Service pack

[bilen123]

Wonder if anybody else taking delivery of the Golf after Mar 31st are aware of this or is it my dealer trying to pull a fast one?

I ordered the Service pack with my new golf @225 for the first 3yrs servicing.

Car is due now in April (they thought it would be end of March) and they say they can not offer the service pack on any car registered after 31st March 2009. News to me.

It was listed as an oprion on my order form (contract I signed) so I think they should offer it but don't know my rights

[knt]

Check the small print on the order/contract form to see if it says anything about registering the car before 31st March 2009 to enable the offer.

If it doesn't specify a date then you're within your rights to request them to stick to the contract or else you'll terminate the contract.

£225 for 3 years servicing sounds cheap to me, so it might be a special offer or something. As I know the 3 years servicing can be purchased with a new car for piece of mind, but don't know the actual costs of it.

[WeegieBob]

The £225 service deal was available when I picked my car up on the 1st and was a VW sanctioned offer, although due to unforeseen circumstances I couldn't take it up.

It certainly worked out (in my opinion) as an excellent deal when you add up the three separate service costs over the three years, not to mention only one of my Merc services cost nearly £500! I'd be very disappointed if this offer has been dropped as I was hoping to pick it up later on once my problem had been sorted out.

WeegieBob.

[iallen1@btinter]

Ive had it before, its a rip off. I only do 5000 a year so oil and filter on first and second service, they wouldnt do the airfilter on second service because the mileage was low, so i bought one myself and the filter was filthy. I can get genuine parts at trade and my mate is Vat registered, so stuff them all they want to do is rip people off

[bilen123]

3yrs servicing @225 was a stanadard option which I think is worth even though the Mrs will only do 5k miles a year...remember they recommend the brake fulid to be replaced every 2 yrs so it will inclsude this as wwell. The most important thing is I have fixed servicing costs for 3yrs

There is no small print about registering the care before end of March so I think it is a mistake made by the dealer which they will have to honour if VW don't - mind you I will be tied to them

I have never heard of any option which is time-based! They are trying to weasle out of it - many garages make their money from servicing

[zf44]

The Service Plan, which can only be taken out at the time of purchase and not after collection, is now only available on the Fox, Polo and the old Golf Plus range.

With all our VWs we signed up to the the VW Maintenance Plan, which covers servicing, maintenance (replacement of wear and tear parts wipers, bulbs, inc cam belt change) and tyres (inc wheel alignment) up to a period of five years. This applies to vehicles purchased from new or if it is used vehicle, the vehicle has to be less than a year old and with a mileage of less than £10k.

Depending on the mileage you do, prices range from £15 to £30 a month, we had/currently have this plan on all the Polos, Golfs and Beetles we owned - well worth it as we didn't need to take extended warranty with some of our vehicles which we kept over three years.

[bilen123]

I purchased the 'service pack' not the maintenance pack which covers just scheduled servicing

[zf44]

It all depends what is shown in your contract in terms of the delivery date, if it specifies end March you have a case there as the dealer has breached the contract. If it doesn't I would accept the reduction in price by them removing the manufacturer's service option and then you should seek compensation by making the dealer offer their own dealer's servicing plan for FREE.

Recently, all my local dealers were offering free three years servicing on their used cars but all of their vehicles had their service indicators set to the longlife servicing plan which meant the cars only had to be serviced once in the three years..... the dealer wins by increasing sales but the customer gets conned.:zx11:

[nokiauk]

I was told that for cars after 31st March you could still join a 3 year plan which covers all parts/servicing for 3 years but for the 1st 2 years you had to pay £13 per month

This comes to £312, a bit more than the £225 previously

Not sure if it's worth it anymore

[iallen1@btinter]

Its all a rip off even at 225, as previous post if like me you only do 6000 a year, then my car will have three oil changes and brake fluid, and thats if you can prove theyve done the brake fluid, they wouldnt even change my airfilter as on third service i had only done 18000, and not 20000 and it says 20000 for airfilter in manual, that was for a polo. dont bother and just go to a vat registered garage and as long as they use genuine parts then the warranty is valid, i got genuine oil and filter for my old polo for 13 quid, and mechanic changet it for a tenner, 23 in all bargain, i waited with car and it only took 15 minutes book stamped and gone, dont let them rip you off

[bilen123]

I agree to many it would seem like a rip off but that is what servicing is about!
My wife had a golf for 5 years previously and she did about 5k a year. I recall on one service they did nothing at all and another they did not reset the time interval light so I guess they did nothing on that service either. Still had to pay £125 each time anyway

Problem is every year the service light will come on and I will need to service it to keep it under warrantly so I am obliged to spend £125-£150 (VAT included) each time.....even if they don't do anything!!!

