First service £199???

[Breezy]

Indicator in the car is telling me it is time for its first Oil Service. DM Keith have booked it in and told me it will be £199......is that right for an oil change? 

[Ootohere]

Right for them and a nice wee earner if you pay that rip-off price.

 

What is this a 1st year / 9,400 mile fixed service or a 2 year variable service?

 

Ask what they are supplying other than the Oil / Filter (VW508 00 oil.)   & a sump plug and a free health check?

 

There is no Pollen filter unless the car is getting a Variable Service, no Spark Plugs or Air Filter being changed or even checked.

[Apprentice]

Small print near bottom of webpage from the link below:

https://www.skoda.co.uk/owners/your-skoda

 

" *According to our Online Service Booking Data, 89% of the network advertise first service at £179 and second service at £249, meaning a combined cost of £428. Compared to £428, the price of a ŠKODA New car Service Plan (under 1 year) at £342, represents a saving of 20%. ŠKODAs National Fixed Price Servicing interim service is advertised at £169 and major service at £279, meaning a combined cost of £448. A ŠKODA Service plan for a vehicle over 1 year old is £405, representing a saving of 9.6%."

 

Skoda servicing costs on the website seem to vary if the car is 1 year or first service or over 3 years old and then there is the long life term servicing favoured by the fleets folk that do over 12,000 miles a year then there are various service plans, it becomes rather confusing for first time VAG owners.

 

 

 

[Ootohere]

£169 / £279 was fixed price servicing at participating dealers on 3-10 year old cars.

 

On a 1 year or 2 year old car they are taking the pith, when it is an 'Inspection Service / Oil & Filter change', Road Test and Diagnostics, if that is even done.

& 'Very expensive 'Free wash and vacuums'. 

 

Charge the same price to not supply parts, not spend so long on Labour, so not charge as much VAT, just get more profits.

[Breezy]

38 minutes ago, Roottootemoot said:

Right for them and a nice wee earner if you pay that rip-off price.

 

What is this a 1st year / 9,400 mile fixed service or a 2 year variable service?

 

Ask what they are supplying other than the Oil / Filter (VW508 00 oil.)   & a sump plug and a free health check?

 

There is no Pollen filter unless the car is getting a Variable Service, no Spark Plugs or Air Filter being changed or even checked.

Its a fixed time/ mileage service. The car has travelled 7850 miles. They say they change the Oil and Filter, also apply any necessary software updates. 
 

[Ootohere]

They are Robbing Barstewards.

 

?

Do you own the car and buy it new and ask to have it put on Fixed Service Intervals rather than left on Variable Servicing?

 

All they are doing is an Oil & Filter change and Software Updates that the Factory required unless you want them.

They are at it with £199. 

Why some people call them Stealers.  

 

If you pay £199 be sure the car has a Body Inspection, a Road Test, a full health check visual inspection, and that they use VW508 (0w 20 FS IV oil.)

Get your moneys worth.

[Guest]

If you want the car serviced by Skoda and have a Skoda stamp in the book then ask for their oil change @£119 because that's all they're doing on your £199 ( less the car wash + vacuum ). The Inspection test and report is the same.  You could try asking what's the difference between the two and how do they justify the difference.

 

An oil change includes:

• Oil & filter change (fully synthetic oil)
• Vehicle inspection test and report*

 

As for software updates - well I don't know about Skoda but SEAT update their cars as a matter of routine whenever they enter the service bay - requested or not. It takes a matter of minutes.

Edited 18 November, 2019 by Guest

[Ootohere]

That £119 Oil Service etc option was removed from the Fixed Price @ participating dealers menu, for cars 3-10 year old on Fixed Servicing.

It is the right price though. given the hourly rate, time taken and supplied parts,

[Berisford]

22 minutes ago, Scot5 said:

If you want the car serviced by Skoda and have a Skoda stamp in the book.....

I was told the service book is no more, it's all on the 'computer' now?

 

[edbostan]

Oil change is £119. Someone at the dealers typed it wrong

 

[skoda1982]

The Karoq i have now got first and second service free. Ordered a Kamiq and paid £159 for 1st and 2nd service, Yeti i had 2017 first service £189 plus a 20% discount

Edited 18 November, 2019 by skoda1982

[Ootohere]

A DM Keith website linked to the Skoda Services and a Service Plan.  The latest site that misses out the £119 Oil Service.

[Apprentice]

If I remember correcty at the start of this year it was £99 for the basic oil + filter change service, then it crept up to £119 and now it isn't even shown as a service package option on the website anymore.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Berisford said:

I was told the service book is no more, it's all on the 'computer' now?

 

yes but it's still refered to as a stamp.

 

Just like golf - they still call it a 3 wood even tho it's been made from metal for the past 40 years

Edited 18 November, 2019 by Guest

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Apprentice said:

If I remember correcty at the start of this year it was £99 for the basic oil + filter change service, then it crept up to £119 and now it isn't even shown as a service package option on the website anymore.

You're right, it was £99.

 

One of my local dealers still advertising it. https://www.henrys-cars.com/skoda/servicing/fixed-price-service  and I'm sure it's available everywhere else if you ask. If they say no, just say you're taking it to the indi round the corner.

[Ootohere]

That is the same information as was on the Skoda Fixed Price Offer Site before they removed the £119 oil service about 2 months ago.

 

See the 3-10 year old car bit.

But non Participating Dealers might well offer that.   With a Parks service offer, buyer beware.

[SurreySlowCoach]

My £179 included a video of the underneath of my car with a. Commentary  about how the tyres, pads and discs were all good and the underside looked as it should, not in HD though and sound was very patchy. Did seem like a lot of money for not very much.

[silver1011]

The varying level of inspections over the different service types is another scam.

 

The dealers can't get enough of inspecting the underside of your car, afterall it's the only way they're able to invent unnecessary work.

[classic]

Speaking as a former vehicle technician, having worked at Vauxhall, Nissan and VW Audi - The easiest jobs at a dealer are PDI’s and servicing new cars with less than 30000 miles on the clock. Absolute doddle, and relatively clean into the bargain. Most dealers operate a bonus scheme based on standard times so speed is the name of the game.

 

[VRS_White_Hatch]

I'm going to do an oil change myself at 12 months old (next month) then get 1 service from Skoda at 2 years to keep the warrantee (reluctantly I can tell you) then it will not be going in again unless I absolutely have to at those prices. 

 

I actually like doing an oil service - a chance to inspect, lube, clean or whatever any part I can get at. There's no way any dealership staff would take as much care or do any of the little touches I do when working on it. I also let the oil drain for a couple of hours. Any tips welcome. MY2019 vRS Oct.

[Ootohere]

That is a big error on some engines letting oil drain for a couple of hours.

 

Nothing wrong with oil pumped out at Operating Temperature,  then the drain plug replaced and no timing chain tensioner issues.

[silver1011]

The problem is, as Skoda owners we get tunnel vision.

 

£179 is a lot of money.

 

£179 is quite some mark-up when you consider you're getting 30 minutes labour, some trade discounted oil and a £5 oil filter (excluding all the other overheads, my example is deliberately simplistic).

 

However, in the grand scheme of main-steam manufacturers main dealer pricing we have it very good.

 

For all those sweating at the thought of Skoda's main dealer service pricing, try running a Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai or KIA etc. Their pricing is another step-up. £349 for a major service on a Nissan Qashqai.

 

I won't mention the premium brands, an oil filter, air filter and fuel filter service was quoted at £650 at Tesside Mercedes-Benz for my E-Class. Another £450 for an automatic gearbox oil change.

 

£179 / £289? Pah, small change!

 

Nissan...

 

 

Edited 19 November, 2019 by silver1011

[Ootohere]

Skoda UK just can not get the clear message out on Schedules or Guidelines then ensure that Main Skoda Dealership Service Desk staff are signing from the same hymn sheet, or at least know about what is required and what is sensible recommendations.

But then the biggest Dealership Networks in the UK are to blame as well.

 

Everything does seem to be there in print, but that is not clear for 1 & 2 year old cars.

On top of that is 'Upselling',  Techs / Fitters deciding if the car will be on Fixed Servicing or stay on Variable.

 

As to Haldex / DSG's, (s-tronic) then Diff Oil changes, that seems to just carry on year after year as something Skoda can not set out clearly online or in Dealership like Audi can.

 

http://seat.co.uk/owners/your-seat/servicing-maintenance/fixed-price-servicing.html

 

http://volkswagen.co.uk/owners/servicing/fixed-price-servicing

 

 

http://audi.co.uk/owners-area/servicing.html

 

http://audi.co.uk/account/fixed-price-services.html#/fixprice

 

 

 

Edited 19 November, 2019 by Roottootemoot

[silver1011]

It wouldn't surprise me if the confusing and conflicting messages on servicing are deliberate.

 

This allows Skoda UK to claim that their pricing is competitive, but the confusion also allows those dealers that complain the servicing prices are too low to charge more than they should.

 

It is a win-win situation for Skoda UK and their franchised dealers, albeit at their customers cost. Pretty unsurprising really.

[Apprentice]

On 19/11/2019 at 11:06, Roottootemoot said:

Everything does seem to be there in print, but that is not clear for 1 & 2 year old cars.

 

Yes that seems to be the case, I was looking at Thomson and Potter's website and could only find their fixed price service for cars over 3 years old which showed the price for the service.

 

https://www.john-clark.co.uk/skoda/servicing-parts/service-information/3-plus-service/

 

There is something else called Express Service Options but no detailed info on the website, you would have to phone them to find what is what for your vehicle.

 

https://www.john-clark.co.uk/skoda/servicing-parts/service-information/express/

 

I'll need to have a chat with Inverness Skoda / Arnie C's service manager next time I'm over there and see what she says about their service options for my Karoq.

Edited 20 November, 2019 by Apprentice
linky