"Your 5 Star Experience" - Hardly!

[BoxerBoy]

Skoda and I will just have to agree to differ over what constitutes a "5 Star Experience".

 

I'll start by praising the Stirling dealer for actually accepting my car at 0815h when I rocked up to a service that I had booked online weeks ago and honouring the online price I'd been given.

 

Been in my diary with a note of the online quoted price of £271 for a simple oil change plus brake fluid (which is one of many EXTRA routine service items these days.

 

But - my online booking had failed to register and silly me hadn't noticed that I didn't have an acknowledgement.  There was no booking.

 

I guess it was a quiet day so they took my car in.

 

As usual, I received a link to the video of a technician inspection under the car. Always good for a laugh.

 

Yes my winter tyres have good tread.

 

Yes my front wiper blades were past their best, but I have new ones in the garage for it's MOT next week (always carry new Bosch blades in the boot).

 

No thank you to all the "recommended" extra repair work, aka money spinning non-service items.

- your front brakes could do with replacement - they're half worn, so they're half good

- your rear brakes could do with replacement - look awful, been replaced once already under warranty, but now deemed normal wear + tear

- AC needs a service - no, it's working fine

- rear axle oil needs changed - did you check it? No, I'll skip that £181

 

The car is 3 in March with only 21,000 miles and will be collected in 4 weeks.  I'm sure BCA will find a lucky new owner.

[xspartx]

Don't get me started on main dealer servicing.

 

I must have saved £20k over the years by not taking them up on their "recommendations".

 

My favourite was a water pump issue that they diagnosed and wanted hundreds of pounds for.  I fixed it for under £2.

[Yogi-Bear]

Let me get this right... you rock up to the dealer without a confirmed booking (not their fault), yet they service your car for the price only you know is the one given online (I'm assuming you didn't have any actual proof of it?)... and you're bitching because they tried to upsell stuff to you as you presumably knew they would, given it is a main dealer and they always do it?

 

Sorry, really can't see what you actually have to moan about. 🤷‍♂️

[Ootohere]

The Rear Diff Oil on a 3 year old car would be nonsense,  they supposedly check rear diff levels,'final drive oil'.  that is not the Haldex.

The Haldex Service is due at 3 years / 30,000 miles which is the same as the brake fluid.

The brake fluid can be checked 'tested for the H2o content',

but the Haldex Service is due when the next owner gets the car, unless it was done previously.

Edited 24 February, 2023 by toot

[BoxerBoy]

13 minutes ago, Yogi-Bear said:

Let me get this right... you rock up to the dealer without a confirmed booking (not their fault), yet they service your car for the price only you know is the one given online (I'm assuming you didn't have any actual proof of it?)... and you're bitching because they tried to upsell stuff to you as you presumably knew they would, given it is a main dealer and they always do it?

 

Sorry, really can't see what you actually have to moan about. 🤷‍♂️

 2 quite separate points here.

 

Yes - happy to have my booking **** up handled on the day.  Would not have been upset if I'd been turned away. All my fault.

 

No - it ****es me off that dealers blatantly push extra cost service items without true justification.  Heaven help those who get sucked it to carry out non-essential work.

 

ps - I spent my working life in a maintenance world so I know my way round and I know what's cost effective in my world.

 

pps - this place must have the "sensitive dial turned to max. Kiddy's corner, not for big boys and girls

Edited 24 February, 2023 by BoxerBoy

[Yogi-Bear]

2 minutes ago, BoxerBoy said:

No - it ****es me off that dealers blatantly push extra cost service items without true justification.  Heaven help those who get sucked it to carry out non-essential work.

 

For the same reason shops push 'extended warranties' that aren't worth the paper they're written on, let alone the cost of them...

 

I'm not defending the practice - but anyone who gets sucked into agreeing to extra items there and then is stupid. At the very least, if you take their word that it needs doing, you go see if you can get it done cheaper elsewhere first. Yes, they are banking on people going for the convenience* of getting everything sorted there and then, but convenience* always comes at an inflated price.

