Expensive First Service?!

[RTS]

Hi guys,
I have been lurking on this forum for around a year now! I bought a new Audi A3 Saloon 1.5 TFSI at the start of December. Around 9 months into ownership, I have done 17.2k miles and I am due my first service.

The cost of my first service? £395! On Monday I will call up different Audi garages however I just have a feeling I may be quoted very similar prices. Any thoughts on this? Just as a FYI, I will not be keeping this car long term, I will only have it for around 2 more years.

 

[V6_Man]

Some dealership price match, check it with yours if they do or not. If they do, try getting a quote from a nearby garage and send it to them. Might be able to bring the price down a bit.


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[Adam14]

What tashfeen said! My first S3 service was £245 (although was part of my deal so didn't pay for it). £395 does seem a tad steep.

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[RTS]

Okay thanks for the advice guys. To think that they also wanted another £15 for me to use their courtesy car

 

[Ron240]

I think your price could be so high because you have done an extremely high mileage since new and the car is asking for an inspection service which is more than a simple oil change.
I am on fixed servicing and an oil change is done at one year or 9000 miles, then an inspection service at 2 years or either 18000 or 19000, I cant remember what the exact mileage is for that one. In any case the inspection service is much more expensive than the basic oil change, but still a complete rip off of extortionate proportions.
I will be having my first service done complimentary.....so might need to move on before the second one becomes due.

 

[S32B]

Hi guys,
I have been lurking on this forum for around a year now! I bought a new Audi A3 Saloon 1.5 TFSI at the start of December. Around 9 months into ownership, I have done 17.2k miles and I am due my first service.

The cost of my first service? £395! On Monday I will call up different Audi garages however I just have a feeling I may be quoted very similar prices. Any thoughts on this? Just as a FYI, I will not be keeping this car long term, I will only have it for around 2 more years.

From memory my first S3 service was around £206 from a main Audi dealership.
My 2nd S3 service was quoted at £440 from a main dealership!!! so I went to an Audi specialist and got it done for £220 using genuine Audi parts.

When I sold the car to a sports car specialist, he was happy with where it had been serviced and didn't try to knock me down on price for it not having a full main dealership service record....and yes the warranty is unaffected!

 

[KenL]

I think your price could be so high because you have done an extremely high mileage since new and the car is asking for an inspection service which is more than a simple oil change.

Not true, the dealer is a rip off merchant.

My first combined oil change/inspection at 18k miles was initially offered at £275 by Edinburgh Audi. I told them it was too much and they came down to £250.
When I told them I still wasn't very happy they said they did price matching. I got an email quote from an independent and Audi dealer matched it. The cost was £140. Please do not pay £400.

 

[Mark_R]

I’m on fixed servicing and got quoted £339 at Edinburgh Audi for the 2nd year service/inspection. I then got an email quote from an independent for £140 and Edinburgh Audi price matched.

 

[Matt Titanium]

If you phone the local dealers near us for a price, reception connects you to the franchises central service booking function that quote ridiculous prices. Get put through to the local dealers service department direct and they come up with a far more sensible price.

 

[Ron240]

Not true, the dealer is a rip off merchant

Which part exactly was not true?

I agree the dealer is a rip off merchant, but so is Edinburgh Audi for originally asking for almost double what they ended up carrying out your service.
All main dealer servicing is expensive, they charge as much as they can get away with and is where the bulk of their profits come from.
If you are smart you do not need to pay their inflated prices.

 

[KenL]

Which part exactly was not true?

The suggestion that the price was due to high mileage in a short time.

 

[Ron240]

The suggestion that the price was due to high mileage in a short time.

It was just a thought I had that the car was asking for an inspection service and would still like to know if it was, but I was not justifying the actual price being asked for.....which is as you say a rip off.

 

[JonW]

My first service was £220 on my S3 last September, just booked in for its second and managed a price of £170 (inspection service).

Although I did haggle as I’m expecting a new car soon, within 6 months.

 

[Statiker]

Recenty my 2.0tdi saloon was due it's second service at 38000 miles. The car is on variable service schedule and I drive about 20k miles per year. I was quoted £410 for the service by Edinburgh Audi but was then offered a 2yr service plan for £635 to cover this and the next major service at 57k miles. As I was going to be in the West on business I tried both Glasgow and Ayr Audi and got exactky the same quote and offer it was clear I was being directed to a call centre each time no matter who I phoned. There is clearly a monopoly on Audi in central Scotland. Ended up going to Perth Audi for £275.

 

[Ron240]

There is clearly a monopoly on Audi in central Scotland. Ended up going to Perth Audi for £275.

Yes Edinburgh, Glasgow and Ayr along with Hamilton and Stirling are all part of the Lookers group, so they have a monopoly on Audi like you say.
To escape this in Scotland you need to travel north to Perth and Dundee who are operated by 2 different dealer groups.

 

[AlS3BE]

To be fair audi dealership needs to invest in the newest state of the art equipment which most independent don’t and you get fancy coffee with the pretty receptionist. These things aren’t free. Overheads for the big premises is massive too.
But yeah, lookers are probably the most expensive and their service started going down hill when they created that call centre nonsense to book your car in. Last time it took 3 months for them to look at warranty work, that was with me calling at least once a week to chase it up and even though I was promised a call back it never happened so told them to shove it and went to Perth who saw me in less than 48 hours.
Perth is part of a small group and Aberdeen and Dundee is John Clark.

 

[Timi8888]

My first service from a very reputable independent specialist is tomorrow. £130 all in. Audi quoted over £400 but knocked it down to £260 as best they could do. They only price match if they have a full break down of all the products and their costs involved.

Could easily get a written quote by email from a specialist and change the prices before forwarding onto Audi....

 

[oli356]

My first service from a very reputable independent specialist is tomorrow. £130 all in. Audi quoted over £400 but knocked it down to £260 as best they could do. They only price match if they have a full break down of all the products and their costs involved.

Could easily get a written quote by email from a specialist and change the prices before forwarding onto Audi....

Wonder if someone has just made up an entire email! It's not like Audi are going to check with the indy on their pricing.. Well.. I doubt it.

Even going from 400 to 260 is a joke though, my parents recently have bought new windows for the house.. Quotes start at £20k and then after an hour of the salesman talking bs it's £10k... Same idea. Joke.

For what it's worth my mum is having a service tomorrow at a Lookers garage. It's a "mates rate" kind of thing deal, but £100. I'm assuming it's going through the system and not just the mechanic doing a favour as I'm sure Audi wouldn't allow a random car in the workshop during work hours.

I guess £100 is almost cost price for the dealer.

 

[AlS3BE]

Could easily get a written quote by email from a specialist and change the prices before forwarding onto Audi....

Price match policy can be bs too depending where you go.
They need a quote with breakdown of parts with part numbers. If it doesn’t have it they won’t price match.
I asked a service manager at a dealer before you don’t give me quotes with part numbers and he said it’s Audi policy not to give part numbers so I said how come you ask for part numbers if you are price matching when you yourself don’t give them out. His reply. We not here to make it easy for folk to get cheap service.

 

[Timi8888]

Yeah ifs extortion. All I said was whats the cheapest you can do it for? Went from £440ish to £260. Which I find is massively expensive. But their hourly labour rate is over £100 now I think to remember them saying.

 

[TYb]

Yeah ifs extortion. All I said was whats the cheapest you can do it for? Went from £440ish to £260. Which I find is massively expensive. But their hourly labour rate is over £100 now I think to remember them saying.

What part of the country are you? I had no joy with indis and ended up paying circa £300 for 1st inspection and oil at Cheltenham Audi.

 

[Timi8888]

Buckinghamshire. Went to two specialists. One was £156. The other £130.

 

[TYb]

Buckinghamshire. Went to two specialists. One was £156. The other £130.

A little bit out the way for me but worth considering come the major service. Which companies were they if you don’t mind me asking?

 

[NevMan]

It was just a thought I had that the car was asking for an inspection service and would still like to know if it was, but I was not justifying the actual price being asked for.....which is as you say a rip off.

It was a very good point made @Ron240 - The fact that quote was probably for inspection as opposed just oil service. I would be impressed if people are getting full inspection service for under £200, but what do I know But suffice to say almost £400 is WAY over the odds!

 

[Timi8888]

A little bit out the way for me but worth considering come the major service. Which companies were they if you don’t mind me asking?

Indetech and Vagtech based in Milton Keynes. I have used Indetech a lot and also my sister and dad go there too. Very good pricing and certainly know their stuff. Also impressed with their customer service when we had an issue with them before.

