Do the services under warranty have to be done at a dealer or can they be done at an independent garage as long as they use Skoda parts?

Cheers

I seem to recall they must use original parts and also be registered for V.A.T. (and presumably fill in the service sheet having done everything listed.)

Hi,

Service at an independent is ok as long as genuine parts are used. You will need to keep good records in case of warranty claim.

Also there will be no chance of good will repairs out of warranty.

Check out the Skoda fixed price servicing offers they seem good value at the moment.

Mark.

Mine is coming upto 2 years old but I've only done 2550 miles. The majority of my journeys are around 20 miles, so is it best to keep it on variable servicing or change to fixed?

I looked at the fixed price servicing offer but does that mean the service will cost £299 with a free MOT when it's needed?

Cheers

Mine is coming upto 2 years old but I've only done 2550 miles. The majority of my journeys are around 20 miles, so is it best to keep it on variable servicing or change to fixed?

I looked at the fixed price servicing offer but does that mean the service will cost £299 with a free MOT when it's needed?

Cheers

Have a look at page 35 of the octavia brochure, which you can download from skada uk if you don't have one. Looks like you should be on a fixed interval paln because of your low annual mileage

Service Intervals

Service Intervals

When you order your Octavia, you can choose whether your car is on a fixed or a

flexible service regime. Your retailer will help you decide which regime suits how

your car will be driven, enabling your car to stay in the best possible shape.

Fixed regime: Service every 10,000 miles or one year (whichever comes first).

This is recommended if the vehicle is likely to be used in the following way:

> Driven fewer than 10,000 miles per annum and/or

> Mainly short journeys, drive mostly in towns or cities and/or

> High vehicle loading/towing and frequent hill climbs and/or

> Heavy accelerating and braking, using high revs

Flexible regime: Sensors in the engine detect when a service is needed. You will

be informed of this by a service light which will show at any point between 9,000

and 20,000 miles, up to 24 months (whichever comes first).

The flexible service regime is recommended for vehicles with a daily mileage of

more than 25 miles where the vehicle is driven regularly and mainly at a constant

speed with minimum vehicle and engine loading, minimal towing and driven in an

economical manner.

.

as per previous threads there's nothing to stop you using a reputable independant garage as long as they carry out the service to the relevemt Skoda service schedule and use parts that meet or exceed skoda's specifications, but as above they may not be 'receptive' if anything goes wrong after your warrenty runs out and as you've done so few miles you might want to consider this aspect as my sister bought a suzuki that's had electrical problems that's only done a few thousand miles and the manufacturer is helping out a the old chap who had it before had it serviced at his suzuki dealer.

Personally I would bite the bullet with 3 years of servicing at main dealers... just in case?

Politics. As long as they stamp your log book, you are fine.

If anything comes up later on serious enough to warrant investigation; then your garage of choice will have to take part.

In my experiences skoda garages are shi!t. (crawley down + epson) - friendly enough, but I question their Knowledge and attention to the job, the only issues I have ever had mechanically have been 24 hours post service - 2 cars 8 years.

The mobiles units, however, have been fantastic.

The only thing that would stop me from buying a new VRS13 as soon as I am able is the lack of reputable dealers.

Get yer stamps & you'll be ok.

My 4th year "independent" service (at specialist dealer) was only £10 cheaper than the main dealer quote for same. Fixed service as I only do 7K p.a.

Before you go down the indy route, check with the dealer to see if there are any campaigns on your car. You won't get software/part updates at an indy (if there are any).

I stuck with the dealer for the first 3 years but then went to an indy. 4th year with the indy wasn't much cheaper than the fixed price deals I could have got with VW which was a bit disappointing but he generally does a much better job than the franchises with quite a few little bits of good workmanship that get past over at the dealers.

The cheapest Indy I've found that use Skoda parts is £110, the cheapest Skoda dealer is £159 or £94 if I supply my own oil but cheapest oil I've found is £50 - £55 for 5 litres of Castrol Edge.

Is it worth saving £40 to £50 at an Indy for the loss of future good will at the dealer?

Also, is the service after 4 years classed as a major one on both the fixed and variable, and therefore the same price?

Or would it be alot cheaper on fixed after 4 years ?