 

If you don't want them to try it on with you, tell them when you drop your car off (especially considering you're getting rid in 4 weeks - pretty sure if you'd told them that, they would have seen the futility).

[kodiaqsportline]

Can't believe anyone took time to write all of that. After reading the title, I was expecting how the dealer screwed things up. The only person that made an error here is YOU! What are you expecting from any service report?

 

I really feel for dealers. If it's not someone coming on to this forum complaining they've not been told about 3yr 4x4 oil change, then it's someone complaining the dealer didn't clean the filter. Now it's someone complaining they WERE informed about that 3yr oil change !  OMG.

 

That dealer didn't do a thing wrong. They did exactly what any dealer should do, regardless of who the manufacturer is. Of course they're looking for more money. You obviously have no business brain if you think otherwise. Begs the question - have you ever owned a car before and had it serviced at a main dealer? Because everyone of them is like that. Independents too.  Christ, you can't even go in to McDonalds without them asking would you like a bigger one.

 

And then someone else comes along and comments " Don't get me started about main dealer servcing".   Please tell us what this Stirling dealer did wrong?  You're even complaining about the video they sent !   If you don't want a video then tell them not to send a video. when you drop it off.

 

Why do people take such pleasure from making life complicated?

 

EDIT: just thinking about people who love to moan.  If your car was serviced at Stirling then when not check your service report and tell everone which grade of engine oil they used to service your car.  If like me, you'll find it's the correct grade.  Of course nobody mentions this, what happens is the usual culprits wait on someone posting about some dealer using the wrong grade of oil, then the Briskoda vultures happily tell the whole world that every main dealer does the same.

 

It'd be refreshing for once to hear from someone who's happy.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 25 February, 2023 by kodiaqsportline

[Ootohere]

@kodiaqsportlinemaybe on you go and do some posts on the good main dealer services you get.

There are plenty do in the Dealer Reviews and in threads and posts. 

 

[Jaynet62]

I'm pleased I read your post as I found out the service for 4x4 oil change! Thank you not a mention of it in my service book and not had chance to pop into a dealer to ask! Only had my car a week! Lol

[Ootohere]

Best pay the 5* price to have the Haldex Serviced properly and not just the Oil Changed if the Dealership offers the option at a slightly higher cost.

Kodiaq, but the same applies with other models.  Some will not leave them as long as 3 years or 30,000 miles when they own the car or not do them if the car has to be serviced to the manufacturers recommendations, guidelines, specifications or schedule,  but then that is never always that clear as often dealership staff do not tell customers.

 

Those that do understand and explain what the Haldex or the VAQ is and what Final Drive or a rear diff is and the servicing needs should be praised IMO.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/508389-haldex-service

 

Edited 25 February, 2023 by toot

[BoxerBoy]

Keeps me chuckling.

[Dappernut]

I had a mate with a Tiguan that he hadn't had the Haldex serviced on, it then failed out of warranty and consequently he picked up a significant repair bill.  Personally I'd err on the side of caution when it comes to service with both Haldex and DSG (without warranty cover at any rate).

[BoxerBoy]

Not surprisingly, the car walked through it's first MOT at my neighbourhood tyre and service emporium.   21,797 miles.

 

Only advisory was "brake disc worn, but not excessively offside front (inner surface)".

 

So not quite ready for the full set of brakes on both axles as recommended by main dealer.

 

I'll continue to make my own judgement.

 

Farewell red Bear in a few weeks.  Looking forward to a blue one.

[Routemaster1461]

I had a 4 year old (non VAG) car MOTd this week. At 40,000 miles no issues on the brakes, 30% worn, but lipped and pitted discs. The front tyres are just over a year old but the rears are original. No issue on wear on either but the rears are 'age cracked'. I've given them a cursory inspection. Can see any issues at all. So I'll continue to make my own judgement.