Is it worth Servicing at audi or going to a local garage?

[marlowA3]

Hi

Always have had my 2005 a3 2.0TDI serviced at Audi, but I'm due major service and am wondering is it worth paying around £300 for it through either Hull or Doncaster Audi, or going to a local garage maybe a VAG specialist.
Any feedback or views to what you would do yourselfs would be great.

Thanks

Mark

 

[lgooch]

Specialist. It's an 8 year old car. I would never pay a main dealer to do work on an car of this age

 

[marlowA3]

Specialist. It's an 8 year old car. I would never pay a main dealer to do work on an car of this age

That was my thinking! its trying to find a local vag specialist near me i'm on the hunt (Doncaster)

 

[fireheed]

I would give your main dealer a shout and see what they would charge, you might be surprised. Dealers around me have started to get competitive with pricing.

 

[Simon16]

Come up to Leeds fella, you can choose from ivc, volksworks or German Auto Care.
Cheers

 

[marlowA3]

Which do you use Simon? I can get to IVC in about 30mins from my house.

 

[Cruiser89]

My thoughts are this...

If your car is still within the 3 year warranty then go main dealer just for the hassle factor. I know its more expensive but you drive an Audi so you can't complain

After the 3 years then hit up the specialist.

That being said my local Audi wanted to charge me £220 for my first service and I nearly choked... I asked for the breakdown and they were going to charge me £86 just for the oil. I kindly offered to bring my own

 

[PaulAr]

Assuming:

-It has FDSH already
-The difference between a specialist and AUDI isnt daft
-You dont plan to keep it forever.

Then take it to the dealer.

Average Joe likes to see a full main dealer history, it gives the impression its been looked after (whether it has or not) and will make a difference to its future value and sale-ability.

 

[chinnyhill10]

Average Joe likes to see a full main dealer history, it gives the impression its been looked after (whether it has or not) and will make a difference to its future value and sale-ability.

I just want to see it's been looked after. I don't think on a car of that age there is any extra value when you come to sell if its main dealer only. And even if there is, it'll be tiny and certainly won't make up for the premium you paid to have it serviced at Audi.

 

[immo]

I wouldn't pay any more for a car of this sort of age with FASH over one with FSH. I guess some people might though... the sort that take their cars to main dealer for an MOT and wiper blades.

 

[leeds2592]

Come up to Leeds fella, you can choose from ivc, volksworks or German Auto Care.
Cheers

Which do you use Simon? I can get to IVC in about 30mins from my house.

I use VolksWorks and would definitely recommend them. Also been very helpful and friendly.

Also got told by Bab, the owner, that they do quite a bit of work for IVC.

 

[marlowA3]

I use VolksWorks and would definitely recommend them. Also been very helpful and friendly.

Also got told by Bab, the owner, that they do quite a bit of work for IVC.

Volksworks came back to me with a quote of £155+ Vat for a full service, I didn't think that seemed too bad when Audi was over £300+
Looking more towards going with Volksworks does that sound a ok price?

Mark

 

[leeds2592]

Volksworks came back to me with a quote of £155+ Vat for a full service, I didn't think that seemed too bad when Audi was over £300+
Looking more towards going with Volksworks does that sound a ok price?

Mark

When I first got my A3, I took my A3 to VolksWorks for full service and paid around that price. I also enquired at IVC as that is only around 5 mins from where I live but the quote they gave me was around £45-£50 deerer IIRC.

For all the work they've done on my A3 (full service, fitting of coilovers, renewal of brake pads and discs, renewal of wheel bearing) I've found them very efficient.

 

[PaulAr]

I just want to see it's been looked after. I don't think on a car of that age there is any extra value when you come to sell if its main dealer only. And even if there is, it'll be tiny and certainly won't make up for the premium you paid to have it serviced at Audi.

Having bought/sold/owned 30ish cars, many of them VAGs and/or other hot hatches, you will be surprised how many people place a value on full dealer history. Rightly or wrongly.

I kept the dealer history going on a 8yr old Corrado many moons ago which had 120K when I sold it. Dealer history was a prerequisite for the guy who bought it and he even went to the trouble of calling the previous servicing dealers to check the history was genuine.
In the end I got a very good price for it but admitedly probably spent a couple of hundred extra on servicing over the 2 year I owned it.

I had a similar experience with 6 yr old MK4 Golf and a 5 yr old CTR.

My point being that depending on the car and how long you wish to keep it, you can often see the extra dosh back spent on servicing when you sell the car on. Not to mention the easier resale experience.