Another of my over coffee reads for anyone interested....
Mentioned a couple of weeks ago we swapped Mrs F's C3 for a 10yr old Polo 1.4 petrol.... lovely condition car at 60k with VW main dealer history. I always go through and deconstruct the history to see if it gives me any pointers to stuff I should be attending to.
Some of the invoices make for interesting reading... staggering costs for what is a basic small car that almost any local garage should be able to service and repair.
2.5 yrs and 20k ago it went in for an all filters service at a not unreasonable (for a VW dealer) £286.... but they apparently found repairs needed to several areas of the car (such as brakes, suspension, boot light, wiper blades and many more items) so quoted an extra £1492 to complete this work!
Customer decided what he wanted done from the list and 1000mls later he laid out £881 on anti-roll bar bushes, wishbone bushes, front discs & pads, aux belt etc.
Then just 500mls later it was in for an engine check light and that cost him £265 for an EGR valve.
4wks and 900mls later it's MOT time so they relieve him of £622 for test plus rear calipers, discs & pads!!
Another couple of months on and he's in again for a brake warning lamp which they decide is the pedal switch and swap that for £104. Six days later it's in for the same fault which they actually find is a high resistance bulb holder so resolve that for £72.
Roll forward to this April and it's in for a report that the engine check light comes on over bumps. This costs the guy £548 for a throttle body clean, manifold sensor and new EGR.... I wonder which one of those things actually sorted the light.
Over the 2.5yrs and 20k where these repairs were "needed" it has cost a further £705 in routine services, aircon service etc.
No wonder the VW dealers have such great premises.... and no wonder he traded it for a new Kia.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Tue 5 Aug 14 at 11:05
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Wow, three an a half grand for 2.5 years/20k.
They (main dealers) just seem to add extortionate prices for brakes/suspension at every opportunity - although this goes far beyond that even.
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Is that about £3,500? Chuffin' Nora. And I thought I'd spent some money on the MX5.
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Yes and it would have been more but he resisted the recent £551 quote for a timing belt change. I factored that into our deal and I'm doing it this weekend. £120 for OE quality parts inc all tensioners, water pump and new long life coolant.
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>> Yes and it would have been more but he resisted the recent £551 quote for
>> a timing belt change.
That's just silly - VW dealers often advertise belt and water pump changes for £350.
Interested to see the throttle body comment - daughter's Colt has gone into limp mode a few times and apparently the fix is a new throttle body. I thought the £300ish indicated cost was a bit steep but it doesn't seem so bad now.
We try and change our cars at 5-7 yrs hoping to avoid the kind of problems (and bills) the Polo's previous owner suffered. Spending that much money on refreshing the car and then selling it doesn't make a lot of sense but you can imagine how they'd feel worn down.
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I have just replaced the front brake pads on my ix35, £32 for the pads and an hour in the sunshine with the option of the garage if the weather is not good. I am so glad I have kept all my tools, trolley jack, etc. £200 odd for an oil change and a couple of filters? Although a little knowledge can be dangerous it can also be useful when dealing with garages trying a rip off. An air filter for my car is £12, pollen filter £17, both can be changed in minutes.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 5 Aug 14 at 11:37
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>>> I am so glad I have kept all my tools, trolley jack, etc
Same here.
In 2009 when we took on a new lease car and a 3yr old dealer purchased car for Mrs F we were tipped into dealer service/repairs for a while. When we moved in 2011 I cleared out all my large stuff like engine crane, engine/gearbox stand, hoist etc but although I went through my tools and scrapped all the old duplicates I kept enough to do most things and they've saved me into the thousands over the 18mths with the Alfa and now with the BMW and two Polos arriving over the past few months.
I reckon the jobs are to a better standard too.
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>> I reckon the jobs are to a better standard too.
>>
I know a good small independent garage for any stuff that I can't do on cars out of warranty. In general I agree that work on your own cars is done to a better standard, I have had a sump plug cross threaded by a main dealer.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 5 Aug 14 at 14:12
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My SiL gets exactly the same treatment from the VX dealer.
