1st Service cost for a A3 (2004) 2.0Tdi Sport

  • Thread starter imported_Adambsmith
  • Start date
[ QUOTE ]
I've been reading an interesting article in a bike magazine this week,which can easily be carried over into the car world..
The article stated that there is no actual need for services to be carried out by main dealers,even if the bike/car is under warranty.
Most warranties merely state that the bike/car must be serviced by a 'competent mechanic using the correct equipment' (or similar wording,I don't have the article to hand).

My servicing is paid for by the company,so it's not something I have to worry about,but if I were paying for my servicing myself I would be investigating this further and seeking cheaper alternatives as main dealers' rates merely serve to pay for their vast overheads.

It would be interesting to hear Audi's comments about this as they,apparently,cannot insist that you use the main dealer.

[/ QUOTE ]

As I understand the situation. You can obtain servicing on a car and retain the warranty as long as:

a) Genuine parts are used in the servicing, and
b) The garage is VAT registered.

This has been discussed a few times on the Type R forum.

However, I would much rather have a nice set of "proper" Audi/Honda stamps when it comes to resale time.
 
[ QUOTE ]

However, I would much rather have a nice set of "proper" Audi/Honda stamps when it comes to resale time.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm afraid your last comment is the crux of the problem.

Until people get rid of this mindset we will always be ripped off by main dealers,IMO.

I've said it before but the lack of a main dealer history would not stop me buying a car.
As long as the owner was able to show the car was serviced properly,but without paying daft main dealer charges,it would be enough for me.

If I were selling the car without main dealer stamps I would be make great pains to point out that it has been serviced properly without paying £87 an hour...
 
All new Audis come with a 3 years UK wide roadside assistance scheme operated by the RAC. According to the information supplied...
"To maintain cover... you must have your vehicle serviced, and repaired by an Authorised Audi Centre or Audi Authorised Repairer according to the Manufacturer's recommendations."

One point worth considering. Why spend £20,000+ on a better than average car and then skimp on the servicing. Audi Centres may not be the cheapest place to get any work done but at least they have access to all the latest equipment, Audi trained technicians and the latest information about your particular model. They can also handle any warranty issues much easier. If the average service cost using an Audi Centre over 3 years is say £700-£800 and you can save say half by going elsewhere you save £350-400. The dealer stamps on the service book are probably worth that when it comes to trading in, especially if you use the same same dealer to buy, service and trade-in.

If there is a warranty issue, how do you prove that you have had 'your car serviced and repaired in accordance with the Manufactuer's instructions' as required by the warranty, if it has not been done by an Audi Centre.

I have been using the same basic company for all my Audis since 1985. I have always been very satisfied with the both the sales and service I have received.
 
[ QUOTE ]
One point worth considering. Why spend £20,000+ on a better than average car and then skimp on the servicing.

[/ QUOTE ]

There are flip sides to your argument though David.

Firstly,If you've paid so much for the car,why should you also pay so much for common or garden servicing.

Secondly,by using the term 'skimp' you are suggesting the servicing would be inferior,which I'm not convinced would be the case at all.There are many instances in life where one can get better service/cheaper prices away from 'high street/high profile' suppliers.

If you're happy paying £240 for,basically,an oil and filter change,just to get a rubber stamp saying 'main dealer' instead of 'independent specialist' then that's fair enough,but I think it's a rip off and deserves discussion.
 
if getting your car serviced elsewhere doesn't affect the warranty then how can it affect the roadside?

Why would getting your car serviced by a third party mechanic in accordance to Audi's schedule invalidate it.
 
[ QUOTE ]
All new Audis come with a 3 years UK wide roadside assistance scheme operated by the RAC. According to the information supplied...
"To maintain cover... you must have your vehicle serviced, and repaired by an Authorised Audi Centre or Audi Authorised Repairer according to the Manufacturer's recommendations."

[/ QUOTE ]

Cheers Dave, that's what I meant /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ok.gif
 
So does that mean that if I get it serviced by a main dealer in the final month of my 3 year warranty, the roadside assistance is not extended?
 
Just a two minute search on the internet has shown that there are,as I suspected,many independent Audi specialists all of which offer the latest VAG equipment etc.etc.

Around £55 per hour for this place,which won the Audi driver magazine best independent award for 2004.

I'd be more than happy to buy a car with stamps from this lot,for example.

http://www.fontain.co.uk/
 
[ QUOTE ]


I'd be more than happy to buy a car with stamps from this lot,for example.

http://www.fontain.co.uk/

[/ QUOTE ]

You might well be happy but would a potential buyer of your car be just as happy?

Can't help but thinking that with two similar 2nd hand cars, the one with the Audi dealer stamps would get the money.

By staying away from the Audi network, you might also miss modification work that is not the subject of a full manufacturer recall.

Don't think we'll agree on this one /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
audi upgrades
Has anyone thought of getting servicing done at a vw/seat or skoda dealer? Would imagine they could service it to exactly the same standards and keep your warranty in tact - and possibly charge a smaller hourly rate??
 
