Independent VW/Audi/Skoda garage Sandyford/Stillorgan area?

54and56

Hi all,

I just purchased a 131 VW Touareg, a UK import trying to take advantage of the improved FX rate.

I previously used Atlas Sandyford for servicing my old 2007 Touareg but they closed a few months ago so I'm on the lookout for a good independent garage preferably one who specialise in VW/Audi/Skoda.

Any recommendations? If it's against a forum rule to recommend garages please PM me.

Cheers..

54and56

A bit more research indicates that JF Motors in Ranelagh http://www.jfmotors.ie/servicing.html may be a VW/Audi specialist. Any thoughts/experience?

tossy

I recently bought a car that has a wad of receipts for work carried out by JF motors over the last 3/4 years, the car is in tip top shape mechanically ,Its a performance car and the previous owner of the car was anal in his attention to detail so i would say they are a good outfit.

I had never heard of them previously but they seem to have a good rep.

54and56

Thanks Tossy, appreciate the feedback.

Looks like Mulligans Garage in D8 is also a VAG specialist and has been operating for over 25 years which is always a good sign - https://mulligansgarage.com.

tossy

You have at least 2 to choose from,i would call into each and ask a few questions about booking your motor in then go with your gut.

VictorRomeo

As a VW owner I've always found VW's fixed pricing particularly good thru their dealer network.... Mind you that was for Passats and currently a CC... the Toureg being a bigger beast will cost more for sure but there will be fixed pricing available for it.

54and56

Thanks Victor, I should certainly check that out with http://www.fkvwdeansgrange.ie/service/service_options.aspx in Deans Grange who I think are the only authorised VW sales and service dealer in the South County Dublin area.

Having said that I recall Foster Motors in Sandyford were an authoriosed VW garage but I'm not they are any more despite the fact they are promoting fixed price VW servicing e.g. http://fostersandyford.ie/promotions/9-volkswageni-value-full-diesel-service

R.O.R

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

Thanks Victor, I should certainly check that out with http://www.fkvwdeansgrange.ie/service/service_options.aspx in Deans Grange who I think are the only authorised VW sales and service dealer in the South County Dublin area.

Having said that I recall Foster Motors in Sandyford were an authoriosed VW garage but I'm not they are any more despite the fact they are promoting fixed price VW servicing e.g. http://fostersandyford.ie/promotions/9-volkswageni-value-full-diesel-service

Fosters are authorised VW service agents and very good. Where we send most of our VW's in Dublin.

Now Spirit Fosters officially.

VictorRomeo

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

Thanks Victor, I should certainly check that out with http://www.fkvwdeansgrange.ie/service/service_options.aspx in Deans Grange who I think are the only authorised VW sales and service dealer in the South County Dublin area.

Having said that I recall Foster Motors in Sandyford were an authoriosed VW garage but I'm not they are any more despite the fact they are promoting fixed price VW servicing e.g. http://fostersandyford.ie/promotions/9-volkswageni-value-full-diesel-service

Have a look at the fixed costs on the VW ireland site;

http://service.volkswagen.ie/offers

I'm sure they'll provide you with the Toureg fixed costs on request.

I've used Frank Keane for all my VW servicing since they took on VW and they've been fine. Never paid more than I expected to and never tried to 'upsell' brakepads, tyres etc...

exador

So if you leave your car in to be serviced and it needs anything extra over and above the normal service, e.g brake pads , tyres , its an upsell ? It either needs them or it doesn't..

54and56

R.O.R wrote: »

Fosters are authorised VW service agents and very good. Where we send most of our VW's in Dublin.

Now Spirit Fosters officially.

High praise indeed R.O.R., thank you.

54and56

VictorRomeo wrote: »

Have a look at the fixed costs on the VW ireland site;

http://service.volkswagen.ie/offers

I'm sure they'll provide you with the Toureg fixed costs on request.

I've used Frank Keane for all my VW servicing since they took on VW and they've been fine. Never paid more than I expected to and never tried to 'upsell' brakepads, tyres etc...

Thanks Victor, advertised fixed cost services are for 2.0 litre cars and below. The Touareg is 3.0 litre so no doubt will be more but I would like to get a quote so I'll get in touch with them. The next service per the service schedule will be the "3rd Longlife service" so I'll contact them and see if I can get a quote for that.

