So, Frosty went in for her 20K service yesterday - and I got a phonecall from Rainworth Skoda....

 

SKODA - "Mr Penguin, we've almost finished with the car and one of the techs have noticed that the wipers are shifting water and could do with replacing - Would you like me to get some put on?"

ME (Busy At work) - "Yeah, sure..." (The existing ones were the originals, so it couldnt hurt)

 

So I go in, and three blades set me back £46!!!! 

 

Note to self - Stop being lazy

Take them off, ask for your £46 back.

Atleast they haven't charged you labour to fit them....

Mind you, if you buy a set of aeros from halfords you'd probably pay close to this - and the extra if you want a 'technician' to fit them!

Wonder how much from the factors.

Halfords charge three quid a pair, or £2 for a single wiper. So a fiver for front and rear. But that's a fiver I prefer in my wallet, not their till.

 

And as Exeterj said, decent aero blades would cost around £40 or more for a full set. Except when Aldi or Lidl have an offer on.

SKODA - "Mr Penguin, we've almost finished with the car and one of the techs have noticed that the wipers are shifting water

Isn't that their job? (the wipers, not the techs!)

Aha, why worry. Audi would probably charge £95

Gone are the days when a tenner covered it. :(

I took my wife's leon for a service a few weeks ago (independent vag specialist) and they wanted to charge £45 just for the front wipers alone. They said they could only get genuine wipers from seat. A quick look online and i got them for almost half that price, and for the premium bosch aero versions. They arrived next day and took mere minutes to fit.

Snet with speeling mistkaes from my phoen

I find that a rag dabbed with vinegar and a good clean fixes most wiper blade faults. Most times they simply get clogged with dirt, which restricts flexibility, leads to smears, and can eventually result in tears if left too long. Clean them every 2-3 months and they'll last for years. I cannot remember replacing any blades so far this century.

Our Octy II was in for her Skoda paid Service.

I got a Ph call to notify me the 4 wheel alignment was out, on the rear wheels  did I wish them to attend?

Be £60.00

I said yes,(because someone on this fora had mentioned the 4 wheel alignment being out could result in unsettled handling)

Then when I was putting the service paperwork away, I glanced through it(it was very through in fairness)

One rear wheel had been "out" reading (from recall) 1.87 instead of the max allowed 1.85.

After "setting" it read 1.83 and got signed off, surely this should have been nearer 0.90 (in the middle)

so like did they just jack the car up, then  lower and re-read?

I then got a Ph call from the dealer insisting I fill in the Skoda customer satisfaction survey as "very satisfied"

Like ball-cocks I will.

Specially when it was £60.00 + VAT = £72.00

Edited 15 April, 201511 yr by dieseldogg

That doesn't surprise me, at all. tbh.

 

I fitted a pair of non-genuine wipers to the OH's 8 year old Toyota the other day, from a nearby motor factors - £35 for a pair.

 

Budget motoring as I remember it is long gone.

I took my wife's leon for a service a few weeks ago (independent vag specialist) and they wanted to charge £45 just for the front wipers alone. They said they could only get genuine wipers from seat. A quick look online and i got them for almost half that price, and for the premium bosch aero versions. They arrived next day and took mere minutes to fit.

Snet with speeling mistkaes from my phoen

I have the aero ones on my car,like them a lot but for some reason they don't seem to last as long as the old style ones. :|

I think I paid 30-odd for two new fronts from my local dealer though they didnt charge me for fitting them which was nice of them.

I have the aero ones on my car,like them a lot but for some reason they don't seem to last as long as the old style ones. :|

I think the rubber hardens on them over time....also they dont seem to take too kindly to being used with an icy screen. Happened on mine a couple of times over winter by accident and I think tat largely contributed to them being duff after just over a year.

The fronts get alot of use whereas I hardly use the rear wash wipe (only to very occasionally clear the screen if dirty/raining but I never leave it on)....I dont think its bad practice to change front wiper blades once a year TBH....not sure why they dont form part of the yearly servicing package.

I've always found estates to wear out rear wipers pretty quick mainly due to the muck that gets pulled up on to the glass by the aero... And the fact a dirty rear glass annoys me.

Fronts I normally get a year even with regular cleaning