[ QUOTE ]
Has anyone thought of getting servicing done at a vw/seat or skoda dealer? Would imagine they could service it to exactly the same standards and keep your warranty in tact - and possibly charge a smaller hourly rate??

[/ QUOTE ]

Not sure this is true. My first AVS service on my MKIV Golf PD150 was £190+. Same garage, but Audi side want £180 for first AVS on my A3 2.0TDI.

Go figure ?
 
Read an article in the Metro yesterday about service costs etc, It confirmed what we were discusing the other day -it said that you don't have to have your car serviced by a franchised dealer to keep it in warranty now.

If anything, it should help bring down the cost of servicing at main dealers
 
My 2.0FSI has just had its 1st AVS at Smith Knight Fay Bolton. £173.01 all in, which I didn't think was too bad?

It got to 18,500 miles before needing a service, so it will be well over a year until it needs another.
 
heres some more 4u ya

Worcester -£295
Halesowen £295
Wolves £275
Hereford £275
B'ham £250
Glouster -**£180**

guess where im going, its worth a few miles for a ton! saving
 
Did any of you hear that report on the radio (R2) the other day ?
I think it was Autoexpress that found that servicing was miles cheaper on the continent.
One guy reported that servicing his Audi was so much cheaper that he was able to take the ferry,get the car serviced,have a nice meal and load the car with booze for less than he would pay for the same service in the UK.
He quoted something like £135 for a service that would cost him over £300 here.

Not much use to us in Scotland,but must be worth investigating for those of you in the South. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ok.gif
 
Gloucester did mine for £201, inc VAT, collection from home and rtn to home. I lve about 12 miles from thier dealership.

How on earth can the other dealers in thier immediate area charge c£100 more for the same service. I can't believe thier overheads are that dramatically different!
 
[ QUOTE ]
How on earth can the other dealers in thier immediate area charge c£100 more for the same service. I can't believe thier overheads are that dramatically different!

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope ... they are just thieving gits. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsdown.gif
 
interesting article the other day about day trippers hopping accross the channel to official dealers in france, having a day out and getting a service for under £90.
 
Here is a copy of the Auto Express article about them taking their A6 3.0 TDI for service in Dunkerque.

As it's a diesel the could also save some more money by filling up with diesel in France where last week it was only around 73p per litre.

page one page two
 
Some latest quotes I got today...

Northampton - £285
Lancaster (Manchester) - £240
Bolton (Gtr Manchester) - £190

Talk about daylight robbery...
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Some latest quotes I got today...

Northampton - £285
Lancaster (Manchester) - £240
Bolton (Gtr Manchester) - £190

Talk about daylight robbery...

[/ QUOTE ]

I can beat that.

Aston Green Audi in Slough
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
£320 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cry.gif

[/ QUOTE ]


Just Phoned Hitchin Audi
.
.
.
£305 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cry.gif

Any one know of cheaper dealers in Herts/ North London?
 
Made the drive from Hertford to Huntingdon today to get the car serviced. £179.25 all in. Worth making the trip to save £126!! All very polite memebers of staff and all phone calls returned within 15-20 min Unlike Hitchin Audi who I am yet to hear from a week later!
 
Vindis Huntingdon are my local Audi dealer. I have purchased all my 5 A3s from them. They have always come across as polite, helpful and always do what they say they will do, both on sales and service.

At least 2 of their technicians are Audi Master Technicians and whenever I have spoken to them directly they always seem to know what they are talking about and take you seriously if you have a problem.

Glad to hear you were also pleased with the service they gave you. I will be booking my A3 in for it's first service in the near future and I will mention that a forum member was pleased with their service. It's make a nice change these days.
 
Please do pass my comments on. I did over hear one of the service team members saying that they were moving site so as to accommodate a lager showroom. Hope this doesn't mean prices will be rising /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Some latest quotes I got today...

Northampton - £285
Lancaster (Manchester) - £240
Bolton (Gtr Manchester) - £190

Talk about daylight robbery...

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
I can beat that.

Aston Green Audi in Slough
.
£320

Just Phoned Hitchin Audi


[/ QUOTE ]

Late to thread but same here - Southend Audi £320 for service no.1 - WTF gives???
 
[ QUOTE ]
saying that they were moving site so as to accommodate a lager showroom. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

A showroom full of beer.......Luuuuuvly /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh_roll.gif
 
Vindis Huntingdon only moved to that site a couple of years ago. The building used to be a Volvo dealership. Before that there were in a combined premises with the Vindis VW in St Ives. The same company also have a brand new building in the latest Audi brand style in Bedford.
 
Just to continue from the previous posts, my A3 2.0 TDI is now due for it's 1st AVS service at around 18,500 miles. I booked it in with Vindis Huntingdon and the cost has been quoted as £184.25 including VAT and they have agreed to de-code the auto-locking at the same time.
 
