was work was to be carried out by a vat registered garage,imlucky my local garage has been used by my family for 40 plus yrs.

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

hi jim thats a good price , always a good thing to know the people that are carrying out the work and most importantly the trust , our vans are a large investment and we need confidence in the places doing the work thanks for watching the video and commenting mike

[@ipirrie6734]

68 plate so must be around 5 years old. Cam belt should be changed at 5 years regardless if mileage, clutch fluid should be changed every 4 years, 2 years if it's a comfortmatic.

[@ziviaantjeverharius6165]

I've seen it all I've done it all and the only thing I Wanted to see is not in the video. How to reset the surface indicator

[@rubbadragon9159]

Do you have any advice on how to safely travel with two dogs…as in seatbelts…we are looking into van build u shape lounge.

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

hi we used to use simple dog carriers but they took up too much space and were awkward , now they just have a bed each 1 placed between the seats and 1 down on the passengers side footwell , does the trick they got used to that and just go to sleep , the van we have is a 2 berth so only 2 travelling seats with belts

[@padgepadgham3238]

I do around 2,000 miles annually and have a full service done annually.

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

it’s good to know it’s done

[@SlimTortoise]

I guess you want to keep it in warranty etc, But have you ever thought of doing it your self? I do my own, it's a older Mercedes sprinter (I think parts are cheaper than for your van), But I can do the same service for less than £100. Just a thought.

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

yes definitely worth thinking about especially after watching them do it , so many people learning stuff just from watching youtube vids especially plumbing jobs etc

[@karllake8976]

Same here £280 oil service £240 habitation expensive one this year for me

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

yeah same here , not had a hab done yet in this van and can never seem to get anyone that’s not fully booked !

[@Stigman101]

@@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel.. the hab checks are alot for what they do..damp issues NORMALY are not a problem for our types of van PVC more for coachbuilt plastic bodied type.

[@paulvose3177]

Always an expensive time and some items I’m sure don’t really need changing due to the low mileage, especially the cam belt!! If you plan on keeping the van look at a K&N air filter, they are washable and last a lifetime for not much more than a fiat paper one.

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

yes i’ve heard k & n filters are very good , always a strange thing with the cam belts , age or mileage ? as you say if the van is hardly being used as most uk motorhomers hardly go over 10k a year if anywhere near that at all , then the insurance goes up ! but that’s another story !

[@billsimmonds6005]

@@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel Fiat say Ducato cambelts should be changed at 6 years which for some motorhomes can be a relatively low mileage !

[@The-Salty-Bager]

@@billsimmonds6005 cam belt on a Ducati 2.3 is 5 years, is your not the 2.3 then ?

[@billsimmonds6005]

@@The-Salty-Bager I have a 2.3 multi jet 2 150. My local Fiat Professional dealership told me 6 years or 100,000 miles !

[@paullawrence8572]

And do it all again next year!😏👍

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

yep 😂 oh and the habitation and the mot .. never ends 😩👍😀 cheers paul have a good week

[@paullawrence8572]

@@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel You too Mike!

[@RickandHeather]

Luckily our 1st (2 year) was free from Brownhills and we won’t need another on this van. Even at an independent place the parts are expensive £50 an oil filter 😮 you must be due a cambelt soon? 5 years on these I think? That’s some dollar dollar…

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

yeah cambelt next year according to fiat but for a van that’s used 2wice a month and stays pretty much local , makes me think is it really worth doing , better to be safe n all that ? dollar dollar indeed , oh and the tyres !! oh and the leisure batteries !! never ending

[@RickandHeather]

@@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel yeah it’s always a risk playing “cambelt roulette” fine on an old car but a 60k van? Not worth the risk, I’d rather run on old tyres….as they say nothing is cheap bar talk!

[@lesleysmith5623]

Our van is a 2013 Fiat Ducato so well out of ‘warranty’. Got a quote off Fiat Commercial garage of £680 for major service. Bought all the parts (including 10 litres of oil) for £131 and did it myself in about 3 hours. Very simple. Oh, Fiat Commercial wanted £1260 for a Cambelt/water pump change. Local garage charged £650. Not often you save well over £1000 !

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

that’s a huge saving ! wish i could do things like that myself i’d save a fortune . the prices they charge are ridiculous

[@alberttickle1106]

Having a full service, mot and hab check next week on my moho.... £635!!!!

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

hope it all goes well , certainly not cheap maintaining these vans !! thanks for watching the video 👍

[@alberttickle1106]

Is that a NCC approved workshop?

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

not sure they usually service cars and vans and do MOT’s etc , only up to 3500kg on MOT’s though

[@selfbuiltcampervans]

if u can do urself £100 inc gearbox oil is what it costs me every year m8... but that's not a bad price inc vat n labour etc etc

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

i’d love to be able to do it myself but yes wasn’t a bad price really , glad to know it done , thanks for watching the video 👍

[@selfbuiltcampervans]

@@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel defo do your gearbox oil it's a simple job and for what it costs its a no brainer 👍2.9 litres is what it takes

[@commuterbranchline8132]

How can a genuine part pollen filter cost thirty six quid?

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

i know ! silly money

[@terryrobinson7371]

Did they check the brake fluid ?

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

hi terry yes they checked all levels , i just wasn’t quick enough to capture it on video , and the brakes too

[@notrut]

There's no way I would fit that short stumpy Oil Filter, not when they are available at double the length.

[@garybird8646]

£100 labour for two hours is good value.

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

that’s what i thought 👍😀

[@maxwellchitambo6450]

Im looking for a fuel pump for a Fiat Ducato mini bus; 2006 model i am in South Africa

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

nothing on ebay ?

[@peterneal7160]

Mopar Filters are Chryslers! Now owned by Peugeot (Stelantis) Not a full Service then?

[@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel]

yes i had a full service , not all of it was captured on video

[@peterneal7160]

@@TheFrenchiesMotorhomechannel they did well to check brakes etc etc in 2 hours! 😁

[@stevewitt]

Half the price as a dealer

[@troywales983]

u should learn to do it your self ,very pricy that , parts are about £70 , the savings would cover a lot of miles in fuel .

[@rogerjob2780]

😎🍷🚍⚓️🇬🇧👍