Major service not so major..?

[silver1011]

Exactly, see post #18

 

You are right in that the their fixed national pricing policy only applies to cars older than 3 years but it should also be note that my local Skoda dealer has applied it to my car from new. I imagine it varies from location to location.

[oxonboxn]

>>>and don't think that "fixed" means fixed, either! When I asked how much my first Citigo service would cost, I was told that it would be £139. I then mentioned that other dealers were doing it for less than £100 (as mentioned on here at the time) and the reply...."how does £90 sound then?"  And that's EXACTLY what was charged and included fully-synth oil!

[MickA]

This is therefore very useful.

 

Skoda recently took down this page until a few of us on here accused them of not being transparant with the itemisation of their servicing.

 

It soon reappeared...

 

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

 

Well my pollen filter wasn't replaced at the 10k/12 month service. I did get an extra 8 psi in the tyres though, must have been extra air giving day that day.

 

At the 20k/24 month service my car came back dirtier, says they wash and vacuum.

 

But having said this I didn't pay those prices either, but I still should have had what's on the list.

 

 

As you can tell I hate anyone else doing stuff to my car, only if I can't or haven't got the tools I'll take it to a garage or dealer if under warranty. My local garage is pretty good, I'll sound them out to see what they charge.  I trust them more than a big posh dealer place, you seem to come back with reams of paperwork after just an oil change, I was thumbing through it all the other day.

Edited 25 January, 2015 by MickA

[Emil]

Spark plugs and air filter every 60 000 km or 4 years.

Second service contains several checkings and inspections. If they also clean drum brakes I think 2nd service is still reasonably priced. Major services comes later.

Third year brake fluid needs replacing. Looks like I'm going to do services by myself after 2nd or 3rd service.

[stooz]

eh???

 

Interim Service

•Vehicle inspection - inspection of  brake pads/shoes/discs,

 

£129

 

Main Service;

As per interim service but also
•Remove wheels and check brakes

 

erm - arnt these the same things?

[oxonboxn]

Presumably, only the "main" service involves removing the wheels?

[Hyphons]

Presumably, only the "main" service involves removing the wheels?

So I payed £100 more to have a bloke take my wheels off? I take it he would have also visually inspected the brakes, wear on the pads and drums etc

[Stormchaser]

They did have the drums off mine on its first service but I was complaining of squealing rear brakes. They only cleaned them up [emoji57]

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[PastyBoy]

eh???

 

Interim Service

•Vehicle inspection - inspection of  brake pads/shoes/discs,

 

£129

 

Main Service;

As per interim service but also

•Remove wheels and check brakes

 

erm - arnt these the same things?

 

I'd guess the first option is "yes - it has brakes"

the second options takes off the wheels and is "yes it DEFINITELY has brakes"

[silver1011]

Removal of the wheels allows for a more thorough / detailed inspection of the brakes, calipers and suspension.

 

Without removing the wheels the mechanic is limited to what can be seen from the inside of the brakes when the car is up on the ramps or through the spokes of the wheels.

 

In my experience the more checks that are done then the more chance there is of the garage finding additional work that can be charged for.

 

Trust me, the visual inspection during the lower cost minor service will be highly likely to find any faults worthy of note.

[Toxicvrs]

Removal of the wheels allows for a more thorough / detailed inspection of the brakes, calipers and suspension.

Without removing the wheels the mechanic is limited to what can be seen from the inside of the brakes when the car is up on the ramps or through the spokes of the wheels.

In my experience the more checks that are done then the more chance there is of the garage finding additional work that can be charged for.

Trust me, the visual inspection during the lower cost minor service will be highly likely to find any faults worthy of note.

There's a tool for checking pad thickness and a long mirror on a stick used to check the pads, wheels off is to check condition of clips and mounts etc

[Emil]

It's impossible to check and clean drum brakes without taking wheels (and drums) off. Citigo has not brake pads at rear, but it has brake shoes.

[Toxicvrs]

It's impossible to check and clean drum brakes without taking wheels (and drums) off. Citigo has not brake pads at rear, but it has brake shoes.

I know, rear wheels will be taken off regardless IME, I do this day in day out for a firm except we are more thorough issue is you can only do what the customer is paying for

[Emil]

Second service should include cleaning and inspection for rear brakes.

[Huskoda]

In my experience the more checks that are done then the more chance there is of the garage finding additional work that can be charged for.

Which is why they tend to do it every service regardless of what you pay for.

[Emil]

That's why firms are exist. They are supposed to make money for the owners of the company.

[MickA]

That's why firms are exist. They are supposed to make money for the owners of the company.

