Is a dealer service worth it ?

[Andy P]

My 30 day service warning has just come on to remind me, however this year money is very tight and the thought of paying £279 to my main dealer for a service is worrying. So this time I’m considering going to an independent to save some cash. Over the past few years I’ve always taken my skoda’s to my main dealership in Mansfield and paid a small fortune. The main reason is for the future trade in value which now I actually think it makes little difference and also because I’m told only the main dealerships can connect to a skoda database for any software updates. Is that true ? and can anyone recommend an independent service centre local to me over my main dealership ?

[Ootohere]

?

How many miles has your car done, how old.  Are you keeping it for a good few years?

Has it had a service already?

 

If it is 2 years old or done 18,500 miles then it is up to you where or how you get the service done or what gets done.

An oil / Filter & Pollen filter need cost no more than £110-150 or so at an Independent Garage.

@ 3 years Brake Fluid change is due.

 

Independent VW Specialists can have licensed equipment, Software updates, TPI's etc.  All the Gear and more than just an idea.  Trained Technicians.

Maybe ex Main Dealer ones.

[Andy P]

My car is a 16 plate with 14k miles on the clock. I do usually keep the car for 4 years or so. I believe my car is on a variable service schedule so maybe I’m wrong in assuming it’s a major service that’s due. The maxidot display says “ inspection and oil service due”. There is a garage near my workplace ran by ex Audi technicians and they specialise in vag vehicles. Maybe I should give them a call. 

[Ootohere]

'They'  call it a 'Major Service',   but it is the first service.    So 'They' will not change @ 14,000 miles the 

Spark Plugs,  or the Air Filter. 

?

They would be over charging taking £269 / £279 when the parts are not supplied so the VAT should not be charged.  

 

So charging £279 is a rip off when parts are not replaced.   *Different if the 2nd 'Major Service @ 4 years.

@2 years  / 14,000 miles there will be the same as an 'Interim Service', carried out and a Pollen Filter supplied and fitted.  

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

Edited 8 June, 2018 by Offski

[GeneralPurpose]

Sounds a lot of money for a major at 14k miles. TBH I've always found independands to be more expensive for most  work that requires doing on Skoda's. Not always, but often, so it's worth checking with different independants and then getting a definitive price from your main Skoda dealer. I wouldn't mind betting Skoda are cheaper. Menu pricing for servicing on Skoda is pretty good when you compare it to other brands. You can however negotiate your service and it's cost at your main dealer too.  Regarding 'does main dealer servicing make a difference at trade in'?  Yes it does. But not quite as much as you might think. A main dealer serviced car is worth more...usually! You know it has or is likely to have had it's ecu updates, tpi work and other stuff all done as it should have been carried out. 

Edited 8 June, 2018 by Estate Man

[horkin]

Yes trade in values may be affected but negligible imo.

 

It used to be nice to have a service book with all Skoda stamps showing. Now you just get a piece of paper which isn't the same somehow.

 

I would say if money's tight look for a VW Audi specialist and see if they are cheaper but as Estate man says they may not be. Any reputable service station will do the job but you may not get Skoda parts or technology updates.

 

The other thing is, speak to your dealer, tell him your plight and he may help by just doing what's necessary and reducing the cost. Worth a punt?

 

Harry

[Leprejohn]

My car is on 42k miles, I've only paid £220 for a major and £110 for a minor at a vag specialist

[Jedispooner]

My car is 16 plate, 32K miles, major £279 and minor £149 at Northampton Progress and Lancaster Milton Keynes, seems the going rate in the Midlands.

[horkin]

47 minutes ago, Jedispooner said:

My car is 16 plate, 32K miles, major £279 and minor £149 at Northampton Progress and Lancaster Milton Keynes, seems the going rate in the Midlands.

Same here in Grimsby £279 and £149

 

When I bought my 16 reg recently I took out the special offer. 2 Services (one big, one small,) for a one off payment of £149. So my next 2 services are paid for.

 

Harry

[edbostan]

Paid £279 at Progress at Harlow Essex

[Ootohere]

VW Independent Specialists with the Licensed Equipment can do all the Software Updates and might even ask approval to do them from the owner / Keeper.

 

As to TPI work, or Service Campaign, Warranty Work that is due because of Product Failures, Warranty issues, then that is Skoda / VW job to pay for that 

and that does not automatically mean you should have to pay a Main Dealership to Service your car because there is dodgy Engine or Gearbox parts, 

suspension, steering, brakes or just software. 

Often easier for people to do that, and to have a Dealership take in your vehicle, but really it should not be necessary.

 

There are even Independent VW Specialists that can carry out Warranty work.

[nicknorman]

Something is not set up right if it’s calling for an inspection service at 14k. It just needs an oil change service. Perhaps the selling dealer tweaked the computer settings in order to extract more money from you. It’s very easy to do. I would complain to Skoda UK.

