2nd service... air filter ?

[Hedgecutter]

Hi, Having had my first service , just oil change, at the variable interval 18000 miles, I have decided to stick to 10000 mile intervals, especially as I am about to drive 1800 miles to France and back. I am now on 28000.  My local dealer is not part of the fixed price scheme of minor/major services, and has told me my air/fuel filters are not due til 60000. I would be happier doing them now, so what do you think. I am not particularly confident with their advice, seeing as they had the car down as being owned by someone else, despite doing the first service ! I know that the air filter will be filthy, as there is a lot of gritty dirt on surfaces in the engine compartment. (I may have answered my own question there)

I was quoted £ 125/150 just oil change, £ 225 full inspection and oil change, or £ 145 oil and winter check. The winter check I have already done myself.

 

[Too Tall]

Air Filter literally takes about 2 minutes to change - and they can be bought online or from an autopartsstore for next to nothing. I'd just do it myself. And I would clean the inside of the airbox while I'm in there anyway, as the garage would just slap another one in there without bothering to clean it.

 

Both air and cabin filters are so easy to change, not to mention you can periodically take them out, clean them with a vacuum or blow out all the dust. Especially when you took a holiday in a dusty place, you can prolong the lifespan of these filters by cleaning them from time to time.

 

I clean these filters 3 times / year, and change them every year.

Edited 8 January, 2015 by Too Tall

[JakeBlade]

The fuel filter will not last 60,000 miles on today's diesel, where sellers blend in varying quantities of biodiesel. £20 fitted it should cost you.

[Hedgecutter]

Thanks. Can you buy genuine in the UK ?

[Hedgecutter]

It`s still under warranty

[Too Tall]

During warranty I'd just go the dealer route. Get those stamps. If you plan on keeping the car for a long time, then it's worth saving some money by doing it yourself. But only after warranty. Don't give them an excuse to wriggle out of a warranty claim when they discover you didn't get certain things done, or you did things yourself.

 

First you need to know the partnumbers;

 

1. Check the invoices of the services. You should see the VAG partnumbers listed. Or;

2. Remove the filters and check the number on it. Air/Cabin is very easy to check this way (and you can clean them, possible you don't need to replace them just yet). Or;

3. Check websites like "mister-auto.co.uk". When you select your car based on reg or just manual selection, you will see the OEM partnumbers listed.

 

Example my car;

 

http://www.mister-auto.co.uk/en/air-filter/bolk-bol-b031245_g8_a999BOL-B031245.html

 

As you can see, it sais;

 

MANUFACTURER REFERENCES (OEM CODES)

- AUDI : 1K0129620D - 1K0129620F
- SEAT : 1K0129620D - 1K0129620F
- SKODA : 1K0129620D - 1K0129620F
- VOLKSWAGEN : 1K0129620D - 1K0129620F

 

So those are the partnumbers. Now you can use that number to check google, ebay, or other sellers of filters.

 

As long as you stick to Bosch, Mann-filter, Valeo or Bolk, you'll be getting OEM quality. OEM stuff is often just Bosch or Mann-filter, but in a VAG box (and a 150% price tag)

 

I use mister auto most of the time, I wait untill they have a 15-20% discount, then get all the filters, and usually a set of Bosch wiper blades.

 

Also popular in the UK is http://http//www.eurocarparts.com/ I believe.

Edited 8 January, 2015 by Too Tall

[Too Tall]

Pollen (cabin) filter tutorial;

 

1.

2. 

3. http://www.golfmk6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29313

 

Airfilter tutorial;

 

1. http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/148602-dumb-guys-asks-how-do-you-change-the-air-filter-on-a-mkii-octavia/

 

Unsure about your engine, but the procedures are exactly the same on many MANY cars from the VAG concern

Edited 8 January, 2015 by Too Tall

[silver1011]

Sounds to me like it would be worth travelling further afield for a better dealer.

Since their major/variable/inspection service is lower (£225) than Skoda's National Pricing Policy (£259) then they could be charging some customers more than they currently are!

They would only have to knock off £6 to match the £139 minor/fixed service price.

Anyway, at least they are being honest. Rightly or wrongly the air, fuel and pollen (cabin) filters often aren't officially due until 3 years or approx 60,000 miles. This is why anyone who pays £259 for a variable service before this point is being done, they are paying £259 for a £139 oil and filter change!

I too don't wait that long. Genuine air and pollen filters can be had off the internet for £30 and fitted yourself in minutes.

Pay the £139 for an oil and filter change and add a fuel filter from their menu pricing. The only reason I would caution against doing the fuel filter yourself is the that it is quite easy to bend the lid when levering it off, or not quite getting the correct fit for the lids gasket. Any leaks will reach the cambelt and it'll perish and fail if left unnoticed.

Edited 8 January, 2015 by silver1011

[Hedgecutter]

So... the Skoda fixed price major service at £259 only includes the air and fuel filters if you are at 60000 miles, not at  my choice of mileage, and only for variable servicing; I hadn`t realised that. My dealers price of £ 225 was just for oil change and all over inspection, no other filters. I`ll ask them tomorrow how much to add in the air and fuel filter, and do the air myself when out of warranty. Good advice on the fuel filter. Thanks 

[silver1011]

Oh wow, so your dealers equivalent to Skoda's £139 oil service is £225?

Jeez they must have a captive market, where are you?

I'd love to hear their justification for charging £85 more!

The £139 service also includes a pretty thorough inspection. See here...

