Major service approaching - VRS CR

[Vegasphil]

Any tips to keep the costs down? 

 

Mine will be due for a major service with a Brake Fluid change (I can't see that this has been done before in the service book). 

 

I've read tips on here before about people buying the £20 proper oil on ebay and negotiating a discount - Does that work with a lot of dealers? 

 

The fixed price servicing sounds quite reasonable but any saving I can make on top is a bonus!

 

 

As a side note do Skoda's have a Orange oil fill light when the oil gets low for a top up? Mine is looking a little low on the dipstick but should be ok for the final couple of hundred miles! 

 

 

[Muzza80]

I'd be looking for a specialist independent if you're looking to save a few £, probably get a better job too. 

[SuperbTWM]

I'd be looking for a specialist independent if you're looking to save a few £, probably get a better job too. 

 

Yes, unless of course you want that all important full Skoda history

[Muzza80]

Yes, unless of course you want that all important full Skoda history

 

 

Important to who?   Personally it wouldn't make a bit of difference to me if a car had not been back to Skoda from the day it left the forecourt if the history was complete by a know VAG specialist.

 

....maybe just me though.

[Vegasphil]

It will be at Skoda.

[Sarge]

Ask for a minor service and pay for the additional elements that make up the major service separately. IIRC some major service elements are only done 'if required'.

[tubbytommy]

Don't waste your money on main dealer servicing on an out of warranty car.

Either do it yourself and keep receipts or go to an independent

[Such]

I've gone to an independant yearly for oil drain via sump, filter and fuel filter, wheels off and brakes checked / deglazed, and a general examination of the underneath.

In between, i now do an oil / filter change myself with a suction pump, change the air and pollen filter myself.

 

As stated previously, I use the quantum 5w30 from cardiff audi (ebay). The oil filter is the VAG boxed one, the air and pollen usually bosch.

 

I was surprised just how easy and quick it was to do my first suction oil change!!

 

My independant charges £70 per hour labour if I supply my own parts, otherwise its around £60 per hr, so for my annual service / check, it usually costs around £140 ish labour.

[SuperbTWM]

Important to who?   Personally it wouldn't make a bit of difference to me if a car had not been back to Skoda from the day it left the forecourt if the history was complete by a know VAG specialist.

 

....maybe just me though.

Sorry, I should have put the 'all important' bit in inverted commas. I don't believe in dealer servicing, I normally do all my own servicing unless the car is under warranty.

 

Only thing I would say is that skoda history would help with a good will gesture if you had a fault just outside of warranty.

[silver1011]

£149 Minor Service = oil, oil filter.

 

£269 Major Service = oil, oil filter, fuel filter (diesel)*, spark plugs (petrol)*, air filter*, pollen filter*.

 

* only replaced 'if required'.

 

Be warned if paying the £269 for a major service, ask when dropping the car off what will be changed. If they aren't doing the extra filters do not pay £269!

 

http://www.skoda.co.uk/owners/service-and-maintenance/simply-fixed

Edited 24 August, 2016 by silver1011

[Vegasphil]

Mine is on variable for the servicing 20K/2 year intervals so those prices aren't used. The car needs all filters changing plus brake fluid so it's going to be a bit of a pricey one. I think I'll just change the air and cabin filter myself as they are a piece of **** to do.

I've had three quotes - the highest was £363.42 for a variable service with all filters and an additional £52 brake fluid - £415. Another skoda dealer quoted £314.35 but I'll do the air and cabin filters (saves £60). I got two independent quotes - one came in between the skoda prices and another was £288 for the lot.

A bit of variation but I've booked in with the second skoda garage for September the 9th.

[Paul007]

Not looking forward to my bill - dsg oil change, major service at 55k all to be done by main dealer with a discount thrown in as I've always bought from there.

[silver1011]

Mine is on variable for the servicing 20K/2 year intervals so those prices aren't used. The car needs all filters changing plus brake fluid so it's going to be a bit of a pricey one. I think I'll just change the air and cabin filter myself as they are a piece of **** to do.

I've had three quotes - the highest was £363.42 for a variable service with all filters and an additional £52 brake fluid - £415. Another skoda dealer quoted £314.35 but I'll do the air and cabin filters (saves £60). I got two independent quotes - one came in between the skoda prices and another was £288 for the lot.

A bit of variation but I've booked in with the second skoda garage for September the 9th.

 

You've lost me.

 

The £269 'major' service is a 20K / 2 year variable service.

 

The maximum you should pay for a major/variable service is £269 plus £52 for the brake fluid so £321.

[Vegasphil]

You've lost me.

The £269 'major' service is a 20K / 2 year variable service.

The maximum you should pay for a major/variable service is £269 plus £52 for the brake fluid so £321.

It's in the small print on the web page you got those prices from.

This offer applies to vehicles following a fixed servicing regime only. Customers whose vehicles are on a flexible servicing regime can ask their participating ŠKODA Authorised Repairer about changing over to a fixed servicing regime if they believe this will better suit their needs.