If it had no service light I wiuld service it every 18months, mind for the first 3yrs it will have to be annual to keep the warrantly alive

yr1 = 125
yr2 = 125
yr3 = 125 +brake fulid change add 75 = 200
Total 450

[zf44]

Or you can always ask the dealer to set the service intervals to long life, that is, every two years. All our VWs were serviced under this long life plan. It will save you the hassle and the money, you will be charged only £200 in year two (brake fluid needs to be changed every two years).

[zollaf]

I agree to many it would seem like a rip off but that is what servicing is about!
My wife had a golf for 5 years previously and she did about 5k a year. I recall on one service they did nothing at all and another they did not reset the time interval light so I guess they did nothing on that service either. Still had to pay £125 each time anyway

Problem is every year the service light will come on and I will need to service it to keep it under warrantly so I am obliged to spend £125-£150 (VAT included) each time.....even if they don't do anything!!!

If it had no service light I wiuld service it every 18months, mind for the first 3yrs it will have to be annual to keep the warrantly alive

yr1 = 125
yr2 = 125
yr3 = 125 +brake fulid change add 75 = 200
Total 450
why are you obliged to spend that money to keep your warranty. so long as you go to a garage that is vat registered, and they use approved brands of parts and stamp your book, your warranty is unaffected.http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/general-advice/right-to-repair-campaign.html

[bilen123]

Sorted, VW dealer rang me up to sat it will be ok to continue with the service pack deal....all this fuss for nothing

Thanks everyone for your input. Picking my car up on 20th April (order feb 7th)

[knt]

Good news, about time they keep to the signed contract/form.

[iallen1@btinter]

Sounds expensive to me £125 for a first service when they will only change the oil

[knt]

Other manufacturer dealers are charging more than that.

[bilen123]

Expect a ton+ for any oil service

Checked the manual with the car (and it clearly states this on the service reminder sticky on the inside door) .....Brake fluid change is AFTER 3yrs!!!!! and then every 2yrs after that

What a rip off and how very convenient. I espected my first bake fluid change to be part of the service deal (done on it's last service)

I tend to agree now that the service is not probably worth it.

(I am sure I read every 2 yrs for all cars noit just VW!)

[paul.mgrath]

I ordered my GTTDI nearly 10 days ago and in the package i went for the service package. The wife does around 10K a year if that and we are on the long life package with our present mk5.

Because of the way its driven (10miles a day) Mon - Friday the car has gone a maximum of 14K between services and numerous litres of oil inbetween.
Therefore i feel the longlife choice isn't really for us.

We decided to go for this package because of cost certainty over 3 years. Basically we can buy the car and leave the warranty and the service pack to look after the car for 3 years!!??!!

More overly make sure that the extended warranty is taken out as 2 months after ours came out of warranty the Manifold flap failed 2 weeks after its 2nd long life service!

[bilen123]

Thanks for your input. I agree for short journey's long-life servicing is not the choice
I had to fight for my service pack, dealer said to me they stopped doing them for cars registered after 31st March even though I put my order in beginning Feb! so how you ordered yours now I don't know..or was my dealer trying to pull a fast one.

Turns out the gain is marginal as £225 for 3 oil services is £75 a service. They will no change brake fluid or air filters

[iallen1@btinter]

ive been saying this all along, all were paying for is for the new showrooms, i had to put a airfilter in myself after the first year as it was filthy, but the garage said it didnt matter as it only needed doing at 20000, what a load of bull. I can get a oil and filter change for my mk6 for 40 quid, and thats genuine oil and the booked stamped, dont let the dealers rip you off.

[machine]

Thanks for your input. I agree for short journey's long-life servicing is not the choice
I had to fight for my service pack, dealer said to me they stopped doing them for cars registered after 31st March even though I put my order in beginning Feb! so how you ordered yours now I don't know..or was my dealer trying to pull a fast one.

Turns out the gain is marginal as £225 for 3 oil services is £75 a service. They will no change brake fluid or air filters


I've never paid as little as £75 for a oil change at any dealer.

and the paperwork that arrived the other day specifies the brake fluid change is included nor are air filters excluded.

[bilen123]

What paperwork? is it specified anywhere else (website etc) as I would like to keep a copy to show them when the time comes.

It states quite clearly in the handbook that Brake fluid is to be changed AFTER 3yrs initially and then every 2 years. Also it says this on the sticky label on the side of door that supposed to remind you when the service is.

[machine]

I received a letter with a little booklet about a month after I took delivery of the car.

It came from VW finance in Milton Keynes and clearly states.

12 month/10k oil change service
24 months/20k Interval service including oil change
36 months/30k inspection service including oil change and brake fluid change.

I fully expect to have any filters changed that would be changed if I didn't have the cover and the brake fluid is explicitly covered.



They might be able to clarify things for you on 08700102022 which is their customer services number.