She has a oldish (56plate) 1.2 Corsa purchased second hand (Network Q) at 2 yrs old from the local Vauxhall dealer. Despite it being 2nd hand they still flogged her paint protection treatment, interior treatment for carpets and seats, gap insurance etc etc.
She does about 5000 miles per year and at the annual service and MOT it's always £500+.
I've never known a car go through tyres, pads, and discs so frequently!
In 2013 it was pads all round (no mention or advisory on discs), 5000 miles later at the next service all 4 discs "corroded" so new discs and yet another set of pads fitted, along with aircon service, fuel treatment, etc.
When the tyres need (frequent) replacement they fit (or rather a mobile van comes in and fits) various makes I've never heard of and they relieve her of about £80 a corner.
I've suggested and recommended local independents to her but she is reluctant
to go somewhere else.........."They're so nice there, free coffee and they give the car a good clean as well"
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>>> .........."They're so nice there, free coffee and they give the car a good clean as well"
There seems to have been a similar mindset with the previous owner of this Polo. Seems he was a very nice guy who cared for his car but was just too trusting.
Still the upside is we've taken on a car with lots of work done.
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>>
>> Still the upside is we've taken on a car with lots of work done.
>>
Or one with receipts for lots of work the dealer SAYS has been done...?
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Well a fair point in some circumstances but every used vehicle we buy immediately gets my own 40 point check and a major service so in our case I can see all the items claimed have been attended to.
Having said that the reason I go through cars regardless of how recent the claimed servicing (this Polo for example didn't need servicing for another 6k by the schedule) is because I don't 100% trust until I've seen for myself.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Tue 5 Aug 14 at 14:55
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>> My SiL gets exactly the same treatment from the VX dealer.
>>
>> She has a oldish (56plate) 1.2 Corsa purchased second hand (Network Q) at 2 yrs
>> old from the local Vauxhall dealer.
>> She does about 5000 miles per year and at the annual service and MOT it's
>> always £500+.
So, I take it she's not a member of the Masterfit Service Club then?
As the car is over 2 yrs old, it will qualify for a 15% discount on repairs and servicing. At 3 yrs+ it increases to 25% discount and ½ price MOT.
www.vauxhall.co.uk/owners_services/parts_servicing/service-club.html
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>>I have just replaced the front brake pads on my ix35, £32 for the pads
I have just been quoted about £250 for my 20,000 mile insurance policy, I mean dealer service, on my 2.0 diesel ix35.
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>> I have just been quoted about £250 for my 20,000 mile insurance policy, I mean
>> dealer service, on my 2.0 diesel ix35.
>>
That must be because a service takes eight litres of oil. :-)
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>> No wonder the VW dealers have such great premises....
What a crappy dealer. My Local VW dealer has MUCH better premises, and told nicolle a set of Polo pads and disks would be £542 fitted.
And their coffee is rubbish.
No wonder she made me do the servicing.
Last edited by: VxFan on Thu 4 Sep 14 at 21:33
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>>
No wonder she made me do the servicing<<
would that be the sound of Zero finally admitting he's under the thumb?
Pat
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>> >>
>> No wonder she made me do the servicing<<
>>
>> would that be the sound of Zero finally admitting he's under the thumb?
>>
>> Pat
No, the black art is convincing Nicole I am under the thumb.....
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We are ALL under the ruddy thumb whether we like it or not. It's just how much 'we' can get away with that makes the difference.
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Or how much "we" are allowed to get away with.
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Local friends of ours had a Polo and similar experiences.
They bough a Kia Soul.
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>>>Local friends of ours had a Polo and similar experiences.
I'm convinced the Polo/Golf engine warning light can be remotely switched on by the local dealer when they're short of work... seems so from the VW forums anyway.
Getting some sort of code reader for it soon (them actually as we have two)... that might scare the lights into staying off for us.
