Servicing Advice

[Leetaylor]

Hi all

That first sevice is now pretty much due, maybe looking to go away from main dealer, maybe Awesome or similar.

Would it put you guys of buying a car thet had not had a main dealer service, as I suppose its only an oil change etc,???

 

[steve184]

yep i wudnt touch a car quite new if it didn't go to a main dealer to be honest - after a few years old/less value i wudnt be so bothered - so i guess it depends on how long u intend on keeping it!

 

[benw123]

Agree with Steve. There's no doubt you can get a similar (or better) standard of service outside the main dealer network, but it it might count against you when you come to sell or trade in if those precious Audi stamps are mssing.

 

[arthurfuxake]

If I had the choice of 2 cars, and one car had 3 audi stamps in, and the other car had 3 Awesome stamps in, I'd go with the Awesome stamped car. I've had my car serviced at Audi and at Awesome, and I'd trust Awesome to do a better job than Audi. If I'd have known about Awesome from day 1 I would have used them.

NOTE: This does not apply to "Joe Bloggs Motors and MOT Centre" though, but only applies to specialist VAG garages.

 

[Dandle]

But most people will never have heard of Awesome and will just think of it like any other Joe Bloggs garage. Those people would still rather see an Audi stamp in the book.

 

[AwesomeSarah]

Hi
I used to work in a Skoda dealer and was the service manager for 5 years
The reason I left was that it was more about making money rather than the customers and the service
Here we have a group of lads who eat , breath and love VAG cars
2 of them was with a VW dealer for quite a while , and they was along the same kind of reasoning as me
We know what people think of dealer servicing when you go on to sell the car
It will not make the value go up on the car and if it was to be sold on to another VAG person , the chances are they have already known about us , or any other specialist around.

All I would say is give us a try , or come down have a chat and look round the premisis

If I can help anyone please feel free to give me a shout back

Sarah

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

 

[Beddie]

The clue is in the name Marc.... 'AwesomeSarah'....

As in Awesome-gti...

 

[Burt25]

Hi all

That first sevice is now pretty much due, maybe looking to go away from main dealer, maybe Awesome or similar.

Would it put you guys of buying a car thet had not had a main dealer service, as I suppose its only an oil change etc,???

Remember - your warranty is void if you dont service with an Audi dealer!

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

 

[steve184]

warranty is not void if you have it serviced elsewhere - it is illegal to do this now as long as genuine audi parts are used and correct spec oils etc.

 

[HeliChris]

You should also consider how a dealer makes money and how this affects your service.

A dealer will make the majority of there profit from service / warranty work but warranty work is targeted by the manufacture based on the amount spent per new car registered. Therefore it is in a dealer’s interests to keep the warranty costs down. This is why at one dealer you might get the “They all do that” line, where another dealer will replace an expensive part, because that dealer has not over spent on warranty work.

So if you want your dealer to turn a blind eye to that chip, or be more sympathetic to your warranty work then have the car serviced by them.

So although warranty is still covered provided the vehicle is serviced in accordance with the manufactures specification the lifting of block exception still affects the type of warranty treatment you get.

The final point is “good will” gestures, I have worked in number of UK (and world wide) car manufactures customer support centres, my wife has been operations manager for one, and the over riding factor when it comes to paying / part paying for a major repair outside warranty it a dealer service history, without it for get any potential good will.

Chris.

 

[Burt25]

Thats interesting to know - still think if you did have to go in for warranty work, the owness would be on you to proove that the car had been maintained to Audi spec. - I think you could be entering a warranty 'grey area'.

