MK6 servicing in Melbourne. Dealer or VW Specalist?

[Maverick]

I'm not debating the pros and cons of dealer servicing.

But $200 is what I would a fair price for a 15k service AT the dealer.

4.6l of 504/507 oil in bulk would be $46, oil filter at $10. Sump plug washer $0.10

2 hours of labour at $20/hour.

The other $90 is for overheads & profit.

I think that is a fair price.

Very simplistic but you forget all the other costs that a dealer has, the training, the loan cars, parts holding, premium location and so on.

I'm happy to pay $300 for a service at the dealer and $150 for an oil change, it's a fair price given the service you get.

Dont forget the dealer makes more money from servicing than selling cars.

This get's thrown around all the time but is bollocks. A Golf goes in once a year for a service. The first service is ~$280, the second ~$400, the third ~$280, the fourth ~$1000 and the fifth ~$500. That's $2460 in servicing costs over a 5 year period, assuming a margin of ~30% that's $738 profit. Whilst I have no doubts dealer servicing is profitable it's unlikely to be as profitable as new car sales, new cars are getting more and more reliable and extended warranties are available cheaply (~$1400 for an additional 3 years for the Golf) which shows how few repairs are expected during that period of ownership.

How $738 is more profit then they make on the sale of a $40K car I don't know.

[kevvie]

I'm not debating the pros and cons of dealer servicing.

But $200 is what I would a fair price for a 15k service AT the dealer.

4.6l of 504/507 oil in bulk would be $46, oil filter at $10. Sump plug washer $0.10

2 hours of labour at $20/hour.

The other $90 is for overheads & profit.

I think that is a fair price.

Dont forget the dealer makes more money from servicing than selling cars.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The going rate for VW dealers is $180/hr, from the independents I have spoken to they are closer to $100/hr. not a bad mark up from apprentice salaries...

[Maverick]

The going rate for VW dealers is $180/hr, from the independents I have spoken to they are closer to $100/hr. not a bad mark up from apprentice salaries...

My local VW dealer is $110/hr so I don't know where you get $180/hr from. Maybe some dealers charge that but that's not a fixed amount across all dealers.

[MiiLos]

The going rate for VW dealers is $180/hr, from the independents I have spoken to they are closer to $100/hr. not a bad mark up from apprentice salaries...

My local VW dealer is $110/hr so I don't know where you get $180/hr from. Maybe some dealers charge that but that's not a fixed amount across all dealers.

I can relate to kevvie as the Weribee dealership here in VIC wanted $180 p/h for labor to change my cracked front CV boots @ 1 hr minimum per side. Needles to say i called my mate (mechanic) and we done it together over a few beers. It might be more $$ here in VIC compared to NSW and QLD.

[Johnbu]

Very simplistic but you forget all the other costs that a dealer has, the training, the loan cars, parts holding, premium location and so on.

I'm happy to pay $300 for a service at the dealer and $150 for an oil change, it's a fair price given the service you get.



This get's thrown around all the time but is bollocks. A Golf goes in once a year for a service. The first service is ~$280, the second ~$400, the third ~$280, the fourth ~$1000 and the fifth ~$500. That's $2460 in servicing costs over a 5 year period, assuming a margin of ~30% that's $738 profit. Whilst I have no doubts dealer servicing is profitable it's unlikely to be as profitable as new car sales, new cars are getting more and more reliable and extended warranties are available cheaply (~$1400 for an additional 3 years for the Golf) which shows how few repairs are expected during that period of ownership.

How $738 is more profit then they make on the sale of a $40K car I don't know.

I'd be happy to pay the $280, $400, $280, etc you quoted.

Unfortunately, in the real world, it's much more than that.

I have an invoice for the 15k and 30k service for my MkV GTI, it was $450 & $700 respectively.

I admit the $700 service included wiper blades, which would be $50 wholesale. Labour on the 30k service was $340 inc GST. $30 for workshop supplies and oil disposal is a joke.