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>> Local friends of ours had a Polo and similar experiences.
>> They bough a Kia Soul.
>>
Ah!
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Good luck to the Kia buyers - but I wonder how many of the items Fenlander has listed would be covered by the 7-year warranty. Not all I suspect.
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My KIA had a seven year 100K mile warranty until you read the small print. Battery two years, Audio system three years. Wear and service items excluded, wiper blades, clutch, brakes, oil and all filters. Having said that, it was totally reliable over 50K miles and 4.5 years, only requiring front brake pads and wiper blades (done by me) outside routine services. There are also clauses in the warranty about taxi use.
My current Hyundai has a similar 5 year unlimited mile warranty.
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Might be wrong, but I thought I had read somewhere that the Hyundai warranty was more comprehensive than the kia, and although shorter was unlimited miles, so a betterbuy for those doing over 20K a year
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I have just had a look at my Hyundai warranty, no mention of the audio but there is a big list of exclusions, the usual consumables and also the battery, suspension joints and rubber bushes, wheel bearings, track rod ends, dampers, V belts and a few others. basically anything that wears.
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The friends bought their Soul three years ago. It has been faultless.
Just bought all materials for son's 135k mile Yaris service. Oil. filter, air filter and new wiper blades: £45. Labour? err me foc.
Now that's a cheap service....
Last edited by: madf on Tue 5 Aug 14 at 21:48
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Strange about the EGR valve, all my replacement parts from VW came with a 2 year unlimited mileage warrantee (apart from wiper-blades). As I've mentioned before, try VW Commercial vehicles they are fully trained to look after cars and the hourly rate is lower.
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A staple advisory from a lot of VW main dealers is that the front suspension bush or bushes need replacing. Pie in the sky.
A couple of years ago I had the oil and filter change and check up for the Jetta at the local VW main dealer at the standard price of £139 - workshop didn't even use long life oil.
So, earlier this year, when the MOT was done as usual by a long trusted independent garage, I asked for an oil and filter change at the same time using genuine VW synthetic oil and filter. As always I watched the work being done as it's a rare chance to get to see under the vehicle.
Total cost, including the full price MOT (passed without any advisories), was £127 and a few pence.
I've changed the pollen filter and air filter today after purchasing the OEM parts from Eurocarparts following its decision to reduce its prices. Total cost, including delivery by UPS for just £1.99, was £14.99. A VW dealer or Halfords would almost certainly charge that for the pollen filter alone.
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>> A staple advisory from a lot of VW main dealers is that the front suspension
>> bush or bushes need replacing. Pie in the sky.
>>
Well, the 2004 SEAT Ibiza (so same platform) we had failed MOT at 4yrs/30K miles as one of the bushes was torn. SEAT UK did eventually refund the cost though.
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>>Well, the 2004 SEAT Ibiza (so same platform) we had failed MOT at 4yrs/30K miles as one of the bushes was torn. SEAT UK did eventually refund the cost though.>>
It may well have had, but it's still very common for some VW main dealerships to claim that the suspension bushes need replacing, as family and friends will readily confirm, including my youngest offspring.
It happened to me in January last year, as mentioned earlier in the thread, so I said I would leave it until after the MOT (due some five months later). After the MOT was completed and the Jetta passed without even an advisory, I asked about the claimed left-hand side front suspension bush "problem".
The tester looked at me somewhat puzzled and said there was nothing wrong with it. The Jetta has since passed another MOT with exactly the same result...:-)
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>>>Strange about the EGR valve,
Oh yes very strange... Engine light coming on over bumps eh??
Did it really need any of the "£548 for a throttle body clean, manifold sensor and new EGR"? Perhaps a dose of contact cleaner on the EGR/sensor plugs, unplugging and plugging back in a few times to clean the pins and clearing the codes might have done it.
Funnily enough I've just been to the VW dealers in town this afternoon to order a new crankshaft pulley bolt... only part I needed for tomorrow's timing belt swap that wasn't in the Gates kit.
