Service due!

[Ed]

Hey all, another servicing thread i'm afraid!

My a3 1.6 (2001) is due for a service. I have got two quotes for 400 and 420 pounds which is from the two audi garages near by me, which seems alot to me, but i do understand thats quite the norm for audi's

If I agree to change the oil myself do you think that the audi garage will agree to knock off a chunk of the service cost and still give me a stamp in my log book?

Also - i have a fsh all with audi stamps in it (currently on longlife service at 35k) having a service every two years. Will getting a non audi stamp in my log book significantly devalue my car, or will it make a difference to the life of the car?

 

[jojo]

400 quid for a service on a 1.6, you are having a laugh! Suppose if it's 400 quid over 2 years and 35k miles, then it isn't so bad I guess.
Let's get to the point of Valuing a car and Audi stamps, if you service the car at an independant service specialist for say 4 years and save your self around 400 pounds(hald the cost lets say), you would still probably get the same value for your car, fAUDIsh probably means it will sell quicker and may add a couple of hundred to a car, it's not all that in this day and age imo... FSH is FSH, so long as you have the stamps in the book!

 

[rodenal]

400 quid!!!!???????

U do know the parts come to about £50 max dont you?

My car is a good bit older than yours, but i would never pay anything like that for it to be serviced, if you dont feel comfortable doing it yourself then take it to a vag specialist.

Dealer service histories arent what they're cracked up to be, seen plenty a dodgy car with a full dealer history(and more than likely fake one at that, its not hard to do).

 

[rodenal]

400 quid!!!!???????

U do know the parts come to about £50 max dont you?

My car is a good bit older than yours, but i would never pay anything like that for it to be serviced, if you dont feel comfortable doing it yourself then take it to a vag specialist.

Dealer service histories arent what they're cracked up to be, seen plenty a dodgy car with a full dealer history(and more than likely fake one at that, its not hard to do).

 

[dantheman1986]

my last serice was only 420 and mine is a quattro so had all the haldex system serviced, whick included the oil and filter being changed, i also had the brake fluid changed aswell. id neer pay 400 for a 1.6

 

[Tallpaul]

just take it to an independant garage (preferably a VAG specialist) and get them to do it, they'll be half the price.

So, this long life servicing tripe... does that mean that your car is about to have only it's third oil change since 2001???

 

[Ed]

So are you guys saying that the audi garage's are saying the wrong price? Or are all audi garages gonna say that?

The car has had more oil changes according to the bloke i bought it from (once a year) but there's no prove of that

Has the previous owner folked out 400 quid each for all the audi stamps in the log book?

 

[simch]

This is why the first thing I did with my S3 was take it off longlife servicing, it had had two oil changes in 44k miles and three years.....?
A Joke, dont care how good the oil supposedly is.

I agree on the service, take it to an independant. Where are you based....?

 

[jojo]

So are you guys saying that the audi garage's are saying the wrong price? Or are all audi garages gonna say that?

The car has had more oil changes according to the bloke i bought it from (once a year) but there's no prove of that

Has the previous owner folked out 400 quid each for all the audi stamps in the log book?

Ed, we are not saying they quoted the wrong price mate, we are saying that @£400+ for a service on a 1.6, longlife or not, it's a fu(*ing rip-off!
I'm not sure what type of driving you do, motorway/long distance or town driving, and I don't know how many miles you cover per annum, but I would consider going back to annual/12k mile servicing... maybe it's just what I'm use to?
For your information, my S3 costs me £550 to service in it's 3rd year @Audi, and this included a Haldex service and MOT, I went to AmD to service my car the year after!

 

[bantam1]

As said above take it to a specialist and save yourself a packet. Dealer servicing is a blatant rip off. If you post where you are I'm sure people can recommend a good specialist near you.

As a guide my last service for my S3, including haldex oil and filter, was £200 at a specialist. Quite simply do not pay overpriced dealer prices.

 

[Ed]

Live in Farnham, Surrey but work in Basingstoke.

I drive about 12k miles a year, not much town driving but hardly ever drive on motorways.

My boss has recommended a vag specialist near me (Grantleys) where he gets his RS6 serviced for half the price the audi garage quotes him.

Cheers guys.

 

[s3tle]

i take my A3 to an indepent vag garage and i trust what they say far more than any audi dealer i have been to. Your car is now 5 years old so the warranty isn't an issue either. If you keep all the reciepts for any work done i don't think i will effect the resale much. I agree with Jojo if you save £400 on servicing in theory that is £400 which you can always knock off the resale price.