[Ootohere]

There are 2 settings,  Fixed @ 372 days / 9,400 miles which ever comes first or 'Variable / Flexible' Servicing @ 24 months, 18,500 -20,000 miles. 

(lost in conversion km to miles.)

http://volkswagen.co.uk/owners/servicing/regimes 

 

It is the Servicing Costs that can be crazy, same for a Citigo / Fabia as an Octavia / Superb / Kodiaq regardless of quantity of Oil, cost of Consumables and if even consumables supplied and fitted.  Bargain on big engine capacity vehicles for some.

[Eccles]

Just had my 3 year service done by my long time mobile mechanic which of course included a brake fluid change and he knew all about the ally washer on the sump plug. Fortunately he is very thorough and well known in my area; so what was the charge? Just £90 of course vs what you got quoted. No i don't care about future trade in prices as I keep my cars for ever being a low mileage user. I once had a Golf which I kept for 15 years LOL, unfortunately the Golf is now like a tank compared with the earlier versions so doubt if I will ever buy another.

[SurreyJohn]

On ‎08‎/‎06‎/‎2018 at 12:00, nicknorman said:

Something is not set up right if it’s calling for an inspection service at 14k. It just needs an oil change service. Perhaps the selling dealer tweaked the computer settings in order to extract more money from you. It’s very easy to do. I would complain to Skoda UK.

 

If the car is a 16reg plate it is (just) over 24 months old.   Regardless of mileage, Service was due at max 24 months

 

Generally a car only doing 7000 miles a year should be on fixed not variable servicing, unless it is not really used for town driving

 

If both oil inspection and service are displayed, only have to do the bigger service, not both.  

However some dealers charge less than the £279 so phone around, but even if money is tight is under £12 per month over your 24 months so not unreasonable

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 4 September, 2018 by SurreyJohn

[penguin17]

'Main dealer service history' is a comment that I place in the same bracket as 'one lady doctor owner' when it comes to looking at the description/history of a car; it's meaningless and harks from the days of Arthur Daily used car sales.  The majority of franchised dealers these days employ technicians; people who can read a fault code and then replace the part.  Very few 'mechanics' will be available.  I'm sure there's a few dealerships with some experienced master techs with the ability to strip components, service and re-assemble but those will be few and far between.    Some people in service departments also know f*** all about the cars they are employed to work on, their primary concern is up-selling air con/winter health checks etc.  

 

IME the same can't be said of a really good independent specialist.  They've likely been jaded with working for the VAG empire for several years and set up on their own, often taking the good staff with them and poaching others in the area.  Fundamentally, I'd rather see a service stamp and regular servicing done by a well regarded indy specialist than a dealer stamp.    You imagine how many owners go to the dealer for a service and then they get the usual astronomical  quote for parts which need replacing and having just paid £279 for a major service the parts never get replaced and the owner eventually gets rid before a potential big bill.  When you take a car to a indy specialist the prices are significantly cheaper as are the OEM parts so owners are likely to stump up the cash to have the car properly maintained and faults fixed as they occur.  For example, I queried a passenger airbag fault on a MK4 Golf GTI with a main dealer, it's a common issue on these cars and *usually* the yellow connector block under the chair, the soldering goes brittle and the wires disconnect.  Dealer said if it's the block it's around £300 + VAT as the chair needs to be removed and a new harness/connector needs fitting as well as adding a few more £££'s for the sake of it because an airbag was involved.  Indy specialist...£60.  One hours work to remove the old solder on the block and re-solder the wires back on.  Sorted. 

 

The one thing the EU/EC got right was stopping dealers having the monopoly on servicing cars, in order for owners to maintain their warranty, and the whole argument about dealers/manufacturers giving preferential rates and reviewing out-of-warranty claims favourably when you have a dealer service history is a load of crap.  Dealers are in it for the money, nothing else and VAG will be cutting back as much as possible to recoup the costs of dieselgate. 

 

For me, independent specialist servicing and maintenance trumps dealer servicing every time. 

Edited 4 September, 2018 by penguin17

[EdHru]

Is there any chance that someone in the knowhow could kindly specify what exactly needs to be done at each interval if the car is on a fixed service schedule, something like @ 12 months: oil and filter change, @ 24 months: oil and filter, polen filter etc. It appears that there is some confusion as some people are paying for the stuff that it wasn't replaced on a major service. When is brake oil, sparkplugs changed etc.

 

This clarification would be greatly appreciated.

[Ootohere]

Ask the Service Desk staff to print the work sheet schedule.

 

The Guidelines or as some might say schedule is Pollen filter at 2 years which was 2nd, 4th, 6th services when on Fixed.

Spark Plugs at 40,000 miles, so 4th Fixed Service at the longest, same with the Air Filter.

Brake Fluid at 3 years then each 2 years.

Petrol Fuel filter for life fitment, so at 4 years / 40,000 miles really.

 

It is all common sense stuff, but paying the same at 1 year then more @ 2 years to not get what is required at 4 years is not Simply Clever, 

it is a Rip Off. 