 

That's why Halfords (don't ask, not on my cars) replaced discs and pads on on my daughters car after it had already had the pads changed very recently and I know the discs were in good nick as I checked them myself, that was the very same week it passed an MOT.

Couldn't prevent the work being done as I only got told afterwards. She took it in for a free pre winter check they called it.

[stooz]

sadly I have many stories of AUDI service staff "inspecting" my brakes and trying to charge me £300 for new pads when my own checks show there is plenty of pad left.

I know an ex audi service manager and it was standard practice to charge for new pads regardless of wear - and in some cases - not even changing them.

 

same applied to re gassing the aircon that never got re gassed...

[MickA]

sadly I have many stories of AUDI service staff "inspecting" my brakes and trying to charge me £300 for new pads when my own checks show there is plenty of pad left.

I know an ex audi service manager and it was standard practice to charge for new pads regardless of wear - and in some cases - not even changing them.

 

same applied to re gassing the aircon that never got re gassed...

 

I got that asked on my Citigo, second service @11k miles. Not saying it never got done but they wanted to charge extra at service to check it, then extra of course if it wanted a regas. I declined, it worked very well as far as I was concerned.

I think they just want to look for work and to some, not me, it seems a very good thing/deal to have them check or do the work.

My daughter is a new driver, her first car and I think they see her as a target for making money, suggesting this and that is good for your car etc. I can see through all that and make my own judgements, but I guess we all learn eventually, especially when presented with the bill.

[Michaelski]

On this self-same, sad, sorry (& obviously extremely contentious) subject, I have a 10 months old Elegance which has just hit 5,000, & I (what a good boy I am) decided to check it in for a minor service, somewhat ahead of its' time.   I was quoted £169, and when I laughed disdainfully at this, the guy immediately made a counter-offer of knocking 15% (whoopee, a whole £25) off - it was still going to cost £145 though - & for what? a quart of oil, a new filter, & around a max of one hours labour.

 

The service untermensch subjected me to a whole shedload of propaganda about "what else" I'd be getting in return for a bucketful of my shekels - which didn't sound all that much to me, especially at this age & this mileage.

 

It seems to me, that once one has actually purchased a Citigo (or conceivably any other model of Skoda) the Dealership/Stealership merely look on you as the proverbial "Milk Cow", & there to be taken for a ride.

 

I swear that each time I drive past the Stealership, the bell on the Till "dings" & the drawer flies open, ready for my money.

 

Am I being cynical, or possibly, not cynical enough?   

[stooz]

You need them for the upgrades that dont fall in to dangerous so arent classed as recalls. software patches to the ECU or a faulty part that needs replacing for free that could still cause a failure to start in the morning or some such. But still..., I wondwr if dealers could just be asked for the notices list, and just have those done?

 

But with labour at 80-90 an hour, its going to be tough for a main dealer to quite much less.

A good independent can cut loads off the hourly rate as they dont have the overheads.

[Michaelski]

THIS TOPIC IS STARTING TO GET JUST A TAD HAIR-RAISING,AS SOUNDS AS THOUGH EVERYONE WHO BUYS A CITIGO/UP/MII is being RIPPED OFF.

HAVING CHECKED DEEPLY INTO WHAT'S BEING CARRIED OUT BY THE DEALERSHIP/STEALERSHIP, ON A MINOR SERVICE & IRRESPECTIVE OF HOW LITTLE MILEAGE THE CAR HAS DONE, ON A MINOR SERVICE, ONE BASICALLY RECEIVES AN OIL & FILTER CHANGE - WHICH AT £169(WHICH IS WHAT I WAS QUOTED)IS EVER SO JUST SLIGHTLY EXPENSIVE. APART FROM HAVING THE RECORD OF SERVICE REGISTERED WITH SKODA (WHY ON EARTH SHOULD I BE BOTHERED ABOUT THAT?), & "POSSIBLY" SOME DOWNLOADS BEING ADDED, EVERYTHING ELSE SEEMS TO BE PURELY COSMETIC. THE "VEHICLE INSPECTION" IS (ASSUMING THAT IT IS ACTUALLY DONE) BUT A WALK AROUND THE CAR (SOMETHING I DO MYSELF EVERY DAY): THE "RESETTING OF THE SERVICE INTERVAL DISPLAY" (OR MORE PERTINENTLY, THE LACK OF) IS NO MORE THAN AN OVERT THREAT TO ANYONE WHO DARES TO TAKE THEIR CAR ANYWHERE ELSE TO BE SERVICED: THE "FULL VEHICLE ROAD TEST" (ACCORDING TO SOME OWNERS) IS LITTLE MORE THAN SOME MECHANIC TAKING THE CAR FOR A 10 MINUTE JOLLY DOWN THE ROAD, & THRASHING THE LITTLE ENGINE STUDS OFF: THE "DIAGNOSTIC CHECK" POSSIBLY SOUNDS SOMEWHAT IMPRESSIVE, BUT HARDLY LIKELY TO PRODUCE ANYTHING ADVERSE ON A 10 MONTH OLD, 5000 MILE CAR (LIKE MINE: SKODA THEMSELVES STATE THAT THE POLLEN FILTER IS ONLY REPLACED (AT THE CUSTOMER'S COST) "IF REQUIRED" - AGAIN ON A ONE YEAR OLD CAR, IT'S HARDLY LIKELY TO BE "REQUIRED": YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET YOUR SERVICE BOOK STAMPED, AS THERE ARE NOW NO SERVICE BOOKS (IT'S ALL COMPUTERISED) SO IN RETURN FOR (EVEN A DISCOUNTED PRICE) IT WOULD APPEAR THAT ALL I WOULD GET FOR MY MONEY, IS AN OIL & FILTER CHANGE. AT EVEN £145, IT WOULD BE CHEAPER TO FILL THE ENGINE WITH LIQUID GOLD. AND INCIDENTALLY, AS ALL MINOR (IE. ODD YEARS OF THE CAR'S LIFE ARE RECOMMENDED TO HAVE JUST A MINOR SERVICE, WHAT (IN THE NAME OF ALL HOLY) HAPPENS IN YEARS 3,5 & 7, ETC?

