VW Service Plan

Alice_Holt

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/owners/servicing/service-plans?gclid=CjwKEAiAmY-3BRDh7pjvg46p1iYSJADQ78gN9zNrKwRrXgDEJXHfzkY2owoHP-13Ijc2orojOjxtxhoCbavw_wcB

Is this a reasonable deal?
One Major and one minor service.
Car is a 2015 (March) Golf 1.4tsi Match (bought nearly new 3 months ago), which I would want to keep in the VW franchise for servicing until out of warranty.
Currently 17k miles, due its first service in 2k miles (per computer),
I'd get a major service asap, with the minor one in 10k miles.

fred246

It looks like 2 oil changes (if they actually do anything) so pretty poor value. I would be horrified if I had a new car that had done 17000 miles without an oil change. It's just 2 stamps in the book really. If you're going to sell it soon then it may be worth it financially. I guess some people would value a VW stamp in the book.

bigjl

if the 2 services are more than the payments then it is a good idea.

If the plan is less than the cost of 2 services then that is a good idea

Personally I would not bother as you won't be able to shop around to save money come service time.

bigjl

Just to add, according to the website you need to have less than 10k on the vehicle for the £15.99 deal, and be under a year old.

Other wise the cost rises to over £22 which makes the cost over £400 instead of roughly £290.

The first two services for the Picanto are £99 and £129. And that only has a tiny 3 litre sump.

So of the OPs did still qualify it doesn't sound too bad.

But without phoning around asking for prices of the two services who knows for sure.

What did the garages say about the price of two services paid in the traditional way OP?

mark5

Service it every 12 months if you plan to keep it long term, avoid longlife at all costs.

I don't like service plans unless they are free or really cheap like the old mini one £150 for 5 years ( 2 oil changes, 1 inspection service plus a break fluid change)

I would service it every 12 months and pay at the time.

If the car gets written off you usually lose the service plan aswell!

mark5

The service due is usually a minor one around 18k aswell, it's usually a oil, oil filter and a few checks.

If you have a timing chain your car really needs regular oil changes!

bigjl

I know oil technology has advanced greatly over the decades.

But 18k mile intervals still fill me with dread, the car will definitely last 3 years like that, so out of warranty, then subsequent owners get to deal with the worn sludged up engine

Also if you read the handbook a lot of manufacturers quietly insert a much shorter service interval for Severe Service use, if you look at what they consider SS it covers a lot of usage by commuters and car users in large urban areas.

flashg67

If it's set to long life now, why does it need a minor one in 10k? Long life servicing uses different oil & the service interval is programmed differently. Personally, I'd have the major service done, leave it on long life servicing. The cars I come across daily often have 100k + on and have been on long life servicing from new.
I know this goes against the grain for some of the 'old timers' on here;)

WellKnownSid

There was someone on recently upset that he'd bought this particular plan, but under the long life regime his next two services were minor ones anyway. I can't remember the exact difference between the two but it was something like a fuel filter (D) or spark plugs (P).

As for long life servicing - I ran a Merc for 85k / 6 years with just a handful of (computer prompted) services. I did check the other day and it recently passed its MoT with 250k on the clock. So not all doom and gloom...

bigjl

WellKnownSid wrote: »

There was someone on recently upset that he'd bought this particular plan, but under the long life regime his next two services were minor ones anyway. I can't remember the exact difference between the two but it was something like a fuel filter (D) or spark plugs (P).

As for long life servicing - I ran a Merc for 85k / 6 years with just a handful of (computer prompted) services. I did check the other day and it recently passed its MoT with 250k on the clock. So not all doom and gloom...

But was it on its original engine? Did you and later owners do lots of town driving or longer runs? Has it been rebuilt? Maybe the next owners caught it in time and gave it 5/6000 miles oil changes that got rid of he smudge that was building up with the extended oil changes early in its life?

My sister had a Pug 106 that was on one of those 2 year/18k service schedules years ago, most unreliable car she had by a long way. Though in fairness an oil and filter change at the 12 month point would have made little difference, the inspection done at the same time would have though I suspect.

fred246

My new car has got a one year/12500 miles service interval. I have just bought the Haynes manual for it. In the service schedule it has got 6 monthly/6000 mile oil changes recommended because it says more frequent oil changes are better for the car. When my dad used to take his brand new car to the main dealer for servicing they would never touch the oil. It was the same colour when it came out as when it went in. He would kick up a fuss and they would 'repeat' the oil change. It then came out with clean oil. If a 18000 mile service was 'missed' by the garage it would be 36000 miles between changes.