VW service costs

[syncro]

These days most of the cars are serviced once a year. I remember, not so long ago, it was every 6 months and dealer prices didn’t change much, so you still should be paying less than 10 or so years ago.

It's been a long time since VW had six month services. At least more than 30 years.

[brad]

When I started at Goodyear in 1981 it was 3m/5000km.

We had one guy that brought his CL Chrysler in every 6 weeks.

The couple of taxis we had came in every 2-3 weeks. We used re-refined oil and $1 filters and used to charge $15.

I used to see some of our customers more than my parents.

[doc_777]

When I started at Goodyear in 1981 it was 3m/5000km.

We had one guy that brought his CL Chrysler in every 6 weeks.

The couple of taxis we had came in every 2-3 weeks. We used re-refined oil and $1 filters and used to charge $15.

I used to see some of our customers more than my parents.

my grandfather had two 44 gallon drums in the shed out back of his workshop - one above the other on racks. There was a gap between them, and a hole punched in the bottom of the top drum - through which a piece of 4 inch hemp ships rope was forced, which then dangled into the top of the lower drum.

We’d (grandkids on school holiday forced labour programs) climb the ladder and pour 5 gallon drums of used oil into the top drum, which would then sllllooooooowwwwwly wick it’s way through the rope and dribble into the lower drum......from which he would pump the oil my father, uncles, grandfather etc used in their own vehicles.

They had jags, land rovers etc so went through a bit of oil it’s genius-Level dodgy-ness, but manufacturing tolerances and consumer-oil technologies were rather - ahem - ‘primative’, so it served its purpose.

[mickofoz]

The problem here in Australia is unqualified independent mechanics. I wouldn't trust anyone other than a VW service center with my car. It's a different story over in Germany where you can take your car to any independent garage and have your car serviced because over there you must employ qualified mechanics that have been trained, educated and deemed qualified not only by law but also by the car maker such as VW. This competition drives down prices. Not so here in Oz.

[AT_SA]

The quoted fixed price is just a guideline from my experience. Had my first service at Solitaire and it was well below the $452 'fixed' service price in matter of fact is was lower than what German Auto quoted me which was a surprise but I didn't complain. If you take your car to the recommended dealerships service centre it increases your chances of a 'good will' gesture or VW Aus covering some costs if your car is out of warranty (within reasonable time frame) and you have a mechanical fault. I may be wrong on that but that's what a couple of people have told me. If you're going to spend $60k on a car you might as well take it to where they should know what they are doing. I'll keep taking wolfy there until I'm dissatisfied about something....

[tw586]

I had a customer many years ago who had a diesel merc from the 70s, he used a similar setup but put used cooking oil from the local fish and chip shops. he would then cut it with fresh diesel 50:50 and use it in the merc. I would see him once a year for rego and service, surprised how well it went. over a 500k on the clock still original pump and injectors. dont think the new diesels would handle that!

my grandfather had two 44 gallon drums in the shed out back of his workshop - one above the other on racks. There was a gap between them, and a hole punched in the bottom of the top drum - through which a piece of 4 inch hemp ships rope was forced, which then dangled into the top of the lower drum.

We’d (grandkids on school holiday forced labour programs) climb the ladder and pour 5 gallon drums of used oil into the top drum, which would then sllllooooooowwwwwly wick it’s way through the rope and dribble into the lower drum......from which he would pump the oil my father, uncles, grandfather etc used in their own vehicles.

They had jags, land rovers etc so went through a bit of oil it’s genius-Level dodgy-ness, but manufacturing tolerances and consumer-oil technologies were rather - ahem - ‘primative’, so it served its purpose.

[Transporter]

It's been a long time since VW had six month services. At least more than 30 years.

What Vee dub did you drive more than 30 years ago?
Many (most) members here up to 2005 were driving something else than the vag car and prior that many other manufacturers here had 6months service interval, like Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota. So, yes people pay less now per year to service their VW than they’ve paid decade or more ago.
I doubt that the T4 TDI when it came to Au had 12Months/15,000km service interval, just because of back then our high sulphurs diesel fuel would prohibit that.

The biggest rip off is the cabin air filter. They last for many years and take about 3 minutes to replace. They don't ever check them, they just change them. Wiper blades are another. I get at least 10 years out of genuine blades.

Most people are lucky to get 5years out of the original wiper blades, your more than 10 year sound not plausible.

[spellbound]

What Vee dub did you drive more than 30 years ago?
Many (most) members here up to 2005 were driving something else than the vag car and prior that many other manufacturers here had 6months service interval, like Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota. So, yes people pay less now per year to service their VW than they’ve paid decade or more ago.
I doubt that the T4 TDI when it came to Au had 12Months/15,000km service interval, just because of back then our high sulphurs diesel fuel would prohibit that.



Most people are lucky to get 5years out of the original wiper blades, your more than 10 year sound not plausible.

My first 1year/15k car was a Golf mk4 GTI 2001 and i would say that was one of the first , had Honda prior , expensive service costs , and i paid around $350 a service first year on the GTI which is more than todays prices in real terms .
Forget the big local stealership , always use your good independent , more focused and friendlier .

[syncro]

What Vee dub did you drive more than 30 years ago?

Golf 2 and T3 had a 12 month service interval

Most people are lucky to get 5years out of the original wiper blades, your more than 10 year sound not plausible.

My 1990 T3 has had the blades replaced once (Genuine VW). My 2014 Subaru still has original blades that work perfectly. Cars are garaged and I do not use wipers to clean dirt from the screen.

[Transporter]

Golf 2 and T3 had a 12 month service interval




My 1990 T3 has had the blades replaced once (Genuine VW). My 2014 Subaru still has original blades that work perfectly. Cars are garaged and I do not use wipers to clean dirt from the screen.

For 99% of the owners, blades don’t last 10 years as you said. So, the bottom line is, it’s not a rip off when they’re replaced as needed. Also, I don’t recommend anyone to keep their cabin filter in for more than 2 years, if you don’t want to maintain it, just remove it/delete it.

[syncro]

For 99% of the owners, blades don’t last 10 years as you said. So, the bottom line is, it’s not a rip off when they’re replaced as needed. Also, I don’t recommend anyone to keep their cabin filter in for more than 2 years, if you don’t want to maintain it, just remove it/delete it.

What does time have to do with these replacements? Cabin filters would be more on kilometres and environment.

The last Subaru service that I had I get a phone call. "your cabin filter needs replacement" I'd just replaced it myself a few weeks before. Now that's a rip off. The first one lasted 40,000k.

[spellbound]

What does time have to do with these replacements? Cabin filters would be more on kilometres and environment.

The last Subaru service that I had I get a phone call. "your cabin filter needs replacement" I'd just replaced it myself a few weeks before. Now that's a rip off. The first one lasted 40,000k.

With tough times for dealerships they will be searching for profit and trying to extract every last dollar from your pocket .

[BenT]

My 30k service on my Golf GTI Original cost $345 at underground Performance in Cheltenham 2 weeks ago.


Ben
Current: ‘18 Golf GTI Original
Past: ‘05 RS 225 Cup