Audi Vs. Independent Specialist for Service?

PNH80

PNH80

Low life livin' the high life.
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Alright folks, my car is now over-due it's first service (1 year/10k). I understand it's supposed to cost around £300.00 which seems nothing short of outrageous considering the car is mint and only needs a check over and an oil change.
Is it worth looking into independent specialists in the area who can carry out a full Audi service and stamp the log book or am i best sticking to Audi??
Have or do any of you use independent specialists to service your cars instead of having your pants taken down by Audi?

Cheers.

Paul.
 
I only paid £154 for our first service on our 2.0TFSI quattro last year(Walton Audi). If its the first year its just an oil and filter change and wont cost that much if you shop around at dealers. I can't believe the price some people pay for their first service.
 
Audi wanted over £300 for my first service so I went to my mate who used to work at the dealer and has set his own business up. He used genuine parts from the dealer Inc oil and it cost less than half what Audi quoted.

I sold my car to the dealer and they didn't bat a eyelid.
 
Only one problem, although it could have been down to my particular Audi dealer I lost out on the part exchange as my A3 had not been serviced by Audi even though it was serviced by an independant garage who had specialised in servicing AVG cars for over thirty years.
 
I would have thought that would have been the dealer as I have never had a problem and never any checks by the dealer. It is against the law now not to complete warranty work if using a independent and genuine parts have been used.
 
I'm on variable services , only had the intrim oil and filter change as of yet , i did get it done at Audi just for the stamp. £146

I get my first service free ( part of my purchase deal ) so i'll be going to Audi for that , and with a bit of luck i wouldn't need another service for the rest of my ownership.

p
 
The first service by my Audi dealer on my previous A3 was £184.00

With my current A3 I purchased a full service and maintenance package when I bought the car so all my service costs are already paid for. I'm sure I get a better trade-in deal because the dealer already knows the car and knows that it's been serviced by themselves.
 
Even if you get a £300 service done at an Independant for £100, I reckon you will compromise the resale value by more than the £200 youve apparently saved.

Its wrong IMO, but it gives the impression that the car has been maintained `on the cheap`even if it hasnt.
 
audi upgrades
Who has ever asked to look at the service book though when trading a car in?

In the whole of my car history (12) no one has ever checked the service book.
 
when I px'd my golf to a vw dealer they asked about service history, mine had 2 vw stamps and one from Jabba, I asked if it made any difference and they said no a service history is a service history. With the A3 which is due a service in the next 800 miles i'll get it done by Audi only because if something goes wrong its much less hassel, they will know the car has an audi history and going on past experiences with a different manufacture they don't query it.
 
JamS3 said:
Who has ever asked to look at the service book though when trading a car in?

In the whole of my car history (12) no one has ever checked the service book.
Click to expand...

No one has ever looked at my service books either, but that's because the dealer knows he sold me the car and it's been serviced by them. When assessing the car they always make the comment about their already know it's got a full service history and they seem to like cars that they have sold. It's probably good for them to be able to say to a customer "We sold the car to it's original owner and it's been serviced by us from new" and this seems to be reflected in the very good trade-in prices I've been given for all my A3s. Selling privately a buyer would probably want to see the service history.
 
h5djr said:
Selling privately a buyer would probably want to see the service history.
Click to expand...

And make the car more desirable , with Audi stamps.

I think it's worth getting Audi stamps while the cars still under warrenty.

p
 
I cant believe there is a single private buyer out there who wouldnt want to see the service book before handing over the money.

I sold my Corrado VR6 many moons ago with 120K miles on it but with FVWSH, 2 potential buyers (and the eventual buyer) even went as far as calling the dealer that had serviced the car since I had owned it to check the SH was legitimate.
And that was on a 5 grand car!

SH is HUGELY important on a specialist/prestige car, and dealer stamps will make a difference on desirability come resale time.
Although it doesnt necessarily make it a better car than one which has been looked after by an independant specialist.

my 2p

Paul
 
phantom said:
And make the car more desirable , with Audi stamps.

I think it's worth getting Audi stamps while the cars still under warrenty.

p
Click to expand...

I'd agree. I personally wouldn't touch a car that hadn't had its first service at the dealers and at least the next three years worth. I always check the service history out too, stupid not to IMO.
 
The point I'm trying to make is if you are trading it in to the dealer and they dont check and are not bothered, as in my experience and others above why bother with main dealer servicing.

Its the dealers problem then to shift it on....
 
As long as it's got service history, then it won't make a diiference on used prices, and main dealers are chomping at the bit to do deals at present, so you're be in a win win situation.

I always get mine done at the dealer, at a reduced rate(i'm in the trade), but if there are any extra's to be done, get them done myself, which is very rare as I only keep my cars 6-8 months, so normally don't even get to the first service!!!!
 
When I had the first service on my A3 they also updated the software that controls the PDF. This was just done automatically. I doubt if a so called 'specialist' would know about the software change or have access to the new software. Only applies to the 2.0TDI-170 of course at the moment.
 
I think a good point here is that if you shop around between different main dealers you can cut your costs of servicing, up to 50% in some cases. It doesnt matter if you only want a main dealer stamp(which tbh I would like to see for the first three years) if you shop around your not always paying massively over the odds(you will always pay somewhat extra though) like alot of Audi owners do because they only go to or get a quote from one dealer.
 
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