I didn't bother returning to the dealer for the 45k service as it was getting close to 3 years.

Don't forget that Toyota have $120 fixed price services and still can make a profit. The VW oil is better, but not $300 better.

[Corey_R]

Lol... Toyota don't make a profit on their services... they're subsidised and heavily cut back. They won't replace anything that they can get away with leaving until the car is past the 3 year warranty - at which point the servicing cost jumps back up to its "regular" amounts (i.e. ~$200 or more for a Yaris, going up from there for larger cars and 4WDs). Toyota servicing prior to this "fixed price" scheme was actually more expensive than VW servicing as it was required twice per year instead of once. (Unless you do a servicing based on km instead of time due to high mileage).

[Maverick]

I'd be happy to pay the $280, $400, $280, etc you quoted.

Unfortunately, in the real world, it's much more than that.

That's funny because those are the prices that I paid at a VW dealer in the real world.

I have an invoice for the 15k and 30k service for my MkV GTI, it was $450 & $700 respectively.

I admit the $700 service included wiper blades, which would be $50 wholesale. Labour on the 30k service was $340 inc GST. $30 for workshop supplies and oil disposal is a joke.

Your choice to pay those prices, there are plenty of VW dealers around and they charge different prices. As for workshop supplies and oil disposal these are pretty standard charges and you pay for them one way or the other.

Don't forget that Toyota have $120 fixed price services and still can make a profit. The VW oil is better, but not $300 better.

The Toyota dealer doesn't make a profit on the $100-$110-$120 services, these are subsidised by Toyota. What about VW doing their three years free servicing at different times, I guess you will say they still make a profit on those?

[markwid]

That's funny because those are the prices that I paid at a VW dealer in the real world.

Your choice to pay those prices, there are plenty of VW dealers around and they charge different prices. As for workshop supplies and oil disposal these are pretty standard charges and you pay for them one way or the other.

I say BS. Try getting a reasonable price in Sydney.

[Corey_R]

Penrith VW recently quoted $320 or something for a friends first service on his Golf
That was after being quoted $450 from Parramatta. So I mean, shop around

[night_flight]

My 5 cents, I don't understand the logic behind spending $30K+ for a new car and then saving a couple of hundred bucks a year by not servicing it at the dealer while it is still under warranty.

The money you've saved won't cover the depreciation cost for a month. Take it to the dealer, let them give it the software updates and fix any of the little niggles that VW pick up after having a thousands of customers field test them.

Once the warranty expires, now that's another story.

I agree with you on this one

[Maverick]

I say BS. Try getting a reasonable price in Sydney.

I'm not doing your work for you, pick up the phone and call the various dealers otherwise don't complain about the price you're paying.

[Ideo]

I'm not doing your work for you, pick up the phone and call the various dealers otherwise don't complain about the price you're paying.

I think it was a rhetorical device. Not a challenge to your manhood.

[Maverick]

I think it was a rhetorical device. Not a challenge to your manhood.

You mean rhetorical question I assume which it doesn't appear to be. My point is valid, nearly all the dealerships are independent and set their own prices, complaining because one dealer charges more per hour is pointless when there are plenty of dealers in all the major centres that can be used. And comparing them by hourly rate is also pointless because one may charge the full number of hours for a service whereas the more expensive one may charge less hours and be cheaper.

[markwid]

I'm not doing your work for you, pick up the phone and call the various dealers otherwise don't complain about the price you're paying.

I have done the call around in Sydney, which is why I question your assertion that is not backed up with any facts.

[Maverick]

I have done the call around in Sydney, which is why I question your assertion that is not backed up with any facts.

Your inability to negotiate is not my problem. I posted the prices that I paid and that is a fact. I've seen similar prices quoted in other locations and there is nothing stopping you from asking for better prices. At the end of the day the difference over five years is bigger all anyway.

Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk