Service price check

[Noz]

Hi

 

My 2014 Octavia 1.4 has done 42K miles and is due a service - a Major Service apparently. I bought it this time last year as used, approved Skoda from a main dealer and so this is its first service since then

My nearest Skoda dealer is saying £279 - is that right?

 

I'm used to getting my cars serviced infrequently and locally at low costs so my shock is probably unrealistic but all the same...

 

Also, what is your opinion on even bothering with main dealer servicing for a car like this? Is it worth the premium over a local garage?

 

Cheers

Edited 2 April, 2019 by Noz

[SashaGrace]

Depends on your outlook. What I will say is the service manager of my local Skoda dealer even tells people it’s only checks that get done on the Major service over the Minor to mark up the job. If you are out of warranty, go for a £159 service or better still, a £99 oil change and put a genuine air and pollen filter from TPS in yourself. My advice for much cheapness  I could do the oil myself but I cba lying on my back in the slashing rain for the sake of an extra £50 I can go and drink all their coffee, eat all their biscuits and sit in all the new shiny cars all the while maintaining a full dealer history for when the car is sold.

[MarkyG82]

What Sasha said.

In addition, I have no interest in keeping a full dealer history.  My main requirement is having a car correctly maintaned.  Usually I do as much as I can myself.  However, with the cost of oil and my local trusted guys charging 65+vat I find it easier to drop it off with them.  For a car you intend to keep trust is a big part in how you look after it.  I trust myself to do some jobs and the local VAG specialist to do the rest.  Local dealers are very good but demand a premium.

[Noz]

Looks like the major service includes replacing: oil, pollen filter, oil filter, sump plug, spark plugs. I guess all of that is going to take up a decent chunk of £279 inc vat?

 

So I'm thinking the only way to get the price down significantly would be not replace all of that. I don't remember ever replacing spark plugs on the various old cars I've owned  for instance,.

[MarkyG82]

The cost of the parts will be less than £100.  Possibly significantly less due to the trade prices that the dealer will pay.  The rest is labour and money making.  Pollen filter and air filter are easy jobs for anyone who knows the right end of a screwdriver.  Oil, oil filter and sump plug are the messy bits and the oil is the most pricey of them at £50 give or take.  Spark plug are relatively cheap but the important bit it knowing how to set them and then getting at the top end to do the work.  I would guess they may not even change them if everything is running sweet thus saving them time and making more cash.

[Noz]

1 minute ago, MarkyG82 said:

The cost of the parts will be less than £100.  Possibly significantly less due to the trade prices that the dealer will pay.  The rest is labour and money making.  Pollen filter and air filter are easy jobs for anyone who knows the right end of a screwdriver.  Oil, oil filter and sump plug are the messy bits and the oil is the most pricey of them at £50 give or take.  Spark plug are relatively cheap but the important bit it knowing how to set them and then getting at the top end to do the work.  I would guess they may not even change them if everything is running sweet thus saving them time and making more cash.

Really? And still put in the report they've changed then? Are they that dodgy?

[MarkyG82]

Does the service actually say 'replace' or 'check and replace if needed'?

They should still do some sort of check either way.

Edited 2 April, 2019 by MarkyG82

[Noz]

7 minutes ago, MarkyG82 said:

Does the service actually say 'replace' or 'check and replace if needed'?

They should still do some sort of check either way.

 

Ahhh...yes well spotted. Of course you're correct. On the Skoda page, there's little symbol ^ which at the bottom of the page then says " These items will be replaced, if required. This will be determined by the manufacturer's service regime data". Same with the filters.

 

That could turn a reasonable value service into a rip-off.

[MarkyG82]

Indeed.  Probably not a bad deal if everything is replaced and I'm sure some dealers will do the work as stated.  Unfortunately in the world we live in the game is to make money.....

[SashaGrace]

If the car runs fine they won’t change the spark plugs. You’d be hard pressed to get anything extra over a £159 service if the car is in decent condition. It’s all check and replace if necessary.

[ntl123]

I’m getting my service done tomorrow on my diesel, luckily for me working in auto trade I get a discount so it doesn’t work out too bad 

[Ootohere]

So Manufactures Guidelines has the Spark Plugs and Air Filter due for replacement at 40,000 miles / 4 years.

Ie, 2nd Major Service. Pollen / Cabin Filter as well.

(not 65,000 or 75,000 or what ever some receptionist says Long Life Plug changes are at. 

and them not removing them to check anyway, same as not opening an Air Filter box to check it's condition.)

 

They are not due in a Service 9,400 miles / 372 days later if on a fixed service, 

so it would be another 2 years to a major service, so 6 years from Factory / OEM fitment...

 

Just tell the Service Desk if they are giving the Fixed Price Major Service and are a participating dealer doing the Major Service on a 3-10 year old car on Fixed Servicing you want the Whole Deal.

As set out and you want the parts replaced, the Diagnostics / Software Update , Road Test, Health Report, look sees.

Even the Belt Check they say on the website.

 

'Remove wheels'.  That will be chocolate.

 

Maybe hold the Free Wash & Vacuum.  That takes as long as the Service that some Dealerships do for £279 including VAT.

Same Cost as when no Plugs or Filter used. Odd that....

So is that less VAT to HMRC / Tax Payers and more profits to the Dealership.  But then they pay tax on profits, don't they...!!

 

 

Edited 2 April, 2019 by Skoffski

[Noz]

Great thanks.

 

So I just phoned them and the service dept said they would definitely replace all filters and plugs at that service given the car's age and mileage.

 

I called my local garage who have always done good work but they are actually more expensive if all the listed parts are replaced and similar work done.

[MarkyG82]

This whole conversation is why I do my own work or use a trusted garage.  Only sure way to know that a job is completed is if you do it yourself.

 

Reminds me I need to do the air filters on both our cars and the plugs on the better halfs.

[Stoofa]

I questioned the "check" part of the major service on my last car - because I use variable servicing all of my services are considered major and I do like to keep main dealer service history for the first 5 years of warranty & goodwill.

I said to him "So, it's £279 if I have parts fitted or not?" - Yes, that is the case.

So I then went into asking for discounts if the parts aren't required, weren't budging. In the end I basically said "OK, I'm paying but I want all of the parts I'm paying for replaced".

Each of my invoices listed all parts as having been replaced - I know it's easy to put things on an invoice and then remove them later etc, but that's a lot of hassle.

 

Anyway, to me paying that little more for 5yrs just means that should I need goodwill it makes the argument a little easier. I needed it at 4yrs on my previous car with an inlet manifold, and they offered good will quite quickly.

[Noz]

My local garage was actually more expensive so had it done at the main dealer and had them do all the jobs/parts inc. spark plugs etc. Seemed like a reasonable price after phoning around a few garages.