My car went in for its first full service. The garage showed me the parts they removed and it was shocking. None of the filters had been changed by the Skoda dealers the previous owners had taken it to and the car had the original spark plugs. The pollen filter was black. You'd expect some kind of service from a reputable Skoda dealership but it seems they only change the oil. This car is 9 years old this year and it must have had 8 years of shoddy Skoda dealership services.

 

I know dealerships try their hardest to cut as many corners as possible in the free service window, but this car wasn't serviced properly outside that free period neither.  It's scary what they don't do.

Most filters have production date printed on them. Did you check that? P.s. filters turns to black as this is their role.

17 minutes ago, Johnfc2017 said:

My car went in for its first full service. The garage showed me the parts they removed and it was shocking. None of the filters had been changed by the Skoda dealers the previous owners had taken it to and the car had the original spark plugs. The pollen filter was black. You'd expect some kind of service from a reputable Skoda dealership but it seems they only change the oil. This car is 9 years old this year and it must have had 8 years of shoddy Skoda dealership services.

 

I know dealerships try their hardest to cut as many corners as possible in the free service window, but this car wasn't serviced properly outside that free period neither.  It's scary what they don't do.

 

If you feel up to the job(s), it can be worth changing both the air and pollen filters yourself for peace-of-mind. For the small outlay and minor skill required there is a large amount of satisfaction to be had.

Edited 20 September, 20187 yr by Lee

Totally confused.

?

How many miles has this car done?

 

You say it went in for 'its first full service'  and the car is 9 years old.

so a 2009 car.

 

Was there not minor & major services (Inspection Service as they were called in 2009) done every 9,400 miles / 372 days or what ever comes sooner?

Where was it being Serviced?

 

???

What service and warranty record is there?

Was the brake fluid changed after 2 years which was the guidelines then, or after 3 years.

How do you know it has the original spark plugs or even coils?

*The spark plugs at a service from a Main Dealer should be OEM spark plugs.*

How do you know the ones in are the factory fitted ones?

 

Skoda Main Dealer Servicing if people go for this from 3-10 years old is about Servicing to manufacturers guidelines supposedly.

That seems to mean that stuff does not get changed, but customers pay the same as if they are.

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

 

You pay extra to have Brakes Serviced & Maintained, stripped and cleaned.

You pay for anything needing done and even for stuff not done or replaced.  Simply Fixed / Simply Ripped Off!

 

Edited 20 September, 20187 yr by Offski

How much did this 'First Full Service' cost you,

and what more was done than at a 'Major Service; that is £279 or less?

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

 

Edited 20 September, 20187 yr by Offski

It has 36,000 on the clock.

 

A lot of the information was given to me from the garage manager, they are a local garage with a good reputation for honesty so their mechanics must have seen the manufacturing dates of the filters and reported the fact. This garage piles up the parts that have been changed so that the customer can see that their parts have been changed and can verify what the parts look like from their vehicle.

 

In the service book, all the boxes for replacing filters and spark plugs show ticks in the No column starting from 2009 all the way up to 2017. I bought the car in 2018 and the dealer I bought it from hadn't done any changes either.

 

The garage replaced: Engine oil, oil filter, fuel filter, air filter, pollen filter and spark plugs.

 

The car was also taken for MOT by the same garage and required additional work: o/s front lower arm, rear bush, puncture repair and new tyre. Total £395 Inc. VAT

 

Okay so questions will need to be asked of the Skoda dealership for failing to do interim and major services to this vehicle. I feel, and the service book shows there has never been an interim nor major service performed on this vehicle by Skoda.

56 minutes ago, Johnfc2017 said:

My car went in for its first full service. The garage showed me the parts they removed and it was shocking. None of the filters had been changed by the Skoda dealers the previous owners had taken it to and the car had the original spark plugs. The pollen filter was black. You'd expect some kind of service from a reputable Skoda dealership but it seems they only change the oil. This car is 9 years old this year and it must have had 8 years of shoddy Skoda dealership services.

 

Highly unlikely a 9 yr old car has not had oil and filter changes. It would be scrap by now. Much more likely your current garage is trying to impress you.....

 

The 1.2 htp is exceedingly easy to service yourself. Oil and filter can be done on the drive in about 10 minutes. The pollen filter takes no more than 3 to 4 minutes to change.

