Servicing cost

[TDIESEL]

Just had my TDI's 30,000k service done and was stunned at the price quoted to me by the local VW dealership - $595! I originally bought my car in QLD and remember the dealer saying no service should cost more than $300 so I asked my new local dealer to double check the price..still said that it will be $595 and is consider a semi-major service which takes around 2.5 hours to complete.

One phone call later to Ultratune and get a quote of $271 which included genuine oil and filters. Guess where I got the service done?

[gerhard]

Are you sure they changed your brake fluid and pollen filter as well?

Here is a source of service details by different models, including what is listed for the particular service.

http://carservice.com.au/

[Maverick]

Just had my TDI's 30,000k service done and was stunned at the price quoted to me by the local VW dealership - $595! I originally bought my car in QLD and remember the dealer saying no service should cost more than $300 so I asked my new local dealer to double check the price..still said that it will be $595 and is consider a semi-major service which takes around 2.5 hours to complete.

One phone call later to Ultratune and get a quote of $271 which included genuine oil and filters. Guess where I got the service done?

I wouldn't trust ultratune or any similar service centres with a new car, they don't have the equipment or experience to properly service a VW or access to the wealth of experience that your dealer has.

You are also more likely to have VW and the dealer go further to help you out with work that is borderline warranty or where you warranty has expired if you have a service history with a VW dealer.

The other benefit as well is that if you identify areas of concern at service time and they don't find anything (which is not unusual) it's noted on your history and can be covered by warranty down the track.

Not to mention that ultratune don't have a good history, I remember ages ago that a few of the ultratune franchises in Queensland were advertising that they were using XYZ branded oil of a certain quality but actually using a no name no standard oil that was being purchased in drums cheaply. One engine they destroyed was that of a courier with a VW transporter or similar and VW wouldn't pay to replace it (it had only 15,000kms on it) and it took him ages to get ultratune to replace it at a cost of ~$25,000.

Given that the proper oil for the TDI is close to $100 it doesn't leave a lot left over if they did everything that had to be done for that service for labor and if you do have problems down the track because of a problem caused by incorrect oil you can bet that VW won't help you and you'll be left to sort it out with Ultratune.

There are specialist VW mechanics around and I would take my car there before even considering taking it somewhere like ultratune where they generally hire staff at low rates and have high turnover. And there is no way that they have the experience to spot potential issues or even have all the specialist tools available. They might be ok for something basic like Falcon and Commodores but even then I wouldn't use them.

For the sake of a few hundred dollars a year on a $30,000+ car I wouldn't be taking any chances that can affect your resale value and end up costing you a whole lot more.

As gerhard posted above, I can't see how they did the service for $271 when a similar place is quoting $571 and 3 hours labour.

30,000km/2 Yr Serv 3 hr(s) $570.61*

I'm now saying that they would do this but it's pretty obvious that if you want to cut costs the first place to start is items like oils and other supplies, most people wouldn't notice and if any damage is done it's way down the track. If VW aren't satisfied with the service history and something fails then you can bet that the dealer won't be supportive of any problems that develop because of the service or lack of. You'll end up being bounced backwards and forwards between ultratune and VW and your only option may be to pay for the repair yourself or sue one of them.

[TDIESEL]

I wouldn't trust ultratune or any similar service centres with a new car, they don't have the equipment or experience to properly service a VW or access to the wealth of experience that your dealer has.

You are also more likely to have VW and the dealer go further to help you out with work that is borderline warranty or where you warranty has expired if you have a service history with a VW dealer.

The other benefit as well is that if you identify areas of concern at service time and they don't find anything (which is not unusual) it's noted on your history and can be covered by warranty down the track.

Not to mention that ultratune don't have a good history, I remember ages ago that a few of the ultratune franchises in Queensland were advertising that they were using XYZ branded oil of a certain quality but actually using a no name no standard oil that was being purchased in drums cheaply. One engine they destroyed was that of a courier with a VW transporter or similar and VW wouldn't pay to replace it (it had only 15,000kms on it) and it took him ages to get ultratune to replace it at a cost of ~$25,000.

Given that the proper oil for the TDI is close to $100 it doesn't leave a lot left over if they did everything that had to be done for that service for labor and if you do have problems down the track because of a problem caused by incorrect oil you can bet that VW won't help you and you'll be left to sort it out with Ultratune.

There are specialist VW mechanics around and I would take my car there before even considering taking it somewhere like ultratune where they generally hire staff at low rates and have high turnover. And there is no way that they have the experience to spot potential issues or even have all the specialist tools available. They might be ok for something basic like Falcon and Commodores but even then I wouldn't use them.

For the sake of a few hundred dollars a year on a $30,000+ car I wouldn't be taking any chances that can affect your resale value and end up costing you a whole lot more.

As gerhard posted above, I can't see how they did the service for $271 when a similar place is quoting $571 and 3 hours labour.

