Just a quick question on servicing.

With the fixed service schedule you basically "tick-tock" between £129 minor and £249 major services.

I've been told by a couple of dealerships that with variable servicing every service is considered "major". Variable will be somewhere between 12k and 20k gaps.

However I've also read posts from other people telling me, for example, that their 4th variable service was £129 (indicating it was being treated as a minor one).

So does anyone know the official line on this?

My first two variables have been around 18k between each other, so no real objection at £249 each time. But if some of these variables are supposed to be treated as "minor" then of course any money in my pocket rather than the dealership has got to be a good thing.

My car is on variable and I was told by the local skoda garage this is NOT the case. I bought the car second hand after its first service.

Second service cost £200, but that also included a brake fluid change.

Third service was going to be £249.00 but was reduced to £199.00 as the brakes had already recently been cleaned up.

So it seems it's the same cost and routine as the fixed service.

In fact I get the impression variable service is really 'fixed' but extended to 18600 miles.

My cars used as a taxi, I can get out of bed late and hammer it work from a cold start, then If it's cold outside I can spend half the day with the car parked up with the engine ticking over. Other times it can be switched off and on 40+ times in a day. When i first bought it i was careful not to hammer it as i want it last but now it gets some stick almost all the time I don't have passangers in the back.

Driving style really doesn't seem to affect variable service as I'm sure I've done 18,000 between the last two services..

A fixed £129 service is an oil and filter change and a pollen filter if you are lucky.

A variable £249 service is an oil and filter change plus an air filter and fuel filter.

That's an expensive air and fuel filter!

After having a whinge at my local dealer they agreed to do a fixed service for £129 and then do the fuel and air filter for an extra £90.

£219 compared with £249 is a nice saving and £30 in my pocket.

Cheaper to do it yourself. Servicing a car isn't exactly 'rocket science' (about the only thing I've never attempted on any of mine is the timing kit) and you'll have the satisfaction that it's been done properly. You think they let the proper techs in the garage do the services, more likely it'll be the apprentice floor sweeper let loose on your pride and joy.

I'm very aware of how to service a car - instead of A level's I did a BTEC National in motor vehicle technology with every intention of going into the motor industry (although how things change!).

Doing oil/filters/plugs change would be a couple of hours of my life and a couple of hours I could spare at a weekend.

However to me the bottom line is no stamp in the book. Ever since I bought my first "brand new car" I've always kept a full manufacturer's set of stamps.

It's two-fold. It increases trade-in value and if there is ever a dispute about out of warranty issues you're more likely to get a result if you've got a full set of dealer stamps.

Obviously everyone has their own opinion/experience here, but from what I've seen and been offered the full set of stamps are worth it to me.

Cheaper to do it yourself. Servicing a car isn't exactly 'rocket science' (about the only thing I've never attempted on any of mine is the timing kit) and you'll have the satisfaction that it's been done properly. You think they let the proper techs in the garage do the services, more likely it'll be the apprentice floor sweeper let loose on your pride and joy.

And... if the floor sweeper (or even the tech) is not-so-honest he'll let the old parts on and then sell the new ones they billed you.

Seen this happen in official dealerships of major well-reputed brands, so it's not a matter of not trusting the small independent mech.

IMHO. Once the car is out of warranty dealers find it harder to justify the extra money for a major/variable service since it's an oil change plus a good inspection. Consequently, dealers throw in a change of plugs, air and pollen filters (fuel filter for diesels) on year four. In support of this opinion, VAG websites give fixed price servicing details only for cars over three years old.

Mike, do you use local stealers for your services?

Cheaper to do it yourself. Servicing a car isn't exactly 'rocket science' (about the only thing I've never attempted on any of mine is the timing kit) and you'll have the satisfaction that it's been done properly. You think they let the proper techs in the garage do the services, more likely it'll be the apprentice floor sweeper let loose on your pride and joy.

If under warranty you cant DIY a service. You void your warranty, and any buyer will be asking where the stamps are.