IDLY BROWSING THE INTERNET, I CAME ACROSS AN ADVERT FOR KWIKFIT - WHO FOR £132, WOULD CHANGE THE OIL & FILTER, AND (ACCORDING TO THEIR BLURB)CARRY OUT ALL SORTS OF ATTRACTIVE ADITIONAL CHECKS - TOO MANY IN FACT FOR ME TO MENTION.

AND FINALLY, (HAVING VENTED MY DEEP DISPLEASURE OF THEIR MINOR SERVICING COSTS, TO THE STEALERSHIP)I RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING COMMENT AS PART OF THEIR REPLY - "clearly our service experience, training & tools have to be covered, which is reflected in our service costs".

THAT JUST ABOUT SAYS IT ALL, REALLY BUY A NEW CAR, & THEN PAY EVEN MORE OF YOUR MONEY, IN HUGELY-INFLATED SERVICING COSTS - EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY NOT BE REQUIRED!

[fabandy]

Yes, this thread is very scary indeed. For some reason, however, Skoda still rank very high each year in the Driver Power survey for cost of ownership and service seems to score well. Personally, I have received excellent service from my local dealer, which seems to have made relevant software upgrades and detected some sort of minor crack in part of the engine intake system on my previous Fabia and replaced it. 

[Michaelski]

Hi fabandy,

I do not, not for one moment, believe that Skoda owners should have concerns about their cars - I personally, rate both the cars & Skoda themselves extremely highly. MY beef, is that having bought (actually 2 cars) from my local Stealership, they're now trying to put their hand (right up to the shoulder) into my pocket, and charge £169 for what is little more than an oil & filter change - with threats of not receiving UTD "patches" or having the service indicator reset, if I do not use them. As I said in my previous comment, just investigate what Kwikfit carry out (all essential things in MHO) in return for just £132.

And another thing (now being of the age where I don't meekly accept whatever crap I am given on face value) I most strongly object to being held to ransom over what I "will not get" if I don't pay an inflated service charge. WHY SHOULD I pay for the "experience, training & tools" when I threw a whole dose of my money at the Skoda Dealer - I bought the cars from them, & I should then receive whatever UTD "patches" the car may require? And JUST WHAT would happen if a patch came out one week after I had had my service?

THAT'S what has gruntled my dis.

[wizzi]

I'm lucky i bought (well actually got it thown in) the £99 3 years servicing on mine after being stung before in a toyota, ~£200 for the first service then the second service £330 (check spark plugs-not replace!!), god knows how much the 4 year service would have cost where they replaced the plugs, having always had older cars before and doing it myself it came as a massive shock, oil/filter change was about £25, and i went round greasing all the doors etc, that i know some dealers definitly dont, my FIL had a 2 year old dealer serviced ford that he couldnt open the bonnet due to lack of lubrication.  Even a more major service would only cost £60 and an hour or two, when you take into account the time booking it in, driving to the dealership getting a lift home, picking the car up doing paperwork etc, its probably more than doing it yourself. 

 

However you need to be able to prove you've had it serviced in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions to keep the warrantee and help future resale, so you're kinda stuck.

 

Oh and i'd definitely pay the dealer rather than kwik fit,  for an extra £13 its a no brainer.