2002 VW Golf Service - Am I getting ripped off?

[monkeydoo]

Hey all, first post so be gentle!


2002 VW Golf 2L, 207KM, Manual


I will be driving it from Adelaide to Canberra for work. So I took it for the major service ahead of time of the 210KM schedule (Kilburn, SA) just to be on the safe side.


After discussing the standard major service (timing belt, air filter, etc) and agreed to ~ $650. I thought this was a good deal (I did a quick check in fixedcarprices.com.au to compare prices).


So I dropped it off this morning and got a call at 4pm stating they were only up to changing the timing belt, and there were quite few things that I should consider. Quite annoying given the timing (what were they doing all day?). I was uncertain about half the items, so I asked for an itemised list and to hold off on the remainder of the service until tomorrow. List is as follows:

• Water Pump ($95) Plus cooling system flush ($85) – $180

*he was selling this one hard*

• Front end with major movement (In order to complete the Wheel Alignment) – $480

*I do believe this is replacing the 2 front arm + bushes since it has completely worn away and rubbing against the tyre, i.e. makes not nice noises going over speed bumps and up driveways*

• Serpentine belt cracked – $65
• Spark Plug Replacement – $100
• Efi system clean including injector clean treatment – $195
• Sub Total $1000
• Timing belt and major service – $650
• Total $1650

So given above the above information, am I getting ripped off? Do I need all of the suggested repairs? Or should I just complete the major service and go elsewhere for the repairs?


Happy to hear your thoughts.

[Umai Naa!!]

Do the water pump and coolant with the timing belt.

I generally don't comment in what other workshops do, but that really should have been part of the initial quote.

Serpentine belt, yeah if it's cracked you might as well. Plus, it has to be removed to do the timing belt anyway.

If the car is running ok, you could probably not worry about doing the plugs. Injector cleans rarely work, so you could probably give that one a miss as well, if again the car is running ok.

Can't really comment on the front suspension issues.

[dylan8]

as above

in regards to the suspension. if something is rubbing on the tyres more than control arm bushes are gone

[JustCruisn]

100bux is too much for spark plugs. It is only a 4 cyl not a v12.
4 bux a plug for copper last 15000km
15 for platinum iridium last 60000km

Water pump & tensioner are usually done with timing belt.
I usually pay 950 all up incl oil plugs coolant belt pump tensioner. did it 4 times on my mk4.
Suspension, well who knows what is going on there. rubbing sounds really broken to me.

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[JustCruisn]

Hey i see you have had the car 10years. So you should have had a few belts done in this time like every 4 years. What did it cost last time?

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[Umai Naa!!]

Belt gets done every 105K/7yrs.

The correct plugs are about $15ea. Can be fiddly to replace. Very easy to damage a lead.

[sports racer]

Here in NSW every rego time my car has to be inspected. They jack up the front and give the wheels a wobble left/right and up/down and if there's any movement in the bushes or suspension arm it fails and has to be fixed.

If your car passed it's last rego check and they checked the front suspension and steering how can it be so badly worn now that they want to charge $480?

I'd be asking them to show me the problem and then jack up the front to check for movement.

The wheel alignment needs to have everything perfect and sometimes on old cars it's not perfect but still works ok. That's not to say it couldn't be perfect but when the car is worth X$ and the repairs are nearly what the car is worth it's time to reassess having that car.

Cheers

Paul

[h100vw]

Here in NSW every rego time my car has to be inspected. They jack up the front and give the wheels a wobble left/right and up/down and if there's any movement in the bushes or suspension arm it fails and has to be fixed.

If your car passed it's last rego check and they checked the front suspension and steering how can it be so badly worn now that they want to charge $480?

I'd be asking them to show me the problem and then jack up the front to check for movement.

The wheel alignment needs to have everything perfect and sometimes on old cars it's not perfect but still works ok. That's not to say it couldn't be perfect but when the car is worth X$ and the repairs are nearly what the car is worth it's time to reassess having that car.

Cheers

Paul

In Adelaide it only needs 3 wheels on it to be roadworthy pretty much..

I agree though.

Should be doing the pump AND belt. No need for a flush.

Get the full low down on the rest of it.

Some places have no concept of dealing with customers. Hitting you with a potential bill like that, on a car not worth much more than twice the estimate is pretty dumb.

GAvin