Haldex service due?

[Stubod]

Hi all,

 

...so my Yeti (late 2015), is now coming up to 4 years old and 20K miles and is due for its annual service in December. I have read some of the comments regarding the Haldex, and understand it is probably due an oil change. However I also read that the filter needs to be cleaned and Skoda dealers don't do this as part of the service.

 

Just wandering what my best options are? ie should I take it to a good indy (there is one near us in Ludlow), and ask them to do a Haldex oil change and filter clean and then take it to a main dealer for "everything else"? (...keen to maintain full main dealer history)..

..many thanks...

[Smokeyjoe]

If you are happy with your dealer, then I would discuss it with them and ask for a quote to change the oil and clean the filter first. There is a warranty on dealer items should anything go wrong with the Haldex subsequently. There have been reports on here of Haldex oil changes going wrong - using wrong drain plugs and fill plugs etc. so if you use an independant make sure they are well used to doing the task first.

[Stubod]

Hi and thanks for the reply.....just phoned and had a chat with our "local" chap who specialises in Skoda's...seemed very knowledgeable and friendly. He said he would normally do it at 40k miles, but would be happy to do it anyway if requested. I think I will be booking it in with him to do and also for a full service and MOT when the time comes (early December)....

[Yetiflute]

Had my haldex serviced by knowledgeable independent who knew to take off pump unit, remove and clean filter. Car 3 years old and 20000 miles. Oil very dirty and filter badly clogged. Easy job though oil very expensive and he suggested not to leave it more than15000 miles before next service. He has seen a lot of this on newest haldex units on all makes of vehicles.

Edited 10 October, 2019 by Yetiflute

[Guest]

There is a perception that by maintaining your vehicle within the dealer network, SUK will possibly be a little more sympathetic with you if you make a claim outwith the warranty period.  However, I had great difficulty getting them to approve repairs even within the warranty period on known and well documented issues, delamination of Proteus alloys being just one of many.

 

When it came to Haldex Servicing, there was nothing in the supplied Service document or Owners Handbook about if, or even when it was due a service or what was involved.  I only found out it required servicing from this forum.  When I enquired at a dealership that a lot of members on here thinks the sun shines out of their derriere, they initially told me 5 years and 60k.  When I asked to have that in writing, they went a bit quiet and said they would get it confirmed via SUK.  SUK didn't know either and had to get confirmation from Skoda Cz; every 37.5k miles or 3 years - whatever is reached first. This is for Haldex 4 and a MkII Octavia Scout, you may want to get it confirmed what the requirements are for your particular vehicle.

 

Several threads on this forum mention the Haldex 4 has a replaceable filter, when I brought this up with the two Skoda dealerships I used for each of the 3 subsequent Haldex Services, both stated there was no filter to replace or clean, even though Volvo replace it as part of their Haldex 4 Service.  After a recommend on here, I have since started using a well regarded local Audi/BMW/Porsche independent specialist, and even though I only had the last Haldex service done last year, as part of other work, he also carried out a Haldex Oil and Filter change.  The only difference I have felt since having the Haldex Oil and Filter change is knowing that, despite SUK best intentions, my system is now operating under optimal conditions.  When I enquired as to the state of the original filter, I was told it was in the state you would expect a 9 year old, 100k filter working under difficult and demanding conditions to be.

 

Skoda dealerships offer two years parts warranty, I cannot remember what the labour warranty is, A for Audi offers 2 years parts and 5 years labour, and his labour rate even undercuts Skodas, let alone Audi's.

 

If you trust your local independent, then I would advise using him, but the choice is ultimately yours.

[Urrell]

Haldex 4 has a replaceable filter, Haldex 5 has a cleanable screen.

[Zarniwoop]

1 hour ago, Urrell said:

Haldex 4 has a replaceable filter, Haldex 5 has a cleanable screen.

And what, pray,  is the difference between a screen and a filter?  Just askin'........😉

[Expatman]

The screen you clean, the filter you replace!

[rarrar]

which Haldex versions are fitted to which models and years ?

[Urrell]

21 hours ago, Urrell said:

Haldex 4 has a replaceable filter, Haldex 5 has a cleanable screen.

 

20 hours ago, Zarniwoop said:

And what, pray,  is the difference between a screen and a filter?  Just askin'........😉

 

I thought that was clear enough.
""Replaceable Filter" or "Cleanable Screen"

[silver1011]

Not sure if it's really worth shopping around?

 

https://www.skoda.co.uk/owners/servicing-maintenance-fixed-price

 

 

Edited 11 October, 2019 by silver1011

[Stubod]

The chap I spoke to said the oil was about £20, I assume the quote above is to simply drain and change the oil? To clear the filter I understand that you have to take part of the unit off, wash it, and then replace it, so I would assume more cost?

[silver1011]

I'm pretty sure the price from Skoda above excludes the filter, as they don't recommend changing it.

 

What price have you had from your independent to change the oil and the filter?

[paulatthehug]

2 hours ago, silver1011 said:

Not sure if it's really worth shopping around?

 

https://www.skoda.co.uk/owners/servicing-maintenance-fixed-price

 

 

 

Heh, Arnold Clark Skoda in Inverness just quoted me £213.61 to do this job. That included 1.5 hours labour at £95 + VAT per hour.

 

My local independent garage said it would take them 30 minutes to an hour and they charge £55 + VAT per hour.

 

Parts is another £35 + VAT on top or thereabouts.

 

I'd not come across Skoda's Fixed Price Maintenance before but if Arnold Clark are obliged to do the job for a fixed price of £79 including VAT, which is what the web page implies, then they're living up to their nickname of Arnold Shark ...

[silver1011]

Skoda's T&C's specifically state for cars 3 years old or older, but my local dealer will honour these prices on newer cars.

 

The other caveat is "only at participating dealers", which I guess means dealers are free to choose whether they offer these prices or not. Bit of a cop out really, but it is at least a sure fire acid test to weed out the crappy dealers i.e. those that don't adhere to the fixed pricing.

[paulatthehug]

I've just checked with Skoda and they are participating dealers. My car is about 10 days under three years old, so perhaps they're relying on that but I'll be phoning them up to shout at them.

 

 

[silver1011]

I've never had the pleasure of using Arnold Clark, but I have read a lot of worrying feedback around their shenanigans over the years.

 

Good luck!

[Guest]

I was charged £160 for the Haldex oil and filter change,  the filter was around £50 iirc.

 

Prior to purchasing my Octy Scout in 2010, I was told by a Skoda dealer (who was later taken over by AC), if your want to know how reputable Skoda are  they continually refuse to allow AC a franchise. 

 

Speaks volumes about Skoda's standards and attitude to  customer service.

[paulatthehug]

Sadly AC are the only Skoda dealer hereabouts. The next nearest is about two hours drive away.

 

Welcome to the highlands of Scotland.

 

[TruckbusUK]

8 hours ago, silver1011 said:

Not sure if it's not really worth shopping around?

 

https://www.skoda.co.uk/owners/servicing-maintenance-fixed-price

 

 

After a robust discussion with our dealer master tech, we had our Haldex oil changed and the mesh gauze / filter screen that's on Haldex 5 removed and cleaned while the car was in for its year 3 service in September  ... the total cost for the two jobs was £65 for the oil and £38 to remove and clean the gauze and reassemble, plus VAT ... so I'm guessing about 30 mins for the mesh screen/filter removal and cleaning.

 

They were fairly reluctant to do it saying Skoda Haldex 5 doesn't have a filter/screen that requires replacing/cleaning, but after we insisted, and I said I didn't mind if they called it a screen and I called it a filter, but I wanted it done they did admit that the mesh filter/screen was a bit gunged up and did infact did require cleaning.

 

 

[paulatthehug]

On 11/10/2019 at 19:07, paulatthehug said:

I've just checked with Skoda and they are participating dealers. My car is about 10 days under three years old, so perhaps they're relying on that but I'll be phoning them up to shout at them.

 

 

So, for anyone who's been following my saga on this, the final outcome was that Arnold Clark Skoda in Inverness said that they weren't participating dealers despite what Skoda UK has said.

 

I contacted Skoda UK again and they apologised and admittted that they'd got it wrong. They advised me to go to Victoria Garage in Maud instead. That's a two hour drive away, so a four hour round trip if I wait (which I would for this job as it doesn't take long) or two four hour trips if it's a bigger service item like a timing belt change. So the Skoda Fixed Price Plan is no bloody use at all, especially as I can't drive for two hours, let alone four, for health reasons.

 

Meanwhile  Arnold Clark Skoda, to whom I'd whined on their feedback form about the outrageous cost of the quote, came back to me with a "discounted" price of £128.11, down from £213.61. A quick fiddle with the calculator revealed that they'd re-priced it as 0.75 hours labour rather than 1.5. Given that my local independent garage have already said it would take them 30 minutes to an hour that means it wasn't a "discount" at all, it was just being realistically priced.

 

Anyway as my local independent charge £55 + VAT per hour rather than £95 +VAT and they'e also three minutes drive and fifteen minutes walk away, rather than a half hour drive there and back, twice, plus £12 for a courtesy car you can guess who's doing Zebedee's Haldex oil change on Thursday.

[Ootohere]

?

Does your Independent have experience of doing a Haldex Service?

I suppose they would since so many swerve AC.

 

You have Hawco Volkswagen in Inverness that can perfectly well do the Haldex Service.

If the Service Desk person says they do not work on Skoda's ask to talk to the Dealer Principal and ask if they are refusing VW Group work and is it a cartel they operate with Arnold Clark in Inverness.

That should not be required though.

 

Victoria Garage Maud are the real deal, all the gear, more than just an idea and a guess, 

There is the distance issue though, 

but there are those that will come down from the Islands by ferry and go there rather than Skoda Specialist Cars John Clark Group Aberdeen.

Edited 14 October, 2019 by Roottootemoot

[paulatthehug]

3 minutes ago, Roottootemoot said:

Does your Independent have experience of doing a Haldex Service?

 

They said they did, and I've had the filter vs screen conversation with them.

 

We've been using them for some with our other vehicle and they seem to be competent.

 

And thanks for the tip about Hawco VW.

[paulatthehug]

So ... my local independent did the job today without bother. He did mention that there was a "surprising amount of crud" in the screen, so it definitely due.

 

Anyway they billed me for 0.6 hours at £55 + VAT per hour, oil was the same price - to the penny - as AC Skoda (apparently there is no third party Haldex oil around so they have to use VAG's own). The total cost was £82.21 so still two thirds of the price of AC Skoda even at their discounted quote and 38% of their original quote.

 

So a hat tip to Bitz Garage in Nairn. They've been looking after us for some years now on our other vehicle and seem to be competent and are, as you can see, reasonably priced (although I did tell him what AC Skoda quoted me and he's said perhaps he should put his prices up!).

[Scottie1979]

On 10/10/2019 at 14:59, Fin69 said:

 

 

Skoda dealerships offer two years parts warranty, I cannot remember what the labour warranty is, A for Audi offers 2 years parts and 5 years labour, and his labour rate even undercuts Skodas, let alone Audi's.

 

If you trust your local independent, then I would advise using him, but the choice is ultimately yours.

 

 

good to have a recommendation for a local indi in my area thanks.

assume they do all your servicing work to?