I wonder if it an expensive service because of the age of the car as some parts are meant to replace at a certain age regardless of the mileage? i'd give the indepent you mention a call and see what they can do for you and ask exactly what they would doing/changing?

 

[Leon]

After 3 years of getting ripped of by Audi and experiencing poor customer service I took mine to a local VAG specialist. I had a full service (including spark plugs), haldex oil/filter change, brake fluid change, MOT all done for £303 inc VAT.

To answer your question it won't affect resale as people generally look for FSH when purchasing cars outside of warranty. If you have the stamps and it shows you took it somewhere reputable who used correct parts it's not an issue. Save yourself a chunk of money and go somewhere who will appreciate your hard earned cash (i.e. not Audi!).

 

[jesters3]

That is a rip off price for a A3 1.6 if it just 'servicing' changing the oil and spark plugs and giving it a Valet. I took mine to Fontain in Iver after dealing with Audi Newbury all my life, half the price and the same parts. The car has done 130k so the stamp in the book no longer matters, will it matter when it comes to sell it, I doubt it. Still if it is under 60k then some buyers may wonder, but it should not matter. Shop around is the key and play off the dealers, I managed to get £80 knocked off the service and £20 off the haldex, but still went for the specialist as they saved me oveerr £200 without haggling.

On a side, Bantam1 and Leon where did you get your services done, those prices sound excellent?!

 

[bantam1]

I go to Midland VW in Cannock, West Mids.

 

[Herby1]

400 oh my god! i have just paid 350 for a full service, cambelt and tensioner and water pump changed! thats everything for 350. my god! they charge the earth!

 

[Aky]

400 oh my god! i have just paid 350 for a full service, cambelt and tensioner and water pump changed! thats everything for 350. my god! they charge the earth!

Where did you get that done - I've just been quoted £370 just for cambelt doing inc pump

 

[Leon]

That is a rip off price for a A3 1.6 if it just 'servicing' changing the oil and spark plugs and giving it a Valet. I took mine to Fontain in Iver after dealing with Audi Newbury all my life, half the price and the same parts. The car has done 130k so the stamp in the book no longer matters, will it matter when it comes to sell it, I doubt it. Still if it is under 60k then some buyers may wonder, but it should not matter. Shop around is the key and play off the dealers, I managed to get £80 knocked off the service and £20 off the haldex, but still went for the specialist as they saved me oveerr £200 without haggling.

On a side, Bantam1 and Leon where did you get your services done, those prices sound excellent?!

I took my to www.centralvwaudi.com near Chester. Good service would recommend them.

 

[rodenal]

Yeah servicing is crazy, i have never bothered with stamps in the book with mine and do it myself, get my mate to help with anything i need doing.

the car is nearly ten years old and has done 90k, whats the point its hardly gonna be worth any more with a few stamps(certainly not £400 a time more!!)

 

[nick1973]

SERVIE IT YOUR SELF AND BU A SEVRICE STAMP FROM EABY

 

[jojo]

SERVIE IT YOUR SELF AND BU A SEVRICE STAMP FROM EABY

Have you heard of a spell checker?

 

[VeeDub Geezer]

Have you heard of a spell checker?

 

[ben_turbo1]

If you live in Farnham then a great place to go to is THEPHIRM their number is 01428 608480 ask for Tim. Tell him Ben with the Black A3 sent ya.

 

[Ed]

I ended up changing my car from longlife to normal service and got a full 40k service last week for 180.

 

[claty23]

My 1.8 T sport is due its annual service Audi quoted me about £450 for 40k Service or £250 for a mini one but with £110 extra if I wanted the brake fluid changed as well, its has a full Audi SH so would be a shame not to take it back but its pretty pricey!!

Ed I live in Guildford, Surrey how did you find that place that serviced yours? Any good as sounds like a good price as I need what you have just had done!

 

[Ed]

The place is really good. Nice bloke in there by the name of Steve - The place is called Grantleys and is in Basingstoke (where I work) - 01256 333777, they are a VAG specialist so have all the tools needed for Audi's.
They were recommended to my by my boss who has an RS6 now, but had an A6 where he got it serviced at this place, he never had any complaints and they did a good job everytime.

My car was full audi service history too untill a few weeks ago. But i changed it from a longlife (every 2 years) down to every 10k miles or 12 months, which gives me a bit more piece of mind.