So my car tells me I've got 800 miles until the next service is due.

It's got 53,000 on the clock and this will be it's third service - 19,000 then 36,000 and now 53,000

As this is a longlife/variable service I'm told this is classed as a "major service" so I'm looking at £259 according to the Skoda website. Yer I know I could probably go indi, but I'd only save around £50 and I do like a full set of Skoda stamps in case I require some "goodwill" in the future.

 

The first place I contacted quoted me £273 all included - which is £14 more than the "fixed price" listed on Skoda's website. Is the variable service not classed as the "major service" and thus doesn't come under the fixed pricing?

 

They also advised that a brake fluid change is due at 3yrs at a further cost of £51. I'm pretty sure I had this done on my previous pre-FL Octy, but at the time I did wonder if it was really required. What is the thoughts on this? Do I really need brake fluid changed at 3yrs?

 

Ta

yes.

Yes you do as by that age of the fluid it starts to get moisture ingress making it less effective!

I would, I had my brake fluid changed during the service last year and in this years service I was told the moisture level was 2% with the max. advised level being 3%.

yes from me.  I'm not sure why they stretch the first change out to 3 years - maybe to reduce TCOO for the fleet buyers?  It should just be every 2 years, especially when you consider that the first 2 years doesn't account for the transport period from factory to holding yard, then the dealership time, etc.

I did the brake fluid every 2yr. I thought that was in the service book?

For newer cars (2011 onwards?) The first brake fluid change is at 3 years then it is every 2 years after that.

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Yes the brake fluid should be replaced. Brake fluid is what's known as hygroscopic which means it absorbers moisture from the atmosphere DOT 4 brake fluid has a boiling point of around 230 deg C an water as we all know is around 100 depending on pressure. The more water that's in your brake fluid the lower the boiling point becomes I believe the wet boiling point (which is classed at about 3.5% water content) the boiling point drops down to around 155 deg C. That's quite a drop for not a lot of water. As you can imagine after a sustained period of breaking your brake fluid would soon be boiling and you would suffer a drastic loss in braking effectiveness

Always do mine at 2 years,get the clutch fluid done too makes hell of a difference.

 

 

 

 

Trev

I will be doing mine myself soon. Got an ezibleed which makes it a doddle to do.

 

As above they should also bleed off the clutch as it shares the same fluid.

 

Phil

Don't pay £259 for a major service.

 

Pay the £139 for the minor service and ask them to price up the air and fuel filter and spark plugs separately.

 

It will be far less than £259.

 

Another word of caution, the air filter, fuel filter and spark plugs are only replaced "if required", which for most MkII Octavia's is well over 60,000 miles. This means there are people out there paying £259 for a major service and getting a £139 service (oil and oil filter change). Scandalous.

They rarely replace the fuel filter and I was told spark plugs are additional cost if required hence why I serviced mine myself after my 2 free services had expired.

I asked myself the very same question and was not particularly bothered at the 3yr point but the quote from the main dealer was good including service, brake fluid and fuel filter.

 

 

After the service I was surprised at the difference in feel of the brake pedal, it is well worth doing.

Here with us, law is a every 2 years for brake fluid...

Cheers for the posts. Looks like I'll have to go and speak to main dealers as at the moment I cannot even secure the "national fixed servicing" prices. Two email quotes from two local dealers have both been over the £259 - one at £274 and one at £290. When I've pointed out the national pricing I've heard nothing back.

I will check the option of minor service with top-up items as required.

I believe clutch is very easy to bleed. Any tips or guides please? Had my brake fluid done but not sure they did the clutch. Will it make that much difference ? Mine does seem heavier to depress than before but works fine, will it make the pedal easier to depress.

Have you tried the one at Little Downham for your servicing?

Someone quoted the facts about water absorbency and brake fluid and the changed in boiling point. There is also the possibility of moisture eventually affecting the innards of the system and the ABS pump in particular.

Every two years is good.

anyone checked the "stuff in the garage that you top up with"??  a few surprises there I bet- time really does fly!!!

Have you tried the one at Little Downham for your servicing?

Someone quoted the facts about water absorbency and brake fluid and the changed in boiling point. There is also the possibility of moisture eventually affecting the innards of the system and the ABS pump in particular.

Every two years is good.

 

ALS - it's the place where I got my car from in the first place.

They rang and left a message on the answer phone quoting £280 and then also emailed me where they quoted £290! They then quoted me £49 for the brake fluid replacement.

I'll get back to them tomorrow about their rather strange pricing.

I get the impression you can actually "book online" the services at national rates, so worst case I'll do things that way.

The national pricing deal applies to fixed not variable interval servicing and is the maximum that participating dealers may charge. Have you spoken to Vindis Skoda in Cambridge to see if they will do that deal for variable servicing? They have now done that twice for me.

I hadn't spoken to Vindis mainly because they absolutely ripped me off about 4yrs ago on my previous Mk2 vRS - over-charging for work, charging me for work not done and claiming a 1hr fix took them 4.

But I suppose even they can't mess up a service if I get prices in advance.

As my car is now ancient, I haven't used a skoda place since 2003, when my first one finished its warranty.

I had my last service done at Mick's Garage in Wisbech. £220, they also ran me home and picked me up too. All done pukka. They are opposite Morrisons who have a cafe, but the stall in the B&Q car park does really good bacon sandwiches.

Matt Smith In Downham Market has done any suspension/alignment work needed.

Ya see £220 Vs £260 and I'll pay the extra £40 - if something bad happens to the vehicle outside of warranty I've seen from discussions here and elsewhere a full set of Skoda stamps is far more likely to get you some goodwill payment from Skoda. Guess it's all about the odds.

I've just spoken to Vindis and they have said that the "national price major service" would be £259 - I just need to 100% check that is including the longlife oil etc, but they also said plugs would be changed, along with all filters etc. Then £49 on top for the brake fluid change.

 

I'm awaiting a couple of emails back from indi garages, but unless these quotes are significantly lower I'll probably get this done.

If they can guarantee that the £259 includes:

 

Longlife oil

Oil filter

Air filter

Fuel filter

Spark plugs

Pollen filter

 

...then you are doing well.

Ya see £220 Vs £260 and I'll pay the extra £40 - if something bad happens to the vehicle outside of warranty I've seen from discussions here and elsewhere a full set of Skoda stamps is far more likely to get you some goodwill payment from Skoda. Guess it's all about the odds.

 

I'm not sure how old your vRS is but it is worth remembering that Skoda's goodwill gestures apply until the car is 5 years old. After this, full service history or not, then you are on your own.