Both Skoda dealers told me the prices on the site don't apply to cars on variable servicing too once they had punched the cars reg in and looked at the history. I did challenge on the advertised web prices.

[silver1011]

It's a con, dealers will try it on.

 

They know it, and thanks to this forum most of us know it too, the fixed pricing on Skoda's website for the major service is no different to the work carried out on a car set to variable servicing.

 

The small print also excludes cars under three years old.

 

Both dealers I use (DM Keith in York and Pulman in Durham) will apply to fixed prices to both my cars (see sig), only if I ask. Both are set to variable and one is less than 3 years old.

 

If the dealer doesn't want your business then tell them to set the car to fixed. You can then reset the service indicator at 10K manually and take it in at 20K for the cheaper service prices.

 

Better still try to find a dealer that wants your business enough to negotiate. I really hate it when dealers try to confuse customers with confusing servicing regimes and pointless small print. A ploy.

[Norco]

Just dropped mine in today. Major service @ 36.5k miles . I queried the * only replaced 'if required' and was told that all those parts will be replaced, so for me a £269 service makes sense. 

 

Unfortunately they have pointed out both DSG oil change due (£188) and front brakes (pads and discs £269). Annoyingly they have listed both as red immediate attention items. It only passed the MOT last week and brakes only came up as an advisory but speaking to the garage that did the mot they said its an "in the next 2-3k miles job". Also the DSG oil is due at 40k miles. Since we only cover probably 8k miles a year its hard to see how they can list this as something that needs immediate attention. Just makes me wary of a dealership that lumps it on like that. Ho hum. I'll fit the discs and pads myself and get the DSG oil changed in a month or 2. I've heard this is something independents are reluctant to touch. Anyone else experience this?

 

N

[Vegasphil]

Just dropped mine in today. Major service @ 36.5k miles . I queried the * only replaced 'if required' and was told that all those parts will be replaced, so for me a £269 service makes sense. 

 

Unfortunately they have pointed out both DSG oil change due (£188) and front brakes (pads and discs £269). Annoyingly they have listed both as red immediate attention items. It only passed the MOT last week and brakes only came up as an advisory but speaking to the garage that did the mot they said its an "in the next 2-3k miles job". Also the DSG oil is due at 40k miles. Since we only cover probably 8k miles a year its hard to see how they can list this as something that needs immediate attention. Just makes me wary of a dealership that lumps it on like that. Ho hum. I'll fit the discs and pads myself and get the DSG oil changed in a month or 2. I've heard this is something independents are reluctant to touch. Anyone else experience this?

 

N

Is your car on fixed or variable servicing?

[Norco]

Fixed

 

Is your car on fixed or variable servicing?

 

Fixed

[willy0329]

It's in the small print on the web page you got those prices from.

This offer applies to vehicles following a fixed servicing regime only. Customers whose vehicles are on a flexible servicing regime can ask their participating ŠKODA Authorised Repairer about changing over to a fixed servicing regime if they believe this will better suit their needs.

Both Skoda dealers told me the prices on the site don't apply to cars on variable servicing too once they had punched the cars reg in and looked at the history. I did challenge on the advertised web prices.

The oil is the same its all longlife so just get the basic oil service and brake fluid done by main dealer, £129 oil service and £52 for the brake fluid and do the other filters yourself as you said before and this will save you £s and keep the skoda stamps in your service book ,

 

I do my own servicing my car is a bit older tho being an 07 vrs tdi so i dont need main dealer/ indy stamps in my book now and it cost me around £80 for  longlife oil, oilfilter, air filter, pollen filter,fuel filter, and sump plug and washer, all genuine parts from TPS and thats not even trade price. 

[LordRaiden84]

If you do decide to go to an Indy, do your research and check them out. I took mine to one yesterday and my car is now currently off the road due to a fuel leak after they changed the filter and I think they've bent the lid.

That's my bank hol ruined. So yeah, the dealers may be stealers but sometimes better the devil you know.

[Paul007]

Not looking forward to my bill - dsg oil change, major service at 55k all to be done by main dealer with a discount thrown in as I've always bought from there.

 

All done and paid for. Dented wallet. They're also telling me I need the cambelt doing which is at least a half day job. Any ideas/guesstimates on cost ?

[TheClient]

They should of given you a price with their half day estimate!

 

Cambelts are pretty competitive and normally  fixed price promotional type item that can often end up as cheap at main dealers as they are at independants.... If you do a search for a main dealer near you you should be able to get a fixed price probably online and then you can call some independents to see if they can better it. AFAIK around the £500 mark.  Need to make sure all the relevant bits and pieces are being quoted for in comparable quotes to ensure apples with apples.  

[Vegasphil]

You can get that under the fixed maintenance pack (don't forget the water pump). Brace yourself through! 

[Muzza80]

My local Skoda price match any independent quote, they're doing my cambelt kit and water pump next week for £399, cant complain at that.