Service Question

[nads1_uk]

My 05 bog standard gti is due for a service, it's just turned 43K on the clock.

I phoned the dealers who quoted £217 but would give me 15% discount then they wanted to do an air con service plus brake fluid change which took the total price to £284.

I then phoned my local garage who quoted me £130 + VAT for the service (using VW parts) and said why do the brake fluid and air con if they are both working correctly and are sealed units.

I plan on  keeping the car for a good few years.  What are peoples thoughts should I keep the book stamped with VW or use a local garage and save some money?

Cheers

Nads

[matsu]

i use a local guy i trust and he stamps my book so i have a record of what has been done.
it certainly wouldnt bother me buying a car that didnt have vw stamps as long as i trusted the garage that had done the work.
sometimes local specialists know cars better and do better work.IME
matsu

[no golf clubs at all]

When you see whats involved in a normal service, we should and could all probably do it ourselves!

My advice is that as you are way beyond warranty there is little benefit to sticking religiously to the stealer, that said I wouldn't just let Joes Garage under the Arches loose on my car. search for vw independent specialists in your area and get another quote.

How much benefit the full vwsh would have on resell on your car which like mine is an 05, particularly that you intend to keep her for some more time.

The stealer will rip you off, but aren't they meant to do some kind of price match or something....worth looking into.

[nads1_uk]

When you see whats involved in a normal service, we should and could all probably do it ourselves!

My advice is that as you are way beyond warranty there is little benefit to sticking religiously to the stealer, that said I wouldn't just let Joes Garage under the Arches loose on my car. search for vw independent specialists in your area and get another quote.

How much benefit the full vwsh would have on resell on your car which like mine is an 05, particularly that you intend to keep her for some more time.

The stealer will rip you off, but aren't they meant to do some kind of price match or something....worth looking into.

The 'stealer' did say they would price match but I've used the local garage for other cars I've owned and they do good work.  My first thought was if the stealer wanted to rip me off in the first place, even if they then were going to price match why should I give them the business anyway?

Think I'm going to go to the local.

Cheers for all the advice

Nads

[ub7rm]

Wrt the air-con / brake fluid question, I have fallen for the air-con service before and won't again.  As said as long as you're happy its working properly it doesn't need doing.  Personally I would have the brake fluid changed - its only about £50 and brakes aren't worth taking the risk with.

[vRS Carl]

Brake Fluid is supposed to be changed every 2 years so unless you have had it done or know it's been done within that time i personally would get it done.

Aircon Service you can basically do your self. Get an Air-Con cleaner from halfrauds along with a bottle of refrigerant (it comes with a handy gauge and easy to follow instructions is about £20 from memory) and a new pollen filter.

Clean the aircon system following the instructions, Check and refill refrigerant as necessary, replace pollen filter. Job done. Only time you will need to take it in is if the refrigerant is leaking as they have to put a dye in it to see where it's coming from.

I think there is a shelf on the refrigerant where it becomes less effective over time. So if it has never been done on a 5 year old car it might be worth it. But if your happy it's working but want something doing just do what i said above 

[stealthwolf]

Brake Fluid is supposed to be changed every 2 years so

Oh FFS. When I booked my car in for a service, they wanted to do the brake fluid but when I actually went in to give that car (and pay for the service), they told me I didn't need brake fluid change yet.

[vRS Carl]

If they are saying it doesn't need doing then you should be fine.

Have you looked in the service book to see if it has been marked as changed within the last 2 years?

[nads1_uk]

I checked the book and it says that it should have been done earlier this year so I'm going to get them to change it anyway.  Like people have said you cannot be too careful with brakes.

[ub7rm]

How old is your car?  I think its been changed so that the very first brake fluid change is due after 3 years, then its 2 years thereafter.

Some say this change has been brought about to coincide with the 3 year servicing deal you can get with a new car and therefore saves them money, but I'm not that cynical.

[nads1_uk]

It's an 05 and the book states it next needs doing March '10

[vRS Carl]

How old is your car?  I think its been changed so that the very first brake fluid change is due after 3 years, then its 2 years thereafter.

That is indeed correct

But im pretty sure thats for MY2009 cars onwards.

Nads1 - For peace of mind and the sake of £50 i would get it done

[skifast]

the reason that brake fluid needs changing is that over time water is absorbed into the brake fluid.Brake fluid cannot be compresed but water can .so if there is too high a percentage of water in the brake fluid the pedal will feel spongy.you can ask the garage to test your brake fluid to see if it needs changing rather than just changing it every few years.

[stealthwolf]

my car is a 2007 model (october)  on a 57 plate and registered by vw in 2008.

I was told it was three years (i think) and didn't need doing.

[bodger00]

1+ for getting the brake fluid done.

I notice there is no mention of a fuel filter in here??