Servicing Costs

[sunny-dave]

My Audi Q5 is asking to be serviced - 14,000 miles, just over a year old.

It's an "oil change + oil filter change and count the wheels" sort of job.

My local Audi garage wants an eye-watering £346.07 to do the job. Whilst I particularly like the exactitude of the 7p on the end, the £346 on the front is taking the pee.

Another Audi garage wants about £279 for the same work - which is better - but a reputable third party firm (F1 Auto) will do it for £89 (possibly plus a bit if fancy synthetic oil is needed).

My local (and trusted) garage will do it for £40 plus parts.

I know that there is no longer a requirement to use the main dealers to maintain warranty cover - the only snag seems to be that the third party servicers can't update the digital service record, so I'd have to be very careful about keeping receipts.

I'm just not quite sure ...

Would you risk the third party?

If not, why not?

Dave xx

[VHG]

Sadly a lot of these dealerships charge over £60 an hour just for the labour.

So 4 hours of labour comes to at least £240.

Annoyingly a 1 year old car should not need a lot of work doing on it, so as you say, an oil change, and a quick look over should be enough.

See if they do some sort of service plan. I recently signed a service plan for my car with a dealership for one major service, one minor service, and an MOT for one price, which was cheaper than the cost of one major service.

[bhg481]

How long do you intend to keep it? If I were looking for a fairly new Q5 I'd want dealer servicing stamps. An Audi dealer will also update software etc, which other garages may not have access to.

[sunny-dave]

Thank you both - useful replies.

I'm still pondering, but will certainly ring the dealer to ask about alternative plans.

[maggiebee]

Yes I would take the risk. I only have a humble Fiat, but my dealer wanted an arm and a leg to service it. Local trusted garage did it for a fraction of the cost and I'm completely satisfied. Keep receipts of course.

[humbersloop]

No Dave, unless the third party dealers are recognised Audi repaír centres basically there goes your waranty

[bhg481]

Well, a quick look on the Audi website says "starting at £31,000", so not a cheap car. Also, as Humbersloop says, Audi could quibble if an expensive repair is needed inside the warranty, so I'm with him.

[humbersloop]

^^oops warranty

[sunny-dave]

A brisk negotiation with a different Audi dealer has now got it down to £250 including the pollen filter (which would need changing soon anyway as a separate job) - it's still a lot, but less of an affront.

Thanks everyone.

[humbersloop]

Pollen filter??

Is that Audi for hanky....;)

[sunny-dave]

Sniff :+)

[ukbod2015]

i have an older Audi and queried the cost of replacing a number plate lamp that some dear little cherub had taken a liking to. "Well that will be £70 for the diagnostic" - that was as far as I let him get as I already knew what the problem was and did it in 20 minutes myself for £17. I looked around his very shiny service office with the walls covered in diplomas for his tecnnicians, and pointed out they might benefit from a few mechanics rather than technicians.

[BRIGHT SPARK]

sd....It goes against the grain but its not worth the risk to do it on the cheap.If you sell the car in the next few years then the dealer stamp will more than cover its cost.A mickey mouse stamp will cost you on resale even if you dont need a warranty claim.My BMW M5 is due its first main service and this varies from £370-£480...for an oil/filter/pollen change.These cars are packed with techno and most non franchised dealers dont have the up to date kit to check them out.Once the car is out of warranty then its less of a risk....but may still cost on resale.

[sunny-dave]

I reluctantly agree BS - as you say, it could be an expensive false economy.

Thanks everyone.

[gingejbee]

I'm afraid it's a "you can afford a pricey car, so you can afford pricey servicing" situation.
I also have a VAG car....my first service was £90 and my second (just done) £150...this includes fully synthetic oil, pollen filter and all wheels off/brake cleaning etc. The car actually FEELS as if it's been serviced.
And...while the car is under manufacturer's warranty, I won't be taking it to anything other than this franchised dealer (although we all know it's not now a requirement to do so). I have a feeling that, if warranty work is needed, the manufacturer isn't going to use the "it's not been serviced properly" get-out...if the car has been serviced at one of it's own dealers' workshops.

[TWR]

Sandy, Go for your local Garage not the dealers, their overheads are a lot, insist what you want doing & ask them to make sure are approved Audi Parts/ Filters, I have tried to advise the same as others on here regards getting ripped off, I would show them the service book & state that you want the service to follow Audi's recommend route, one the service data on the dash has been updated & logged, you then have the prof in case you decide to sell, providing any car is serviced right, the right parts / oil/ filters/ on the date recommend your car will keep it's value.

[-Talbot-]

dEPENDS ON HOW LONG YOU THINK YOU WILL KEEP THE CAR FOR.
olocks ..not typing that again.

[TWR]

Sorry I should have said Sunny.

[BRIGHT SPARK]

TWR....the 'local garage' wont be able to carry out software updates....any money saved will be lost on re-sale.If we were talking about an old French pedal car then I would agree with you....however were talking about a Germanic masterpiece here...:-)

[TWR]

Family run garages can get sort ware through their Lappy Bright.

[gingejbee]

I just knew that TWR would come up with the same argument that he always does, but I agree with BRIGHT SPARK. Apart from the warranty situation that I have already mentioned, there are other issues. My (now) two year-old car has had two separate software updates and was the subject of a "technical campaign"....new parts were fitted to avoid problems that a few owners had already experienced. Had I gone for servicing at a non-franchised garage, these improvements would not have been done and I would be driving around in a car not up to manufacturer's specs.