Volkswagen service - your opinions?

2984 Views 45 Replies 21 Participants Last post by Cycles, Jul 16, 2004

Cycles

Discussion Starter · Jul 1, 2004

Hi all... Just had my 20,000 service completed on my Passat and wanted to post some thoughts as sort of personal therapy.

There was nothing out of the ordinary done at this service, just the standard 20k as outlined in the manual. I have my services done at the dealer, here in SF as I like to get those stamps in my book. Anyway, my point is that I paid $564.89 for this service and, honestly, it's the first time that I'm a little disgusted by the cost. Basically, they just topped off some fluids and checked for any problems. I maintain my car well, so it's rare that any shop will find a problem that I am not already aware of... Yes, I know that European cars are expensive to maintain and I'm certainly willing to pay it... There is no way I'd change my mind about my car because of this... I just wanted to rant a little.

I mean c'mon... the car needs new wiper blades and, in my opinion, that should have been included in a $600 service. /sigh.

/rant off

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doinitbig

· #2 · Jul 1, 2004

Service

I hear ya man! Whew....but you know how the dealers are. :crazy: ...I'm just curious of exactly how much your labor was..... :shock: !!!

slimebucket

· #3 · Jul 1, 2004

This may fall into the service "department" or not, heres my story

I have a 99 V6 auto. I got GIAC's ECU & GIAC's Tip chip and 48 hrs after the chip upgrade, my car went into limp mode.

I am making this story short for conveinence!

The VW dealership say I need a new TCU(Transmission Control Unit) well I talked to GIAC and they said no you dont. VW was going to charge me $900 for a new one and $100 for install and I would not have the GAIC Tip Chip in the new Board!

Anyway it was a matter of Randy and EuroSport running the saulder gun over the chip and it worked fine once he started it up, must have been a cold saulder joint.

boy am I glad I DID NOT follow VW and spend $1000 on something I didnt need!

Rich :wink:

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Cycles

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jul 1, 2004

Re: Service

doinitbig said:
I hear ya man! Whew....but you know how the dealers are. :crazy: ...I'm just curious of exactly how much your labor was..... :shock: !!!

Pretty ridiculous, huh?

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Meap

· #5 · Jul 1, 2004

When I bought my car I had all my services done at the VW dealer up to about 18,000 miles. I got fed up with the prices. Thanks to this board, I completed everything necessary for the 20 k service (which is not much) myself. I still took it in for them to do the tire rotation and fliud checks but bottom line is that the 20k service only cost me $42.46.

Now I do everything I can myself. I suggest you do the same, you'll save a ton of $$$.

Sharky

· #6 · Jul 1, 2004

That is OBSCENE.

Cycles

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jul 1, 2004

Augh... glad for YOU, but sick for me...

My thoughts for taking the car to the dealership are that it would be the only way to have the service record in the book when it comes time to trade it in. Thinking it will help a lot... but in the long run, I'm probably going to lose money on all the cash I'm paying those jokers to pop off some caps and check a dipstick or two...

::edit - oh and I didn't even let them do the tire rotation cuz they are brand new... /sigh::

e_andree

· #8 · Jul 1, 2004

Whoa..my VW dealership charged me 75 bucks for the 20k service. And they did a brake fluid flush as well.

Meap

· #9 · Jul 1, 2004

what year is your car? they do brake flushes every two years regardless of mileage. Mine didn't need a brake flush at 20k.

Cycles

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jul 1, 2004

e_andree said:
Whoa..my VW dealership charged me 75 bucks for the 20k service. And they did a brake fluid flush as well.

I just talked with the service rep there and he claims they did do the brake flush.

Sheesh, I have to find another dealer. Maybe the fact that this is the only one in San Francisco has something to do with it...

Cycles

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jul 1, 2004

Meap said:
what year is your car? they do brake flushes every two years regardless of mileage. Mine didn't need a brake flush at 20k.

2003

4THVDUB

· #12 · Jul 1, 2004

I agree, that is ridiculous. I do most service myself because of the way they charge. A friend at work who had leased a jetta turned it in and got a Honda because VW was charging him ridiculously.

Cycles

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jul 1, 2004

Well, I just called another shop down the Peninsula and found out that their 20k service is half of what I paid. I'm calling the service manager and telling him I want a discount because I didn't have the tire rotation done. Normally I wouldn't even consider making a deal out of this, but considering the degree to which they "screwed" me, I'm going to speak up.

Thanks, all, for letting me rant a little.

Meap

· #14 · Jul 1, 2004

since it is a 03' you may not have needed a brake flush

Cycles

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jul 1, 2004

I just talked with the service manager and he's investigating a little for me. Says he can make an adjustment for not having rotated the tires and maybe he'll even find more.

Buster

· #16 · Jul 1, 2004

I think you got robbed too. Definitely find another dealer. Just for comparison though, we brought our 01 in with a check engine light, and the dealer decided it was spark plugs. We figured, ok, how much can spark plugs cost? Wrong. Spark plug replacement cost us $350. I almost fainted. Then, of course, it wasn't the spark plugs and the CEL came on 3 more times. Find yourself a good independent shop. I give VW dealer service a big :thumbdow: .

Cycles

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jul 1, 2004

Yeah, typically I have always done my own tune-ups and any repairs I have the equipment to handle. Being my first new car, I just wanted to keep everything "by the book." But enough is enough...

RechtsFahren

· #18 · Jul 1, 2004

I see a lump sum of $315 labor (?) without explanation, so I'm assuming if you ask that is 3 hours labor at $105/hour....to change your oil. Oh, yeah it was nice for that amount of money they threw in an unscheduled air filter change too. All of that takes me about 45 minutes in my driveway, but I don't do it every day and I don't have a lift.

pamploner

· #19 · Jul 1, 2004

I don't know what engine you've got but here's the maint. sched. according to VW:
2003 18T
http://www.vw.com/SP/SchedMaint.jsp...=20000&units=MILES&submit=Display+Maintenance

2003 V6
http://www.vw.com/SP/SchedMaint.jsp...=20000&units=MILES&submit=Display+Maintenance

2003 W8
http://www.vw.com/SP/SchedMaint.jsp...=20000&units=MILES&submit=Display+Maintenance

The only "replace" items are oil, filter and pollen filter. No brake fluid, no air filter. Your dealer must have their own checklist.

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RechtsFahren

· #20 · Jul 1, 2004

The other mistake you made was going to a combined Volvo/VW/Audi dealer. Highway robbery times three. You'd think Volvo moves parts around their shop on Belgian lace doilies with with the prices they charge....

BTW the pollen filter takes even less time, it takes about 30 seconds to replace.

I'd suggest contesting it with the credit card company. First, ask the dealership to itemize the time spent for each part of the 20K service. If they won't (and they won't, I'm sure), then you can write that up on the form to the credit card company explaining why you think this charge of $400+ to change your oil is outrageous. If they won't explain how they spent their time at $105/hour then you might have a shot.

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