Hi, I rang my local skoda dealership today and enquired about cost for an oil change due. I was then told I was on a longlife service plan (dont recall signing up to this or mentioned when I bought the car in in Feb this year) and that I was due a major service for around £400!! The car is almost 4 year old, has just over 20k on clock and due to covid ive managed about 2.5k since Feb. Is this plan required? Should I look to another dealer before spending my hard earned cash? Any advice much appreciated. 

Do you mean on a Variable Service Regime, rather than Plan?  

 A Plan is you having paid monthly or in advance to have services or part of the purchase of an Approved Used Skoda maybe..

 

 

Skoda UK dropped the Minor/ Interim and Major Service names.

 

Now they are Oil & Inspection Services, and Extended Scope Services each 3 years.

 

So get the servicing the car needs if the last 'Major Service' was @ 2 years, and was just Oil & Filter & a Pollen Filter.

If you just want an Oil & Filter change and a Pollen filter just get that.

 

But the Brake Fluid might not have been changed if no service last year. 

It is first @ 3 years then each 2 years.

 

*Maybe get an Independent Specialist to Service the car, Service the Brakes etc, because Skoda Main Dealerships do very little actual Servicing.

OK thanks for the info. Still a little confused as I've spoken to them again and it was last serviced in 2018 so now requires oil, pollen and spark plugs but no mention of air con service. Maybe enquire with an independent specialist. 

3 hours ago, Gav23 said:

OK thanks for the info. Still a little confused as I've spoken to them again and it was last serviced in 2018 so now requires oil, pollen and spark plugs but no mention of air con service. Maybe enquire with an independent specialist. 

Hi Gav, welcome to the forum - I'd dispense with the Air con service if they try pushing it - consensus has it in the dealer money spinning section.

 I'd also say that your plugs would probably be fine for another year, My 2015 / MY16 is still on the factory plugs at 18000 miles and still seem fine. I've had my servicing (fixed, annual) done at an independent specialist since the vehicle came out of warranty, you could make some savings here if you can find a good reliable one. I had some issues with two separate main dealers during the warranty period ! 

@Gav23

Really you need to ask the person you spoke to to get a Professional Technician to talk to them.

 

The Spark Plugs were at the 2nd Major Service which was 4 years / 40,000 miles, a d some Service Staff would say that was at 60,000 or 65,000 miles.

You paid the same for a 1st and 2nd Major service and might or might not get Plugs, Air or Fuel filters.

 

So now some at Skoda dealerships have the plugs at 60,000 miles in their Guidelines. 

 As it is i would not pay them £99 to supply and fit them.

Nor £35 for a Pollen filter or £45 for an air filter.   Or their Oil Service & Inspection and extended scope prices.

 

Bottom, and Skoda are showing plugs at 4 years / 40,000 miles again.

Pollen Filter every 2 years, and they have put the Air Filter to 6 years / 60,000 miles.

I would be checking the Air Filter every year and replacing if needed, as they are a location location location thing on how dirty / clogged they can get, 

or damp.

 

Edited 3 November, 20205 yr by e-Roottoot

Is it in warranty? It sounds like it might be?  Id so, you need to be "careful" that the documented regime is followed, whether at a dealer or specialist. And keep records.  As @e-Roottoot there is lots of service regime information published, not all totally consistent.

 

So.  You need an oil and oil filter change minimum.  If it is due the plugs (what is the age ?) £99 is not ridiculous.  The plugs part cost alone at a dealer part dep are £40 to  £50.  

 

Same with brake fluid and extended scope checking. Yes, it will be cheaper if you can do it yourself but the prices don't look insane. I do brake fluid change but you have to jack the car up, buy a pressure filler or have an assistant, deal with stuck nipples etc. Dispose of brake fluid. It is not a 5 min job.

 

The Aircon service does look very eeeeexepensive. There are lots of places that can do a decent job of this, for a lot less money. I usually pay £30 to £40.

 

Anyone with dealer level or specialist diagnostics can put your car back on to time and distance servicing and it is generally the best for the cars health.

The Spark Plugs, Air Filter were in the 2nd Major Service @ £279.  As were Fuel Filters,  at the Schedule Change.

Problem / con was they were not in the Major Service in between @ £279 as well.

 

Then the £279 was for a Citigo as well with 3 spark plugs and a lot less oil.     The £99 spark plug price is the same for a 1.0TSI 3 Cylinder as it is for a 4 cylinder.

 

They are taking the pith.

Edited 3 November, 20205 yr by e-Roottoot

OK so guys if I go to local independant specialist that uses genuine parts will this void any kind of warranty I have with the garage. I have a standard 1 years used car warranty. Is it also possible the independant will be able to check to see what work was carried out in the last service which was in 2018.

You are fine with a VAT registered establishment, genuine parts, and an itemised invoice & receipt.

There are even Independents with Licensed equipment that gives them TPI's, Software Updates and they can put the service on the system.

On 03/11/2020 at 17:29, TheClient said:

 

The Aircon service does look very eeeeexepensive. There are lots of places that can do a decent job of this, for a lot less money. I usually pay £30 to £40.

 

 

This would be in older models with R134A gas. R1234YF gas from 1st Jan 2017 is 2-3 times more expensive.

3 hours ago, MeteorOcty said:

This would be in older models with R134A gas. R1234YF gas from 1st Jan 2017 is 2-3 times more expensive.

Good point. I'm living 9 years in the past! Don't have a car with R1234YF gas yet.  So, although you can obviously do most of the service items yourself, cheaper, with an underlying zero labour rate, the Skoda prices don't look insulting IMO. As long as you get a decent Skoda tech actually working on the car.

 

22 minutes ago, TheClient said:

Good point. I'm living 9 years in the past! Don't have a car with R1234YF gas yet.  So, although you can obviously do most of the service items yourself, cheaper, with an underlying zero labour rate, the Skoda prices don't look insulting IMO. As long as you get a decent Skoda tech actually working on the car.

 

Defo. Prices have always been fine for me. Got a quote from a local VAG specialist for the cambelt\DSG oil change\service\MOT which worked out £200 more than the main dealer!

Just to update on this I've had all the work completed from a local VAG specialist and it was almost 50% less than the main dealer. Must be the sanitiser and valet that bump the main dealers cost up!