Parts counter isn't as such... it's just another desk like the sales staff with one of the suits to sort what you need. Nice enough guy serving but just not the environment of old with a proper counter where you could drop a part depositing oil and rust to see if they'd "got one of these mate?".
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VW appear to be the masters of the glass palace approach. Locally the major dealer has just completely rebuilt the (already quite smart) showroom because VW dictate it must hold, i think, 15 new cars on display. The well respected local name plate on the dealership has also disappeared.
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>> VW appear to be the masters of the glass palace approach. Locally the major dealer
>> has just completely rebuilt the (already quite smart) showroom because VW dictate it must hold,
>> i think, 15 new cars on display. The well respected local name plate on the
>> dealership has also disappeared.
>>
Same near me (Chester). I gasped when I walked in to the new place through the sliding glass doors at its impressive entrance to be greeted by a row of pretty receptionists. Goodness know how much it cost (and costs to run).
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Not a VW but same sort of story with my Honda - bought new in 2001. At roughly 85,000 mls a EML came on. Local Indie said - take it to a Honda garage.
They put the light out but then recommended work that should be done.... almost £2000 worth on car with 85,000 miles and worth some £2300-£2500 as a T/I.
Local Indie said work was not required. Honda UK got ANOther Franchise dealer who said it needed a new fan rheostat(known about) and 2 front tyres in a few thousand mls - 3mm+.
The local Honda Glass Palace must have cost megabucks to build, a fortune in rates and heating....sad thing is that they do not appear to sell many new cars - the motorbikes section seems to do well.
In the "old days" (1995-2006) the small, locally owned Honda outlet was a hive of activity with a busy showroom and a busy workshop - Dicksons Dunblane, Chathams Edinburgh, Helensburgh Honda to name 3 that I dealt with.
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FB did you ever have reason to go to the Skoda dealer in Broxburn - went a few years ago and it was just a wee pokey place but was heaving with customers and punters who seemed to just hang about there and talk cars. At that time they had a great reputation for personal service.
Wonder if it also is now a glass palace!
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Skoda Uphall did well - pokey place - now glass fronted BUT still pokey.
Never bought anything @ Uphall although looked in 2 x but theeir 2nd hand offerings were less than my standard for a 2nd hand car.
They took over Chatham's Skoda sites in Edinburgh & Dunfermline!
Chatham's went from 2 x Honda sites, to 2 x Skoda + Honda to zero car sites in roughly 3/4 years and now building posh flats on the AbbeyHill site!
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Ah! I used to live round the corner to Chatham in Abbeyhill and walk past it every morning to work in St Andrews Square.
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>>I used to live round the corner to Chatham in Abbeyhill and walk past it every morning to >>work in St Andrews Square.
I used to work at 21 & 31 St Andrew Sq.............small world
Mind you I knew a chap from my time in Saudi Arabia - met him 15 yrs later in the lift @ No 31!
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Can't remember the address - it was Scottish Equitable - maybe 28?
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>>>new place through the sliding glass doors at its impressive entrance to be greeted by a row of pretty receptionists
Some of you might be familiar with this but I was amazed...
When looking round as I waited for the VW parts guy I noticed a roped off area like the VIP queue jump posn at a posh eatery. It contained a car covered with an immaculate fitted sheet and a notice on a stand at the entrance to the area congratulating Mrs & Mrs X on the handover of their new VW! I gather this handover can take over an hour and includes a group photo with buyers, car, salesman and hot receptionist (optional).
Stuff that... if I was buying new and faced with that I'd tell them I'd be round McDonalds for 30mins and return when the car was out in the car park.
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"The Lexus Experience" is similar, where even on a second hand motor they gave you a bottle of champagne in a little box, chocolates, along with trinkets like keyrings and cufflinks, photos, a little speech. All very nauseating and I had no idea it was going to happen when I went through it, so kind of got swep' along.
