New Fabia 1.4 TDI first service

[Mitch.C]

Here's the breakdown for mine

Oil Filter £6.29

Sump Screw £1.27

Screen Wash £2.63

3.8 Litres of Castrol Magatec £28.50

Charge for disposal of environmental waste £5

A11 Service to check brakes , antifreeze + more £32.50

Net £76.19

Vat £13.33

Total £89.52

Edited 9 September, 2008 by Mitch.C

[Adrianh1]

I am writing an article (I'm a freelance journalist) on the substantial differences on servicing costs nationwide for a collection of vehicles including the Skoda Fabia 1.4 TDi. I have already contacted the Skoda press office for a confirmation of official charges for the first year 10k service. I'd welcome any feedback on this issue from 1.4 TDi owners on how much it cost them and were they surprised/pleased/cross at the costs, wherever they lived. If you would like to email me on this issue regarding your own experience with Skoda dealers, please email me on [email protected] The article is for a national Sunday newspaper; it's an attempt to understand why the costs can vary so hugely across the country. Many thanks all.

Edited 17 September, 2008 by Adrianh1

[gilesk]

£77!! That's amazing value for money, I think a Fabia TDi 10k service with our service dept usually works out to £130.

It would appear from the lower prices that you might be one of the dealers taking a bit too much, why is it such value for money? It does not seem like rocket science for a trained mechanic who works efficiently and thoroughly to do these simple jobs on a new car.

I just Hit 1,000 Posts yay me!!!

Edited 17 September, 2008 by gilesk

[rkenny]

It might not be rocket science but it takes time to do a job properly. We recently got my wife's year old Fabia (1.2 petrol) serviced for the first time. It cost £172 - this included 1.7 hours of labour at £55 per hour before VAT. The 1.7 hours seemed reasonable considering the extensive checklist of what had been done.

You have to ask yourself what did get done for £77? But I would echo the concerns of others on here that there should not be the huge variations for a 10k service that we are seeing.

(BTW our Fabia is the first car of many that we have owned that has been completely trouble free in its first year).

[radfordln]

Didn't even occur to me to bother asking about the price or checking with another dealer - just went back to the place I bought from which is the one closest to me (though now I've moved it won't be going back there!) Had, perhaps stupidly, assumed that for a standard service at a main dealer then the price was going to be fairly similar to any other dealer - especially as they're using a Skoda branded tick sheet.

Guess you could argue that until I knew what others had paid I was happy with the price and the car has now done nearly 29k and hasn't had a problem. Would I be saying the same if the service had done elsewhere...guess I'll never know!

Adrianh1 - no issue with you using any of the material I've already posted (nothing new to add). Lived in postcode GL3 and used Robert Bamford Skoda (who were the supplying dealer).

[Hearny]

I got the £77 service, mind the other Skoda garage where I bought the car from wanted £150. The Skoda garage I used could not believe what my other quote was. This just shows you that these 2 garages are only about 12 miles apart, but thier prices are poles apart.

[mellyboy]

fabia 1.9 1st service Simpsons Great Yarmouth £87, car collected by sales manager courtesy car was new Octavia scout fabia returned in evening on managers way home.One satisfied customer.

[Adrianh1]

As you may be aware, I'm researching this area of servicing costs for a newspaper article I'm writing. I've had a few people get in touch but I'm struggling to make contact with them again, despite replying to their emails. If you emailed me and didn't hear back, please could you try contacting me again or messaging me via this site. I'm still looking to hear from people's own experiences, so if you'd like to contribute still, it would be welcome. Apologies for the communication difficulties!

With thanks

Adrian

Email: [email protected]

[Captain Sisko]

£77!! That's amazing value for money, I think a Fabia TDi 10k service with our service dept usually works out to £130.

Thats about right.

A major service on my old Astra was £85 at the dealer and for newer models it was more.

Now its about £20 less getting a major service done on my Felicia at an independant. Taking into account labour and parts.

Bearing in mind none of these include courtesy cars as I just booked it in when I didnt need the car and both places aren't too far a walk from home or town.

[JSJ]

Just got mine back 1.4td 80bhp 10k service.

Despite me being quoted £93 + vat on the phone they tried to charge me £175! After a brief, yet eloquent outburst it returned to the originally quoted figure. #

From the breakdowns above the only variable I can see is labour, mine was 1 hour @ £45 which combined with the parts costs gave me the £93.

[rkenny]

I've just had an interesting development on this topic. Adrian Holliday, freelance journalist, (post 27 above) phoned with the news that I am to receive a refund from Skoda of £80 because the garage 'did the wrong service'. The Fabia only needs a lubrication service at 10k/1 year and Skoda say that the maximum it should cost is £92. I was charged £172 - hence the refund. The garage did this in error and are apparently quite embarrassed about it!

I guess this situation is repeated around the country and explains the variations we are seeing on this thread. I would suggest that anyone in the same position as myself should contact their dealer with this information. Adrian is trying to ensure that Skoda UK informs/reminds all dealerships of the correct servicing regime for the Fabia.

Many thanks Adrian for taking this matter up with Skoda on my behalf and achieving a result!

[radfordln]

Interesting news...does anyone have a copy of anything more authorative (not that I'm doubting your work rkenny!) that I can alert the dealer I've used to? Will be getting in touch with them and will report back...

[Adrianh1]

I'm talking to Skoda UK tomorrow and will get a statement on this. Will also post it.

Adrian

Interesting news...does anyone have a copy of anything more authorative (not that I'm doubting your work rkenny!) that I can alert the dealer I've used to? Will be getting in touch with them and will report back...

[radfordln]

Just had a conversation with the Service Manager at Robert Bamford (Glos) who has attempted to explain the services I've had on my car. Apparently the first 10k service was a 'full' annual service -and the tick sheet they've provided is proof (hmmm!) that all this checking has been completed.

