Car Servicing Costs in Ireland

brokenbad

God be the days when you could get a full service done on your car for €120........

Brought my 2016 Rav4 Diesel to a garage for a full service last month - cost €310 although that also included fitting new rear brake pads.

Hate to see what the main dealerships are charging if independent garages are now looking charging the above?

DoctorEdgeWild

My local independent here in the UK is £55 an hour labour. (he is particularly good at old cars which is what I usually have) Just to give you an idea to compare with across the water. I source the parts myself as they are hard to get and makes life easier for him.

kippy

It really depends what the service includes. Theres different parts/consumables required at different service intervals.

310 with brakes isn't a standard' service.

That said. I've 15 year old diesel car and service cost is around the 200 euro mark. Sometimes less depending on consumables replaced.

Anything to do with a car is not cheap nowadays.

Whatwicklow

Full service plus rear brakes for €310 wouldn't be bad, it's over €140 for the cheapest parts online. Stick some overhead on that and it's hard to see where the garage makes a buck

Fighting Tao

Got a full service on a 2019 2L Skoda Superb done yesterday for €200. Nothing extra that warranted a call to check if price was ok was required. I thought it was a good price from a good independent garage.

I’ll be leaving the 1L petrol Citigo in next week for a full service and will add the cost here too.

Tech_Head

2016 Ford Fiesta - 7 Year Service coming up and set price of €170 at main dealer. Brake pads etc will be extra if required but this is pretty reasonable to me.

User1998

My mechanic charges €35 for a full service if I bring my own parts. So it works out around €75 or so

gussieg

That's a rare diamond

StrawbsM

2014 insignia serviced today. Cost 370 which included rear brake pads which were 145 supply & fit. Used Opel main dealer

Fighting Tao

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120195031#Comment_120195031

Citigo was €150 for a full service.

antodeco

As a someway link to this thread, anyone recommend a good mechanic in the Lucan/Ballyfermot area? I've given up on my usual guy as he hasn't been responding to any calls/messages and had one of my cars for over nearly 2 months last time.

Secret Seven

How's this for a service cost! €359 for a first full service. Had to take it to a main dealer as it's still under warranty. Would normally use an indie garage.

IMG_20230731_092406.jpg

Still in shock at the price charged 😡

Birka

Main dealer Skoda servicing is quite reasonable and includes a years breakdown assistance (the above is an example for a 2021 model). The €219 service includes air and pollen filters.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120919281#Comment_120919281

You could have just went elsewhere and used OEM parts and your warranty would still be valid?

Tech_Head

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120919281#Comment_120919281

You can pick up those air filters for ~€5. They’ve charged you 9x the cost and then fitting on top of it.

Secret Seven

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120919708#Comment_120919708

I know, but the garage I bought it from are not the easiest to deal with. I'm sure that had I done that, they would find any excuse to invalidate the warranty and I can't run the risk!

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120919864#Comment_120919864

Its EU law, nothing they can do about it.

Oil and oil filter probably would have ran you about €120 elsewhere.

Secret Seven

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120919873#Comment_120919873

Yes, I was quoted €150 in another garage! You live and learn!

bazz26

Did you not get an estimate before going ahead with the service? I don't really understand why people complain after paying. Get an estimate beforehand and tell them to ring you first before doing any further work outside of that quoted price. No nasty surprises then when you rock up to collect your car.

Also the EU block exemption is great in theory but in practice with any warranty claim it will be up to the owner to prove that manufacturer recommended parts were used and guidelines followed. Make sure you have all your ducks in a row with detailed receipts but not so easy if your paying cash to joe the mechanic in his shed.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120919281#Comment_120919281

Holy cow!. First full service with the main dealer cost me €115. What make was it?

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120920340#Comment_120920340

Looking at the receipt, it looks like it was a Renault

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120920417#Comment_120920417

Explains a lot. Had Renault years ago and servicing was always exorbitant.

BlakeS94

One of the main reasons I started learning about working on cars a few years ago,

I'm doing a few jobs on my brothers 2012 Astra 1.7cdti, oil and filter, fuel filter and front brake pads, 100 quid all said and done.

brokenbad

I always do be sceptical when i read this kind of stuff on my service report - I know from past experience 2 days after a previous service, my windscreen washer fluid ran out despite the service report saying "all fluid levels checked and topped up where necessary"

Box ticking without doing any of the actual checks.

Needless to say i never went back to the garage in question since.....

griffin100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120920417#Comment_120920417

The first service on our Arkana was similar, but the second service was only around the €200.

My indy charged me €400 last month for a full service on a 2017 G30 520D including front pads and the fitting of 4 new shocks ( I supplied the shocks). I thought that was ok given that BMW charge over €600 for a service and they wanted €3k to supply and fit the 4 new shocks (I got the shocks on AutoDoc for €430 delivered).

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120921494#Comment_120921494

Thats just classic cut and paste. A few years back a non dealership garage told me my rear brake pads were 80% worn and at best would need to be replaced in the next 2 months. Reality was they weren't replaced until after 2nd subsequent service. My experience is if you avoid every dealer who tries to pull a reasonably innocent fast one, you'd be travelling a lonnng way to get you servicing done

TheBody

I paid €335 today for a full service and new front and rear brake pads on the wife's Opel Insignia. This was done at the local indy garage.

pinkfloyd34

My engine light is on so brought it to a garage in a industrial estate not a dealer, they repaired a broken wire to egc, replaced a track rod and tie rod for nct test, here's the invoice for 566euro, I think it was excessive but it's says 7 hours at 60euro an hour, what do people who knows these things think?

