Car Servicing Advice

DCFC79

TiTheRev wrote: »

But where I work we are doing a price match scheme where possible, so why get a grease monkey to do it when you can keep the genuine service history up and get a 2yr warrenty on parts and labour, for the same price?

well yes thats a good idea

loofer

Ask VW about their Servicing Price Promise.

They will match any like for like quote for the same work.

SWo shop around. Get written quotes. The quotes must state that the service will be carried out to the same specification as VW would (i.e check/replace/top-up the same parts/fluids. The quote must also state that OEM quality parts will be used.

I'm guessing the 3 year service is the equivalent of 36K service. So a decent independant should be able to do it well within £100 inc parts + about £25 for the brake fluid change.

They won't always match though. They refused to match a basic oil/filter change that National we're offering for about £30 - using Castrol Edge oil!

anewman

loofer wrote: »

Get written quotes. The quotes must state that the service will be carried out to the same specification as VW would (i.e check/replace/top-up the same parts/fluids. The quote must also state that OEM quality parts will be used.

Surely a garage's answer to that is to not give written quotes. That way you go to them and don't waste their time when you're off to VW anyway.

loofer

anewman wrote: »

Surely a garage's answer to that is to not give written quotes. That way you go to them and don't waste their time when you're off to VW anyway.

There's been occassions when I've genuinely wanted a written quote and they're happy to provide one.

E.G when I knew I had my major service with cambelt due I decided to shop around about a month earlier. Saves me memorising quotes or writing on scraps of paper... plus when I decide to get the job done in a months time I can query if they quote me higher for the same job.

The way I see it... if I was a garage then I would be happy to provide a written quote if there's a chance it brings in business. I know it can be time consuming but if you provide value for money and good service then it will pay off.

jeannieblue

DCFC79 wrote: »

Remember when the next service is due you dont need to go back to the dealer, you can go to an independant 1

How do you work that one out????

Block Exemption Act of October 2003 - says - you can have your vehicle (that is under the 3 year warranty) serviced at any garage that is VAT registered, as long as it is serviced in accordance with manufacturers specifications and genuine or equivalent parts are used.

OP you can get a better deal I am sure, your mileage is low and you probably don't need half the filters that VW insist upon changing. You need a good independent garage.

Oh - Molerate - so what if the OP does low mileage??? I don't do a huge amount myself and do not feel the need to justify that to anyone, let alone you.

vaio

jeannieblue wrote: »

How do you work that one out????

Block Exemption Act of October 2003 - says - you can have your vehicle (that is under the 3 year warranty) serviced at any garage that is VAT registered, as long as it is serviced in accordance with manufacturers specifications and genuine or equivalent parts are used.

OP you can get a better deal I am sure, your mileage is low and you probably don't need half the filters that VW insist upon changing. You need a good independent garage……..

But surely if you don’t change “half the filters that VW insist upon changing” then it’s not “serviced in accordance with manufacturers specifications” and so what remains of the warenty is at risk?

jeannieblue

vaio wrote: »

But surely if you don’t change “half the filters that VW insist upon changing” then it’s not “serviced in accordance with manufacturers specifications” and so what remains of the warenty is at risk?

Not at all - if you, for instance, remove and check an air filter and it is clean, then there is no need to change it (unless you are a main stealer and want to waste the customers money), it has been checked and as long as you state that then no problem.

Main stealers often do not change filters when they should be changed because they can't be ar5ed. Especially Fords... pollen filters for example, on a Focus are a pain to do, so alot of them don't even bother to check them let alone change them.

vaio

jeannieblue wrote: »

Not at all - if you, for instance, remove and check an air filter and it is clean, then there is no need to change it (unless you are a main stealer and want to waste the customers money), it has been checked and as long as you state that then no problem.

Main stealers often do not change filters when they should be changed because they can't be ar5ed. Especially Fords... pollen filters for example, on a Focus are a pain to do, so alot of them don't even bother to check them let alone change them.

I disagree, if you are going to rely on the “serviced in accordance with manufacturers specifications” rule to keep your warranty alive then if VW say change whatever and you don’t then you are giving them an opening to wriggle out of the warranty,

Obviously if they say check rather than change then it becomes subjective but I’d have thought that the technical writers would be keen to remove as much subjectivity as they can when writing the service schedule.

molerat

jeannieblue wrote: »

Oh - Molerate - so what if the OP does low mileage??? I don't do a huge amount myself and do not feel the need to justify that to anyone, let alone you.

I was not asking the OP to justify it to me, more to themselves. A car with that low usage becomes very expensive in £ per mile when insurance, roadtax and servicing are taken into account. The moving parts (which are not moving very often) become prone to corrosion and excessive wear if not really looked after.

ZootHornRollo

molerat wrote: »

I was not asking the OP to justify it to me, more to themselves. A car with that low usage becomes very expensive in £ per mile when insurance, roadtax and servicing are taken into account. The moving parts (which are not moving very often) become prone to corrosion and excessive wear if not really looked after.

this is true.

leaving a car inactive for a long period of time (like 6 months) will do more damage to it than running it regularly for the same period due to corrosion and lack of lubricants (the oil runs to the bottom of the engine when not in use, over time the internal parts are no longer coated in oil).

hence you should turn the car over every few weeks and leave it running for 5 or 10 minutes if you have not used it.