After a glut of threads recently identifying how Skoda's £249 major / variable (24 month / 20,000 mile) service is a rip off it seems they have decided to remove the itemisation which detailed what was covered under each of the two services on their website...

 

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

 

Thanks Skoda UK for being transparent.

 

The only extra's you get on the major service over the minor service is an air, pollen and fuel filter (and spark plugs on petrol models). That wouldn't be so bad if they actually fitted them at each major service but they only get replaced "if required", which for most Skoda models is well after three years. So what do you get for the extra £120? Nothing.

 

They also state that the fixed pricing only applies to cars between three and ten years old, this isn't true either as I've benefitted from the £129 service on all three of my new Skoda's.

 

Luckily I saved a screen print. Let's hope it's a website glitch and they do the right thing and reinstate the detail.

 

Oh, and prices have gone up £10 too.

 

So remember, next time you book your car in for a service at a franchised Skoda main dealer ask for a £139 minor service (an oil and filter change). Check your service book yourself. If your mileage / age determines that you need the air, fuel or pollen filters changing pay for these as extra's on top of the £139. My local main dealer charges £80 for all three filters which still offers a £40 saving over the major / variable service.

 

Edited 2 April, 201412 yr by silver1011

I'd put Skoda main dealers in the stealer bracket. A few months back, I had a diesel, rubber fuel pipe spring a leak. After no luck getting a bit of pipe, I went to a Skoda main dealer. The answer was an expensive £160 bit of kit, plus another £160 labor charge. True answer was a 50p ( and this was from VAG Trade parts Specialists ( of a pipe, flexible cut to length ),at £1 per foot.

Enough said.

Skoda are now handing over New cars to owners without Service Books,

Saying the information is on their (Skoda) computer.

 

So that might be OK with a Service Package.

But in the EU Free Market where you do not need to use a Main Dealer or even a VAG Dealer,

just a VAT Registered Garage to the Service Schedule and with the Correct parts,

they are taking the Mick.

 

You will need to keep your own records for the Servicing Establishment that has no Access to VAG Service Records.

& its going to be a PITA at Private Sale of your vehicle.

 

They might well furbish you with a Service Book if you insist,

as it might turn out they are introducing a practice that is designed to work against a Free Market in the EU.

 

george

All mine have come with service books without me asking.

When did this start George?

This week.

 

A new owner collected a new Fabia vRS Estate and was surprised.

I checked with Skoda UK Customer Services and they assured me after checkin this is now the standard practice.

 

So time will tell, if the dealer was pants on fire, or Skoda UK are.

Lots of manufacturers don't now supply service books, so that isn't a reason to criticise Skoda!

In my opinion it was,  & i did.

so in your opinion it is not.  Different opinions obviously.

 

So now i know others are also doing this, i will criticise them as well.

'Out of order, those other Manufacturers, whoever you are.!

I know Mazda and (BMW)Mini do it too. 

But I'd still sooner have a book all the same. 

I have service books but never take it to a Skoda garage, i use my local independent garage who i have been using for years.

This week.

A new owner collected a new Fabia vRS Estate and was surprised.

I checked with Skoda UK Customer Services and they assured me after checkin this is now the standard practice.

So time will tell, if the dealer was pants on fire, or Skoda UK are.

Its been the case since at least the beginning of March. There is at least one thread on here about it.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Missing service book is not a problem, just keep all the receipts. I prefer having the receipts to stamps in a service book as there a are now a lot of cars being sold with fake service books where the history has been fabricated. There was one posted on here recently where the poster discovered that the garages mentioned in the book did not even exist, and neither did the town.

Which can be turned into a positive.

 

You get presented with a Hooky and Fabticated Service Book, with fake stamps and a gathering of receipts,

or just ones that make you pay attention,

the you go check the Service Record with the Manufacturer or the Dealership computer.