Where does the dealer get £90 to change these 2 items??? Mike

Isnt there extra checks on a variable service, and not just a case of changing one or 2 extra parts?

Where does the dealer get £90 to change these 2 items???

Mike

Remember £90 was the cheaper option, ordinarily if I'd paid £249 for a variable service it would have been £118 for £25's worth of parts!

Isnt there extra checks on a variable service, and not just a case of changing one or 2 extra parts?

Not really, it's in the dealers interests to do all the checks regardless of which service the car is in for. This gives them the opportunity to find things wrong with the car for which they can charge you more to have fixed.

See the differences between fixed and variable here...

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

If under warranty you cant DIY a service. You void your warranty, and any buyer will be asking where the stamps are.

Isnt there extra checks on a variable service, and not just a case of changing one or 2 extra parts?

Fair enough on the new car staying in the dealer servicing for the warranty but out of this time frame I'd be more interested in buying from an owner that did his own servicing or at least had yearly services done and kept a file of receipts for everything. You look at cars for sale on the bay or trader that have 'full dealer history' and then listed in about 100,000 miles are 4 or 5 services. I'm sorry but that is not a car that has been well cared for in my book.

The extra checks? oh you mean where they look to try and squeeze more money out of customers by telling them that stuff needs doing when it probably doesn't or not in the immediate timescale that they will tell you. I had it last year when I got mine and went to Heritage in Yeovil to get a 2nd key and pick up the caliper bolts I'd ordered for when I did the discs/pads all round. I'm sat there patiently wondering why it's taking so long to code this bloody key. Next thing I get given the key and a sheet of paper telling me of a 'visual check' of my car and what needed doing. I never asked them for this check and the one thing they said needed doing was the discs/pads. Yeh no **** sherlock why do you think I had been there and ordered caliper bolts. Which leads me on to whether they do the jobs properly themselves. Last week I replaced the brake fluid and couldn't crack the bleed nipple on either of the rear calipers. The 6 year old car has meant to have had 2 Skoda dealer brake fluid changes according to it's fully stamped service history book. Those rear calipers/brake lines have never been bled in it's life till I did them and those caliper bolts I ordered, they had to order them in as none of the Heritage sites(Vw,Audi and Skoda)at Yeovil had them in stock. Now over those 3 places you would expect they'd do quite a number of disc changes and would keep a supply of the 'replace at every disc change' bolts in stock.My guess would be that they don't follow the guidelines of replacing them. I'm not saying there aren't good dealers but don't blindly think that seeing a car with a service book with a few dealer stamps is going to be have been better looked after than an owner doing it himself or getting a local indy or mechanic mate doing the work.

My last car (Vectra GSi) had the steering rack changed at 2 years old and 40,000miles because Sewards at Blandford told the previous owner it had 'play' in it. Within a year 60,000 they were reporting 'play' in the rack again on the service sheets. He didn't change it again and I bought it at 95,000 miles, it went through 5 'non' dealer MOT's before it finally needed doing and this wasn't because of the 'play' it was because the seals failed and it started losing it's P/S fluid. All cars will get 'loose' as they age but a dealer will jump on anything to get more money out of you, whereas an indy will say you've got a few years before it'll need doing.

Fair enough on the new car staying in the dealer servicing for the warranty but out of this time frame I'd be more interested in buying from an owner that did his own servicing or at least had yearly services done and kept a file of receipts for everything. You look at cars for sale on the bay or trader that have 'full dealer history' and then listed in about 100,000 miles are 4 or 5 services. I'm sorry but that is not a car that has been well cared for in my book.

DiY servicing says to me what variable servicing says to you.

I wouldn't touch a car that'd been DiY servicing as there's no proof the work has been a done, done correctly or safely unless it was seriously cheaper than a similar car that'd been dealer/garage serviced. I'd be wondering what other corners the owner has made (cheap parts instead of oem etc)

Dealers would also not be too keen for the same reasons.