 

[AwesomeSarah]

I worked at a Skoda dealer for over 5 years and I know how warranty work
The dealer will tell you of horror storis as they want you to have your car serviced with them as they make a killing in the labour rate
The dealers will get approx £40.00 + VAT per hour for warranty work and the parts they will get cost +7.5% on the parts
So why would they "WANT" to do things under warranty when they can get it for full price off the customer?
The reason I left was I was told not to tell the customers about the 5 year extended warranty on the coil packs and to charge them , then do a warranty claim on them too.
So I left as that was not what I wanted to do
We have 2 technicians here who used to work for VW dealers and I who did warranty , service manager and parts manager
I know what will invalidate warranty and so do our technicians , so we do not do anything that will cause problems
You dont have to use OEM parts now , as long as they are of equal quality or better
I do keep my eye on what is happening with dealers and warranty to keep in as this helps with me working here too
Sarah

 

[AwesomeSarah]

You forgot to tell us who you work for and where you are.....

Hi Mate
Sorry
Yes I work at Awesome GTi
http://www.awesome-gti.co.uk/
That is a link to our web site if it helps and we are based in Manchester , Irlam next to the Trafford Centre
If you need any help just give me a shout
Sarah

 

[HeliChris]

I worked at a Skoda dealer for over 5 years and I know how warranty work
The dealer will tell you of horror storis as they want you to have your car serviced with them as they make a killing in the labour rate
The dealers will get approx £40.00 + VAT per hour for warranty work and the parts they will get cost +7.5% on the parts
So why would they "WANT" to do things under warranty when they can get it for full price off the customer?
The reason I left was I was told not to tell the customers about the 5 year extended warranty on the coil packs and to charge them , then do a warranty claim on them too.
So I left as that was not what I wanted to do
We have 2 technicians here who used to work for VW dealers and I who did warranty , service manager and parts manager
I know what will invalidate warranty and so do our technicians , so we do not do anything that will cause problems
You dont have to use OEM parts now , as long as they are of equal quality or better
I do keep my eye on what is happening with dealers and warranty to keep in as this helps with me working here too
Sarah

Sarah - my post and your post are not a odds. Service is where the dealer makes the profit, warranty work is lower paid and target capped by the manufactures.

My point is that if you want somthing in return the its best to give something in the first place. Look at it this way

If a customer has purchased his car from the dealer, and had it reguarly serviced by the dealer, when that coil pack fails they are more likely to offer the warranty than a car that they are seeing for the first time, even if its been serviced in accordance to the guidlines, it's all about building a customer relationship. My audi dealer has changed trims that I have scratched, and I was prepaired to pay for under warranty, because we have built a good relationship.

Chris.

 

[AwesomeSarah]

Hey
Chris , I know what you are saying.
I have had many a taxi firm (some with 26 Skoda Octavia`s) who come in to have their car repaired under warranty and they did not have them serviced there
But I did not and never did discriminate them for it , that is almost like blackmail , but I do hear what you are saying
Never did bother me , it was a job and that is what I did.I have even done a warranty claim on an umberella that was fitted to the Superb
When you pressed the button it did not go down.
But I did the warranty on it with it being the first time that I had seen the guy.
But I do hear you and say , that IF that is what they want , then so be it , but it is wrong
Sarah

 

[JamS3]

Thats probs cause you must be a nice person Sarah!

I can see what other people are saying though by just appearing at a main dealers with a warranty claim and not being known..

It's a sorry state of affairs but I'm certain they won't get as good treatment (ie bending over backwards) that someone will get that regularly spends money and is always there....

On a side note and I can only comment on selling a car to a main dealer, how many times have they actually looked in the service book when you sell it to them stating it has full main dealer service history......?

 

[HeliChris]

Hey
Chris , I know what you are saying.
I have had many a taxi firm (some with 26 Skoda Octavia`s) who come in to have their car repaired under warranty and they did not have them serviced there
But I did not and never did discriminate them for it , that is almost like blackmail , but I do hear what you are saying
Never did bother me , it was a job and that is what I did.I have even done a warranty claim on an umberella that was fitted to the Superb
When you pressed the button it did not go down.
But I did the warranty on it with it being the first time that I had seen the guy.
But I do hear you and say , that IF that is what they want , then so be it , but it is wrong
Sarah

It's not only wrong, but against the law, since the block exception was lifted, but I have never heard of a prosecution.

Chris.