 

Lets see in 2020 when the Used Skoda is up for sale for the 4th time how useful/helpful Skoda are 

when the Receipts are missing and someone is interested in past History.

 

Service books can be faked now, they always have been.

& equally a Technician or Reception Desk, or even a salesperson/trader can give a car a Service History at the press of a few buttons.

No different from wiping a Oil Filter Clean and then just leaving a few marks to make it look like it was changed.

Times move on.

Nothing changes, just how you fiddle things becomes more modern..

 

george

Which can be turned into a positive.

 

You get presented with a Hooky and Fabticated Service Book, with fake stamps and a gathering of receipts,

or just ones that make you pay attention,

the you go check the Service Record with the Manufacturer or the Dealership computer.

 

Lets see in 2020 when the Used Skoda is up for sale for the 4th time how useful/helpful Skoda are 

when the Receipts are missing and someone is interested in past History.

 

Service books can be faked now, they always have been.

& equally a Technician or Reception Desk, or even a salesperson/trader can give a car a Service History at the press of a few buttons.

No different from wiping a Oil Filter Clean and then just leaving a few marks to make it look like it was changed.

Times move on.

Nothing changes, just how you fiddle things becomes more modern..

 

george

Ooooo, what a cynic.

Good point well made.

+1

Lets not lose sight of the woods for the trees.

 

The lack of a physical service book to record service history is less of an issue. As has been mentioned if the service is performed at a main dealer it is saved electronically and can be called upon by any franchised main dealer direct from the showroom, if not then you have the receipts as proof.

 

The issue here is knowing what is required and when. The confusion around service intervals, the types of different services, time and distance intervals, fixed and variable, service plans etc. is that it is unnecessarily or at least overly complicated for me and you to (want or need to) understand.

 

I just want to get my car serviced as per the manufacturers recommendations without getting my trousers pulled down. Where is the harm in that?

 

Skoda, by recently removing the detail for what is performed under their two service types are doing just that, making it even harder for Joe Public to ensure they are getting the best value for money. This is the issue and this is what I object to.

 

By all means charge fleet companies and those unwilling to do a little homework the full £259 for a £139 service, but I for one can see through your blatant attempt to mislead the public and overcharge unnecessarily.

 

Not the end of the world by any stretch as I already have the information to make an informed choice, but I feel for those who don't have the time to search out if they are actually getting value for money.

Whilst there may not be any more "items" which you have to pay for in the larger service, the itemisation does show a number of additional checks to be performed, all of which will take up the technician's time, which would translate into Labour costs - I'm not saying I agree it should cost that much to perform those extra checks, but your point that you get "nothing" for the extra £120 is an exaggeration.

You mean they actually do the checks?

 

The major service is a blatant rip off as pointed out, none of the extras you pay for are ever actually done with the get out clause of 'only if they think its needed'. How about, you do it because I'm bloody paying for it!

Whilst there may not be any more "items" which you have to pay for in the larger service, the itemisation does show a number of additional checks to be performed, all of which will take up the technician's time, which would translate into Labour costs - I'm not saying I agree it should cost that much to perform those extra checks, but your point that you get "nothing" for the extra £120 is an exaggeration.

 

+1

£40 for those remaining checks and top ups, particularly if the oils need doing doesn't seem like much of a rip-off.  That's probably less than a 1hour labour charge. As for the question of whether they do the checks, I'm pretty sure the 'as applicable' notes only apply to refilling, not actually checking, and if they check and find the levels too low, they'd be done for gross negligence if things weren't topped up. 

A main dealer will always have inflated prices, and some garages will always take shortcuts, but I think if it could be proved that the main dealer was taking shortcuts on their own diagnostics and servicing their would be a bit of a s  t storm.

 

 

After a glut of threads recently identifying how Skoda's £249 major / variable (24 month / 20,000 mile) service is a rip off it seems they have decided to remove the itemisation which detailed what was covered under each of the two services on their website...

