Inspection Service - AUDI want £160 just to look at my car?

[Dub2Dub]

I'm not sure whether I just ended up with the not-so-bright members within the Bristol Dealer but no one could really be clear on what I would get.

I picked the car up in December, 29k on the clock, it's now at 32k and I've a Inspection Service now due. On the car MMI button it says Oil not due for another 13k.

The previous service had filters, oil etc. which was done at 26k by the previous owner.

I don't want to go there, fork £160 just for them to plug it in, say no error messages and then say all is well and off I go.

Seems a bit steep!

Is that all that is really included?

What are peoples thoughts of going third party, sure it reduces resell value if not dealer stamped, but to be honest the additional cost of a dealer suggests to me that is a false economy, especially if you are a car lover the next owner should feel assured, I know I would.

 

[sidibear]

If you have a warranty with the car going to a third party would invalidate it. Have you asked them what the service inspection entails?
If the service is due at 45k and was last done at 26k, even for variable servicing 19k longevity is pushing it a bit.

 

[dieselguy]

Yep, if you just got the car in December then it will be under the audi warranty, so need to go to them to keep it active. 160 for inspection is steep but if things go wrong they'll fix it for free.

Once the warranty runs out you can go anywhere. The problem then is to find a good and trust worthy indi place near where you live, which is not easy.

 

[opelfruit]

There are 2 types of service schedule with audi:

• Fixed interval servicing (inspection service schedule)
• Flexible interval servicing (LongLife service schedule)

Fixed:

Oil change every 1 year/9k miles
Inspection service every 2 years/19k miles

Used for; less than 10,000 miles per annum, mainly city/town centre driving, short journeys.


Flexible:

Oil change variable but must be done max every 2 years. Basically, you go off what your MMI tells you.
Inspection service every 2 years/19k miles

Used for; more than 10,000 miles per annum, motorway and main road driving, mainly longer distance journeys


Your inspection service is not just "an inspection", it's basically a full service.

 

[Dub2Dub]

Right so at least I know it's a service and not just an inspection, it's a shame that when booking it in today they still weren't clear what was being done with the car...

As first she said they just take the wheels off and give the car a good look. She then tells me it's going to cost £377 (spit my coffee out). I explain I was quoted £160, she spends some time umming and arghhing and then says, oh that's for a minor inspection. I'll save you from the boring bits but we eventually agreed that this service with be a minor and then a major will follow and she had a special offer to do one major and one minor for £399. Basing that on that the car was driven at low mileage with annual intervals, so the first service should get it right from there and then I'll do the full shabang when I've racked up some decent mileage in it.

Still feel as if I'm biting through a live cable here, but I'll suss it on the day as will walk around to the service bay and question some of the chaps there, I'm sure they will be of a decent standard.

I can't blame the woman on the phone, as lovely as she was, it's the company that should have her trained right, and this was certainly not the same lady.

 

[s3_trev]

If you want the car serviced properly, the last place I would be taking it is Audi. Seems counter intuitive but from my own experience Audi dont know their ar5e from their elbow! They do know how to charge however, in fact they have got that one down to a T.

 

[Dub2Dub]

Seems like it Trev,

I'm going to take it for it's first two services, gets the stamps in the book at least and then suss it out from there.

 

[Nilz]

Isnt it the case that you can take it to an independant as long as they use genuine parts and that will keep the warranty intact??

 

[NE Marlon]

Isnt it the case that you can take it to an independant as long as they use genuine parts and that will keep the warranty intact??

I believe that's now standard across all manufacturers now Nilz. Changed a couple of years back, competition and all that...

 

[jdp1962]

Read the terms of your warranty to check exactly what it requires you to regarding servicing.

 

[Dub2Dub]

It's an 08 car, warranty long gone!

Anyway, used the dealer, decent service when I actually went in, got to take the new TT 2.0 TD out, not a fan for me but the missus would love it!

Got the car back later that afternoon, they replaced some filters and gave it a once over and a nice clean. Still fecking steep!

At least it's in the book now, they also did a deal for 2 services at £399 1 inspection, 1 major which aint soo bad but aint great either.

Next time will be the last time!

 

[sidibear]

Sounds like an interim service more than an inspection.

 

[RapidAssistant]

The only danger perhaps about going independent - apart from finding a cowboy - is that if your car suffers a major catastrophic fault (I'm thinking here 2.0TDI oil pumps, 2.0TFSI piston rings, Multitronic/DSG gearboxes....all the current VAG horror stories) at a youngish age or low mileage the "goodwill gesture" from the manufacturer is out the window, Audi won't give you the time of day if you don't have a full dealer service history.