Then they organized free events at localish country houses, with waiters and food of the cocktail party sort, and you got an unaccompanied ten mile round the lanes drive in as many of their brand new models as you wished. We did like those.
I wonder if they still do all that (this was about ten years ago) or whether they'd look at you as if you were a martian for thinking it these days, what with margins and cost cutting.
I suppose the end result was - would I buy another Lexus, and the answer is probably yes, if I could afford to run it and it was the right model.
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Then they organized free events at localish country houses, with waiters and food of the cocktail party sort, and you got an unaccompanied ten mile round the lanes drive in as many of their brand new models as you wished. We did like those.
I got one of these from Landrover. They were quite happy with me splitting the driving between my brother and I. We had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Had similar but with less driving from a dealer group too.
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>> When looking round as I waited for the VW parts guy I noticed a roped
>> off area like the VIP queue jump posn at a posh eatery. It contained a
>> car covered with an immaculate fitted sheet and a notice on a stand at the
>> entrance to the area congratulating Mrs & Mrs X on the handover of their new
>> VW!
Even in the old Chester premises they did that when daughter collected her Golf - didn't take an hour though, we were very unhappy that they won't do car handovers at the weekend and as she's a teacher it was a bit of a pain picking it up during the week.
I think the new dealership has a separate handover glass walled room.
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Chester VW is part of inchcape, same as Swindon where we got the sharan from
We skipped the VIP handover - told them we were in a hurry and knew our way around the light switches!
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Getting back to the dealer invoices there's one I forgot to mention from a year ago... £83 to remove cat from under car and pressure wash.
Doing the timing belt at the moment and finding the (small) bits of cat they missed!
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>> Getting back to the dealer invoices there's one I forgot to mention from a year
>> ago... £83 to remove cat from under car and pressure wash.
>>
>>
A few years ago I was heading north up the A702 at about 2am and was stopped by a family who had hit a rabbit which had ripped the fuel line from under their car. It was before the days of mobile phones and they asked me to phone the RAC from the next phone box. The response I got from the sleepy sounding person who answered was "I know about them, the van is on its way, they must be stopping everyone who passes!" At 2am on the A702 I was probably the second one.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Thu 7 Aug 14 at 12:10
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Yuk! I thought he meant they washed out the catalytic converter!
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That was my first thought until I realised it has a one piece exhaust so that would be hard to achieve, it would be too old school for a VW dealer... and then as I serviced the car after purchase I found the bits of fur everywhere in the aux drivebelt area.
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Polish it off with some chilli sauce, F?
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Washed down with a bottle of 'road-kill champagne'?
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Cat jerky and chilli... would that go?
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>> Cat jerky and chilli... would that go?
>>
If Pat sees this, you will be in trouble!
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I've seen it....and he is.
Pat
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>>>....and he is.
Never shoot the messenger... things happen to animals and it just has to be dealt with.
I used to look after a Land Rover for a friend who phoned in a tearful panic one day. She stopped to visit someone for an hour and a neighbours cat climbed into the space between the rad and fan (a roomy warm tunnel on a 90 model). On starting it the cat became wrapped round the large mechanical fan & its belt.
I had to issue appropriate advice!
It was enough of an issue with these models for Land Rover to produce a guard for £50 to stop cats getting in the space.
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My daughter's current feline is Spanish by birth and is, apart from being a beautiful black moggy, extremely lucky!
My lass is a teacher and some 15 years ago was working at an international school in Marbella.
Her transport was an (Old) Mini which she had bought in West Wales, loaded to the gunnels and driven down through Spain (her first time driving abroad).
One day she drove back from work and on parking in the courtyard of her block of flats , heard a strange noise coming from under the bonnet. On investigation it turned out to be a very young kitten, perching in the engine compartment. Aaah!
All these years later, after living in Nottinghamshire, Suffolk, Germany & back in Suffolk, Lucy the cat is still with her and much loved!
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Volkswagen Polo IV - Staggering cost of VW dealer service and repairs - ToMoCo