 

Pollen filters can look grubby after 2 years 20000 miles depending where you live. But it's likely the pollen filter he showed you was a carbon activated filter, which are......black filter material. He has probably fitted the cheap basic filter which is white.

 

HTP spark plugs are good for 40,000 miles, if Skoda changed them it would be for original manufacturer's plugs. If the car was not misfiring or having obvious issues with ignition and excessive fuel consumption, what's the big deal? Again it takes only 10 or so mins to change plugs.

 

Enjoy your refreshed car, long may it serve you well....

Air filter and plugs are not scheduled for replacement until 40000 miles/4 years.

 

I doubt you can prove that the services were not done. If you bought the car privately you have no comeback anyway.

 

Manufacturing dates - there are none on the filters or plugs or even on the boxes, I just checked my supply of new ones.

 

Never seen a mechanic check dates!!!

 

Calm down, filters are dirty when changed, that's them doing their job and why you change them.

 

Edited 20 September, 20187 yr by xman

So!

9 year old. 36,000 miles. 

What was this bill?

 

Service,

MOT

Additional work.        Has the brake fluid been changed, brakes stripped and cleaned and greased?      Full Service type thing!

 

EDIT.

Sorry only £395 all in Including VAT.    so £316 or so labour and parts & MOT fee.

 Tyre & Puncture repair & Front Lower arm, bush, service and MOT.

Bargain of a lifetime.

 

Brake Fluid needs changing.

Edited 20 September, 20187 yr by Offski

Maybe the air is very dirty down on the South Coast - just a suggestion, maybe!

 

Edit:- you are quite close to France.

Edited 20 September, 20187 yr by rum4mo

The service history shows an inspection service in 2011 and the service stamps were all Simpsons Skoda (Colne, Lancashire) except the last two. It clearly shows only oil and air filters have been changed. Only my garage recorded changing the brake fluid, the pollen filter, spark plugs and fuel filter.

 

It appears by the service history that the car spent most of its life in the Lancashire area before being bought by the trader that I bought it from in London. I don't think Lancashire is that dirty, and although Ealing is a dirty place, it hadn't done that many miles. It's not that dirty in Hastings, although it might be filled with brimstone, fire and sulphur as Hastings is twinned with Hell

Some change the Spark plugs at the 2nd Major service so 4 years 40,000 miles, some say 60,000 and some never do them.

 

An Inspection Service @ 2 years got you nothing more than the Minor Service @ 1 year other than a Pollen filter if even that.

Brake fluid was still @ 2 year intervals then though and only Variable Service Codes coming in then on Fabias.

 

Skoda Simpson, Colne  is worth looking at in Dealers Reviews.   Why some people travel to other dealers or Independents.

 

PS

Make sure Simpson Skoda were filling in the Body Inspection section in the Service Book after each Service Page & onto the System, 

because Skoda UK are knocking back Warranty Claims for the Corrosion Warranty when they say Body Inspections were not done.

Skoda knows the Dealerships that never bothered etc, seemingly they never cared or care now.

 

If you have no rust issues then that is not relevant.

Edited 20 September, 20187 yr by Offski

The point is paying for work or items not done. I have usually serviced my own vehicles for the last 50 years for peace of mind but this detracts from the p/x price when you chop it in at the dealers. They always ask for a service record but that is in my head and not stamped in a book. I use a reputable and fair workshop for the bigger jobs such as brake pad and disc renewal, etc

Bought our Fabia MK2 in 2009 a year old with 6000 miles on the clock, changed all the filters myself as it looked like they had never been touched. Took the car in to the dealers for it's  2nd dealer service in 2010 with 14000 miles on the clock

Picked up the car later in the day with a £245 bill for a full service and a clean car great.

Checked the car over before driving off ----and guess what the plastic engine cover which I left dusty on purpose was STILL dusty no hand marks at all anywhere,  filters I had changed before were  marked with white Tippex and pollen and air filter date marked by myself when changed, so I went back in and said I wanted a refund as I though £245 for a car wash was extreme beyond 

Then the fun started but I invited the manager out to the car and showed him the filters that had been marked and the condition of the cover etc he blamed the  mechanic and so on, they then wanted me to re-book car in for them to carry out another service and anything else they found would be free of charge, and I could have a courtesy car for the day I  told him I was not interested as I thought let them explain to the powers to be why they had to refund the money I had just paid for a booked in service that was invoiced to our car.

