My car went in for its 50,000 mile service this morning, and I've just had the call to tell me that the car needs the suspension bushes replacing as well as rear brake pads and disks. Also brake fluid to be replaced, and usual stuff like oil and filters, plus the service cost of £105. About 5 and a half hours labour in total.

Total bill: £543. :weeping:

I won't be going on holiday this year, by the look of things.

Ouch. I got that with my last service, Timing belt, ARB, bushes + service and brake fluid.

Just to top it off, 3 days later another 500 for insurance.

Take solace in the fact it's (touch wood) sorted for another 12 months.

Ouch!!!

Just think, next year you'll have a similar bill as the cambelt/waterpump will need doing!!! :P

Still a pain in the wallet though :(

Just think, next year you'll have a similar bill as the cambelt/waterpump will need doing!!! :P

Still a pain in the wallet though :(

Will it? It was done on the 40,000 mile service, will it need doing again so soon? Why can't they make cambelts that last?

Sorry, assumed it hadn't been done yet... 60k or 4 years mate.

no way! unlucky dude. dread mine goin in now.lol

Ouch! :(

I've often found in the past that garages (main dealers especially) like to tell me that my discs and pads need replacing whether they do or not. I usually thank them for pointing it out and seek a second opinion from an independent or tame mechanic.

Chris

This work is being done at an independent VW specialist. I dread to think what the bill would have been at the dealers. Anyway, they were pretty up front with me, and explained that the bushes would have failed an MOT (my MOT is due in June), and that the rear brakes are very close to a fail (and that, by the time my MOT was due, they probably would fail). They did give me the option of saying no to the brakes, but I figured I might as well be hung for a sheep as for a lamb (the bill would have been £400 anyhow). Even AFTER all this work, there will be a check list to keep my eye on, including front discs and pads which will apparently also need replacing relatively soon.

I had the rear ARB bushes fail on the MOT which didn't cost too much.

Try £1300 for a new vRS turbo and intercooler :eek:

Good job it failed just after the 60k service and cambelt, lucely there was nothing else wrong at the time....until the next MOT!!

Ben

Mine needs new discs and pads...does anybody know any sites to get them from?

I have heard of EBC brakes has anybody else?

Ben

I have heard of EBC brakes has anybody else?

Ran EBC Turbogroove discs and Red Stuff pads on the Mondeo. Excellent combination imho

Chris

I'd stay stick to OEM disks, then get any pad you fancy.

GSF Car Parts, cheap car parts direct to you for disks, and any of the site sponsors for pads

This work is being done at an independent VW specialist. I dread to think what the bill would have been at the dealers. Anyway, they were pretty up front with me, and explained that the bushes would have failed an MOT (my MOT is due in June), and that the rear brakes are very close to a fail (and that, by the time my MOT was due, they probably would fail). They did give me the option of saying no to the brakes, but I figured I might as well be hung for a sheep as for a lamb (the bill would have been £400 anyhow). Even AFTER all this work, there will be a check list to keep my eye on, including front discs and pads which will apparently also need replacing relatively soon.

My main dealer and quite a few others are cheaper than many of the local indy `specialist` garages by a good margin. I realy don't think the `specialists` offer great value for money with the exception of a limited number of places.

One near me has just gone under as they were trying to charge more than main dealers for all work and servicing.

Mine needs new discs and pads...does anybody know any sites to get them from?

I have heard of EBC brakes has anybody else?

Ben

I have 312mm OEM discs and EBC restuff Ceramic V3 going on shortly so will put a review up when I've got them on.

hhmmm suspension bushes eh? what a suprise... and still skoda refuse to state they are a problem.....

ouchies!! my 85k service, with a recon gear box replaced bearing, new clutch, oil, front breaks, errr screen wash:P and front arb came to a nice 1600 quid!!!:eek:

and a few months before was £360 for a new drive shaft! eeeek!

now the furby needs new breaks in the rear and new bushes soon:(

I wont tell you what ive spent on my car because i am too scared to add it up.

Id say about 4k in the last 12 months

no way! unlucky dude. dread mine goin in now.lol

Yours is an 07 right?

Covered under warranty if the console bushes have split.

Yours is an 07 right?

Covered under warranty if the console bushes have split.

mine was under warranty when my console bushes died, and they wouldn't replace them... (even after it was in a week earlier for its 60k service, and they were suposed to check the suspension 'big' service, and they said everything was fine! ****ers never checked anything.....) its the reason I now dont drive a skoda. 60k, and they blatantley said (while still under the two year UNLIMITED miles warrenty) that I couldn't expect to have my suspension last that long, and they wouldn't replce it!!!!!!! I was gobsmacked...

before I bought the fiat, I asked if my suspension would be replaced (including bushes) under warrenty, if it failed at any time during the first two years (unlimited miles) they said "of course, its under warrenty..."

bloody SUK CS.

Hmmm...SWMBO works for a Fiat dealer in Parts and she says that Fiats Warranty is very good.

Saying that Vauxhall's was utter ****....we had no end of problems in parts with warranty issues...

Slightly more off topic, SWMBO has just got a new 500 1.2 pop, very nice car, im tempted!!

they are also a bit more forgiving with mods......

You may be talking about Skoda Dealer prices.

Try an independant.

The parts are less from an independant

I had an engine warning light fixed today. £135.

The skoda dealer would have probably charged £300 as the £135 included fitting a new MAF sensor.

Peter

If I had to do what the O.P did, I think it wouldn't cost me more than £150.

The only way to avoid big garage bills is to do the work yourself. It's getting to the time to give my car an annual service and a cam belt change, I'll be lucky to get change from £20.

Oh guys, you have my sympathies. Just to show that not everybody is so unlucky - I have an 04 plate 1.4TDI which has now done 93K. It doesn't get pampered and the body panels are not quite as the manufacturer made them. SWMBO learned to drive on it. It tows a trailer and is often used for tasks such as pulling out gate posts. Normal replacements of tyres, wipers, bulbs plus services. Otherwise NOTHING (reaches to touch wood!). Original brake pads. There's a lot of luck in it; my first new car broke down within half a mile of the garage!

Not sure if this has cheered anybody or made you spit - but to potential buyers, it's worth knowing that the reputation for reliability is good and generally nobody says anything when things go right.

Best of luck and wishing you a financial quiet year.

V