60,000km service

[roshea]

Anyone know if Ultratune will service skodas and anyone have any experience with them? There's an ultratune very close to my house so highly convenient!

What part of Melbourne are you in, Harpoon? I'd definitely prefer to take my car to an independent VW specialist, and there are a few good ones around.

Also is it generally the best practice to service at the dealer whilst sill under warranty then go independent once warranty expires?

Hard to know, really. If something goes wrong just out of warranty, a dealer service record might help you get a "good will" repair done free / cheap.

[Harpoon]

60,000km service

Im in Murrumbeena

[brad]

Anyone know if Ultratune will service skodas and anyone have any experience with them? There's an ultratune very close to my house so highly convenient!

Also is it generally the best practice to service at the dealer whilst sill under warranty then go independent once warranty expires?

+1 what antiplastix said.

see my post 53 about what to ask.

Keep in mind that VW/Skoda are more amenable to goodwill repairs outside of warranty if you have an exclusive service history with them - I guess they figure they have fleeced you enough.

For me, the happy medium is an independent specialist VW mechanic. They might charge a bit more than a generalist mechanic (and less than a dealer) but at least they know the product fairly well.

[donweather]

Gee, I'm so glad JMac is back in business and up and running with his mobile business again. That way I know I don't have to deal with dealers fleecing me on every service for both my VW and Skoda.

[MGV]

Skooter, Volkstech aren't too far from you & should be able to do the right thing by you! Beatrice & Waterdale, Heidelberg... Over the road from Pedders.

[dArK5HaD0w]

i've got my 60k service booked in two weeks time. taking it to an independant.
rs, tsi (chain), dsg

vw service centre charge = approx $1400
independant = approx $900-1000.

the dsg is a killer!!! then again, i bought the car knowing this fact very well.

[Martin]

I was going to change the DSG oil myself but there does not seem like much point - the DSG oil cost is something unreal

I see other cars are now coming out with lifetime sealed transmissions - hmmm

[roshea]

Im in Murrumbeena

Volkspower in Burwood or Audvolks in Clayton South aren't too far from you.

[BluChris]

Or Auto Union Deutsche in Oakleigh - even closer

[brad]

I was going to change the DSG oil myself but there does not seem like much point - the DSG oil cost is something unreal

I see other cars are now coming out with lifetime sealed transmissions - hmmm

Sealed until they die an early death & have to be unsealed & rebuilt would be a better description.

[dArK5HaD0w]

the 7 speed dsg is sealed for life, so it requires no oil change. hence "dry".
the 6 speed dsg requires an oil change. hence "wet".

[brad]

the 7 speed dsg is sealed for life, so it requires no oil change. hence "dry".
the 6 speed dsg requires an oil change. hence "wet".

On the 6 speed, the clutches sit in an oil bath. This is why it is called "wet" (same as a motorbike except for airhead BMWs & a few other odd fish - Ural, maybe Moto Guzzi). This oil is shared with the mechatronics / gears / bearings etc. The clutch material contaminates the oil & the heat of the clutches degrades the oil.

On the 7 speed, the oil is confined to the mechatronics / gears / bearings. The clutches run in free air like most conventional automotive clutches, ie: they run dry. Because the oil isn't getting heat degraded & full of clutch material, it lasts a lot longer. VW call them a "sealed for life" unit but there must be a way of changing them. It's the oil causing corrosion in the mechatronics in the 7 speed that has supposedly caused the current recall so they must be changing out the oil when they do the mechatronics change.

Keep in mind that VW aren't too concerned about longevity of components beyond what most companies would keep a vehicle for. They are purposely trying to reduce the TCO in the initial stages of ownership at the expense of long term ownership.

Ford tried something similar in the Falcon (took out the dipstick & said it was sealed for life & no service regime required) and it was a bit of a disaster.

[Diesel_vert]

Vehicle manufacturers have been releasing automatic and manual transmissions that have a "lifetime fill" or are "lubricated for life" for quite some time now, so it is by no means a recent phenomenon.

However, the transmissions will still have drain and fill holes (despite having no service interval) as you need a way to check the level and top up in case of leaks, so they are not "sealed" in the literal sense.

For instance, the DQ200 7-speed DSG (dry-clutch) has drain and fill holes for the gearbox fluid (again, despite having no service interval) with a capacity of 1.7 litres (separate from the hydraulic fluid, capacity 1.0 litre, which should not be touched).



More often than not, it tends to be the European manufacturers (though others are "catching up") who don't specify a service interval for passenger cars with automatic (torque-converter) transmissions - never tends to end well with the consumer, particularly as many "filled for life" transmissions last long enough to fail outside the warranty period.

Clever design philosophy, in a Machiavellian sort of way.

[Fireside]

That's a good price. I can't quite see how they could do oil + filter, pollen filter, scan, brake check, tyre inspection & pressures, battery insp, plenum insp, door locks, underbody, suspension, steering, drivetrain & engine inspection, coolant test, etc for that money so it implies they may have just done a Standard Inspection service

The DSG isn't optional at 60,000km -it's mandatory unless you already pulled the trigger earlier (I would). Or is it a 7 speed?

Diesel or petrol?

How many years old is it?

Brad, it's a 6 speed RS, 3 years old, petrol.
I'll be taking it to my independent from now on.

[DunlopRS]

i've got my 60k service booked in two weeks time. taking it to an independant.
rs, tsi (chain), dsg

vw service centre charge = approx $1400
independant = approx $900-1000.

Had mine done at what is likely the same place last week. Quoted by both sources as was dArK5HaD0w.

I was VERY surprised when the bill from the independent was less than they quoted. I think that is the first time that I have ever experienced that (first time at the independent – will be going back!).

the dsg is a killer!!! then again, i bought the car knowing this fact very well.

....... but the DSG is very nice......