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120922331#Comment_120922331

it's says 7 hours at 60euro an hour

It doesnt say that exactly. Is says seven at €60 but the seven could be half hour slots rather than hour slots (i.e. three and a half hours in total) - this would be @ €120 per hour which I'd expect from many garages nowadays

blackbox

Do they ever change brake fluid on a standard service?

Most cars specify it should be changed every 2 years.

pinkfloyd34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120922472#Comment_120922472

Ok so that is for the computer test? I wasn't sure if that was for Labour so I was thinking 7 hours to repair a wire and a few other seemingly small jobs but am I right in saying it's the computer test is where most of the expense lies and that invoice is not excessive, just felt walking away that I was being duped because I don't know these things but I don't mind paying if it's all above board

Mech1

Some cars you could be waiting up to 45min for the puter to finish running it's "Quick test" of all modules and spitting out a report. Before that you gotta get it parked in the diag bay, find a free puter plug in and connect the battery support system etc.

BlakeS94

No, something like brake fluid is only on request AFAIK.

pinkfloyd34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120922545#Comment_120922545

So why was my car on a computer test for 7 hours and charged 60 euro an hour for it or 420euro

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120922522#Comment_120922522

The labour charge is for various jobs including the computer diag but also replacing the the rods and as I said you are assuming the seven on the invoice is for an hour whereas I reckon it's seven half hours.

Anyhow, why didn't you ask them to explain the charge at the time?

pinkfloyd34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120923149#Comment_120923149

He did explain it just that they repaired wires for the egr and that I need a new timing chain now on top of this bill so that's all I was really thinking about when I was talking to him, so why would it need to be on the computer for 3.5 hours when some diagnostics takes less than an hour? Maybe I should have asked that but it was only when I studied the invoice after I realised that was most of the invoice expense.

Seth Brundle

But if you don't understand what exactly you paid for then you asked the wrong questions.

As for rhe labour cost, I have no idea why you think the diagnostic check took the bulk of their time. They also changed a track rod and a tie rod amongst other jobs. All of the jobs added together took time which I reckon was three and a half hours (seven by 30 minutes).

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120923214#Comment_120923214

It wasn’t on the computer for 7 hours

You would have been charged about an hours labour for the diagnostic and the rest of the labour is for the rest of the work they carried out. Probably another hour for the suspension parts and then the remainder for the other bits of work

According to your logic you were charged 3.5 hours labour for connecting a computer but got all the other work done for free.

pinkfloyd34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120923345#Comment_120923345

I was just going by the invoice but I'm probably not reading it right, I just thought I'd query it here for some other input but I'm feeling a bit better about it now that it doesn't really look like I was overcharged or no one here is saying I was overcharged. I know I didn't ask the right questions when I should have and it was only after I started to think about it

Secret Seven

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120920225#Comment_120920225

I did know how much it would be beforehand! In fact I queried the price as the garage I bought it from was only charging €300! I didn't want to go back to them however so reluctantly agreed. I also said I did not want any work done without being told. Luckily it didn't need anything. I'm not that naive!

fitzparker

I got a full service on a 2017 1.6 superb

oil change, Air filter, pollen filter

Timing belt and water pump

€630

On Skoda its coming in at €840

brokenbad

Forked out €450 today for a Full Service, Front New Brake Pads and Brake Discs on a 2016 Diesel Rav4 (independent garage)

zg3409

I have found main dealers that perform "service" on parts that are not due replacing according to cars handbook service schedule.

First I recommend checking car handbook that says what needs doing at what mileage. Then check service history if you have it and determine what needs to be done. I got a discount in the past for changing the cabin pollen filter myself, no tools needed, drop down glove box.

You only really need to do things in the book at specified mileage or time to keep your warranty. Outside of warranty about main dealer like the plague.

Beware even main dealers may not use recommended oil nor change filters even though they claim to have done it. At least if in warranty with main dealers they should fix big issues.

mburke

Looking for a full service on a Kia and the main dealers websites says Full service from € 329 euro. It doesn't say what is included but that does seem expensive as a starting point. All main Kia dealers have the same info page.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121647440#Comment_121647440

That raises some interesting questions about compliance with competition law, if all dealers are charging the same

DaveyDave

These €200 full services. Do they include spark plugs, brake fluid or engine air filters? Any time I see people mentioning "full service" they never know what was done. How do you spend that much money and not know what was done?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121649564#Comment_121649564

Spark plugs and brake fluid are not regular service items, they are only changed after multiple services usually, spark plugs I assume most cars go past 60k and the same with brake fluid.

A standard service is both filters and an oil change.

DaveyDave

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121650590#Comment_121650590

I'm not saying spark plugs or brake fluid are regular service items, I'm just wondering what people consider their full service if they're €200 or less because to me a full service is a major service, which with my VW was every second year where something was done in addition to oil/filter. Could be engine filter one year, spark plugs another.

ofcork

Got a full service today on a 12 diesel avensis was 296 with fuel filter but not cabin filter also advised front drop links need doing.

Murt2024

Lads honestly yere getting fleeced. A Service should be no more than 150 euro on any car for oil change and filter. Are ye not asking the price before they do the job?

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121668299#Comment_121668299

What is covered in your "service"?