Volkswagen servicing

[Edo123]

Hi

We have a 2 years old Jetta which we have always taken to the dealership for servicing in order to maintain the warranty. since we bought it. But the dealership has recently increased the service charges and it is kind of suspicious when they tell us that the car needs changing this, that and the other, even though it is a brand new car and only has 40k on the clock, every time we take the car to them.

So I am coming to you guys to get an advice on how we can get our car serviced for less money without compromising on the quality of the servicing and without damaging the warranty contract with VW. Sorry we are new to this, but are there any other places who have the same competence/credentials to service your car per the manufacturer's requirements for german cars?

Any suggestions would be highly appreciated.

PS. The car is currently located in Edmonton.

[Edo123]

Anyone?

[darthVWader]

I take my TDI to Mid Town in Calgary. Others love Tunedub. Sorry have zero info on Edmonton.

[MrSector9]

Heard good things about Westside automotive. I have not used them myself. You could try Airriders on facebook or online, they are an edmonton based vw club, They should have some recommendations

[sloan]

How many Km's? What trim Jetta?

[alanaround]

I take my two VWs to Tunedub :thumbsup: nothing but good service there and reasonable prices compared to dealer.

Plan to take the GTi there for it's first service..

[Edo123]

Originally posted by sloan
How many Km's? What trim Jetta?

42000. Its the basic trim but Auto.

[jabjab]

Why not Calgary Autoworks, have had good experiences lately with them.

[killramos]

I always used 5th Ave Auto House in and out of warranty on my GTI and never once felt like i was being ripped off. The have all of their services quoted on their website so no surprises when you come to pick up the car, also tells you what will be done.


15,000 km - $160
30,000 km - $384
45,000 km - $160
60,000 km - $566
75,000 km - $160
90,000 km - $384
105,000 km - $160
...


Your car is well within warranty, what could they possibly be asking you to replace that is so expensive? Oil and air filters?

The expensive VW service items come much later in life when timing belts need changing etc ( do they even use timing belts any more?).

Consult your service manual on what VW says you should be changing and compare it to what your service adviser says. Its written in pretty clear English.

If they are trying to screw you then that's a good reason to switch shops but maybe you just weren't clear on how much VW's cost to maintain when you bought it ( one of the big reasons i sold mine).

:dunno:

Edit: Just saw you are in Edmonton, 5th ave is owned by the Shostak automotive group who i know owns Lethbridge VW as well. Might be worth checking to see if they own a dealer in Edmonton as well :dunno:

[nismodrifter]

I had excellent work performed by Autobahn Performance in Edmonton. Would definitely recommend them.

[Edo123]

Thank you very much everyone. Really appreciate your replies. I will check those dealers out.

[huch]

Not trying to derail the thread but just curious about tunedub.... Why are they replacing spark plugs every 32,000km? That's over kill since VW suggests every 96,000km?

[rage2]

So aside from regular service, what is your dealer asking you to change?

I would stay with the dealer while its under warranty just for peace of mind, but I'm curious what extras are they asking you to do, and are they forcing you to do it to comply with warranty?

[flipstah]

Are there changes on top of the recommended items in your upcoming interval?

[Edo123]

I cant remember off the top of my head what other things they replaced but when I serviced the car at 30,000 km they charged me $600. Surely just the oil and filter change wont be that much?

[killramos]

Originally posted by Edo123
I cant remember off the top of my head what other things they replaced but when I serviced the car at 30,000 km they charged me $600. Surely just the oil and filter change wont be that much?

It doesnt, which is listed in my table above. Though there is more to 30k service than just oil and filter.

I assume you kept your receipt which will list every dollar item they charged you for?


Basic Service

Oil, Lube & Filter
30 Point Inspection
Adjust Tire Pressure
Check Battery Voltage
Rotate Tires
Top-Up Fluids


I bolded the extra items in the 30 k service for you

30k Service
Oil, Lube & Filter
30 Point Inspection
Adjust Tire Pressure
Check Battery Voltage
Check Condition of Timing Belt
Inspect & Adjust V-Belt
Perform Complete Vehicle Scan
Replace Cabin Pollen Filter
Replace Engine Air Filter
Rotate Tires
Top-Up Fluids


It still sounds like they charged you more than the dealer I am quoting would have but it is their right to charge whatever they want. Again if you can let us know what services they actually did on your vehicle we might be able to help more on what they are ripping you off on.

As Rage said sticking with dealer for peace of mind is a good move. If you want to keep your warranty you need to follow the service schedule and at least you know the dealer is liable to check off every box on VW's list :dunno: .

[bart]

goto tunedub

you dont need to go to dealer to maintain warranty

[rage2]

Originally posted by bart
goto tunedub

you dont need to go to dealer to maintain warranty
In theory, you don't, but it makes it a bigger pain in the ass when it comes time for warranty work. If this was a GM thread, I'd say stick with the dealer. :rofl:

[Edo123]

Originally posted by killramos


It doesnt, which is listed in my table above. Though there is more to 30k service than just oil and filter.

I assume you kept your receipt which will list every dollar item they charged you for?


I bolded the extra items in the 30 k service for you


It still sounds like they charged you more than the dealer I am quoting would have but it is their right to charge whatever they want. Again if you can let us know what services they actually did on your vehicle we might be able to help more on what they are ripping you off on.

As Rage said sticking with dealer for peace of mind is a good move. If you want to keep your warranty you need to follow the service schedule and at least you know the dealer is liable to check off every box on VW's list :dunno: .

Thanks a lot for your advice buddy. Thats so kind of you. I would love to tell you exactly what they charged us for but my OH has misplaced the receipt. Thats what happens when you trust women to keep things safe :D