Never took the car back again have completed all the jobs myself, car is now 10 years old with 88000 miles on the clock and still runs great so much for dealerships no wonder people distrust them, I just wonder how many other cars they have done this trick on before and after, rubber stamp in the book does not mean " full service history" more like " little book of lies and fibs "

Anyone wanting to pay Dealerships hundreds more so that they get a few hundred if that extra to let the Dealer get a few hundred more by saying Full Main Dealer Service History can do that.

If your cars is a keeper then you want service and maintenance not Stamps and ripped off.

 

Many buying privately want to see Servicing Records, Invoices, part numbers, not FMDSH as that means likely never much was done.

• What you get in a minor service

 

• Oil & filter change (fully synthetic oil)
• Vehicle inspection test and report*
• Full vehicle road test**
• Vehicle & software enhancements from ŠKODA’s database
• Replacement pollen filter ^
• Diagnostic check including report
• Re-set service interval display
• Wash and vacuum
• ŠKODA stamp in service book

A major service you get this extra 

• Everything from an interim service
• Replacement air filter ^
• Spark plugs ^ (petrol engine) or fuel filter ^ (diesel engine)
• Remove wheels and check brakes
• Check/adjust tension of all drive belts
• Check/replenish gearbox oil (where applicable)
• Check/replenish final drive oil (where applicable)
• Check suspension system
• Check heating/aircon operation

But note the small print 

 

^ These items will be replaced, if required. This will be determined by the manufacturer's service regime data.

Edited 21 September, 20187 yr by seriesdriver

The pollen filter ^ is in the major not the minor. 

 

^ only if computer says "I suppose so"

Cant always blame the dealers. You dont know what the previous customer was like. Having worked in the trade in aftersales in a number of roles, i saw all sorts of customers.  Some customers just have oil and filter changed each year, as a dealer they can advise it needs xyz but if customer declines those, then it just gets an oil and filter change

Edited 21 September, 20187 yr by Adrian55555

Which of these services are (supposed to be) carried out for free in the first few years of a new car purchase?

3yrs onwards as stated by skoda. But doesnt mean the prev owner has done this.

Edited 21 September, 20187 yr by Adrian55555

You can not blame owners or customers that do not want something, 

 

but those that pay and trust and think there will be a Body Inspection, and a Roadtest, diagnostics, Software or enhansment updates, then belts and fluids and gearbox and diffs and wheels removed and brakes checked etc etc 

then expect Service items replaced to Manufacturers Schedule or Guidelines when they are not even sure what those are or if ever even looked at you can blame Skoda / VW for misleading and Dealerships.

 

As for Service Plans, they do not even have a Service to Manufacturers Guidelines with maybe 30 & 40,000 miles & 3 / 4 years pass and no DSG oil Change, Haldex or Brake Fluid and yet a Skoda Approved Used car can be advertised as FMDSH.

Owners/customers declining advised items/repairs is very common!  Dealers arent going to fit or do things for free especially when a customer has declined it 

6 minutes ago, Johnfc2017 said:

Which of these services are (supposed to be) carried out for free in the first few years of a new car purchase?

 

Not all new cars get free servicing, those that do get various combinations according to the whims of Skoda financial services. A favourite now, is 1st Oil service (oil and filter, nothing else), 2nd is called a Minor service. 

I know it is common.

 

Also common to decline new discs and pads when phoned up and told they are 80% worn when not 20% worn.

or decline a Fuel Injection Cleaner, or a A/C Service.

 

But some people want to know about a Haldex Service or Brake Fluid change aor DSG Oil Change. 

 

Somepeople trust that a Service Desk person knows their job, keeps them right and would not up-sell just for the Dealerships shake.

 

Service & Maintenance turned into Oil & Filter changes and Inspections and reporting, and many customers know nothing about having to request extras.

Repairs declined are different from Advisories that when checked by others like maybe a MOT examiner are dismissed as a Dealership Tech taking the pith on the Brake Disc Corrosion or the likes.

Maybe advised 'Repairs' are actually Warranty Items that should be repaired by replacing, but the Customer is being taken the Michael out of.

 

Adrian55555, what was your job title in the Dealerships you worked in and what qualifications do you have?

Edited 21 September, 20187 yr by Offski