Oil Change too cheap?

[Stupotstu]

Hi

I need to get an oil and filter change on my 2015 Diesel Octavia, not wanting to get my hands dirty Ive asked a local mobile mechanic for a price and he has quoted £70 (with the correct spec oil). I thought the oil was around £60 alone. 

What do you guys reckon?

[Nickj633]

The price of the oil will depend on the brand rather than the spec. Opie oils show 504 & 507 compatible oil at quite reasonable prices, it is likely that the mechanic will have access to less well known brands that meet the spec.

[Ootohere]

The correct 5 w 30 FS LL / VW 507 00 is £25 or less trade or even retail at Motor Factors / Supermarkets,

and a Oil Filter £4-5 to £7 Trade max, plus VAT to some.

 

So £30 materials or less if suctioning out the oil and no new sump plug. 

£30 an hour labour is nice for a non franchised or VAT registered mechanic, especially if it takes 30 minutes for an oil change or a 60 minute service..

Edited 31 July, 2018 by Offski

[wyx087]

36 minutes ago, Stupotstu said:

Hi

I need to get an oil and filter change on my 2015 Diesel Octavia, not wanting to get my hands dirty Ive asked a local mobile mechanic for a price and he has quoted £70 (with the correct spec oil). I thought the oil was around £60 alone. 

What do you guys reckon?

Where abouts is this wonderful garage? I want to use them.

[Ootohere]

'Mobile Mechanic'.   Clue in the name, they are where you want them to be, they come to you.

  Obviously you want a Local Mobile Mechanic.  A London one can not do Aberdeen for £70, but an Aberdeen one might.

[Breezy_Pete]

Oil (same as used by Skoda) can be had for £28,  presumably cheaper within the trade : https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Quantum-Longlife-3-5W-30-Fully-Synthetic-Oil-5L-SEAT-IBIZA-LEON-EXEO/152536161847?epid=19005060123&hash=item2383dd1e37:g:ebYAAOSwOW9Z4Jpr

[Stupotstu]

47 minutes ago, Offski said:

'Mobile Mechanic'.   Clue in the name, they are where you want them to be, they come to you.

  Obviously you want a Local Mobile Mechanic.  A London one can not do Aberdeen for £70, but an Aberdeen one might.

Cheers for that info, I didnt realise that, Now i'm going to cancel that Manchester based mechanic and get one more local to me in London.

[Ootohere]

Lovely, but you told us in the OP that you had a quote from a local mobile mechanic so i think for London you are getting a bargain if he /she has all the gear and more than an idea and is good for a laugh.

Not one of those as sometimes seen on TV / BBC Watchdog, man with a van, anytime, anyplace, any old crap carried out, buyer beware.

 

Check online for any comment on those you intend to use, or get personal references maybe.

[MarkyG82]

My local trusted vag expert charge 45+vat for an oil change when in for other work. Usually use it as an opportunity to get something else looked at. This time round will be suspension.

[wyx087]

2 hours ago, Offski said:

'Mobile Mechanic'.   Clue in the name, they are where you want them to be, they come to you.

  Obviously you want a Local Mobile Mechanic.  A London one can not do Aberdeen for £70, but an Aberdeen one might.

Ah, I've missed the mobile part. 

 

Not sure I want the oil change to happen on my driveway, where they may spill oil and stain my clean driveway.

 

For my EV servicing, I'd be eager to have it done on my driveway. There's no mess.

[Ootohere]

A good / professional / Mobile Mechanic might well have a Suction Pump in the van and a collecting vessel for safe transporting and environmental disposal.

Or a old oil container.

Who knows what you get from a professional with Insurance, licensed diagnostic equipment and training and qualifications or just an interested enthusiast.

 

A Oil change Suction Pump and a Home Oil & Filter Service between Professional ones can be simple and cheap, and put down protection on the ground.

 

For an EV Service even brakes, especially brakes you do want to know they have all the gear & an idea, and training & not just a phone number / website, transport and some tools.

Edited 31 July, 2018 by Offski

[Mr Rubble]

I had a essentially an oil change service on my 1.6 Octavia by a main dealer yesterday and they charged £124. Note that £10 of that  was the loan car insurance. Just for comparison.

[Ootohere]

Was that all you got.

No safety inspection / report, health check, just Oil / Filter / Sump plug, oil disposal...... & 20 % VAT ?

 

You were ripped off then IMO.

 

If your car is on Fixed Servicing could you not have had a Minor Service including a pollen filter for £159, or is your car not over 3 years old,

or less at Non participating / pith taking dealers ?

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

Edited 31 July, 2018 by Offski

[Mr Rubble]

No got safety inspection, oil filter etc, but in truth it’s not much more than a glorified oil change.