He then explained that Skoda are saying that if you've done 10k in less than 12 months then you can have a 'lube' service and the cost of that is £135 (or something similar).

The reaction after pointing out the £92 cost from Skoda was a disbeliving laugh.

Might contact Skoda...

...(edit)

Just spoken to someone at Grey Gables (my new local dealer!) who has informed me that they would proabbly charge £130 for 10k and £180 for 20k. Labour rate is £55ph. He also pointed out that parts are 'fixed' price and so we should all be being charged the same.

Seems apparent that dealers aren't used to cars doing quite as many miles as I clocked up in the first 12 months...thankfully my milegage is now a 1/5 of what it was!

Edited 3 October, 2008 by radfordln

[Adrianh1]

I spoke to the Skoda press office this morning. They have, as Robert Kenny points out, apologized for the over-charging. They say that they are sending a notice out to all their dealers immediately to remind them that a lubrication service is only needed at 10,000 miles and not a full service. I have asked Skoda to clarify what Fabia owners should do if they have been overcharged for the first 10k service and the dealer refuses to budge (see Radfordin's post above). Will update hopefully later today or on Monday.

[Adrianh1]

Skoda press office statement:

Please see below the response to your earlier queries.....

If a customer is concerned with the bill they received for a service they should contact the retailer in the first instance to discuss.

Skoda UK cannot set the prices that our franchised retailers charge their customers for service work.

We do, however, recommend a minimum level of routine maintenance for a specific vehicle based on its age and mileage.

This routine maintenance schedule is published in the vehicle's Service Schedule, contained in the Owner's Manual which is supplied with every new Skoda and we would always recommend that a customer read and understand this document immediately after purchasing the car and prior to arranging service work with a retailer to ensure they understand what the minimum requirements are.

Fairweather Motors have chosen to refund the customer for the work carried out in additional to our minimum requirements as a gesture of goodwill. As the customer had previously accepted the work completed and had signed and paid for this work, it is entirely at the retailer's discretion whether they wish to offer any retrospective discount.

[radfordln]

A case of 'buyer beware' then! Perhaps stupidly I had assumed that when asking a Skoda garage to carry out the recommended 10k service on a Skoda car they would do what the book said...and not their interpretation of it.

Needless to say I won't be using Robert Bamford again.

Another month or so and it'll be time for the 30k service which is about 6 months since the 20k so should be a basic 10k service...! Shall let you know when the event has taken place.

[Adrianh1]

Radfordin, could you PM me (have already PM'd you) - I'm trying to get your tel no!

Thanks

[Adrianh1]

Update... I followed up concerns that Robert Bamford of Gloucester appeared to be over-charging for the first service. Bamford are part-refunding some of Radfordin's original £207 service bill for the first 10k service, down from £207 to £135. I challenged Bamford (and Skoda UK) why Bamford was still being allowed to still charge up to £135 for a 10k oil service. Bamford's service manager said much of the cost came from the cost of expensive Pump Duse oil(!). They added that they also often give cars a 45-minute 'visual check' for which they charged customers for at £69.50 + VAT per hour 'to ensure the car is in good mechanical condition'. Even after only completing 10k miles... Make your own mind up!

Skoda UK's full response to the situ:

Following on from the query that you raised with us about the variations in costs of services at two Škoda retailers, please see a response from us below:

Robert Bamford Ltd quoted £135 for a lubrication service that covers the costs of all items that are recommended by Skoda UK (oil change, oil filter change and replacement of sump plug) at the Fabia’s first service.* In addition, Robert Bamford strongly recommends that a 45 minute visual inspection of the vehicle be undertaken to ensure it is in good mechanical condition.* As Robert Bamford Ltd’s labour rate is £69.50/hr + VAT, this amounts to £61.24 of the £135 total.

Robert Bamford Ltd understand that customers should be made aware when the price is quoted that this 45 minute inspection is in addition to Škoda’s minimum requirements related to that service.* Then the customer can choose whether or not they wish to have the work undertaken.

The Block Exemption Regulation prohibits manufacturers from dictating service prices to retailers.* Some of the factors that retailers would need to take into account when setting their prices may be geographical location of their business, competition in their local area and the individual business costs of running the retailer – these factors may account for the variation in prices that you have come across.

As previously mentioned, Škoda UK cannot set the prices that franchised retailers charge customers for service work as they are independent businesses.* It would contravene anti-competition legislation if we were to do that and we would be acting illegally.* However, what Škoda UK clearly communicates to customers is the minimum level of routine maintenance for specific vehicles based on its age and mileage in order to maintain the vehicle’s warranty.* This information is given to customers in every vehicle’s Service Schedule contained in the Owner’s Manual.* Prior to arranging service work with a retailer the customer should understand what the minimum requirements are.* In addition to this Škoda’s retail network understand that customers should be made aware of the work that is recommended to be carried out on the vehicle that may be over and above the minimum requirements.

[HZ123]

Very well done. It is good to remind the establishment of their role and demonstate as you have that you cannot get away with everything.

[radfordln]

Adrian - do you know who it was you spoke to at Robert Bamfords as not surprisingly I'm yet to hear from them!

[Adrianh1]

Luke: have PM'd you.

[JSJ]

69 quid to look at your car for 45 minutes to make sure it's in good mechanical condition, when if it isn't it would most likely be a warranty claim.

I'm disgusted.

[mellyboy]

rip and off come to mind these are 1 year old car,s my,, dealer ask me if there is any thing i,m not happy about, bung in a free car , charge £87 .

[Adrianh1]

Has anyone had a first 10,000 mile lubrication service from a garage in the Birmingham/Worcester/Gloucester area that charged a fair rate i.e. not more than £100?

Thanks