Hello

Just had my 02 1.9 tdi serviced after only owning car since august (85k 4 year service)

Was told that the car needed new back break discs and pads as they were severrly coroded and they were surprised i could stop at all. That and the brake fluid change and service came to

I'm afraid I don't have full confidence in what a lot of mechanics have told me. When I took my car in for servicing recently (an '02 Tdi fabia like yours), they said all of my brake pads needed changing at a cost of about £150. I whipped the wheels off when I got home and they weren't even half worn. I've since changed the fronts for the princely sum of £17, that's for decent Ferrodos too.

If the car has been used regularly, I'd be very suprised if the back discs are as bad as they say they are, unless you live by the coast and get salt on them all year around.

As for the faulty dash, as far as they're concerned they're probably right in saying that they'll only replace it. Is it possible, though, that it's something as simple as a connection plug that's come undone or even a fuse?

HTH

I was quoted about

Dash problem is quite common, they have improved the jointing to the PCB mounted buzzer.

IMO Try and take it to a local garage (or another dealership within you area) with a good rep and tell them you are taking it back to the dealers for "--------------" and that you dont want them to overcharge you and do work on it that is unsatisfactory, thats what your coming here for first.

Hopefully they will tell you what needs to be done and a rough cost, then you at least will have an idea on what the correct price and work carried out will be.

I tend to get a 2nd opinion of any work a dealer quotes me for before I get it carried out. Most local independent garages seem to give a more honest opinion of how much longer there have before they need replacing!

Chris

I'll second that!

Yeah all us dealers are a rip off.

Just bear in mind though the tech has to make a judgement as to wheather your pads/discs are not only in good condition at the time of the service but also if they are going to last until the next service. On variable servicing this can be very tricky if going 30k between services.

Rear brakes often corrode on the back of the Fabia before wearing out due to thier lack of use. And if they were checked in August (9 months ago!) then they could well be corroded since then)

Yeah all us dealers are a rip off.

The final bill was

The final bill was

Yeah all us dealers are a rip off........

The dealers have a duty of care to ensure that your car remains safe and roadworthy until the time the next service inspection is due. This I imagine is very difficult to predict, but it's quite easy to address. You can see and judge the pads yourself, and the disks I imagine have a minimum thickness limit, just ask them what the minimum thickness is, and what the current thickness is. If you are close to the limit then it makes sense to have new disks fitted. Years ago it was unheard of to have new disks fitted unless they warped, but these days the disks are designed to wear much like the pads - as the pads have been made of a harder material since asbestos usage was banned. From past experience I would recommend anyone having new pads fitted to also have new disks because the disks don't wear evenly across the full width of the surface.

And also if you measure the discs and they are just above the minimum thickness but the pads are shot what do you do? Discs are ok technically now but in X thousand miles when the pads are worn down again the discs will be well below the min thickness.

Most wouldnt hesitate spending £150 on thier car to make it quicker, how about spending that to make sure it slows down.

And also if you measure the discs and they are just above the minimum thickness but the pads are shot what do you do? Discs are ok technically now but in X thousand miles when the pads are worn down again the discs will be well below the min thickness.

Most wouldnt hesitate spending

Gone roughly 3 sets of pads before front disk replacement on every car I've ever owned before the disks were worn enough to require replacement, pads bed in fine as long as you are not heavy on them when first fitted. I was always told new disks always require new pads.

dealers will always charge more as they have bigger overheads and probably the most qualified and experienced techs for your car so your paying for the quality not the quantity

when ever any of my cars have gone in for service i have always told them to call me before doing any work other than regular service shedule as i know they aren't the cheapest and as i am more than capable of changing a set of discs and pads why would i pay someone £50 an hour at a set length of time to do a relatively easy job

I'd agree with Bengie's post in particular - always best to say 'do the service only, anything on top of that you MUST contact me before doing the work'.

If the work is carried out without your pre-approval you can refuse to pay for that work and take the car regardless. Not recommended though

Dealers don't tend to just do the work without asking you if you tell them up front as it's a bad thing for customer relations, and if they did it you'd take your follow-up business elsewhere.

That said I will admit to trying to find a good value-for-money service if I can

My local independant garage services my wife's car. Last year after the service he told me that the car would need new pads on the front in about 5k miles. We went back for the 12month inspection a few weeks ago and he changed them then (only 3k miles done in the year).

My old VW dealership was the same with my Golf. Always phoned me if there was anything over and above the normal service, and wouldn't change brakes/ timing belt etc unless it was required, but did notify me when it would be needed at the service.

JD

i was quoted £290 for a 80k belt change and then £160 for a service at a main dealer, is that reasonable or will i get a better quote at an independent.

Thanks

Be very careful with the main dealer Extra's.

Had a similar experience with my wife's car. Got told by the dealer Disks were corroded ( absolute bullsh*T), pads were worn, back shocks were shot. A nice tidy sum for them.

Amazing when checking it out myself and another garage ( it needed a MOT) Nothing needed doing. it has been a year since all these things were noted and the shocks are still fine (tested), pads have only just been replaced (without warning light coming on) and the disks are still well within the minimum spec, corrosion is cleaned off the first time you use the brakes. ( dealer scare tactics)

Use the main dealer for the servicing minimum but anything else (out of warranty) find a good independant garage , make friends with the owner and they will look after you, without trying to plunder your bank account. Got myself a great little family owned garage that have been getting my business for years.

If anyone is in the Basingstoke, Reading and Tadley area, Alan's garage in Tadley are honest people.