30,000km/2 Yr Serv 3 hr(s) $570.61*

I'm now saying that they would do this but it's pretty obvious that if you want to cut costs the first place to start is items like oils and other supplies, most people wouldn't notice and if any damage is done it's way down the track. If VW aren't satisfied with the service history and something fails then you can bet that the dealer won't be supportive of any problems that develop because of the service or lack of. You'll end up being bounced backwards and forwards between ultratune and VW and your only option may be to pay for the repair yourself or sue one of them.

Am totally happy with service provided and everything was done using genuine parts and oil, remember businesses do not pay retail prices so they still make profit. My personal belief is you don't need a specialist mechanic to do what is basically fluid changes and basic inspections as listed below. Not to mention the VW dealer is probably using an apprentice to do the job as well.
Job instructions

* Interogate 5051 fault memories & printed report.
* Reset service interval indicator.
* Carry out service to manufacturer specifications.
* Replace engine oil and filter.
* Check drive belts.
* Check cooling system.
* Check air cleaner element.
* Check exhaust system.
* Replace brake fluid.
* Check all oil levels.
* Check steering & suspension components.
* Check front and rear brakes.
* Lubricate locks, hinges & latches.
* Check all seat belt components.
* Check & adjust parking brake.
* Check lights, wipers, tyre pressure & all fluid levels.
* Replace pollen filter.
* Check battery electrolyte and fluid level.
* Carry out road test to manufacturer handbook.

Parts

* Brake fluid, .25l - 3 piece(s)
* Sump plug - 1 piece(s)
* Oil filter element, axc a - 1 piece(s)
* Pollen filter - 1 piece(s)

Oil & Lubricants

* Diesel Engine Oil < 2.5ltr - 4.5 Litre(s)

[PhilMart]

I was "quoted" by my salesperson on purchasing my GTI that up to 105,000 KM I would not expect to pay more that 3000.00. At 15,000 a service that averages 428.00 a service. Some would obviously be minor and some major. Perhaps you hit a major one?

In any case there are proper VW specialists who apparently can do the right job and do it cheaper as well, however I am not too sure how much cheaper

[gerhard]

I was "quoted" by my salesperson on purchasing my GTI that up to 105,000 KM I would not expect to pay more that 3000.00. At 15,000 a service that averages 428.00 a service. Some would obviously be minor and some major. Perhaps you hit a major one?

In any case there are proper VW specialists who apparently can do the right job and do it cheaper as well, however I am not too sure how much cheaper

No, the 30,000k service is not a major one.

[Backdoor]

Prior to me buying my Jetta I did some calling around about the costs of the next few services do and I have been told that the 60,000km is the major service and I have been quoted $1295 for this...... Cant wait for this one Still a year away though.

[Maverick]

No, the 30,000k service is not a major one.

15k/1yr service is 1 hour
30k/2yr service is 3 hours
45k/3yr service is 1 hour
60k/4yr service is 4 hours
75k/5yr service is 1 hour

It may not be a major service but it's not a minor one either.

[Maverick]

Am totally happy with service provided and everything was done using genuine parts and oil, remember businesses do not pay retail prices so they still make profit. My personal belief is you don't need a specialist mechanic to do what is basically fluid changes and basic inspections as listed below. Not to mention the VW dealer is probably using an apprentice to do the job as well.

And you know they used genuine parts and proper oil how exactly? This is probably what the courier thought and was paying for before his $25k engine was destroyed. I would trust my dealer over a cheap franchise, there is no way I would risk future reliability and warranty on my $50k car for the sake of a few hundred dollars a year.

I wouldn't buy a second hand car if it wasn't dealer serviced, maybe if it was specialist serviced with a place that I know does top quality work but NEVER from a place like kmart auto, ultratune, repco etc.

VW may well use an apprentice but at least he is familiar with the car, has training, the correct tools and has experienced people around him to fall back onto. Places like ultratune pay minimum wage and generally have high turnover, staff don't generally care and they are under pressure to turn out the cars as fast as possible. They operate the same was that Kmart auto work.

At the end of the day people can get their car serviced at places like this but long term they don't save any money, personally I don't see the logic especially when you don't know what they are putting into the car or what they are missing. Why spend $30k+ on a car and then skimp on servicing, the dealer gives you peace of mind that the work is being done and you have the added security that they will fix up mistakes properly and you have that relationship there for when you do have problems. They are going to go further for someone who has a proper service history with them rather then someone who only takes it back for warranty work.

[TDIESEL]

And you know they used genuine parts and proper oil how exactly? This is probably what the courier thought and was paying for before his $25k engine was destroyed. I would trust my dealer over a cheap franchise, there is no way I would risk future reliability and warranty on my $50k car for the sake of a few hundred dollars a year.

I wouldn't buy a second hand car if it wasn't dealer serviced, maybe if it was specialist serviced with a place that I know does top quality work but NEVER from a place like kmart auto, ultratune, repco etc.

