DSG Gearbox Service

[Maverick]

Maverick. A couple of points you should know before "bad mouthing" a mechanic/business you know nothing about -
1. whether its a franchise of Ultratune, Midas or any local mechanic is totally irrevelant. If the mechanic working on your vehicle has experience working on a specific component then THAT is the the most important thing!

These chain budget franchises make a lot of unrealistic claims that they cannot meet.

2. My mechanic actually owns a passat CC so I dont think he would be taking shortcuts servicing DSG's.

I didn't realise that owning something made you an expert in it's servicing.

We have purchaed 2 VW's both with DSG and have NEVER had it serviced by VW, always by our same Ultratune guy. The golf which we no longer have had 249K on the clock with zero issues, our Jetta now has 122K and all ok so far......

I suspect that is more a testament to Volkswagen's manufacturing then the skills of your grease monkey.

[bjc2974]

?????????????????

[bjc2974]

Maverick -
1. you seem to have an "agenda" against Ultratune seeing your mentioning them in your quotes. I guess thats an issue you will have to deal with yourself! I will repeat it again for you - It is irrevelant where you get the work done - experience is the important thing here!


2.Who said it made you expert? That statement was relating to my comment regarding experience with DSG's - Im sure with DSG being such a complex component a mechanic who actually owns one would service it as required? He of all people who know what could happen if not done correctly. Oh and by the way one of his mechanics previously worked for Denlo before working for the Ultratune franchise.


3.OR it could be due to the fact that they were serviced correctly - did you consider that?

[bjc2974]

Why are you contradicting yourself, you're saying that experience and know-how is the most important thing when dealing with a DSG. Who is going to have the most experience and know-how? The Volkswagen dealer who does this work on all types of VW with different configurations.

- Who has access to Volkswagen diagnostics including software updates for the DSG? The Volkswagen dealer.
- Who has access to Volkswagen test procedures, service bulletins and internal Volkswagen resources? The Volkswagen dealer.
- Who has all the tools required on hand to perform the change correctly? The Volkswagen dealer.
- Who has factory and internally trained staff? The Volkswagen dealer.
- Who protects the warranty with a dealer service history for goodwill claims out of warranty on the DSG? The Volkswagen dealer.

And sure VW dealers make mistakes but I'd bet that Ultratune make a hell of a lot more not to mention there are plenty of examples where Ultratune have deceived their customers including using the cheapest oils that have no standards and charging for a premium oil.

So correct me if I am wrong but are you saying by your above statement, that if your mechanic does NOT work at a VW dealership the he does not know what he is doing if he services a VW??? I bet that comment will make you popular with all the non VW dealership mechanic's on here!

[Blitzen]

Don't worry about the big fella, Mav is an expert on all, but don't forget what an Expert is... X is an unknown quantity, and a Spurt is a drip under pressure... Mav is a VW groupie, and secretly works in a rather large chair in a VW dealership in Brissy... He will fervently deny it though.

To the OP, go to a decent independent who knows VWs, and avoid the dealer service like a $5 kabab after a big night on the piss... A reputable VW independent like Jmac, Transporter, CVWC or Camden GTI will have the updates, service bulletins, specialist tools, and the knowledge at a fraction of the cost of dealer servicing, and your warranty is still covered.

[Maverick]

So correct me if I am wrong but are you saying by your above statement, that if your mechanic does NOT work at a VW dealership the he does not know what he is doing if he services a VW??? I bet that comment will make you popular with all the non VW dealership mechanic's on here!

I didn't say that at all, my comments were regarding the DSG gearbox service being performed at a chain like ultratune vs being performed at the dealer or a specialist (except access to the software updates and VW internal resources don't apply to the specialist).

[Maverick]

Maverick -
1. you seem to have an "agenda" against Ultratune seeing your mentioning them in your quotes. I guess thats an issue you will have to deal with yourself! I will repeat it again for you - It is irrevelant where you get the work done - experience is the important thing here!

Ultratune have a poor history - dispute this all you like but it there. There was the courier who suffered a $24,000 engine loss in a new transporter van because one of the franchises was using bulk oil that wasn't suitable for engines and was being sold as caltex or their recent media coverage for charging a heap for parts and services that didn't need to be performed. And there are plenty more like that.

It's not irrelevant where you get the work done, how can a place like ultratune that specialises in nothing except cheap servicing be a specialist in VW servicing?