 

[Timi8888]

It was a very good point made @Ron240 - The fact that quote was probably for inspection as opposed just oil service. I would be impressed if people are getting full inspection service for under £200, but what do I know But suffice to say almost £400 is WAY over the odds!

Mine is for oil AND first inspection done in one go.

 

[TYb]

Indetech and Vagtech based in Milton Keynes. I have used Indetech a lot and also my sister and dad go there too. Very good pricing and certainly know their stuff. Also impressed with their customer service when we had an issue with them before.

Perfect, thank you

 

[Adam14]

I just checked my invoice from my service at 14k miles. Variable service with oil change, drain plug and filters as well as a health check. It came to £151 Inc VAT.

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[cuke2u]

Hi guys,
I have been lurking on this forum for around a year now! I bought a new Audi A3 Saloon 1.5 TFSI at the start of December. Around 9 months into ownership, I have done 17.2k miles and I am due my first service.

The cost of my first service? £395! On Monday I will call up different Audi garages however I just have a feeling I may be quoted very similar prices. Any thoughts on this? Just as a FYI, I will not be keeping this car long term, I will only have it for around 2 more years.

All my fixed plan services over thirty six months is cheaper than that at £9.56 a month..

 

[NevMan]

Mine is for oil AND first inspection done in one go.

Nice one ️

 

[AndyKnight]

First service and haldex service for £174. "Drops mic and leaves"

 

[Ron240]

All my fixed plan services over thirty six months is cheaper than that at £9.56 a month..

I seen you posting that previously, and for 3 services that is stupidly cheap!
Somebody either made a mistake when you were offered that deal, or it was a one off never to be repeated special offer.
Doesn't matter which because you are laughing all the way to the bank.

 

[RTS]

Hi guys, been on the phone today and the service advisor tried to tell me that between £395-440 is not expensive for an oil change/service even after I tried to get him to price match specialists offering £150 + VAT.
He was not having the price match as even though the email from the Audi Specialist states that it only uses genuine Audi parts, there was no list of part numbers which I knew he would sting me for.
Called around different dealers and the best I got was £375 ugh!

 

[oli356]

Hi guys, been on the phone today and the service advisor tried to tell me that between £395-440 is not expensive for an oil change/service even after I tried to get him to price match specialists offering £150 + VAT.
He was not having the price match as even though the email from the Audi Specialist states that it only uses genuine Audi parts, there was no list of part numbers which I knew he would sting me for.
Called around different dealers and the best I got was £375 ugh!

I'd be looking further out for a cheaper dealer, if I could save over a hundred quid I'd rather drive an hour and just use a courtesy car to get back!

Or an indy..

 

[KenL]

Just use the independent. Owners need to stand up to dealers taking the you know what.

If people stop paying their laughable prices they'll be forced to change.

 

[AlS3BE]

Just use the independent. Owners need to stand up to dealers taking the you know what.

If people stop paying their laughable prices they'll be forced to change.

Unlikely. For everyone one of us that goes independent there’s at least 10 paying normal dealer rates.
I think the worse part is the fixed price servicing they have for 3 year+ old cars.
Same parts and oil as a 1 year old car but half the price.

 

[Wibbly]

Ask then what oil they use and how much they'll charge you. I was charged £70!! They may well be happy for you to supply the oil at a much lower price you can get yourself from, say, Opie Oils https://www.opieoils.co.uk/

 

[AlS3BE]

Ask then what oil they use and how much they'll charge you. I was charged £70!! They may well be happy for you to supply the oil at a much lower price you can get yourself from, say, Opie Oils https://www.opieoils.co.uk/

Last time I asked it was £16 +vat per litre. They were using shell helix ultra. I said the shell station across the road was about £35 for 5 litres.

 

[cuke2u]

I seen you posting that previously, and for 3 services that is stupidly cheap!
Somebody either made a mistake when you were offered that deal, or it was a one off never to be repeated special offer.
Doesn't matter which because you are laughing all the way to the bank.

Yes I am, but I doubt it was a mistake or any deal. The service plan is covered by Audi Finance, as it is they who reimberse the dealership. I was so taken aback I got the salesperson to check again, even he stated it was good but is what it is...

 

[Ron240]

I doubt it was a mistake or any deal.

Maybe not a mistake, but if was a commonplace deal then surely more than just you on this forum would have it.
You are indeed very fortunate to have a 3 service plan which costs less than a large number of people are being asked to pay for just one service from Audi dealers.