Our Fabia 1.9 Tdi Sport 59 plate will shortly be due its first service , can anyone tell me how much Skoda charge and do I need to take it to a main dealer or can I use an independant garage

Steven

I will use my local independant garage when my Fabia is up for it's first service, the dealers charge too much.

Hi Steven,

It's not an expensive service. My 1422cc TDI PD80 was just £76 for the first service, and included everything Skoda recommends at my Skoda dealer. I'm ex-tech so I checked that everything is carried out as per the book. Personally, I would take it to your Skoda dealer. While there are some good independents out there, there are many cases of independents not knowing what to do (although they think they do), they often charge more money (I was quoted £130 for my first service from an independent and they weren't too sure what had to be done - a bit strange I thought!) and often they won't rectify a warranty problem straight away, whereas if your Skoda dealer is doing it, they just sort it.

Edited 1 October, 201015 yr by Estate Man

Surely if a car still under warranty is taken to an independent, it invalidates the warranty? That been my experience and as said by Estate Man, there isnt a great deal of difference in price!

Regards

Grahame

Hi Steven,

It's not an expensive service. My 1422cc TDI PD80 was just £76 for the first service, and included everything Skoda recommends at my Skoda dealer. I'm ex-tech so I checked that everything is carried out as per the book.

Thats very cheap EM (maybe you supplied your own oil?). My experience of 2 skoda dealers is around £100-£130. For what you save with an independent, its not worth it considering that warranty issues are much more straightforward if its serviced in the dealer network. 2nd servce may be a different story as thats much more expensive (for very little extra).

As ever haggle and play one dealer of against another for best price.

Surely if a car still under warranty is taken to an independent, it invalidates the warranty? That been my experience and as said by Estate Man, there isnt a great deal of difference in price!

Regards

Grahame

No block exemption means you can take it anywhere as long as they service to Skoda guidelines, use parts made in the EU and are VAT registered.

However you might well find goodwill warranty outside of the three year/60k limit is declined.

A big problem with going outside the network is how do you prove its been serviced to Skoda`s requirements..About 2 years ago a Volvo had a turbo go under warranty( was discussed in Auto Express). The Volvo requirement was for a specific type of oil to be used and if it wasnt, the turbo was prone to damage. in the end Volvo said they would pay up if the Independant garage showed them the invoice for the purchase of the specific oil they claimed to have used. They couldnt and the expensive claim was rejected. An extreme example maybe but Skoda are well within their rights to demand proof of exact service type in the event of a warranty claim....You pays your money....

Absolutely and one of the reasons i'd expect that they dont produce service sheets anymore.

They are all printed off from ELSA so can change whatever they like, whenever they like.

Thats very cheap EM (maybe you supplied your own oil?).

Hi Xman, yeah...it was a very good price but just their normal price they charge anyone. I didn't get any favours, and I did not supply the oil or anything else. My colleague got the same price 6 weeks later with his Fabia Estate too. So they weren't kidding. In fact they quoted me £80 originally, but when I went to pick her up the service manager he said they had made a mistake and it was only £76...so obviously, I created a row and demanded to pay more! They wouldn't take it. Damn. Oh...one other point. Underwoods (my dealers) also loaned me a new Fabia hatch to drive around in for the day whilst mine was being serviced, and at no charge whatsoever. That's great service. You are right about the haggling bit Xman...if someone doesn't like the price they are being quoted, often the service manager will try to accomodate you within reason. I've found that too.

If you do take it to an indy, make sure they use the right spec oil (505 > spec i believe)!

It cost me 200 quid for a 5 month old car first service, £120 quid was quoted for the service and they also charged me for my handbrake "adjusting". that is how I found this site.....thankfully you dont appear to be in my area. I have been promised a refund for the handbrake work but still waiting..... for the cheque to arrive as promised and I will keep pestering...

Good luck

Julie

you can use a vag specialist as long as they use original parts, it won't invalidate the warranty, see a previous thread on servicing

They don't have to use original parts, just ones made in the EU.

Thanks for the helpful answers Guy's

Steve