Anyone service their Skoda at VW?

[2SkodaFamily]

The dealer I bought my car from made a right mess of its first service, and it's a 50 minute drive each way, either from home or from work.

There's a VW garage very near where I work, and was considering servicing it there next time. My only hesitation is the cost. I got them to quote for a cambelt on my old Octavia and they were the most expensive place I contacted, by far. I'm thinking that by the time I drive to York and back, (especially multiple times like last service ) I can offset that against higher servicing costs at VW.

Thoughts?

[Graeme B]

I use a independent VW specialist for servicing because its local, highly recommended and have always looked after me, just so happens they are very good value:

Major Service

Cam Belt

Water Pump

Belt Tensioner

All for £600 incl. AT

Thought that was ace

[2SkodaFamily]

There is a decent garage in my town but they're not specialists so a bit worried (on prior experience with other non-specialists) that the wrong oil would end up in it.

There is another place in my town which handles all the local Skoda taxis, but then again, one member here has had problems with them damaging his car, and I doubt they'd differentiate between normal oil and PD oil too.

[ScoobyChris]

There's a VW garage very near where I work, and was considering servicing it there next time. My only hesitation is the cost. I got them to quote for a cambelt on my old Octavia and they were the most expensive place I contacted, by far. I'm thinking that by the time I drive to York and back, (especially multiple times like last service ) I can offset that against higher servicing costs at VW.

This certainly makes a lot of sense, plus you have the convenience if there are problems that it is local to get to. I'd also be checking local independent specialists too as most of them seem to be staffed by ex-main-dealer people who are familiar with the cars and care about customer loyalty.

Saying that, though, my Panda got serviced where I bought it (an hour's drive away) as 1) it worked out a similar price to the dealer 20 mins away, 2) the dealer was excellent and 3) it was a fantastic route over the twists and turns across the Salisbury Plains. Obviously 3) outweighed the other two

Chris

Edited 15 May, 2013 by ScoobyChris

[KenONeill]

I've used an independant Audi specialist as being more convenient than the Skoda main dealer.

Query "Will you do the cambelt?" Response (4 years ago) "That will be £300, including a new waterpump."

[R8MXX]

Again I use a local VAG group specialist.. Ex-VW Master Technician from my local VW dealership started up on his own.

Best off trying to find someone like this. Much more attention to detail, nice low labour rate (as there is only 1 person to pay!) and specialist knowledge of your car and engine.

[Gwilo]

When I had the Skoda, and even when I had the VW, I used a local, non-specialist - they did use the correct PD oil, and still came much cheaper than main dealer.

Even when I took the VW to independent specialists, the price seemed pretty good, certainly for the work being done (though to be fair I did supply most of the parts myself those times, as I was being anally retentive over what was being fitted to it).

Now i'm in a ford, I made the mistake of going main dealer for a minor service.....won't be doing that again. back to independent grease monkey's round the corner. Couple of the guys there used to run and maintain their own HGV fleet judging by pictures etc posted on facebook, so must know a thing or two about diesels and good maintenance.......

Edited 15 May, 2013 by Gwilo

[Aspman]

Again I use a local VAG group specialist.. Ex-VW Master Technician from my local VW dealership started up on his own.

The last guy I used was also a ex-VW master tech. Did a decent job for reasonable money. I'll g back for the service.

Previously I have used a non-VW specialist indy. No problems with getting him to use proper parts and he was quite clear that he was using VW spec long life oil. I'd been using him for a few years before I got the Octy and knew him to be good (and honest).

You could always supply the parts yourself for the Indy to use. I've never had a problem doing that and I can often source parts cheaper simply because I will spend longer looking than them.

[gadgetman]

Not sure if they've changed again but some dealers won't touch other vag brands. Not sure if this is instruction from above but I tried the 3 local chains when our cambelt was due and all said NO.

Also been told their VAS systems will only talk to the brand of the dealership?

[Aspman]

Not sure if they've changed again but some dealers won't touch other vag brands. Not sure if this is instruction from above but I tried the 3 local chains when our cambelt was due and all said NO.

Also been told their VAS systems will only talk to the brand of the dealership?

VW told me they could do the work but wouldn't honor any special offers (fixed prices) for anything other than VW.

[domhnall]

we service our VW at Skoda (if that helps)

[Guest BigJase88]

I service my cars by me

Quite possibly better than a main dealer service!

I drop the oil via the sump plug! Unlike what dealers now do! They use a pump from the top! Yeah cause thats good!

Wouldnt take my wheelbarrow to a VAG main dealer

[hatchy]

There is a decent garage in my town but they're not specialists so a bit worried (on prior experience with other non-specialists) that the wrong oil would end up in it.

There is another place in my town which handles all the local Skoda taxis, but then again, one member here has had problems with them damaging his car, and I doubt they'd differentiate between normal oil and PD oil too.

What's stopping you taking in the 'correct' oil when you dropped it off to be serviced and asking them to use that oil?

[mikey vrs]

The dealer I bought my car from made a right mess of its first service, and it's a 50 minute drive each way, either from home or from work.

There's a VW garage very near where I work, and was considering servicing it there next time. My only hesitation is the cost. I got them to quote for a cambelt on my old Octavia and they were the most expensive place I contacted, by far. I'm thinking that by the time I drive to York and back, (especially multiple times like last service ) I can offset that against higher servicing costs at VW.

Thoughts?

Good old D M Kieth..........they serviced mine whilst it was under warranty & didnt refit the air intake correctly & the screws got sucked into the air filter!

[2SkodaFamily]

Good old D M Kieth..........they serviced mine whilst it was under warranty & didnt refit the air intake correctly & the screws got sucked into the air filter!

Well, that settles it. Wherever I service it, it won't be DM Keith then! Their incompetence wasn't a one off!

[silver1011]

Bad experience here too at DM Keith in York. Best avoided.

I now service both our Skoda's at Pulman VW in Durham.

They honoured Skoda's advertised national pricing so I pay £129 for an annual fixed service and they stamp the service book with a WW/Skoda stamp too...

http://www.skoda.co.uk/owners/service-and-maintenance/national-pricing/servicing

[Stormchaser]

I took mine to Breeze VW in Poole (yes i will shame you rude/unhelpful garage) and they looked down there nose at me and bluntly said "No"

I tried Poole Audi (for a laugh) and they said "Yes no problem".I nearly fell on the floor with shock but they were very helpful and polite and there prices were cheaper than my Skoda dealer.

[gallego1968]

I use my local garage for all my vans and cars, they are cheaper than the dealer and only use dealer branded parts and never had a problem with them.

[Ad Lav]

Service our vw at skoda

[Iann-]

The old man had his Octavia done at the local VW main dealer when it was still a family run outfit, before the VW suits came in and turned it into a mini car supermarket, no issues there.

As someone mentioned above though, for me it'd be the cost more than anything putting me off going to VW over Skoda/local indies.

[skodanorman]

We went to our local VW dealer (11 miles from home as opposed to 60 miles for a Skoda dealer) to ask them to reset the service computer and they point blank refused stating they didn't know how to do it and were only able to work on VW's. Moreover they spent the whole time looking down their noses at us!

Sometimes I use them for genuine VAG parts but I order for a Golf GTi to avoid the hassle.