Cheers

It is worth noting that I had several 'gestures of goodwill' towards the costs of out of warranty repairs on my OCtavia from Skoda UK due to it's full main dealer service history.

Around £4000's worth!

One of the Skoda dealers I spoke to said they use longlife oil even on fixed servicing as it's better for the latest petrol turbo engines as it stays cleaner for longer. They said it's better to use fully synthetic oil than semi-synthetic as it's better for the engine, even if it's on fixed servicing. Is this correct? (Diesels use longlife oil on both types of servicing).

Edited 20 November, 201213 yr by Ultima

Have I seen somewhere that only the first 2 years warranty is provided by Skoda UK and the 3rd year by the dealer? If so if you go to an independant you might forefit that 3rd year (or have to deal with a not to helpful dealer if you had to claim during year 3)

it always makes a difference on trade in if it's been dealer serviced too (unless you're going to keep it forever)

personally if I've bought a new car and spent my hard earned on it I'll use the dealer until at least the end of the warrenty. that way you stand a fighting chance if something goes wrong. as for the oil I'd use the better quality one, which in your case is the fully synthetic. look on the bright side bikers use fully synthetic and generally have to change theirs a lot more often and the servicing costs can be really silly if you go Italian.

Have I seen somewhere that only the first 2 years warranty is provided by Skoda UK and the 3rd year by the dealer? If so if you go to an independant you might forefit that 3rd year (or have to deal with a not to helpful dealer if you had to claim during year 3)

Not quite right. The first two years are Skoda Skoda, and the third is Skoda UK. Nothing to do with the dealer as such.

This means, if the car leaves the UK you can claim on the warranty anywhere you like in the first two years. But in the third year you get the work done in a Skoda garage and pay for it. Within 28 days you can claim the money back via any UK dealer.

The first two services are just an oil change so I bit the bullet and had it serviced with a Skoda dealer. Ever since I do my own.

TBH, the dealer service was very poor: They managed to lose the drip tray around the oil filler cap and cross threaded the bolts holding the under engine tray to the sub frame. If it wasn't for the warranty, I'd never have gone near.

On the other hand, thirty plus years of dealing with independants and I haven't found one yet who I trust. Sooner or later they cash in and over charge. Usually to pay for the time they needed to fix something they broke.

Your mileage may vary...

Not quite right. The first two years are Skoda Skoda, and the third is Skoda UK. Nothing to do with the dealer as such.

This means, if the car leaves the UK you can claim on the warranty anywhere you like in the first two years. But in the third year you get the work done in a Skoda garage and pay for it. Within 28 days you can claim the money back via any UK dealer.

The first two services are just an oil change so I bit the bullet and had it serviced with a Skoda dealer. Ever since I do my own.

TBH, the dealer service was very poor: They managed to lose the drip tray around the oil filler cap and cross threaded the bolts holding the under engine tray to the sub frame. If it wasn't for the warranty, I'd never have gone near.

On the other hand, thirty plus years of dealing with independants and I haven't found one yet who I trust. Sooner or later they cash in and over charge. Usually to pay for the time they needed to fix something they broke.

Your mileage may vary...

Cheers for putting me right- I knew the 1st 2 years were Skoda, but obviously got it wrong for year 3. Either way for what I'd save my (personal) preference would be to use the dealer no matter how sh1te they were in case I get any probs post 3 years old as I'd have more chance getting these sorted with Skoda, but as ever it's down to the individual. Probably an easy call for me because my dealer has a good reputation and though I've not had a car serviced by them yet the experience I had when the fixed my 1.4TSI under warrenty last year was excellent and they've been brill helping me out with advice on how to keep my new baby clean, so they'd be my 1st choice even if had t pay for my servicing.

Another good point for using a "good dealer" is they specialise in the cars, know them well, wont miss bits off the service that some independants may not bother with & will be well placed with their experience to quickly diagnose unusual issues. As has also been said full main dealer service is ideal when you have a claim. Again I will emphasise the "good dealer" bit as some as we all know aren't.

Edited 21 November, 201213 yr by Stuart_J

take the dealers offer of £94 supply your own oil

Here is oil http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-VW-Quantum-LONGLIFE-3-Audi-A3-A4-A6-2-0-Tdi-Oil-5w-30-5-Litres-/251124991658?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a783746aa&_uhb=1