Took my Octavia VRS Mark II to be serviced at my (usually trusty) local garage, as I viewed it would be cheaper than a dealership. £370. Being mightily surprised I queried this, asking how the service ended up costing more than the £249 it would have been to carry out a Major Service at a main dealership.

Their response was that they carried out a Good Garage Scheme Standard Service. Which they outlined was more thorough than a Skoda Major Service. And as such more expensive to carry out.

So the inevitable questions:

1) is the Good Garage Scheme Standard Service really more thorough than a Skoda Major Service?

2) If so, is the extra £131 over the Skoda Major Service I paid for the Good Garage Scheme service justifiable? (the only things included in addition to labour costs were: spark plugs, engine oil, air filters, cabin filters, fuel system cleaner and forte motor flush).

Have I been had? I live in the SW of England.

I would say that you have been had... If you compare a skoda dealer major service that includes most of that part from fuel stuff unless needed. The fixed priced servicing has really reduced cost from main dealer, so labour much cheaper... Also you now don't have a dealer service history and paid more, sorry mate!

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Good Garage Scheme is operated or owned [not sure which] by Forte. I guess the Forte products would have been about £25 + VAT. £370 sounds extortionate to me.

Here is the 50 point checklist for the good garage scheme

http://www.goodgarag...e-checklist.pdf

note logo at bottom

In my opinion the Good Garage Scheme is no guarantee of good service. It is a marketing ploy on behalf of the garage Similar to organisations that sign up to ISO 9000 quality of service charter mark nonsense. It proves nothing. Total twaddle.

Use Skoda franchised dealers or garages that have personal recommendations from known customers.

Edited 14 December, 201213 yr by kevberlin

Had I'm afraid. The dealer I imagine would cover all that checklist if not more and you have a dealer history and a bit more comeback should anything go wrong

oops

Wow that is a lot of money for a simple service.

Yep, you've been done.

See here for all that is included in the Skoda major service (£249).

http://www.skoda.co.uk/gbr/owners/national-pricing/pages/servicing.aspx

Skoda advise against the use of any fuel or oil additives too.

It pays to do your homework before booking it in, and more importantly get a quote before handing over the keys.

Took my Octavia VRS Mark II to be serviced at my (usually trusty) local garage, as I viewed it would be cheaper than a dealership. £370. Being mightily surprised I queried this, asking how the service ended up costing more than the £249 it would have been to carry out a Major Service at a main dealership.

Their response was that they carried out a Good Garage Scheme Standard Service. Which they outlined was more thorough than a Skoda Major Service. And as such more expensive to carry out.

So the inevitable questions:

1) is the Good Garage Scheme Standard Service really more thorough than a Skoda Major Service?

2) If so, is the extra £131 over the Skoda Major Service I paid for the Good Garage Scheme service justifiable? (the only things included in addition to labour costs were: spark plugs, engine oil, air filters, cabin filters, fuel system cleaner and forte motor flush).

Have I been had? I live in the SW of England.

I think so too.. Fair play to you for putting yourself in the line of fire and warning others..

I'm planning to have my Skoda dealer serviced during the time I keep it, that way if anything goes belly up at least the dealer will attempt to sort something out with Skoda (providing you've got a good dealer of course), unless I trade it in for a MKIII if I think i can get away with it. OK so I may pay a bit more than an indipendant but I look at it as a sort of back stop in case something nasty happens, like DMF failure or camchain tensioner failure on the petrol version etc and as I intend to buy new Skoda next time from the same dealer it's not a bad idea IMO. I'm getting my servicing free for the 1st 3 years anyway which he put me on to so for me it won't be such a big deal to carry on afterwards which also shows him a bit of loyalty for his trouble. I wouldn't use the main dealer for things like tyres etc though as you're paying dealer prices when there's far cheaper alternatives out there for no disadvantage.

Having said that the wifes Seat went to the independant once the warrenty expired, but she's not an enthusiast, more an enthusiastic abuser of all things mechanical so I saw no point in staying with the local Seat dealer who I don't particulary rate anyway as we have an indipendant we've used for years and they service her mobile bin. As an example of what our local Seat dealer is like they told me they were doing a 'special offer' on cambelt changes on all cars over 4 years old, which was a con as most don't need one until then anyway. I got the cam belt changed, an MOT and the rear disc pads changed at the LI for less that just the cambelt would have cost at Mr Seat and as she's keeping it long term there seems little point in using Seat to do the servicing.

Horses for courses I guess though I don't see much point in using someone like the lot you've tried because you don't seem to be gain either way, just spend extra for less.

Again respect for sticking your head over the proverbial parrapet

FWIW would the skoda dealer have done the park plugs nd all the filters ?

Often they don't as they are not due to a certain mileage.

See the link above, spark plugs (petrol only) and all filters (including fuel filter) are included in the £249.

I got my car a major service 5 weeks ago changed all spark plugs brake fluid the lot. Total cost was £319. They even washed and vacuumed it to a good standard stamped my book and gave me a nice smelling citrus air freshener too. I think you've been robbed and they should of informed you of cost before carrying out the work. Alway aska for a price at the booking in stage.

You were done too.

£249 + £45 (brake fluid) = £294.

http://www.skoda.co.uk/gbr/owners/national-pricing/pages/maintenance.aspx

The wash and vac is also listed...

http://www.skoda.co.uk/gbr/owners/national-pricing/pages/servicing.aspx

My local independent is part of the Good Garage Scheme, and they do their as a fixed price service based on engine size and it will be serviced to whatever standard is required for that vehicle for that mileage. From memory over the past years, there are times when I've been quids in (a VW Passat - on a major service, new plugs, filters etc etc) and times when it's been on a par with other places (minor service of basically an oil change). That said, their prices are nowhere near what you have had to pay.

For me personally, while ever my car is within warranty I'll take it to the dealer - it saves any problems should I need to claim for anything and it's free for me at the moment. (That said, after my recent issues, Skoda UK & the dealer have extended both the warranty & servicing to 5 years as a good will gesture so that's me sorted for a good while now).

I also had the light bulb in the rear changes as it has blown and a new battery cover as mine has cracked when I jumped started a mates car. I forgot about those.