Just got a quote from Portsmouth Audi again. See below

LABOUR CHARGE - £136.00+VAT

PARTS - OIL FILTER £4.70+VAT
POLLEN FILTER £17.55+VAT
SUMP PLUG £0.82+VAT
SCREEN WASH £2.07+VAT
SPRAY MAIN £2.30+VAT
ENGINE OIL £49.05+VAT

TOTAL - £249.68 ALL INC PART, LABOUTR AND VAT
 
[ QUOTE ]
Just got a quote from Portsmouth Audi again. See below

LABOUR CHARGE - £136.00+VAT

PARTS - OIL FILTER £4.70+VAT
POLLEN FILTER £17.55+VAT
SUMP PLUG £0.82+VAT
SCREEN WASH £2.07+VAT
SPRAY MAIN £2.30+VAT
ENGINE OIL £49.05+VAT

TOTAL - £249.68 ALL INC PART, LABOUTR AND VAT

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't receive a bill as it's on full maintenance package but did notice that the 'extra' work carried out was the pollen filter ( every 30,000kms )

So all quotes would probably not include this....other than Eeef's of course /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
According to Audi Fleet Data Service costs spreadshhet on their web-site the Pollen Filter is changed on every AVS service and also on the 20k service on fixed interval servicing.

The costs that Vindis have quoted me match almost exactly to the spreadsheet. The main difference between Japper's quote from Portsmouth Audi and my quote seems to be the hourly labour rate. The AVS service is quoted as 1.10 hours and Vindis charge £86.00 per hour plus VAT. The oil also seems to be £9.00 more than the price on the spreadsheet.
 
I've been checking prices in my local area this week as its nearly time for my first service:

Preston - £278
Bolton - £231
Warrington £173

All prices include parts labour and VAT so as you've guessed I'm taking it to Warrington, I phoned Preston (where I bought the car) to tell them about the huge difference and the person in service said "I understand that there is a small difference between us and Warrington but we don't set the prices Audi UK do"

Well that sounds like a loads of rubbish, for one thing I don't view £105 as a small difference!!

Advice to you all - Shop around, especially if you are paying not the company!
 
harrogate audi £316 inc everything, to comfort us from this crazy price they gave us 2 audi umbrellas
 
Parklands Gloucester, 18,500m service £200 inc collection and rtn to/back to/from home. Full valet, wheel & tyre polish.

Quoted me £300 for 40k service when DSG oil gets changed in addition to routine service..

Funkycat.
 
My service light has just come on now too. 1200 miles to go, currently done about 16,500.

Phoned the local Audi dealers near me.

Dundee.£150.37
Perth £ 220 ish, didn't give exact figure
Stirling £186

So between Perth and Dundee (25 miles apart) thats a difference of £70.

Looks like its Dundee for me.
 
[ QUOTE ]
My service light has just come on now too. 1200 miles to go, currently done about 16,500.

Phoned the local Audi dealers near me.

Dundee.£150.37
Perth £ 220 ish, didn't give exact figure
Stirling £186

So between Perth and Dundee (25 miles apart) thats a difference of £70.

Looks like its Dundee for me.

[/ QUOTE ]

So there is a genuinely good reason for entering Dundee /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh_roll.gif
 
Dungdee!. Thats where I work so I have a good reason to dislike it. The dealer is 2 mins walk from my work which makes things easy but means I miss the chance of a decent courtesy car, though thats not guaranteed.
 
Just to confirm my earlier posts, my A3 has been in to Vindis Audi at Huntingdon today for it's first AVS service at 18,630 miles. The total cost was £184.24 as they quoted earlier and they also re-coded the door locking to remove the auto-lock and didn't charge any extra. The breakdown of the costs was:

Labour 114.40
screen wash 3.12
oil filter 4.70
filter 8.69
plug 0.90
long life oil 24.99
total 156.80
vat 27.44
total 184.24

The also washed and vacuumed the car and washed and removed some stains from the front carpets. I also had an A3 2.0T DSG S-Line Sportback as a courtesy car for the day - see my other posts for my thoughts on my 'test drive'

All was carried out to their usual high standards and polite but friendly manner, including cups of coffee at both ends of the day. Just nice little touches that make the whole thing a more enjoyable experience compared with some garages I have had to deal with in the past.

I also now need two new front tyres as they are down to 2mm after 18,630 miles.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

E
Estimated 95k service cost for A3 2.0TDI
Replies
4
Views
3K
~RS~
~RS~
G
2004 A3 2.0TDi Sport
Replies
5
Views
1K
G 7UNK
G
K
Cost of 1st Service?
Replies
7
Views
979
arthurfuxake
arthurfuxake
C
Cost of clutch for a 1.6 2004 Petrol
Replies
4
Views
513
chinnyhill10
C
I
Tyres for A3 2.0Tdi Sport
Replies
13
Views
1K
JaminBen
JaminBen
Top
Back