2.Who said it made you expert? That statement was relating to my comment regarding experience with DSG's - Im sure with DSG being such a complex component a mechanic who actually owns one would service it as required? He of all people who know what could happen if not done correctly. Oh and by the way one of his mechanics previously worked for Denlo before working for the Ultratune franchise.

You're still saying that just because he owns one he will know how to service it.

3.OR it could be due to the fact that they were serviced correctly - did you consider that?

[bjc2974]

its like talking to a brick wall with some people!

[Tux]

I picked up a mate's Mercedes Vito van from an Ultratune franchise and they didn't know how to reset the service interval. I guess it's hard to have specialized knowledge of every car out there.

I'll be taking my GTI to a specialist btw.

[brimway]

Bit of a hot topic, this one. For my money, I would only entrust either a VW dealer or VW specialist (I have dealt with Harding Performance and Mike Webber and am totally confident in their ability) to touch such an expensive item to repair/service as a DSG.

I reckon you would need a lot of luck negotiating a DSG warranty conflict with a franchised mechanical workshop.

[bang chong]

Wow this is getting a bit full on lol. Just recently a Mark VI Golf came into our dealership that was serviced at Ultratune and it had spun a main bearing. We had slight suspicion that the mechanic who serviced it forgot to put oil in it and took it for a road test(the car was towed from Ultratune). Quite a few cars that come in also always seem to be never put back together correctly i.e missing screws and instead cable ties holding things together. Obviously saying that it doesn't mean that every mechanic who works at Ultratune is useless. Oh well that's my 2cents

[Jmac]

I didn't say that at all, my comments were regarding the DSG gearbox service being performed at a chain like ultratune vs being performed at the dealer or a specialist (except access to the software updates and VW internal resources don't apply to the specialist).

Hmm internal resources, you dont work with a brand for over 20 yrs and not have contacts andcousin just happens to be with VW in Scotland for the win . Anyway think this thread has gone far enough.

[Transporter]

Wow this is getting a bit full on lol. Just recently a Mark VI Golf came into our dealership that was serviced at Ultratune and it had spun a main bearing. We had slight suspicion that the mechanic who serviced it forgot to put oil in it and took it for a road test(the car was towed from Ultratune). Quite a few cars that come in also always seem to be never put back together correctly i.e missing screws and instead cable ties holding things together. Obviously saying that it doesn't mean that every mechanic who works at Ultratune is useless. Oh well that's my 2cents

If only I would have a dollar, when someone comments (read it as being not happy at all) on the dealers jobs. I could retire right now.

[Brendan_A]

Wow this is getting a bit full on lol. Just recently a Mark VI Golf came into our dealership that was serviced at Ultratune and it had spun a main bearing. We had slight suspicion that the mechanic who serviced it forgot to put oil in it and took it for a road test(the car was towed from Ultratune). Quite a few cars that come in also always seem to be never put back together correctly i.e missing screws and instead cable ties holding things together. Obviously saying that it doesn't mean that every mechanic who works at Ultratune is useless. Oh well that's my 2cents

.

Dealership mechanics aren't perfect either mate. We've had a number of bad experiences with our 2 cars being touched by dealership mechanics. I will never be going back unless I have a major warranty issue.

It mean nothing where a mechanic works. You get doggy ones anywhere. I've noticed you get more young apprentices working for the dealers than senior mechanics.

[Jmac]

Yeah its the sign of the times , all the senior ones fly the coop because the pay is crud. Its not the easiest trade to learn and a thankless one a lot of the time, any that have lasted have done due to true passion and not to pay the bills. As an ex dealer tech myself i know what its like to work there. I know loads of top switched on guys who are still in various dealerships but when you are allocated a job like a diagnostic job the clock is running the minute you stamp on and you are under the pump till the car is fixed or not. And yes there is loads more apprentices, cheap labour. The apprentice training here not just dealerships but overall in this trade is poor, nothing like what it was, its all tick and flick now. Some end up as green as they were when they started, i dont know where its all going to go, bloody shame if you ask me. I have to say where i served my Apprenticeship in Scotland with a VW Blue Riband Dealer you actually felt part of VW then and you were treated and trained like that. Not the case here, ive worked in a couple here and didnt feel any of that. Like i say , Shame.
Sorry for the windbag event, think thread has gone far enough
Cheers
Jmac