Ive booked my car in for its first MOT and a Brake Fluid change

I thought I would ask about an Air Filter change too.

" No Sir, your car is not due a replacement Air Filter until its 4 years old"

" Surely thats wrong?", I said

"No. We clean them at service. Thats all"

Clean a paper air filter that costs no more than £15?

Is someone taking the Mick?

Any thoughts/comments on this?

My original one was still in place after the second dealer service at 20,000 miles! (I marked it when the car was new to see when it actually got changed!) I swapped it myself for a new one that next day, think it was actually just under £10 iirc. Madness to keep it in there for so long but VAG will tell you thats they've tested the engines over 100's of 1000's of miles and this is what they need. :wonder: There are no downsides to swapping it more regularly so thats what I do. (along with the oil and filter, fuel filter, pollen filter and haldex oil).

My original one was still in place after the second dealer service at 20,000 miles! (I marked it when the car was new to see when it actually got changed!) I swapped it myself for a new one that next day, think it was actually just under £10 iirc. Madness to keep it in there for so long but VAG will tell you thats they've tested the engines over 100's of 1000's of miles and this is what they need. :wonder: There are no downsides to swapping it more regularly so thats what I do. (along with the oil and filter, fuel filter, pollen filter and haldex oil).

Quite surprised to hear that they only clean them. Think i may just change mine after its first service as well. I cant stand having wee nagging doubts in my mind that a dirty air filter is in some way "clogging" things up so to speak. I would rather have the peace of mind that everything is nice and free flowing and efficient as it can be.

I'll have to check the state of mine and dig out the receipt for the service I had carried out when my vRS was one year old last September.

I changed it, the pollen filter and oil and filter every year on my A3 when i serviced it myself. Fuel filter alternative years as well.

Paul

I would think that Skoda and their dealerships know what they're doing. If you're that bothered, why don't you change it?

Mine had its first air filter change at 4 years along with the spark plugs,im glad i checked though as the tech had not fitted the air intake correctly & a screw & retaining clip had been sucked into the new air filter!

I would think that Skoda and their dealerships know what they're doing. If you're that bothered, why don't you change it?

I'm not sure they do.

When I go onto their website, it shows that in their advertised service schedule that an air filter replacement is included.

When you ask them on the phone, it isnt

Yes..I am bothered as well..so will be replacing it myself

I'm not sure they do.

When I go onto their website, it shows that in their advertised service schedule that an air filter replacement is included.

When you ask them on the phone, it isnt

Yes..I am bothered as well..so will be replacing it myself

Chris - can you share the link to the Skoda service schedules please.

My dealer:

http://www.dmkeith.com/skoda/aftersales-offers/it-s-fixed-major-service

If it's on their website then just ring them up and state that.

I lost my faith in all aspects of Skoda, future cars, dealer diagnostics but especially customer services, that is why I no longer own a Skoda. Even at 5000 miles your white filter is grey, your filter is like your lungs, you restrict your breathing you lose energy, same with your engine. I changed mine evey year , Eurocarparts. I have a spare new one for a TFSI if anyone at the next Yorkshire meet wants a free one

As long as not being charged for a new one, I wouldn't be bothered personally.

For what it costs I always change Oil, Air, Fuel and cabin filter. Its only a few quid and you know its done

Tend to be on the same boat as Jason, if you've not be charged for it fair enough, but if you have then I would expect it to be done.

For the record at my 3 year service I stated please do not do the air filter as mine is a k&n. The service advisor said that its not part of the schedule anyway. He said next service it would be due.

going by that link, if it's part of a 2-year service, and yours is 3 yrs old then the Skoda guy was right, it's not due till next year (4), but by that measure it means it should have been replaced last year?

Going by the skoda site for the fixed price servicing it only gets replaced if required And in the disclaimer is says this will be Determined by the manufacturers service regime. By the looks of it Dmkeith have just copied this but forgot about the extra info.

http://www.skoda.co.uk/GBR/owners/national-pricing/Pages/servicing.aspx

I'm rather concerned now that it should have been changed last year at 2 years old and it wasnt

I'm now waiting for my dealer to ring me back..they are having computer problems

EDIT:

It gets worse..My Dealer rang me back .....

When my chassis number was entered into the VW computer for servicing parts and schedule it came back as needing an air filter change every 6 years!!!

How rediculous!!

I will be changing it myself!!

The dealer is correct I thought it was every four years myself. On my last vrs I had to ask them to change it

Can somebody tell me how a paper air filter can still perform as well as a new one after more than 3 and up to 6 years??

I changed my air filter at 37,500 then again at 56k. Didn't like the thought of one going to 60k without being replaced. First one was grubby, second one a bit cleaner but not brilliant. Worthwhile if your planning to keep the car out of warranty and for all it takes to buy and change yourself. I will now be doing it at 9500 every year. Hopefully it will help to avoid future problems with big bills.

It's a 40,000 mile service item. Years ago probably pre-Octavia times, they were done a 20,000 miles, but when Skoda started doing free servicing deals they changed to 40,000 miles and it's been like that ever since.

It's done to make the ownership costs appear attractive, so that they can sell plenty of cars to the fleets. I bet they aren't required to remove your wheels and carry out a bit of maintenance on the brakes, just to look at the pad thickness through the wheels. I hope that you don't get a puncture and have trouble separating the wheel from the hub.

The dealer's basically damned if he does change it and damned if he doesn't. It seems like they've done the service to Skodas schedule, they can't really do any more without your permission/authorisation, they're not mind readers so why not talk to them when booking it in to find out exactly what they do and sort out any additional things that you want doing and the cost of them.

I like it when the customer states exactly what they are expecting, have it all written down so that I can make notes against their requests and explain everything when they collect the car.

Are you on a service plan? If not just tell them to do it.

I had te service plan issue with them over my fuel filter - although the service book states 60,000 kms the dealer said its 60,000 MILES and refused to do it. I asked about the cost and they wanted some extortionate amount (either £65 or £85 plus VAT I think) so I told them to stick it I'd do it myself.

I was confused because their website and the skoda one shows a service schedule and includes an air filter

Then the service dept. tell me it doesnt need one

Thats what I was expecting Fordfan..transparancy...It appears to be now..but only after a lot of contradictionary advice.

Are you on a service plan? If not just tell them to do it.

I had te service plan issue with them over my fuel filter - although the service book states 60,000 kms the dealer said its 60,000 MILES and refused to do it. I asked about the cost and they wanted some extortionate amount (either £65 or £85 plus VAT I think) so I told them to stick it I'd do it myself.

No..I'm on variable servicing.

My mate Alan has one (spare but new) from his old Octavia that fits mine.

We will be fitting it next week

I was confused because their website and the skoda one shows a service schedule and includes an air filter

Then the service dept. tell me it doesnt need one

Thats what I was expecting Fordfan..transparancy...It appears to be now..but only after a lot of contradictionary advice.

it does state that an air filter is included but it has a disclaimer that explains that it only gets changed if the service regime says it needs changed