I'm contemplating buying a nearly new Superb or Octavia. I'd be aiming for a long term keeper and tend to use the dealership services during warranty and afterwards use independant garages. Given that aftermarket tools like VCDS dont have full access to all modules post 2024, am i going to be limited to going to main dealers?

Good Independent VW Specialists can have Licensed Equipment / Software & Tools and even better trained technicians than main dealers, often ex Dealer Master techs. So all the gear and more than ideas, Some can even do Warranty Work and Recall actions.

Thanks for the reply, TBH my experience of specialists like you mention in London hasnt been great. They've charged more than the main dealers and essentially they tend to work on newish Audis, so not really what i'd look for for a 7+ year old skoda.

Now Im curious are independant VAG accredited garages outside London cheaper than the dealers?

I would expect them outside London to be cheaper as even the National Minimum wage is higher for London than the RoUK. As well as properties and rent. There is nothing special about Servicing an Octavia or Superb that any good garage can not do. Use an Automatic gearbox specialist for servicing a DSG.

7 hours ago, Evolution13 said:

There is nothing special about Servicing an Octavia or Superb that any good garage can not do.

I guess that's the heart of my question, can independant garages do servicing without access to VAG SFD2 tokens?

Yes they can do Servicing without. Oil & Filter and Inspection Servicing. Then there are those with the Licensed Equipment that can do Servicing and do it properly & update the Service Record online. That is more than many Main Dealers Techs, Fitters or Apprentices can do. Some can not be bothered to reset the servicing on the car. Or look at an airfilter before 6 years / 60,000 miles. Or change a Filter each service of a DQ381 DSG.