Oil Service cost/time

[brad]

From my post at BriSkoda:

Gents

Is there a standard service time for a 15,000km oil service?

I've just had mine done - did all the right things such as getting a quote first, etc and when I go to pay the bill it's 25% more than expected. The dealer says that the standard charge is 2 hours for an Oil Service. Then they "prove" this by showing me the standard charges for a 15,000km service on a 1.8T 5 valve Passat (because they have no Skoda information in their Service System).

So, is their a factory recomended service time for an oil service?

Further detail for us Aussies:
Rang dealer for a quote just to see how close to the origonal $235 I was quoted when buying the car. Service Advisor says "$290 including $130 worth of special Skoda oil." So I ask if I can supply my own VW compliant oil & he says yes. I figure that will bring the price down to ~$160.

When I pick the car up they want $214. I ask how $160 became $214 and they tell me it was 2 hours labour. They have no Skoda info in their system and show me an independant website www.carservice.com.au and use the drilldown to show me that Passats are 2 hours (cambelt inspection, etc which I don't have).

So, does $214 for an oil service without oil sound fair or a bit greedy?

[mikinoz]

I suggest no. Really if you look at it, the going rate for IT is 120-180/hr ex. and I would personally expect to be charged 80-100/hr ex. considering the upkeep of facilities, training and actual labour costs.

I am about to get slugged $600 for a 30K on a TDI Golf, so maybe I am just a sucker.

[gregozedobe]

Ask for a detailed breakdown on what work was done, then decide for yourself. Some dealers do a lot of unneccesary things to increase their revenue. It is irrelevant how long it takes to service a Passatt, what counts is how much time was actually spent working on YOUR car, and what they actually did.

If the detailed breakdown shows a cam belt inspection (on a car with a timing chain) I'd be mumbling about fraud and asking for a refund of that time at least.

[KWICKS]

^^^^good points Brad.

Seems steep given you have supplied the oil, presumably they would have charged you $344 if you didn't? Possibly the service centre is propping up the car sales team at the moment and priced accordingly?

[brad]

^^^^good points Brad.

Seems steep given you have supplied the oil, presumably they would have charged you $344 if you didn't? Possibly the service centre is propping up the car sales team at the moment and priced accordingly?

I think they just haven't a clue - possibly because Skoda aren't providing sufficient technical support.

I rang Skoda Information yesterday to try & get some Standard Times - maybe they do allow 2 hours to do an oil change. The guy tried to help but ultimately had no idea. Even he was surprised that the service book doesn't give an indication of how long the job is charged at.

Makes the services on Lynns (BlackMsport at C&I) Bimmer look cheap in comparison.

[mrx]

I think they just haven't a clue - possibly because Skoda aren't providing sufficient technical support.

I rang Skoda Information yesterday to try & get some Standard Times - maybe they do allow 2 hours to do an oil change. The guy tried to help but ultimately had no idea. Even he was surprised that the service book doesn't give an indication of how long the job is charged at.

Makes the services on Lynns (BlackMsport at C&I) Bimmer look cheap in comparison.

That database you linked to earlier shows the oil change service (15000km) to be 1 hr labour for a Golf GTI, which for all intents and purposes is the same as an Octavia RS. My local dealer charged $280 for the 15000km service inc. oil for my GTI - I thought it was a total rip to change the oil/filter & inspect for brake pad wear (that's all that's in the manual as being necessary). I will be going independant from now on.

[brad]

Just to add to the whole thing:

The lid of the coolant reservoir wasn't put back on properly - no harm done but shoddy work.

Also the Service Due indicator hasn't been reset.

I thought I'd try & build a relationship with the dealer but I'm feeling I'd rather do it myself.

[phaeton]

Ummm isn't badged as a VW

Surely they can just carry over sametimes etc

[woofy]

I remember when first looking into Skodas that people where reporting them to be a lot cheaper to service than even the VW equivalent. Doesn't look like this happened here.

That was in Australia too...

[brad]

All sorted.

Short version: They reduced the invoice from $214 down to $151.

Interesting bit: Skoda Australia have confirmed to me that nobody at Skoda knows how long any of the services should take and the the amount of time charged by the dealer is at the dealers discretion. This is also the case for VWs.

