I bought my car outside of the Dealership at a local garage. It had been serviced by Horton's Skoda but the local garage serviced the car prior to me buying it so it has a 'spurious' stamp in the service book. I bought it at 14000 miles and a year on with 'SERVICE NOW' showing I only have 17500 (due mainly to illness). It's on a 2010 plate so out of warranty.

 

The car is a 1.2 Tsi (105) DSG and as I am about to book it in for the DSG recall I am wondering whether to get them (Westgate Skoda-Grimsby) to do the service at the same time.

 

Thing is, due to costs and that 'spurious stamp' I was going to go to a local VAG specialist for the service. 

I see JD Power are listing the Fabia as "expensive to service". What might I expect to pay at the dealership? any clue anyone can give me prior to me ringing them would be very helpful.

 

Harry

I suspect a Skoda dealer will try to charge you around £300.

 

At 4 years they'll try to change your spark plugs which are at least £60 for the Tsi, but with OE being being iridium/platinum they wont tell you they are good for 60,000 miles, maybe more.

 

Of course you'll have the old chesnut, the pollen filter, a nice little earner that you could change yourself in under a minute for under £10 from GSF. Funny how when I check mine, it has a light assortment of nature lodged in it - nothing that a shake and a soft brush wont  shift, but when I ask for it back from a service, it comes back looking as if it had travelled the length and breadth of China, making special detours through the most heavily polluted industrial cities.

 

Your air filter - well thats a 4 year item again - yes I know its pretty clean - but rules are rules.

 

You'll be given special treatment, such as possibly the correct oil being used - not guaranteed though - nobody seems sure what oil they are using -  but with your mileage, they'll justify putting in that basic stuff on the grounds that your service regime requires it. They may even change your oil filter (mark it). They will definitely top up your screen wash - even if it didnt need it.

 

They will do a zillion point check on everything, which now has been delegated the responsibility of the desk clerk, who will tick every box he can see - maybe you'll get your tyres measured too, did you know they do tyres now at competitive prices sir?

 

Yeah, they'll plug in the computer, computer says huh? whaddoiknow? check the box...

 

But most importantly of all they'll smudge a little inky stamp in your service book, but also quickly point out you've been a naughty boy, and because of this, they cant guarantee your car wont fall to bits the minute you drive out of the garage.

 

oh, if your really interested you can be a real masochist and listen to them deny your camchain should be changed, despite it being noisy on cold starts (its stretched dont you know) and subject to a silent recall for 1.2tsi engines produced before 2011. Ahh, your out of warranty sir, and you were a naughty boy, so don't bug us about goodwill....if only you'd stuck with us, we might have told you about that (eyes point to the ceiling)......just pay the bill sir....

 

 

Why dont you just phone them and ask them for a price? Try the sharp intake of breath - that might get you 10% off.......

Edited 9 June, 201412 yr by xman

Hi Xman, thanks for your reply. My main problem is I just came out of hospital after an operation which leaves me pretty incapacitated for about 6 weeks, so I really was considering the main dealer so that I could kill 2 birds with one stone as it were and not have to worry about travelling .

 

I have seen your posts before and sort of guessed you are not much of a fan of Skoda dealerships   but hey, everything you say makes sense. I'll just hang fire for a while and use the specialist but out of interest will get a quote from the MD.

 

I had my car checked by Horton's Skoda Lincoln when I bought it and was advised they had done the recall you mentioned. I think it was to do with Chain tensioners not sure. They assured me there were no outstanding recalls at that time (though yes, it's just their word.)

 

The company I plan to use are J Forman VW Audi specialists of Cleethorpes and have been in business 30 years. They claim to use all 'genuine' parts where poss and have all the diagnostic equipment. From research I haven't found anything untowards about them.

 

I'll let you know how I get on and thank you again for your input.

 

Harry.

Edited 10 June, 201412 yr by horkin