54and56

exador wrote: »

So if you leave your car in to be serviced and it needs anything extra over and above the normal service, e.g brake pads , tyres , its an upsell ? It either needs them or it doesn't..

I don't think Victor was referring to when your car "needs" new pads or tyres etc but was referring to the potential to be upsold parts, repairs or consumables which are not needed at that point in time. There is a perception, perhaps based on the practices of a few bad operators, that fixed service charges are designed to get you in and the real money is made on up selling you unnecessary extra's. It was something which was discussed a lot during the bad down turn years of 2009-2013 when garages were outdoing themselves to see who could offer the lowest fixed cost service.

That's my tuppence worth anyway.

exador

Fair enough.... Most Manufacturers now offer low cost servicing, so no Business Model can survive on service for 129 EURO , no different to Aldi or Dunnes offering the weekly specials , to get you in the door. The difference is if you are getting an honest report on pads/tyres e.t.c based on facts ?

54and56

exador wrote: »

Fair enough.... Most Manufacturers now offer low cost servicing, so no Business Model can survive on service for 129 EURO

I agree entirely. Competition is good but artificially low or below cost pricing is counter productive and not sustainable.

exador wrote: »

no different to Aldi or Dunnes offering the weekly specials , to get you in the door. The difference is if you are getting an honest report on pads/tyres e.t.c based on facts ?

I don't think you're comparing apples with apples at all Ecador.

I might go to Aldi because they advertise 2L of milk for €0.99 and whilst I'm there I may purchase other items but no one from Aldi is going to come up to me and recommend I also purchase X, Y or Z whereas if I go into a garage for the €129 service and before I check out a mechanic, who is a trained expert I'm relying on for professional advice, comes up to me and says I should get the discs changed or whatever I really have little choice in the matter. I'm not qualified to determine whether the discs need to be changed or not. Maybe the mechanic is just doing his job and giving me his honest professional opinion but maybe he's telling me the discs need changing because the €129 service is loss making for the business and he's under pressure to "upsell" customers in order to make the business model work. In such a situation the customer is under tremendous pressure and will frequently feel obliged go with the recommendation.

If I go into Aldi, just purchase the €0.99 milk and ignore the other offers being suggested to me the worst thing that can happen is I missed a bargain, big deal. If I go into a garage for a €129 service and ignore the other services being suggested to me I may end up damaging my car, breaking down or in an accident.

Apples and oranges.

VictorRomeo

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

I don't think Victor was referring to when your car "needs" new pads or tyres etc but was referring to the potential to be upsold parts, repairs or consumables which are not needed at that point in time. There is a perception, perhaps based on the practices of a few bad operators, that fixed service charges are designed to get you in and the real money is made on up selling you unnecessary extra's. It was something which was discussed a lot during the bad down turn years of 2009-2013 when garages were outdoing themselves to see who could offer the lowest fixed cost service.

That's my tuppence worth anyway.

This... A certain Volvo dealer was dreadful for it as was my experience during that period... It's also endemic in the USA...

VictorRomeo

exador wrote: »

So if you leave your car in to be serviced and it needs anything extra over and above the normal service, e.g brake pads , tyres , its an upsell ? It either needs them or it doesn't..

Seriously...??!! Jesus wept.

exador

It is the Manufacturers that drive the low cost services and the franchised dealers don't have a choice. I agree with you that it is not sustainable.
I find that most Customers will avail of the low cost service and have no intention whatsoever to get any recommended work regardless of how safety critical it may be.

Like every Business, there are some garages that will take advantage and try and upsell even when not required.

There are also some Customers that will always think that you are trying to rip them off...

54and56

exador wrote: »

Like every Business, there are some garages that will take advantage and try and upsell even when not required.

There are also some Customers that will always think that you are trying to rip them off...

100% spot on there Exador. The challenge IMO is for garages to develop genuine relationships with their customers so there is transparency and a level of trust is created. I used Atlas Sandyford (which closed a few months ago) for years with my old car and I trusted them when they called to say X or Y needed to be done. Sometimes they'd say if I don't get rid of the car soon I'll end up with a big bill for X or Y and they frequently said they much preferred taking €x a year off customers rather than having to sting them for €XXX a year as people stung for a large amount often went elsewhere next time regardless of the fact the car needed a big job done on it.