Hi good people,

My car is due for general service and oil change as per message displaying on the dashboard.its a 2016 make and done close to 18000 miles.

This is my first car, and I'm not very experienced in car maintenance. I'm tempted to use Skoda dealership for the upcoming service,have read horrible experiences people have gone through e.g.Trans City Skoda in Walthamstow.

Do you guys think finding a local reputable garage is better? Thank you.

Yes.

 

Ask around your friends and family. Where do they get their cars serviced and MOTd?

 

Your car is out of basic warranty so no need to curry favour with an expensive main dealer.

When my cars are out of warranty I always take them to a local VAG specialist or independent - no need to pay dealer prices!

@Chrigdo you have a History of servicing and preventive maintenance over the past years as what was done and where?

 

Maybe best find a local VW Independent Specialist and get done stuff that might be outstanding.

 

Your mileage is the same as a car might have had at 2 years old and have got a major service which is not much other than an Oil & Filter change and a Pollen filter and look see.

 

What was done at 3 years old? 

?

Is it a petrol or diesel Octavia?        Brake Fluid change was due at 3 years old, so at least the H20 content should be checked if not changed.

The Air Filter could do with being looked at if not to be changed. 

Pollen Filter due.

Oil & Filter and change the service interval maybe to Fixed if the car is still on variable / flexible.

 

Things need doing maybe like the brakes serviced / cleaned / greased.

 

Stuff Main Dealers charge a lot for doing and are not part of an Oil & Inspection Service or even the Extended Scope. 

Edited 7 February, 20215 yr by e-Roottoot

Interestingly mine is due an inspection service and dsg oil and filter. Up until now I have used my local main dealer who are a family business. I thought I would give a couple of independent specialist garages a try for prices. One hasn't replied with a quote and the other was just a few pounds cheaper than the main dealer. As I trust them it will be going there again. 

It obviously depends on where you are and how good the service is. 

I get it MOT't at a local general garage who are brilliant with my old land rover service and repair but not more modern cars. 

17 hours ago, Chrig said:

Hi good people,

My car is due for general service and oil change as per message displaying on the dashboard.its a 2016 make and done close to 18000 miles.

This is my first car, and I'm not very experienced in car maintenance. I'm tempted to use Skoda dealership for the upcoming service,have read horrible experiences people have gone through e.g.Trans City Skoda in Walthamstow.

Do you guys think finding a local reputable garage is better? Thank you.

 

Forget those guys (Trans city Skoda Walthamstow) What part of London are you based?

I'm based in East London, Royal Docks area.

17 hours ago, Chrig said:

I'm based in East London, Royal Docks area.

 

Ok a little bit further from me but take a look at this thread, I recommend unit18 but they are in Milton Keynes, takes me an hour to get there.

 

https://www.unit18.co.uk/

Milton Keynes.

 

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/374527-feedback-independent-garages-in-outside-london-area/

 

You could try these places.

https://www.rac-london.co.uk/

NW London (used them once, check my review within the thread-link above)

https://audivwsc.co.uk/

NW London

https://quattro-tech.co.uk/

Cambridge area

 

Don't know of any independent specialists within your exact location! Maybe try a Google search & see what comes up but definitely check reviews, recommendations etc & make sure they use genuine parts.

Thank you.I will go through the links.

An update on this thread,I Iended up using Trans City Skoda in Walthamstow, and I must say the service was spot on,no complaints at all.

 

I was initially very hesitant after reading some reviews on Google but I'm guessing everyone get their own personal experience with whichever garage they use.

 

In summary, I will definitely use them again.

Who writes reviews on good service generally. We all have our standards and things can go wrong at times and reviews certainly have their place but if everyone had a bad time places would never get the work.

 

I used a dealer a while after purchasing my car for a major service purely for convienience and price.

 

I was welcomed at the door into the brightly light (hair product advert) palatial building, by a very smart sales representative with teeth like Rylan. Escorted by said sales rep, whilst been offered a cup tea (i don't drink tea but I'm in a minority) to the service desk.  A delightful lady then asked me fill in all sorts of paperwork I had no idea what I was signing, but it looked very boring whatever it was for. Handed over my keys and my car was whisked off to somewhere I could not even see a mechanic in overalls. Some 6 hours later my credit card had a dent in it, the car was washed (nice) and it all still worked as it did before. I'd have asked for the old oil in a jug and a recyled bag full of all the old filters they had changed, but the disposal costs would have been too much for my now dented credit card. 

 

So all in all it was a good experience for me at a dealer too.

 

It now goes to an an independant. They give me a car for the day, which is a bit clapped out to be honest, but a giggle to drive as its not mine hehe. I can speak to a mechanic in oily overalls (hooray) and even go into the workshop as there are certainly no doors with "No Unauthorised Personel beyond this point" stickers. I feel much more comfortable with it that way, and they even don't offer me a cup of tea!