Hi there ... first time Skoda owner and got my Fabia SE Estate 63 plate about a month ago. Knew the dealer was the type who would say it had been serviced when it hadn't .. so to start on a level playing field I have had the car serviced at my local garage (no VAT and I was same primary school as the blokes mum!) and trust him completely 

 

He tells me he has serviced the car from end to end .. says it hadn't been serviced probably since new ... he's done strip clean and adjust all brakes, change oil and filter, new air filter, new fuel filter, new cabin filter, new number plate bulb, fit four "long service" spark plugs, top all levels, lubricate door hinge and catches, check tyres and road test. Parts and labour came to £290 

 

He tells me the long wearing plugs cost the earth.

 

Now I've been used to an Astravan diesel .. no plugs, so have no idea what these new long term things are ... and a full service for the van being about 150 quid so the cost was a bit of a shock to say the least.

 

Any comments on the cost of the service from people who"know" would be greatly appreciated. 

 

A Major Service might be £269 or so at a Skoda Main Dealership, a Minor £149.  (it can be less.)

http://skoda.co.uk/owners/service-and-maintenance/simply-fixed 

A Major Service does not always include Spark Plugs which can be £10 each, and some Dealerships want £100 for these fitted & supplied by them.

The brakes are just inspected, work on them costs extra.

Then at 3 years then each 2 years btake fluid changes might be £52 extra to pay.

 

So services might as well be done at an Independent and get stuff done, Air Filters, Pollen Filters, Fuel Filters or Spark Plugs changed rather than Fixed Price Skoda / VW Main Dealers servicing where you might be expected to pay even when parts are not changed.

 

The Astra Van had not a Full Service for £150 did it, just an Oil & Filter Service and a inspection report did it not, maybe some other parts.

Servicing over long periods even on Diesels can be Fuel Filters. Air Filters, Water Pumps, Timing Chains, or Belts, Brake Pads etc, 

that is not done in a £150 service.

Edited 14 May, 20179 yr by Awayoffski

£290 for a service outside the dealer network?... 

Did you get a breakdown of costs? Does seem a lot, especially if you seem to be alluding to the fact you didn't pay any VAT...

Just had my major MOT & Service at my local skoda dealership and that came to £279. So I'm surprised you had to pay that much especially if it didn't include any VAT. Maybe ask if you can get a breakdown of prices

Awayoffski  .. you write "The Astra Van had not a Full Service for £150 did it, just an Oil & Filter Service and a inspection report did it not, maybe some other parts.

Servicing over long periods even on Diesels can be Fuel Filters. Air Filters, Water Pumps, Timing Chains, or Belts, Brake Pads etc, 

that is not done in a £150 service."

 

This service for van would include oil and filters (air and fuel) and general over check and grease etc .. timing chain was done seperate at correct time .... any other stuff was done as and when required. As I said my garage doesn't charge VAT.

 

On this Skoda brakes were stripped down and adjusted ...he stated that the main cost was the spark plugs as they were a special type that were already fitted and were a long lasting type (car has done 39000 when bought) and that the new ones cost 20 quid each - ish and said that these would not need changing for another 5 years at the around 6000 miles I do a year.

Edited 15 May, 20179 yr by UsFour

abaday789 you write "Just had my major MOT & Service at my local skoda dealership and that came to £279. " but what did this include? All filter and oil and brakes stripped down and 4 spark plugs?

 

Wardy .. yes I think you're right .. seemed a bit odd no breakdown of costs 

No idea what Spark Plugs he got for a 1.2TSI.

Special ones are £12 or less at the trade counter.  £20 must be very very special...

Edited 15 May, 20179 yr by Awayoffski

1 hour ago, Awayoffski said:

No idea what Spark Plugs he got for a 1.2TSI.

Special ones are £12 or less at the trade counter.  £20 must be very very special...

 

They are very special. They are NGK laser iridium IZFR6P7 and you will struggle to find these cheap. The plus side is that they last ages in a 1.2 tsi, easily 60k and possibly up to 100k.

 

The ones that came out of the octavia at 55k were still very very good, and the fabia has had its original plugs in 73k now without a hiccup. Both cars however are long distance trekkers so maybe that helps.

 

Most important is the quality of servicing. I know for a FACT that my dealer does NOTHING to the brakes at ANY service except tell you they need changing. I could say more, much much more, but it depresses me even to start thinking about it 

Special DENSO for the 1.4TSI Twinchargers are available @ £11 each, Special NGK for £15.

I would not be leaving NGK plugs in even a 1.2TSI for 40,000 miles let alone 60,000 what ever NGK say.

But it is easy enough to remove them check condition and gap and refit of all OK.

 

PS

Not much of a struggle to find cheaper than £20 each really...

