Price of major service on a Golf?

bs2014

How much would a full service be on a Golf MK7 GTD; oil; air; pollen & fuel filter; check the car over and quick diagnostic flash.

In my local town, I had an indie quote me €300 which I thought was steepish but then the main dealer quoted me €500 (I near fell over). Main dealer response was VW recommend X price but each dealer can set their own. They take the car in for a 'full day' to check it over.....I just played along with the BS to be honest. I really don't know what I was getting extra only a set of wipers and 12 months AA cover.

Rang a 2nd VW dealer 45 mins away from me quoted me €280 which I feel is realistic for main dealers and rang a VAG indie in Dublin who quoted me €220 which again is realistic.

Is €200 to €240 the realistic balpark to be paying. Obviously not gonna bring my car to bottom of the barrell Fred in the shed but likewise not gonna pay main dealer money for an indie! €300 for an indie and €500 for a main dealer seems very steep; dare I say bordering on daylight robbery?

greasepalm

Thinking 250 for indie as might depend if spec of oil has changed as parts are priced from reg number of car.

bs2014

greasepalm wrote: »

Thinking 250 for indie as might depend if spec of oil has changed as parts are priced from reg number of car.

I did have 1 local garage quote me 180e and using castrol oil and vw genuine filters (But he's such a fred in the shed with no website or Google reviews and basically youre going on the fact they local and there a long time) not sure how many fresh VAGs they work on though but a service is a service I suppose

greasepalm

At the end of the day its what is done on the service ohh i vacuumed your air filter lol,and its manky.
Even main dealers give you a price and dont include everything been changed.
Air,oil,fuel are needed once a year and coming into winter pollen filter to get a cleaner/quicker clearing of windscreen as they get stuffed.

colm_mcm

greasepalm wrote: »

At the end of the day its what is done on the service ohh i vacuumed your air filter lol,and its manky.
Even main dealers give you a price and dont include everything been changed.
Air,oil,fuel are needed once a year and coming into winter pollen filter to get a cleaner/quicker clearing of windscreen as they get stuffed.

Vw dealers do fixed price servicing though.

meathstevie

bs2014 wrote: »

I did have 1 local garage quote me 180e and using castrol oil and vw genuine filters (But he's such a fred in the shed with no website or Google reviews and basically youre going on the fact they local and there a long time) not sure how many fresh VAGs they work on though but a service is a service I suppose

Since when does a man need google reviews and a website to be a competent mechanic ? If he’s local and has been around for a long time you can easily find out through local word of mouth if he’s good or to be avoided.

bs2014

meathstevie wrote: »

Since when does a man need google reviews and a website to be a competent mechanic ? If he’s local and has been around for a long time you can easily find out through local word of mouth if he’s good or to be avoided.

Yeah reviews can be skewed but it's just a starting point for researching a business.

Northern Monkey

Stick your reg in there and you should get a quote.

https://www.volkswagen.ie/app/aftersales/vw-ie/en

bs2014

Northern Monkey wrote: »

Stick your reg in there and you should get a quote.

https://www.volkswagen.ie/app/aftersales/vw-ie/en

Yeah I did but says prices may vary for GTD or GTI models. So rang the dealer and they said they dont use them and quoted €500. Also couldnt fathom how an independent cud charge €300 which is more than most dealers fixed prices on website

Truckermal

Can you not buy a service plan?

McCrack

Or buy the oil and filters yourself online and do it. Not difficult. Youtube will demonstrate it for you

bs2014

Folks not interested in YouTube DIY jobs or service plans. Don't want the post drifting off topic

A. What's a reasonable price for a full service by reputable independent
B. Is €300 a rip off for an indie major service. Main dealers seem to be around €280

colm_mcm

Just for context, major service in a Skoda 2.0 TDI in a main dealer is €250. That includes air, fuel and pollen filters

Toyotafanboi

You need to price like for like. The contents of a "major service" can differ from one garage to another.

With a VW dealer, you are looking for an "Ultimate Service" on the fixed price service menu.

An ultimate service is oil, air, fuel and pollen filters, you also get 12 months breakdown cover, wash and vac. It's €289.

Piehead

Bout tree fiddy

bs2014

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

You need to price like for like. The contents of a "major service" can differ from one garage to another.

With a VW dealer, you are looking for an "Ultimate Service" on the fixed price service menu.

An ultimate service is oil, air, fuel and pollen filters, you also get 12 months breakdown cover, wash and vac. It's €289.

What other things could a major service include? A diagnostic check? new wipers? Or something bigger

colm_mcm

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

You need to price like for like. The contents of a "major service" can differ from one garage to another.

With a VW dealer, you are looking for an "Ultimate Service" on the fixed price service menu.

An ultimate service is oil, air, fuel and pollen filters, you also get 12 months breakdown cover, wash and vac. It's €289.

Is it extra on a GTD vs a normal one? It used to be

Toyotafanboi

colm_mcm wrote: »

Is it extra on a GTD vs a normal one? It used to be

Not for a GTD specifically. There is a €25 supplimemt for stuff 2.0 and above to cover additional engine oil but tbh on 2.0 engines you'd usually leave it be as it would piss people off when their old 1.9 Golf would meet the cheaper criteria but their new 2.0 doesn't, for example. You'd usually only really charge it on the likes of a 3.0 Touareg where there is substantially more oil being used.

bs2014

Well when VW recommend a price of €280 But a dealer decides to set their own prices at €500.....I think that will certainly piss customers off....very Irish

colm_mcm

Which dealer is that?
Would using a NI dealer be practical given your location?

Toyotafanboi

bs2014 wrote: »

Well when VW recommend a price of €280 But a dealer decides to set their own prices at €500.....I think that will certainly piss customers off....very Irish

To be fair to the dealer, or yourself, there was probably some kind of breakdown in communication. No dealer is looking €500 for an Ultimate service on a Golf.

Judging by a lot of your previous posts, maybe you got someones back up and they gave you a PFO price.

bs2014

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

To be fair to the dealer, or yourself, there was probably some kind of breakdown in communication. No dealer is looking €500 for an Ultimate service on a Golf.

Judging by a lot of your previous posts, maybe you got someones back up and they gave you a PFO price.

I genuinely wonder have they a new person started cuz I did ask her what was the difference in the 280 price on the website was and got a wooly answer. Then when I rang the 2nd VW dealer to see where they all now charging double the vw website, the girl there to be fair was like 'your the 2nd person to ring today saying you got a crazy quote'

bs2014

colm_mcm wrote: »

Which dealer is that?
Would using a NI dealer be practical given your location?

To be honest I think dealers in the north are actually dearer (about the only thing more expensive there than down here)....there vat rate is 20% on labour

DaveyDave

I hate service threads. It's always "VW want €500 for it but the indie lad will do it for €180" and there's never a breakdown of what you're getting and what quality parts.

Ask them what you're getting for €500 and if you're getting prices for €200 ask what's missing and what spec the parts are.

bs2014

DaveyDave wrote: »

I hate service threads. It's always "VW want €500 for it but the indie lad will do it for €180" and there's never a breakdown of what you're getting and what quality parts.

Ask them what you're getting for €500 and if you're getting prices for €200 ask what's missing and what spec the parts are.

Well the VW garage said they need the car for 'a full day' so I dunno what on earth they would plan to do....but yes I agree its difficult to compare. Vw will say their filters have VW on the box. The prices I got for 200e were using bosch and man filters and castrol oil the garage told me.

Atlantic Dawn

bs2014 wrote: »

The prices I got for 200e were using bosch and man filters and castrol oil the garage told me.

Seems an odd practice, any main dealer I have ever got used their own branded filter. I'd have thought the manufacturer they represent would have insisted on it as terms of franchise.

bs2014

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Seems an odd practice, any main dealer I have ever got used their own branded filter. I'd have thought the manufacturer they represent would have insisted on it as terms of franchise.

No 1 indie was using them filters....another said they bought ones off the local vw garage.

Atlantic Dawn

bs2014 wrote: »

No 1 indie was using them filters....another said they bought ones off the local vw garage.

Sorry I misunderstood. Yes some of the filters the main dealers use will originate from another manufacturer but will be rebranded. Have seen this with NGK plugs branded for Honda.

greasepalm

I never liked Bosch plugs but would use NGK as a better plug.

Fabio

meathstevie wrote: »

Since when does a man need google reviews and a website to be a competent mechanic ? If he’s local and has been around for a long time you can easily find out through local word of mouth if he’s good or to be avoided.

Or go buy the parts and bring them to him - ask him first, if he's ok with it then I'd reckon that's a good sign.

I always buy my own stuff and own oil too.

McCrack

bs2014 wrote: »

Folks not interested in YouTube DIY jobs or service plans. Don't want the post drifting off topic

A. What's a reasonable price for a full service by reputable independent
B. Is €300 a rip off for an indie major service. Main dealers seem to be around €280

Well then try use a bit of initiative

Go price 5 litres of oil, and oil, air, fuel filters online, tot it up and subtract that from whatever quotes you're getting being the labour for what is a 20 min job

greasepalm

No idea how you think its a 20 min job,is engine oil very hot as need to bring up to temp,loosen off oil filter to drain ,panels underneath to be removed,sum bung removed and left to drain and then get air line into sump and blow to expel more oil.
Fill with oil and oil filter fitted.
Air filer removed and internal housing cleaned out of debris.
Fuel filter removed and chamber cleaned out.
Pollen filter is inside car and needs to be on the ground to access it.
Road test car and check for leaks and level.
No way its 20 min job or your not doing it right.

McCrack

greasepalm wrote: »

No idea how you think its a 20 min job,is engine oil very hot as need to bring up to temp,loosen off oil filter to drain ,panels underneath to be removed,sum bung removed and left to drain and then get air line into sump and blow to expel more oil.
Fill with oil and oil filter fitted.
Air filer removed and internal housing cleaned out of debris.
Fuel filter removed and chamber cleaned out.
Pollen filter is inside car and needs to be on the ground to access it.
Road test car and check for leaks and level.
No way its 20 min job or your not doing it right.

How long do you suggest oil and filters should take an experienced mechanic?

kirving

Set a stopwatch with the car already on the ramp and everything to hand, and you'd do it in 20 minutes no problem.

But we all know full well that there is far more to even an oil change than that.

greasepalm

I would have said 1 hr to do it correctly as i have seen cars serviced in main dealers and the crap under the hood is still there,Some fuel filters are hidden and buried never to be serviced and everything is never plain sailing.Sump nut threads on sump needing sorting.

bladespin

Passat serviced today, full service, all filters, oil etc, new wipers etc local indie was €288.

Not the same car but not miles off either.

bs2014

bladespin wrote: »

Passat serviced today, full service, all filters, oil etc, new wipers etc local indie was €288.

Not the same car but not miles off either.

Thanks for the input and comparison. This is what I'm after.

I am not interested in a rushed job. The indie who quoted me €300 said full service takes 2 hours. Personally if a garage has a reasonable labour rate, Im happy to pay them abit extra to give the car a proper look over etc. That said most main dealers are on a conveyer built to get the job done as quick as possible yet charge a silly fixed price for it.

I heard from a reliable source, jaguar land rover dealers are targeted with 20 mins to do a basic oil service. They don't even check the dash or tyres.....meanwhile your footballers wive is sitting out the front sipping her fancy coffee thinking her car is in the service bay for an hour and half!

colm_mcm

Are you still trying to sell the car? In that case a main dealer stamp will help greatly if you’ve got a fussy buyer.

bs2014

colm_mcm wrote: »

Are you still trying to sell the car? In that case a main dealer stamp will help greatly if you’ve got a fussy buyer.

If I don't sell, will be keeping it for another year or so. No panic to sell as I love it. Personal experience from prior cars; anything over 10k no matter what the service is, is difficult to sell. Garages don't offer any more for a trade in with a main dealer history or not; it just helps them sell it. My history is mixed unfortunately
1. UK VW dealer
2. N.Ire dealer I bought from (gangsters wont be back near them:))
3. Irish independent but too far away from them to be going back to get more services.
4. TBC.....

dylbert

Indy charged me €362 for an oil and filter service plus a DSG service on my Superb with the same engine, he had quoted €400 but I didn’t need the wipers changed.

Lantus

My octavia which is the golf's cousin was 159 at a major skoda dealership for full oil change service plus a little cleaner inside and full wash. Up from 150 and I'm fuming over that price rise!

The prices your quoting seem bonkers for what is essentially the same car.

colm_mcm

That’s the basic service, the major service is €250-260 depending where you go. You get free wipers at the moment too as well as the roadside assistance.

I got a Skoda branded first aid kit, warning triangle and hi vis thrown in because they were late finishing the service.

Stallingrad

Superb is booked in for main dealer oil, air and pollen filter, plus free wipers for €199 which I think is great value.

Also getting timing belt, waterpump and pulleys for €549 which was cheaper than VW Indie quoted.

mark224

I was quoted 190 for oil and oil filter change in my GTD by vw dealer in Cork.

Didnt price major service but I guess they would add another 100 onto the price.

bs2014

Maybe I'm just unfortunate with where I buy from or get service work done....

Got the car serviced today. I asked the dealer to get VW filters from VW (I know this would be a little dearer)
Needed 2 bulbs and a battery key.

Full price €350.....I near fell over.

When I questioned why did he originally quote me €180; he was like oh that was only for an oil service. It was near 6 o clock and I hadnt the energy to row.

I explicitly remember saying I wanted all the filters replaced as I was due a major service.

I used to think it was main dealers or garages that knew you weren't local would rip you off.

But I'm quite raging to be honest the more I think back over it tonight. This garage is not a glamourous independent garage or that and overheads very low since on the go for yearssssssss.

Obviously people need to make money and I wouldn't hold someone to their last penny....but taking all day to service a car and then charging me main dealer prices is the royal piss lol

GustavoFring

Dealer price you were quoted of €280 sounded decent. Surely you thought at some point that €180 was a little too cheap for what you were looking for?

bs2014

GustavoFring wrote: »

Dealer price you were quoted of €280 sounded decent. Surely you thought at some point that €180 was a little too cheap for what you were looking for?

Well I knew the 180 was using aftermarket filters with castrol oil. I mean if you quote €180, then it should actually be that or very close to it. I went back at looked at my old main dealer quotes. Each of the filters plus the oil are near same as main dealer was actually dearer in some cases. Where the bill is padded out is the labour which assuming the labour was 50 an hour was 2.5 hrs. They were even twice the price for the battery for car key.

GustavoFring

That’s what you get when you don’t confirm prices to be honest.

bs2014

GustavoFring wrote: »

That’s what you get when you don’t confirm prices to be honest.

To be honest I did....confirmed 180e.

colm_mcm

Not being funny, but why did you hand over twice that then? The time to argue was before you paid. Simply pointing out that a main dealer was charging €280 would surely have got you down to that level?

Toyotafanboi

So you were expecting a full service, oil, air, fuel and pollen filters and castrol oil for €180?