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

Edited 8 January, 2015 by silver1011

[Hedgecutter]

I think I will go in tomorrow, as these prices were given over the phone, and as I understood it the lowest price was for nothing more than an oil change, with no inspection. You would have thought that there would be a standard service for cars under warranty. The employee kept putting me on hold, and I lost confidence in them by the time that she told me that they had someone else down as the owner.

[FLAPPERJACK7]

Oh wow, so your dealers equivalent to Skoda's £139 oil service is £225?

Jeez they must have a captive market, where are you?

I'd love to hear their justification for charging £85 more!

The £139 service also includes a pretty thorough inspection. See here...

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

£139 for all that! Photos or never happened.

[silver1011]

Photo's of what, the new oil [emoji2]

Seriously though £139 is the most you should pay, some have reportedly had it for less!

When you consider all they are changing is the oil and oil filter, which can be bought non-trade for less than £35 it's still not a bad mark-up. Several of those a day should keep a big glass showroom shiny for long enough.

After a quick diagnostics check the rest involves walking round the car with a list of tick boxes, a tyre tread depth checker and a torch. It's then down to the lads in the valeting bay.

[FLAPPERJACK7]

Photos of them updating every single control unit's software. I don't think so. [emoji41]

Edited 8 January, 2015 by FLAPPERJACK7

[E1Skoda]

Your dealer is ripping you off... badly..

 

I bought my Skoda Superb 2.0TDI's best oil available + all filters (including oil filter) and my 15-year-old son changed them all in less than 15 minutes.

 

It cost me 110€ total, with a discount 90€.

[Hedgecutter]

Of course dealers charge customers a lot; we don't call them stealers for nothing in this country! But as I said, I am still in warranty, so allowing my son to change the oil filter is not a risk that I am prepared to take. Obviously you didn't pay your son £ 60 + an hour, and you only need to see the current thread about the gentleman travelling to Spain who has lost all his oil due to a badly fitted oil filter by a dealer... He should be compensated, whilst all you could do is give your son a rollicking.

Having visited them today, they can do the air filter for £ 28, fuel filter for £ 49, in addition to the oil change at £ 125, but there is no comprehensive inspection etc. These prices are not much more than my independent Subaru garage.

Just for the record, pollen filter would be £ 28, cam belt/water pump £614, and haldex oil £ 60. As Silver says, at least they are upfront with their prices

[JakeBlade]

I'm sure they would be negotiable on those air and fuel filters. £45 would be a reasonable number for them, fitted and incl. VAT.

I'm a big believer in maintaining main dealer service history by the way: goodwill for fixing faults after the warranty has run out can be generous if a full service history is maintained. But likewise, main dealers are negotiable on the non-core service items if you put a reasonable price under their nose.

Edited 9 January, 2015 by JakeBlade

[E1Skoda]

The reason why I let my son change all the filters, is because it's VERY simple.

 

You have to take 6-8 screws off the top of the oil filter, take the new one, put a new seal and all the included things, drop it back into place and screw it tightly again.

 

So far I've had absolutely no problems, it's very easy to change all the filters for a VAG car.

 

If someones car lost all of it's oil, it probably wasn't just because of the oil filter. There are quite many stupid dealers out there who don't know to change air filters :P

[Danny 57]

Hi, Having had my first service , just oil change, at the variable interval 18000 miles, I have decided to stick to 10000 mile intervals, especially as I am about to drive 1800 miles to France and back. I am now on 28000. My local dealer is not part of the fixed price scheme of minor/major services, and has told me my air/fuel filters are not due til 60000. I would be happier doing them now, so what do you think. I am not particularly confident with their advice, seeing as they had the car down as being owned by someone else, despite doing the first service ! I know that the air filter will be filthy, as there is a lot of gritty dirt on surfaces in the engine compartment. (I may have answered my own question there)

I was quoted £ 125/150 just oil change, £ 225 full inspection and oil change, or £ 145 oil and winter check. The winter check I have already done myself.

Just had my second service £108 which included the oil and pollen filters, I supplied the oil 507 grade.

BTW that included an inspection of the brakes, tyres and body work.

Edited 10 January, 2015 by Danny 57

[Supurbia]

New air and fuel filters repay time and again in the life stakes,

 

Every 20k imo regardless what the makers say.

[Hedgecutter]

Just had it done; They picked me up to collect, but had offered me a car for the day; £ 167.94 +vat, £201.54 inc ( so 1p overcharged on vat?) Oil and filter change, air filter, and fuel filter, checked for codes, fault found on left temperature flap position motor, so rebooked for warranty repair, car washed. Turned out ok, but motor sounds a bit knocky on tickover.... my be my paranoia !

[Supurbia]

Just had it done; They picked me up to collect, but had offered me a car for the day; £ 167.94 +vat, £201.54 inc ( so 1p overcharged on vat?) Oil and filter change, air filter, and fuel filter, checked for codes, fault found on left temperature flap position motor, so rebooked for warranty repair, car washed. Turned out ok, but motor sounds a bit knocky on tickover.... my be my paranoia !

 

 

They may have flushed it and this has removed some sludge that was dampening sounds,

 

For all though, GSF is the place if you self service, buy Mann filters and for the VAG range the filters are very good prices, fuel £15, oil £4 Air £12 Pollen £12 or thereabouts, same as oem filters cos Mann make em for VAG anyway.

[Hedgecutter]

Thanks; I`ll go that way on the next one, after warranty. It`s good to have a stamp in the book as well.