Opie Oils for NGK IZFR6P7 (97153)  @ £12.40, **4 pack £49.45 including VAT**

Ebay £13.55 each and a Local Motor Factor or TPS likely cheaper.

 

Euro Car Parts a crazy £21.95 each.

Edited 15 May, 20179 yr by Awayoffski

It's odd that skoda don't include the stripping and cleaning of the brakes on a major service where Seat do and always have done? 

They did with Skoda for Rear Brake Drums with Major Services, or it was on the Service Schedule / Guidelines, then that disappeared then reappeared on Skoda Fixed Price Servicing Websites and yet continued not always being done as Wheels were not being removed.

It's always been included on the service sheets at Seat but has become an additional item on the fixed menu for skoda. 

So Skoda dealers don't include stripping and adjustment of brakes .. so I'm feeling a bit better about the price of the service now .. also he fitted a cabin filter which he said wasn't usually included in service. In relation to the plugs ... sounds like it was the £21.95 ones he got !! Unfortunately my mechanic won't sit and see if he can get cheaper ones .. he hasn't the time .. and I don't know enough about it for me to start looking at getting them. It would also mean the car not going in the garage in the morning and me getting it back late afternoon so I'm prepared to pay extra for that. Sounds like with top price paid for these NGK plugs and the stripping down and adjustment of brakes it wasn't a bad price?? 

I had my Fabia htp serviced at my excellent local garage here in the village. I wanted the full Monty as the rear brakes were squealing and the adjusters were not working (this is how it was returned to my father following a 40k service by a Skoda main dealer!) . The front discs and pads needed changing as well. I provided the parts (Mann, NGK plugs x 3, Fuchs oil and Brembo) and they provided the labour. The car is now driving and stopping perfectly. Labour was £209 including vat. Parts were from Europarts with trade discount. 

Call me old fashioned  but once a car is out of warranty I like my major service every 10k -12k and an oil change at 5k -6k, just like it used to be done when I was a mechanic in the 70's. 

4 hours ago, James@Pentagon_Seat said:

It's odd that skoda don't include the stripping and cleaning of the brakes on a major service where Seat do and always have done? 

 

Seems like some SEAT dealerships do and some don't, all I've ever had from getting the late 2009 Ibiza serviced by a SEAT main dealer was "everything okay, but the rear brakes need cleaning and here is a price to do it" - that dealership has closed down but nothing to do with how they operated, it was just their bad luck that there was a bigger SEAT dealership in the general area and land price for housing would have meant an instant big lump of money heading for that organisation after selling the small site.

so it seems that xman has hit the nail square on the head

 

"Most important is the quality of servicing. I know for a FACT that my dealer does NOTHING to the brakes at ANY service except tell you they need changing. I could say more, much much more, but it depresses me even to start thinking about it "

 

So what do people actually expect from these dealership services?  Oil change, air and fuel filters and not much else?? Cost around 250 to £300 inc VAT 

Edited 16 May, 20179 yr by UsFour
addition to text

Does that mean that your rear wheels have never been taken off at a service, the rear brake drums removed and brake dust removed and any adjustment done or at least an inspection?

Or have you done it or had it done?

Never, on minor or major. They once advised (still during warranty) and wanted £30 to adjust handbrake (from 4 clicks to 2 clicks). Not covered under warranty apparently, I said Ok if they strip off the drums and clean them out. They replied that they dont need to remove drums to adjust the handbrake. (Which I know they can adjust the cable 2 minute job but technically its incorrect as its the auto adjusters in the drum that need checking). They wanted £50 (special price....wow!) to remove and clean drums, so I said forget it as in my opinion 4 clicks on drums is perfectly ok and I doubt they would do it properly.

 

Its all a game played by the service manager.....that I'm fed up playing.

 

But there have been far more serious issues than pathetic handbrake adjustment that I could go into but wont because a) the list is too long and dont want to enter into protracted discussion or argument.

Edited 16 May, 20179 yr by xman

Sorry, my question was directed at UsFour the post above the question.

Btw, dealers dont change the fuel filter on petrol cars, ever....its supposedly a lifetime part.

BTW, the Dealerships that did start including changing the inline fuel filters at 4 years on 1.4TSI Twinchargers would be the exception to that then.

As several members here had done because there started to be issues with Life Time Fuel filters.

 

The threads are here if you want to check for that as fact and not 'Internet myth', or some posters generalising.

 

Here is a quick find were a member that worked at a main dealership says they changed them.

After this thread there are others where it was being done.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/376739-leaking-fuel-filter-on-vrs 

Edited 16 May, 20179 yr by Awayoffski

Again - Seat tends to have a fuel filter replacement at 40k? 

A Mann oem fuel filter is £23.99 from eurocarparts, less if you can get a discount. Why wouldn't you change it every couple of years or so even if it's just for the peace of mind?