 

http://www.skoda.co....icing/servicing

 

Thanks Skoda UK for being transparent.

 

This however, is appalling. Taking a step backward in transparency is disgraceful and, ultimately, insulting. It strikes me that the message is 'you customers couldn't possibly understand what goes into a service, so just hand over the money and we'll make sure it's all ok.'

grrr.

Edited 3 April, 201412 yr by Maieth

I can't substantiate these claims but in my experience the 'visual checks' are done irrespective of which service the car is in for.

 

The checks will reveal potential 'money earners' for the dealer.

 

Part of the £259 major service includes "remove wheels and check brakes", yet on each and every £139 minor service I've been issued with brake pad wear percentages which suggests to me they've checked the brakes! 

 

I stand by my claim that the extra £120 gets you nothing extra. Why else would Skoda remove the information from their website?

 

Shameful.

All mine have come with service books without me asking.

When did this start George?

Earlier this year. Mine was without a service book.

Lets not lose sight of the woods for the trees.

 

The lack of a physical service book to record service history is less of an issue. As has been mentioned if the service is performed at a main dealer it is saved electronically and can be called upon by any franchised main dealer direct from the showroom, if not then you have the receipts as proof.

 

The issue here is knowing what is required and when. The confusion around service intervals, the types of different services, time and distance intervals, fixed and variable, service plans etc. is that it is unnecessarily or at least overly complicated for me and you to (want or need to) understand.

 

I just want to get my car serviced as per the manufacturers recommendations without getting my trousers pulled down. Where is the harm in that?

 

Skoda, by recently removing the detail for what is performed under their two service types are doing just that, making it even harder for Joe Public to ensure they are getting the best value for money. This is the issue and this is what I object to.

 

By all means charge fleet companies and those unwilling to do a little homework the full £259 for a £139 service, but I for one can see through your blatant attempt to mislead the public and overcharge unnecessarily.

 

Not the end of the world by any stretch as I already have the information to make an informed choice, but I feel for those who don't have the time to search out if they are actually getting value for money.

Do you honestly think fleet companies pay retail price?  They will have the price screwed down to the bare minimum. It is all a numbers game with extremely calculated margins for fleet co's. It is retail price in parts, service and new car sales that shore up the fleet discounts.

http://www.sinclairvolkswagen.co.uk/aftersales/fixed-price-servicing/

 

take it to vw?

http://www.sinclairvolkswagen.co.uk/aftersales/fixed-price-servicing/

 

take it to vw?

 

I have used their Skoda dealership for 3 years. Although I'm on "variable" servicing the prices I have paid have never exceeded those figures. Perhaps that is one of the reasons they get such good write-ups in the Dealer review section!

Do you honestly think fleet companies pay retail price?  They will have the price screwed down to the bare minimum. It is all a numbers game with extremely calculated margins for fleet co's. It is retail price in parts, service and new car sales that shore up the fleet discounts.

 

Yes, I saw an invoice from an Audi dealer for a service on an one of our fleet A3's. We run more than 200 Audi's.

 

The prices were far higher than normal private retail prices. The car also had a clutch and two new tyres. The prices were eye wateringly high.

http://www.sinclairvolkswagen.co.uk/aftersales/fixed-price-servicing/

 

take it to vw?

 

That's more like it.

 

A detailed list of what is included. No mention of "if required" either.

 

The minor service is still £10 more expensive than Skoda, but the £259 major service is the same price but looks to include the air, fuel and pollen filter regardless of if they are needed. 

 

Another example of Skoda taking advantage of their improving brand image perhaps? Or being greedy?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Vehicle-Parts-Accessories-/131090/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=skoda+service+book

 

....at prices to keep even the tightest folk happy too!

 

 

Ask the dealer (nicely) to stamp it

 

or

 

Make up your own rubber stamp and off you go: service book and invoices.

Edited 4 April, 201412 yr by damo
offensive term removed