First experience with dealers...

[Octyvrs03]

Took my estate in for the coilpack recall (aye that's still valid  ) and also asked for the headlight aim to be adjusted. Of course I was offered the free health check, which I'm glad I did as it brought up quite a few faults. What I can't wrap my head around is the prices they quote.

 

Headlight adjustment £18 - for turning a few screws the right way. Ok, it's paid labour but jesus. They couldnt do it anyway as the MOT bay was busy. 

 

High level brake light not working. Few lights are out. £138... will have a diy go myself.

 

Nsr caliper binding. Of course it's binding! it's a bloody skoda. £385 for the privilage! Will check it myself and ordered the return springs for £5 myself. 

 

Both rear bump stops are shot. had a browse here and see the guides. WIll do it myself, lest it's £194 from them.

 

Os inner cv boot insecure thus leaking. £168! They didn't specify it was split, just insecure? pop it back on? Thats one for my local anyway.

 

Tailgate gas struts need replaced £128 yer having a laugh! 

 

Centre support bracket for exhaust corroded and split. Not too sure what that means, is it a welding job? or a replacement bracket job. Weather isn't nice today for me to get under and see. £80 if I leave it to them.

 

Slight oil leak at gearbox. Again i cant check it just now but slight leak? Could be anything. £90 for that so I assume its nothing major. 

 

The best one is the front brake dust plates. Those flimsy metal guards have turned to dust. Skoda would like to charge me £452 for that. £452?! For what?

 

I sat with a straight face while the guy talked me through the list. In total £1600 worth of repairs if I am foolish enough to hand the keys.Got my free coilpacks and left. Doubt I'll ever be back. How can they justify those prices? And also, any advice on the above issues would be appreciated.

 

 

[KenONeill]

Headlight beam aim - You supposedly "need" a special machine for doing this on cars with clear shields rather than actual lenses.

 

HL brake - Is that the bulb one, or the multi-LED? Because the LED ones need replacing rather than new luminaires.

 

NSR calliper binding - OK, not a vRS, but I paid half that for a calliper, rear discs and pads, fitted!

 

Exhaust bracket - is there a decent fast fit exhaust place near you? Because they'll probably charge more like £10 or £20 depending on bracket.

 

Brake spray shields aren't mandatory, so as long as the remaining bits aren't in imminent danger of falling off or getting under the pads that can be ignored.

[pauldazzle]

I think your experience shows perfectly that unless a car is still under warranty using a main dealer for any work is madness. Main dealer service deps prey on unaware turn the key owners for sure.  

£168 to stick a jubilee clip or a cable tie on a CV boot is brilliant.

[Octyvrs03]

I think your experience shows perfectly that unless a car is still under warranty using a main dealer for any work is madness. Main dealer service deps prey on unaware turn the key owners for sure.

£168 to stick a jubilee clip or a cable tie on a CV boot is brilliant.

 

It's the brake dust plates that got me the most. As Ken says, they're not even mandatory. £452! I like the look of them when they're new and clean and got myself a pair for £30 delivered. Was a nightmare to find though. I'll get them an extra coating of paint and also scrub up and paint the rear ones too. 

 

From what I've read, the exhaust bracket should be a quick welding job.  I'll need to have a look at the cv boot to see the issue. If it's more than a plop it back on job then I'm out. The main ones for me are the bump stops and HL light. Cant seem to find a sensibly priced HL light replacement and also need some new tools for the bump stop. Can never have enough spanners though, the Mrs will never understand.

[YellowCar]

**** dealers, just fear mongering retail staff driven by targets and the bottom line. Trust no one.

I had a similar experience at Seat. When they come out with the safety check I'm already laughing before they even start talking. Either find a local you can trust for bigger jobs and cambelt, otherwise expand your tool kit and roll your sleeves up.

Your in the right place if you have a mare and need help/advice, and we don't charge...

[kentphil1]

Headlight beam aim - You supposedly "need" a special machine for doing this on cars with clear shields rather than actual lenses.

 

HL brake - Is that the bulb one, or the multi-LED? Because the LED ones need replacing rather than new luminaires.

 

NSR calliper binding - OK, not a vRS, but I paid half that for a calliper, rear discs and pads, fitted!

 

Exhaust bracket - is there a decent fast fit exhaust place near you? Because they'll probably charge more like £10 or £20 depending on bracket.

 

Brake spray shields aren't mandatory, so as long as the remaining bits aren't in imminent danger of falling off or getting under the pads that can be ignored.

Estate should be LED HL brake unit i think

Edited 8 September, 2016 by kentphil1

[Saints92]

Its worth noting you don't need the HL brake light bulb for a MOT

[Leeboy]

Tail gate struts replaced for £128? WTF!! I've got a vrs hatch and replaced mine recently. Had a spare set in the garage from years back but even then I did look on eBay and you can get a pair delivered for £25 or so. Fitting requires a screwdriver and ideally a helper to hold the tailgate open one you remove the first strut, although I managed single handed. Ping off the spring clips the push the new ones in place on the mounting pegs. Job done in under ten minutes including giving the paint work a clean up after removal of old and fitting of new.

I did use my local dealer for two jobs this year though, one was change brake fluid (which I supplied) cost around £50, and likewise same price for an air-con recharge, although in that case I was charged for it by the receptionist on collecting the car only to have the service manager follow me out to the car and tell me they had to refund me as the system was leaking and in fact it hadn't been recharged at all.

They told me the car was ready over the phone but elected not to tell me the air con was fudged as they could at least have offered to diagnosis the problem for me and advise me where the leak was. So wasn't especially impressed lack of understanding what the car was booked in for...

[dubDEAN]

i use them for parts, the rest i can pretty much struggle through with myself so i avoid at worst i have a friendly vag regional mastertech on hand

[yesiamtom]

I bought a second hand good condition caliper for £15 off ebay to replace a sticking one. I think there were even cheaper ones but this had good pictures and was evidently in good condition. Suprisingly easy DIY job although you need to buy bleeders etc which makes the first job no cheaper. You can also get caliper rebuild kits for about £15 per side, but then you risk being without a car for a little longer, and if the caliper is sticking then getting the piston out will be hard. I had to use channel locks to start it moving as it broke my piston rewinding tool!

 

edit: sounds like you have a nice minor restoration project to do now though  

Edited 9 September, 2016 by yesiamtom

[Octyvrs03]

Boot struts arrived today, £25 delivered. Fitted in 5 mins using my head as boot support.

 

Bump stops and return springs arrived too, just need some new tools and the rain to stop. On a side note, my car hadn't mooed much for about a year but as soon as I reversed out the dealers it was mooing the worst I've heard it. Lord know what they did to my baby.

 

Struggling to find a HL light though, and I need to take it to my garage for the oil leak and exhaust bracket. My trusted "local" is in Fife but I've since moved to Edinburgh. Can anyone recommend a good, trust worthy place in Edinburgh?

 

I've essentially saved myself £1200 already over the dealer quotes. It would be funny if it wasn't so sickening.

[kentphil1]

check out our parts for sale classifieds on here, someone may be breaking an estate and have a good used brake lamp unit for you.

 

If not, put a post in the parts wanted section and see what comes of it.

Edited 9 September, 2016 by kentphil1