Yes a garage might not be worth anything but at lease you have someone to take to task if something that should have been done wasn't or fails down the road.

How much is a fully dealer serviced example worth v an identical but DiY serviced car?

Also a car which has had a dealer service will have the service parts covered by a 2 year warranty.

Ian

Also a car which has had a dealer service will have the service parts covered by a 2 year warranty.

Ian

Anyone claimed on that on a car out of the 3 year warranty?

I bought a Shogun (03) for my wife recently (horse box towing) that had a full service history over its 90k miles with the service done every 9k miles.

However all it means is a full service book and an oil/filter change as there is a service menu and it is up to the owner to choose some bits. So, has it had the anti freeze, brake fluid etc changed. Has an auto box or DSG had an oil change or even transfer box or dif oil. Unless you get a massive file of receipts or can get a dealer print of work carried out a "FSH" is not worth the paper it is written on.

I did all the servicing on my last car myself - except timing belts - they were done three times in the time I had the car. I kept all the receipts for the parts I bought (genuine parts) and signed the book myself, stating in brief what was done at each interval - any work done outwith the service intervals was also written in. I know doing that wasn't worth a damn, but I kept the car for years - eventually taking it to an auction when I acquired my latest Skoda. The auctioneers pointed out the car had service history and it went for a good price. To be honest, unless the car is low mileage when you change it, I don't really think a complete dealer history amounts to that much in terms of trade-in value for you.

DiY servicing says to me what variable servicing says to you.

I wouldn't touch a car that'd been DiY servicing as there's no proof the work has been a done, done correctly or safely unless it was seriously cheaper than a similar car that'd been dealer/garage serviced. I'd be wondering what other corners the owner has made (cheap parts instead of oem etc)

Dealers would also not be too keen for the same reasons.

Yes a garage might not be worth anything but at lease you have someone to take to task if something that should have been done wasn't or fails down the road.

How much is a fully dealer serviced example worth v an identical but DiY serviced car?

OK I'll give you another example of amazing dealer workmanship. When I bought the VRs last year (107,000miles) I serviced it. On taking off the plastic guard under the engine I noticed it was plastered in grease :think: . On investigation the spline bolts where the offside driveshaft bolts to the diff/box were all loose and it was from here that the grease had all been flung out from. On looking back at the dealer service history it had been in to Lightcliffe in Warrington at 82,000 for the clutch/dmf to be done, so those muppets hadn't even torqued up the bolts properly after doing the job. A 2 year guarantee wouldn't have done me much good if the driveshaft had finally come apart before I found it. Best bit is it had gone back to them at 95,000 for a full service so why didn't they discover the grease on the guard? Probably because they don't drop the oil from the sump they just suck it out the dipstick tube. More than likely a similar scenario to the brake fluid change. I suspect they just suck out the fluid from the reservoir and just top it up with fresh. I suppose though I should be grateful that Lightcliffe didnt f*** up the injector change, like so many other places seem to.

I guess everyone differs on what they believe to be the best for their car. Me I do it myself and what I can't do I'll get my mate who's worked for himself out of a garage for the last 20 years to do it. I buy my cars at a few years old and keep them for a good while so resale value doesn't really interest me. I keep a journal of everything I do and all receipts so if I do sell it's all there for the buyer to see.

For the record too as a consciencious DIY'er. I gave the car it's 2nd service recently as I've had it a year now. Only done 6000 miles in that year too but still changed 'all' filters and the oil. A car on dealer variable will not see an oil/filter change for up to 3 times that mileage and possibly 2 years and the fuel/air filters wont be changed until 40,000/60,000 or 4 years. An absolute joke.

The one thing I'm not good at though is keeping the car clean. I've not polished/waxed it at all in the year I've had it and probably been washed a handful of times,if that.

"Wash and vacuum"

one thing I will be stipulating when I take it for it's 1st service is they don't go anywhere near my car with water or a vac, they will most likely make it worse! they have no idea on how to detail a car!