VW may well use an apprentice but at least he is familiar with the car, has training, the correct tools and has experienced people around him to fall back onto. Places like ultratune pay minimum wage and generally have high turnover, staff don't generally care and they are under pressure to turn out the cars as fast as possible. They operate the same was that Kmart auto work.

At the end of the day people can get their car serviced at places like this but long term they don't save any money, personally I don't see the logic especially when you don't know what they are putting into the car or what they are missing. Why spend $30k+ on a car and then skimp on servicing, the dealer gives you peace of mind that the work is being done and you have the added security that they will fix up mistakes properly and you have that relationship there for when you do have problems. They are going to go further for someone who has a proper service history with them rather then someone who only takes it back for warranty work.

Workshop manager showed me the parts when I asked to see them and actually stated he had to get the oil from VW as it is not available off the shelf. Not all franchise owners are the same and a bad media report shouldn't tarnish them all. Just wanted to make some people aware that there are cheaper alternatives (still covered by warranty) to over priced dealerships. At the end of the day it's a mass produced car, not an exotic hand tuned car that needs someone with years of intimate knowledge to make it run properly. It all comes down to some people will never consider looking outside the square and will continue to believe everything they hear about having to be serviced at a authorised dealer (which is fine). Dare I say it, there is also no guarantee that the dealer is also doing the right thing and there have been plenty of examples of that happening in the media over the years too.

I'm not going to bother justifying my decision any further as it will be just like trying to convince a HSV owner that his car isn't just another tarted up commodore Each to their own.

I do have $300 left in my back pocket though.....

[Manaz]

Dare I say it, there is also no guarantee that the dealer is also doing the right thing and there have been plenty of examples of that happening in the media over the years too.

Absolutely - my worst servicing experiences have been with dealerships. For instance, when you drive a car in for a regular service in the morning (with a known blown headlamp which I forgot to mention) and they hand the car back to you with a sheet that says "checked operation of all bulbs" but the headlamp doesn't work, and then the car's undrivable because the clutch has completely failed in an eight hour period (and it wasn't even slipping when I drove it in), you know the dealership's not doing things right.

And my local Ultratune has never done me wrong when servicing my old Astra.

That said, I've had good experiences with dealership servicing (Denlo and Tom Kerr for my Subarus) and bad experiences with local/franchised mechanics (one down near Denlo at North Parramatta for instance), so really the type of place is less important than the kind of people running it.

[gerhard]

15k/1yr service is 1 hour
30k/2yr service is 3 hours
45k/3yr service is 1 hour
60k/4yr service is 4 hours
75k/5yr service is 1 hour

It may not be a major service but it's not a minor one either.

When you look at what is specified, it seems that the 30,000k service is the same as the 15000k, with the addition of brake fluid change and a pollen filter change.

2 hours labour for the extra bits????? That's a profit gouge, I reckon, although I admit I don't know how hard it is to change the filter. Clearly the Ultratune bloke didn't find it too hard. Bleeding the brakes can't be more than 30 minutes when the car is already on the hoist for the oil drain and inspection, and is more than likely 10 minutes with the proper pressure bleeding tool.

You won't convince me that oil change and brake bleed is a major service on any car

But I do agree that to preserve the second hand value of the car (assuming you want to sell it at some stage) it pays to get VW to service it. Then you can sell it at say 2.5 years and the buyer will be a very happy vegemite because he will be able to get the VW extended warranty for another 2 years without quibble. Small price to pay for that, I reckon.

[Blitzen]

Most dealer service centers I have delt with have been vastly unacceptable. There is nothing wrong with taking your new car to a Repco, Ultra Tune, ABS or to your local mechanic that has been servicing cars since Jesus was a boy. Most non dealer service centers have the scan tools available to fault find and scan, and have there own insurance/warrenty to back up any screw ups.
Up here in Darwin, I would never use any of the dealer service centers(except you warrenty work), as most of the workers in these places are unskilled workers(TA's), and only have mechanics as overseers, and I have heard horror stories, and seen the results of huge and unnecessary screw ups(the local VW dealer leaves ALOT to be desired(I'm pretty sure my carport has a better set up then their garage!!). You will find in most dealer service centers that services are handed to the apprentices to do.
The main point is that so long as a qualified mechanic signed off in your service book, your warrenty will not be affected.

[ozgriff]

While my car is new (less than two years old) I will be taking it to the dealer or other qualified VW workshop. After this, I probably will mix it up with an ultratune every second service.

I won't take it at face value that either place is better. It all comes down to the people on the day and the relationships you can make.

The dealership charges extra because they are under the 'brand' name and also know warranties will be looked after with a full dealer service history. They know people will pay extra for that.

[dontsailbackwards]

Cheapness is its own reward

If you wanna spend $35k on a new car then save a hundred bucks by taking it to an unknown quantity for servicing then be prepared to suffer the consequences of that. I let teh Ultratune franchise butcher one of my cars (a VK commodore fer Chrissakes, not rare or complicated!) ONCE. If I let them do it twice then I'd have no-one else to blame but myself (to paraphrase Eleanor Roosevelt).

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