When my Fabia required a service a few weeks ago, I'd been told that the service was expensive because of the price of the special oil - "only comes in 1 litre bottles sir" as I'm sure we have all been told.

I've always suspected that it comes out of a drum, but I was recently talking to an ex-Audi "technician" at a party and he told me that they did in fact use 1 litre bottles.

I had reason to go to my dealer today and took the opportunity to drive into the workshop. To my surprise were several large oil drums, and other large containers of brake fluid, gearbox oil etc etc etc.

One oil drum contained Quantum PD oil. When I challanged the service manager he said it was not for PD engines - I questioned this further and he said it was for waste oil, despite there being a large tank next to the drum labelled "waste oil". He finally admitted that this was PD oil and that he was not aware from where the oil put into the cars was supplied from. He asked me to believe thim that he was not aware of this drum.

I'm not annoyed that they used quantum PD oil, what annoys me is that they *hagged me for the cost of "highly expensive VW" oil and did not invoice or charge me for Quantum. When the Alhambra was serviced recently, they charged me for 5 litres of Quntum PD at just over a fiver per litre and put the container in the car with nearly 1 litre left. Skoda charged me nearly

Wow, I thought I got rinsed at my last service!

PD oil is expensive (even Quantum PD oil), but you can get it cheaper. I remember oilman on here doing group deals on several types of oil.

And I think your dealer is feeding you a lot of b*llsh!t. This is why I supply my own oil (505.01 spec of course)

Dont tar all us dealers with the same brush. There are some bad un's but there are also some good uns.

Just as a note we have 506.01 on bulk pump (around 1500 litres of it in a tank) and use that on all PD's.

I aknowledge that there are some great dealerships out there, but I say let the reviews speak for themselves.

BTW lummox, I note you're based not far from me! Could you give me a clue as to where I could find decent service ?

I work in M.K

I get yer , sounds like just what the doctor ordered .

After reading these posts i think we all want the same thing a good job done at a fair price. Maybe a list should be made like the dealer pages but with servicing costs and marks out of 10 for politeness etc. It is bad when you have a nice car and you don't trust any of the dealers to service it but i think this goes for all garages IMHO. Maybe im getting paranoid!

Dont tar all us dealers with the same brush. There are some bad un's but there are also some good uns.

Just out of interest, how much do you charge? I have no problem with using oil from a drum or whatever as long as they are open about it and charge the correct (fair) price.

The Service manager is currently investigating and hopefully we will reach an amicable resoltion - hence why I've not "named and shamed"

After reading these posts i think we all want the same thing a good job done at a fair price. Here Here!

Maybe a list should be made like the dealer pages but with servicing costs and marks out of 10 for politeness etc. - an excellent idea - by the way the service manager concerened said we were all sad when I mentioned Briskoda !

It is bad when you have a nice car and you don't trust any of the dealers to service it but i think this goes for all garages IMHO. Maybe im getting paranoid! - I'm afraid your not getting paranoid - just a fact of life

Maybe not every dealer is the same - lets try and find them and recommend them here.

My problem is/was the dealer is excellent in some ways (friendly, helpful, appears to do the job right) but expensive (nearly twice the cost).

Combined with an issue that needs resolving (something was snapped) - I've not had time to go back yet, and that's 2 weeks ago, my work is very busy right now), it's just the time aspect that's killing me.

I'm sure it will get sorted though, they keep their word (another positive).

Xenons however have yet again been adjusted downward

Just out of interest, how much do you charge?

IIRC its around

IIRC its around

I don't mind paying for the service I recieve' date=' but I resent being ripped-off and paying inflated prices for someone who does not work to standard equal or better than myself.

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Despite higher oil prices than some places our costs for servicing are very competative they have to be or we wouldnt be so busy. Difference is we dont rip people off doing annual services when a lube is needed thus saving labour. We see plenty of people that come unstuck doing jobs at home. Working on a modern car isnt as easy as they used to be we are trained by the manufacturer to work on your vehicles keeping them safe for you to drive. Check the Octavia in our workshop at the moment where the guy thought a price for a cambelt change was too high and did it himself at home as he used to service his Mondeo before it. Its now having 12 new valves.

Very well said Lummox BUT the oil IS a rip off.

Im not 100% sure on the

Very well said Lummox BUT the oil IS a rip off.

Check the Octavia in our workshop at the moment where the guy thought a price for a cambelt change was too high and did it himself at home as he used to service his Mondeo before it. Its now having 12 new valves.

My neighbour changed a cambelt on his Audi 1.8T but used the wrong one and ended up having to do the job again plus replace all the valves when it snapped. Unbeknown to him the engine had suffered further hidden damage and it failed terminally on its first long journey after those repairs.

My neighbour changed a cambelt on his Audi 1.8T but used the wrong one and ended up having to do the job again plus replace all the valves when it snapped. Unbeknown to him the engine had suffered further hidden damage and it failed terminally on its first long journey after those repairs.

I agree, but how many people have paid to have cambelts done which were not changed and how many were fitted incorrectly by garages?

I had one done on my wife's 1.4 Golf MK 3 - one of the easiest to do so I've been told. When I went to start the car from where the garage had parked it, I was getting some very interesting noises coming from the engine - louder than any diesel. I also noticed later that they'd cracked the cambelt cover - I presume from trying to prise it aside, rather than remove it.

At least if a garage mucks it up they're responsible.

Again, please don't think I'm knocking either of you - I know you are a respected person on this site and I also respect you.

I recently had a 40K service on my PD100, carried out by a Main Dealer.

I've just checked the invoice and can confirm that the charge for 5 ltrs of oil was

I recently had a 40K service on my PD100, carried out by a Main Dealer.

I've just checked the invoice and can confirm that the charge for 5 ltrs of oil was

So, provide your own oil

I hope to use my own vw approved PD oil for my 10.000 mile service, is there any way that the Skoda dealer can say no to using the approved oil?

Over to you Lummox?

They will use whatever you provide.

However, provided you use one which meets the relevant standards for VAG PD engines then there is nowt they can say, even in the event of a warranty claim.