All, how about this for excellent customer service!

Bought my vRS new from Palmers Skoda in Watford in July 2010.

I also bought the three year servicing package (about £16 / month) and added the parts package too (just over £4 / month).

I had my third (30k) service about 6 weeks ago.

Despite having moved to Somerset last summer, I decided to have the car's first MOT at Palmers today and asked them to check it over thoroughly with the end of the warranty in sight and with the parts package in mind. I said that I didn't want to be replacing any parts in a few weeks' time if they were already 80-90% worn.

Doug (top man) called an hour ago. MOT all fine. They have identified a problem with the Columbus aerial base. They also asked for the front pads and discs to be replaced under the parts package. Skoda went along with this - result no.1.

They also asked for the DSG oil and filter to be changed under the parts package - this is normally due at 40k. The car has done 35k. Doug said this was a cheeky and 'in hope' request. Guess what? Authorised by Skoda!

The aerial parts, pads and discs and DSG oil and filter will be done am once the parts are in!

I make that a considerable saving. I know the DSG and filter change is at least £200. I don't know how much vRS front pads and discs are, but the parts package cost me about £170 on top of the servicing package, so pretty pleased all round.

A big thank you to Doug and Palmers, who will be no more at the end of the month. They are a small 'old style' Skoda dealership and are being swallowed up by Citigroup (VW / Skoda) and relocating to Bushey. All the staff are being looked after and are transferring.

So you have paid £720 for 2/3 services, a DSG service and some front discs and pads? Columbus base would be a warranty item anyway.

In 42k I have had 2 services at £120 and £150, a DSG service at £140 (nowhere near £200?!). This is £410. Even if I was on fixed servicing this would have been around £550....still leaving £170 for some brakes.

Car dealers never give anything away on these packages they sell...They are only in it for one thing and thats money. The trick is clever advertising like 'Service Package from 50p a day'

I've had three services.

How much are vRS front discs and pads, fitted at a Skoda dealer - anyone?

The DSG 'box takes 7 litres of oil IIRC. The oil itself is about £50 I think.

If you've had a a DSG oil & filter change at a main dealer for £140, good luck to you!

I'm pleased with the deal and the way it worked out. They could have easily refused the DSG work as I'm 5k miles too early.

I was in two minds yesterday as to whether or not I should have bought the package. Today I'm happy I did.

I'm also a fan of sticking to dealer work on a newish car after I managed to get 90% goodwill from VW when my Mk5 Golf GTI needed a new steering rack (£1400) at 5 years old!

But, if you can do it all even more cheaply, good luck to you!

Edited 19 June, 201313 yr by dunc69

I've had three services.

How much are vRS front discs and pads, fitted at a Skoda dealer - anyone?

The DSG 'box takes 7 litres of oil IIRC. The oil itself is about £50 I think.

If you've had a a DSG oil & filter change at a main dealer for £140, good luck to you!

I'm pleased with the deal and the way it worked out. They could have easily refused the DSG work as I'm 5k miles too early.

I was in two minds yesterday as to whether or not I should have bought the package. Today I'm happy I did.

I'm also a fan of sticking to dealer work on a newish car after I managed to get 90% goodwill from VW when my Mk5 Golf GTI needed a new steering rack (£1400) at 5 years old!

But, if you can do it all even more cheaply, good luck to you!

It is 6 litres of oil and is about £15 a litre so thats £90. Then £50 labour. It isn't a big job. That was dearer than some other quotes previously but dealer is a 2min walk from work so more convenient for me. Think £129 is cheapest I have seen.

Discs and brakes are £249 for the VRS at a dealer. This is fixed price nationally. But at 42k mine aren't showing barely any sign of wear.

Interesting. Yes, I now remember the oil being pricey per litre!

£249 for the discs & pads - pleased to have a new set on then! Mine has done 35k as I said, and I think the pads had some life left in them, but the discs had some future rust issues on the way - not on the disc face but on the edge.

My original post was more about how Palmers have gone out of their way to help me and Skoda appear to have supported that when, perhaps, they didn't have to in all the circumstances.

Edited 19 June, 201313 yr by dunc69

Thats not a bad deal for dealer pricing,if you add jrw's 2 services & dsg oil change & then add the brake change it comes to £659.00 you have had another service out of your £720 which will have cost more than £61. My front disc's are corroded & req replacing soon,mine is 5 years old with 42k on the clock.

I collected the car this afternoon. Doug told me that the MOT was also included in the maintenance package!

Palmers had also replaced the high level rear brake light, because apparently a couple of the bulbs had gone, and had topped up the oil.

Cost to me today = £0.

A big thank you to an excellent dealership who have looked after me extremely well for three years!

My decision to buy new in 2010 was based on the awful experience I had recently had with a second hand Mk 5 GTI & terrible VW customer service.

Skoda have consistently & continually ensured that the decision was the right one!

Edited 20 June, 201313 yr by dunc69

Oh, and BTW, the vRS (petrol DSG estate with toys) is an absolutely brilliant car and looks to be a keeper!

My decision to buy new in 2010 was based on the awful experience I had recently had with a second hand Mk 5 GTI & terrible VW customer service.

Out of interest how old was the GTi?

Rob, it was an '05 which I bought in early '09.

Has persistent coolant system issues & needed a new steering rack (it's third overall) at about 40k miles.

I had to fight VW very hard to ultimately get a 90% contribution, but I swore there & then I'd never go VW again.

To be fair then IMO you can't compare the service you have had at Skoda to the one you have had at VW as one is on a new car bought from the dealer still within normal warranty to one that is much older and out of normal warranty.

Skoda has numerous air con compressors fail just over the 3 year limit and you will often get 0% contribution from them to fix even though from the numbers of failures its obviously a design flawed part.

Which is exactly the point. And why I bought new.

Was still pretty disappointed with VW.

Got a price today for my front pads & disc's & 2 litres of brake fluid.......£70 all inc (have a friend whos is in the trade) & my last service cost me £35. I do my own work on my car though.

I don't get it: surely if you bought from new any actual required parts would have been under warranty ? My Servicing package (which included liquids) was £10 / month - so £120 per service all in essentially. (2 minor 1 major) - Frankly if anything at all goes wrong with a any new car within 3 years under normal use in this day and age I would expect a short sharp fix including parts by any marque.

Sounds to me what you actually got was a VAG branded 3 year savings account where they kept the interest and the parts markup... Just playing devils advocate here, not being mean. Credit to Palmers though.

Extended warranties are a good idea, I hear, if you have a local indy that can word the claim correctly.

Edited 20 June, 201313 yr by zacherynuk

Warranty will not cover consumable parts. A maintenance & parts package will.

I was lucky in that I got back more than I paid. That was thanks to Palmers.

Others may not be so lucky / well looked after. These policies should be viewed with caution.

You need to be sure you are likely to be with the same dealer (ideally the one you bought the car from) for the period of the policy - usually 3 years.

If so, it may work out for you too!