[shyVRS245]

7 hours ago, Offski said:

Lovely, but you told us in the OP that you had a quote from a local mobile mechanic so i think for London you are getting a bargain if he /she has all the gear and more than an idea and is good for a laugh.

Not one of those as sometimes seen on TV / BBC Watchdog, man with a van, anytime, anyplace, any old crap carried out, buyer beware.

 

Check online for any comment on those you intend to use, or get personal references maybe.

Vauxhall dealer once serviced my Dad's Cavalier SRi (it was 1983). Bearing in mind he was a precision engineer working on lathes, milling machines etc., he was a bit surprised upon opening the bonnet to find the original dirty oil filter still insitu.The Service Manager got a bit of an earful to say the least!

[Ootohere]

Mr Rubble, 

sorry confused by 'not more than a glorified oil change], was it an oil and filter change only or  was there something more & what was that ?

[Mr Rubble]

Inspection service, oil change, filter change and electronic visual health check.

[Ootohere]

So Tyres, steering, brakes, wipers etc inspection, and they should check coolant level and washer bottle level.

That is the Visual Health Check.  Minor service. Not much cope if they have a car in and that is not carried out.

Difference is some want £159 for that.

[Guest]

8 hours ago, Offski said:

Was that all you got.

No safety inspection / report, health check, just Oil / Filter / Sump plug, oil disposal...... & 20 % VAT ?

 

You were ripped off then IMO.

 

If your car is on Fixed Servicing could you not have had a Minor Service including a pollen filter for £159, or is your car not over 3 years old,

or less at Non participating / pith taking dealers ?

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

 

Guy paid £114 for an oil change. You mention paying £159 includes a pollen filter but that's wrong. If you look carefully at the small print...  "will be replaced if required". If not required I bet you don't see any of that £45 back.

 

The extra £45 goes towards essential things like washing the car...   I'm with the OP, an oil change would do for me too but it's trying to find someone who'll just do an oil change that's the problem. No wonder they all want to charge £159 for a job that costs £114. 

 

 

[Ootohere]

No exactly. 

But if they never look they do not know if required, so are going by the Manufacturers Guidelines.

 

It is actually an odd thing Fixed Pricing where it is not really a Bargain and you pay the same for Labour, Parts & VAT even if parts are not supplied.

 

*FREE Wash & Vacuum* Can take longer than some tech take on an 'Inspection Service', and stretches out the time you wait to get a service if waiting even when you say , No wash or Vacuum please.

There should be body inspections carried out as part of a Main Dealer Service for the sake of the Corrosion Warranty, 

that is coming back to bite owners and now Dealerships because they have not been done by many know since Service Manual Booklets stopped coming with new cars so no page for the Tech to write up and stamp, even though it used to be on a hand held back a few years ago.

 

Plenty places do just an Oil Change with a Filter, using OEM parts so that is a Filter, keeping a warranty valid.

They do not need to be Official Skoda / VW / SEAT / Audi Repairers / Main Dealerships, but there are some of those, 

like the £114 charging place.

 

Plenty do Menu Servicing and do not charge a person to not fit 4 spark plugs the same price as they charge to fit 4 spark plugs.

 

Many do not want 'Participating Dealers' or taking the Pith Dealers. 'Simply Fixed' simply ripping off the customers and maybe HMRC so the general public.

 

If you put the car in with a full windscreen washer bottle and the invoice shows Windscreen Wash @ 4.50 Unit / Bottle plus VAT and there is no Bottle in the car then they are defrauding you and the VAT.

Same with many things, but with the Sump Plug if the oil is sucked out the Sump Plug should still be replaced.

Some say its only a couple of quid if it is not replaced, but its your couple of quid not theirs, 40 pence VAT as well..

Edited 31 July, 2018 by Offski

[wyx087]

10 hours ago, Scot5 said:

 I'm with the OP, an oil change would do for me too but it's trying to find someone who'll just do an oil change that's the problem.

ATS Euromaster website quoted me £75 to do oil change, £125 to do minor servicing (inspection + oil change), £145 to do minor servicing + MOT.

(for my 2.0 litre diesel, will be cheaper for 1.6 litre, their price changes according to your engine size)

 

My car's minor servicing + MOT is due end of this month, I'll be going there instead of £198 at Skoda dealer. I've always dealt with good honest mechanics at my trusted ATS location. Never had to speak to any slimy "customer care" there.

Edited 1 August, 2018 by wyx087

[Guest]

£75 is v.good - if I'd seen that I'd have used them for our SEAT.

 

If someone is happy with the people working on their car that alone is worth it's weight in gold.