[Transporter]

From my post at BriSkoda:


Further detail for us Aussies:
Rang dealer for a quote just to see how close to the origonal $235 I was quoted when buying the car. Service Advisor says "$290 including $130 worth of special Skoda oil." So I ask if I can supply my own VW compliant oil & he says yes. I figure that will bring the price down to ~$160.

When I pick the car up they want $214. I ask how $160 became $214 and they tell me it was 2 hours labour. They have no Skoda info in their system and show me an independant website www.carservice.com.au and use the drilldown to show me that Passats are 2 hours (cambelt inspection, etc which I don't have).

So, does $214 for an oil service without oil sound fair or a bit greedy?

They don't buy oil for $130.00
They make profit on the oil, so that's why you cannot just deduct $130 from the total service cost.
In the automotive business you have income from the labor charge and profit from the parts you sell, if someone brings his/her own parts which results in reducing total profit to business then it has to be adjusted somehow.
Cost of that special Skoda oil to them is $76.00
Is it just oil change or does the service includes safety check as well?

[brad]

They don't buy oil for $130.00
They make profit on the oil, so that's why you cannot just deduct $130 from the total service cost.
In the automotive business you have income from the labor charge and profit from the parts you sell, if someone brings his/her own parts which results in reducing total profit to business then it has to be adjusted somehow.
Cost of that special Skoda oil to them is $76.00
Is it just oil change or does the service includes safety check as well?

Check Fluid levels, lights, tyres, brake pad thickness (through the wheel spokes) - if you call that a Safety Check then it had one.

Are you saying there should be a line item on the invoice that says "Profit on oil that we didn't sell you - $54" That's certainly a new way of gouging the customer.

Where I said:

I figure that will bring the price down to ~$160.

I negated to mention that I verbally confirmed a price of $160 with the Service Advisor.

I have no issues with paying a fair price for the actual parts used. I have no issues paying for the time spent working on the vehicle or the standard factory times.
I do have an issue with paying for an excessive amount of time for a simple, straight forward job that I could do in my driveway in an hour (Safety Check included). The only extra they did was hooking it up to the computer.

[gregozedobe]

Sounds like you need to get written quotes in future (or go to a different dealer/independent) ?

[Transporter]

Check Fluid levels, lights, tyres, brake pad thickness (through the wheel spokes) - if you call that a Safety Check then it had one.

Are you saying there should be a line item on the invoice that says "Profit on oil that we didn't sell you - $54" That's certainly a new way of gouging the customer.

Where I said: I negated to mention that I verbally confirmed a price of $160 with the Service Advisor.

I have no issues with paying a fair price for the actual parts used. I have no issues paying for the time spent working on the vehicle or the standard factory times.
I do have an issue with paying for an excessive amount of time for a simple, straight forward job that I could do in my driveway in an hour (Safety Check included). The only extra they did was hooking it up to the computer.

Sorry mate it wasn't clear from your original post that they agreed on $160.

Now lets talk about your ”a new way of gouging the customer”.

Lets say that you are building the house and in the builders quote there is the cost of installing electrical wiring for lets say $2000.
You’re a qualified electrician, so you tell them that you will do it yourself (supplying your own wires power points and so on).
For sure that they will not take $2000 off from the original quote because the profit from the building of your house is the profit from the parts and labour.
If too many customers would supply their own than the cost of labour to build the house would go up. Just think about it. The business is about making money.

My advice is get everything in writing next time or buy the oil and the tools and do everything yourself and save even more.

[jacob_1987]

I've got my Skoda serviced at a bloke I've serviced my car's at... I actually purchased the oil Nulon (10W-40W), and filter (from skoda)

In total cost me

Oil - 45
Filter - 19.95
Labor- 50

It's a bit late but it's $114, and i could of got it cheap if i got a generic filter and maybe a generic brand name filter. The thing about oils these days is that there soo much the same, yet there's always that urge to get that more flashy oil. The most important aspect is the grade is correct, especially for these diesels. Also trying to ensure they match VW501, just incase of any warrantry issues.