These are services for cars over 3 years old.  Not including mention of belts , water punps etc.  That is in Maintenance, and the times and miles change as VW Group feels the need.

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

[Andy P]

Well I’ve decided now that I’m not going for a dealer service again in future. After checking online with skoda and getting a fixed price of £159 then being asked to pay £179 after the inspection service, I’ll go to an independent in future. 

[xman]

My twisted perspective on this, for me, a thorny subject

 

During the warranty period, reluctantly I am forced to use a dealer if only for maintenance of goodwill or the possibility of a serious warranty issue. Even then I am very wary and put inane checks into place. Photograph sill lips, mark oil filter etc. What do they do for £179 or £279? They change the oil and filter and if you're lucky, the sump plug. Inspection? Maybe the computer says perform secret update, most likely not. Inspection is mostly a 5 min look under the car and check to see they can convince you to part with more cash for pads/discs.

 

As offski keeps telling us, spark plugs, air filters are not changed very often, it depends if the Skoda computer tells them its time to. Doesn't stop them charging £279 for a "major".

 

Good luck finding out what oil they use. I'm talking about proper evidence.

 

I keep my cars for many years so, out of warranty, I'll try and do it myself (if feasible) Oil and filter £20 or less on the Fabias and Octavia, 15 mins work. Every 3 or 4 years, Air, pollen filters another £20. Spark plugs when its their time. Inspection of brakes takes 3 or 4 minutes at most. A thorough independent inspection of suspension and under body components is done for me annually at the £25 MOT at F1 autocentres.

 

If something needs changing that I don't want to or can't do, I'll now rather go to a trusted independent (but not a quick fit type place usually) and check they are going to do it correctly (eg wheel bearing on fabias requires gen2 puller/fitting tool). Often I will supply the bits, sometimes a quarter of Skoda prices and using best quality parts I can source which are often not much more expensive than cheap pattern parts, just shop around on the Internet.

 

Often dealer "technicians" create more damage/problems during what should be simple repairs. Breaking things and not checking or telling me. Damage at dealers to bodywork and mechanicals is depressingly common in my experience and rarely ever made good. The stress of getting them to fess up is now too much for me especially as Skoda UK warranty and goodwill procedures and policy now makes dealers likely to stonewall.

 

Many punters will be blissfully unaware of what damage is done to their cars. With 3 yr PCP nowadays, many customers won't even care. 

 

End of rant.

[xman]

Oh, I completely forgot that most important bit of servicing, brakes.

 

Skoda brake component quailty is not great, the carriers and calipers readily corrode and jam. Doesn't stop them working, but leads to irregular wear of pads and discs. Drum brakes stick on etc.

 

They need stripping and cleaning properly every two years to prevent this and get a full proper service life out of them.

 

Afaik most dealers will not touch the brakes unless you specifically ask and pay them too. Its scandalous that its not a mandatory procedure of a major service. "Service brakes" is interpreted as check pad thickness without taking off a wheel, sometimes the inner pad thickness is guessed as being the same as the outer. No real measurement, just a personal opinion, 80% worn sir.

[Tech1e]

6 hours ago, xman said:

Oh, I completely forgot that most important bit of servicing, brakes.

 

Skoda brake component quailty is not great, the carriers and calipers readily corrode and jam. Doesn't stop them working, but leads to irregular wear of pads and discs. Drum brakes stick on etc.

 

They need stripping and cleaning properly every two years to prevent this and get a full proper service life out of them.

 

Afaik most dealers will not touch the brakes unless you specifically ask and pay them too. Its scandalous that its not a mandatory procedure of a major service. "Service brakes" is interpreted as check pad thickness without taking off a wheel, sometimes the inner pad thickness is guessed as being the same as the outer. No real measurement, just a personal opinion, 80% worn sir.

 

 

100% agree with that, brakes should be checked.

 

Not really the dealers fault though that brake inspection isnt included in the service schedule, thats down to the manufacturer and trimming the service down so they can do their service packages.

 

 

[Ootohere]

The Rear Brake Drum Removal and clean was included for years on the Skoda Fixed Service Price Website just a few years ago when that was not getting done as we knew because rear wheels were not coming off.  Some where because not all Dealership Technicians are frauds like their employers might be.

Just about 3 years ago the Rear Brake Drum removal and clean appeared again.  Now a new Website and gone again.

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

 

Brake Inspection is included.  The look see and report.

The Body Inspection that some have not been filling in the report since the Service Book with the page after the service page was no more has caused issues recently when people had Corrosion & Paint Warranty Issues.  Skoda UK saying Body Inspections were not done.  We know then who was not doing them, 

Servicing Dealerships on the Skoda System since it went online.  Not difficult then to identify which Dealerships or Staff Members never did it.

Edited 7 September, 2018 by Offski

[Eeeekkk]

Mine is also a 16 plate with about 32k on it. One local garage quoted me the major service price. The other checked what actually would be replaced at this service and quoted me just over £150.