[VictorPapa]

I picked up my GT TDi today and was offered a 3 or 4 year Service & Maintenance Plan that apparently covers all services, 2 MOT's, 4 years top level AA cover, tyres, wiper blades, bulbs, fuses etc etc, along with any major parts that may fail in the four years. The four year plan was just over £33 p/m - £1600ish over the 4 years. It does give peace of mind but seems pretty expensive if I only use it for the services and MOTs. Have taken it for now...with an option to cancel if, after looking into it further and totting things up, I feel it's not for me.

[machine]

Unless you're doing a huge number of miles I doubt you'll get value for money.

[bilen123]

Ok, I received my letter from VW (financial services) about my service pack agreement. It was a 4 page flier really with no detail as to what is covered. The letter accompanying it was also brief
I was hoping on soemthing in writing to indicate what exactly was covered so the garage could not weesle out of it

[machine]

I was hoping on soemthing in writing to indicate what exactly was covered so the garage could not weesle out of it
Reply With Quote

The brake fluid change is mentioned as being part of the package.

[bilen123]

Sorry folks to mis-lead. In the documents sent to me it does say brake fluid change is covered.
The is resolved for me now. Thanks for the input from everyone.

[JCClem]

I ordered my golf in Feb, it was delivered in mid April, garage would not honour £225.00 service deal (despite on order and with delivery stated as end April) as it only applied to cars registered early and a new monthly (dearer) deal was in its place.
As my car is on a 3 year contract the new deal was not worth having as in theory I would be giving back the car thus needing only 2 services.
The oil changes do not seem too dear and even the garage thought VW had shot themselves in the foot.

[maisbitt]

UNless you're a highmiler, you won't get your money back on this deal. The first brake fluid change is now at 3 years, then every 2 years after that, so they won't do that for you. Long life service is generally 15000 miles or more for the first one (unless you thrash the car). So you'd have to do more than 30000 miles in the first 3 years to guarantee getting 2 oil changes out of the dealer for your £225.

My first service on the Golf GT Sport was £138 at my local dealer, so if you get 2 of those in before your 3 years is up, you'd have saved £51. If, on the other hand, you just miss the 2nd service before the 3 years is up, that pack has cost £87 more than the individual service.

Ring around the dealers for your service - I have 2 different groups within 10 miles of me, and 1 charges around 40% more than the other for the same service!

[machine]

UNless you're a highmiler, you won't get your money back on this deal. The first brake fluid change is now at 3 years, then every 2 years after that, so they won't do that for you.

Yes they will it's mentioned in the paperwork as being part of the deal.


Long life service is generally 15000 miles or more for the first one (unless you thrash the car). So you'd have to do more than 30000 miles in the first 3 years to guarantee getting 2 oil changes out of the dealer for your £225.

Or just have 3 annual services, services you'd have to have to maintain the warranty.

[maisbitt]

Will the dealership let you have 3 annual services, or will they go for the cheapest option to them? If they can impose the cheapest option on you, they'll probably stick you on the extended service interval.

The reason that VW can offer these cheap service deals is that they pay the dealership for the services at contracted labour rates far lower than the dealerships charge retail customers (at the same rates VW pay the dealers for warranty work).

An oil change service is around £55 in parts (for the oil, filter and drain bolt washer), factor in an hours labour at no more than £40 an hour at VW rates, and the dealer probably gets £90 - £100 for the same service they'd charge the customer £150+ to do. My local dealer charges £200 for my oil change service, but 8 miles away, a different VW dealer group charge £138 - always worth shoping around.

[iallen1@btinter]

still a rip off, i cant get oil and filter for 40 quid and booked stamped and that using geniune parts at a vat registered garage so warranty is unaffected

[machine]

still a rip off, i cant get oil and filter for 40 quid and booked stamped and that using geniune parts at a vat registered garage so warranty is unaffected


It amazes me that people have an asset worth 15-20k and then look to pay as little as possible to maintain it.


Will the dealership let you have 3 annual services, or will they go for the cheapest option to them? If they can impose the cheapest option on you, they'll probably stick you on the extended service interval.

The intervals are xxx miles or 1 year.

My plan includes 3 services, if they try to wriggle out of it they're in breach of contract.

[maisbitt]

Machine. I'd hardly call a new car an asset - how many "assets" depreciate like a new car? It is an expensive toy with some practicality. I say toy, because if I took no pleasure in owning a nice car, i'd just get a banger to take me to work and back.

Even so, I see what you mean about being cheap. I'd never have a car neglected on service to save £100, but there are firms out there who'd do just as good a job as the VW dealer for just over half the price - no harm in using them, or quoting those prices to a VW dealer to get them to come down on the price a little.

[iallen1@btinter]

I could pay whatever for a servive, but how can VW charge 1oo odd pounf for a oil and filter change and another garage can do it for 40, its because were paying for the new fancy showrooms

[knt]

It's 'cus VW needs to make as big a profit as they can get away with and not break evens.

[maisbitt]

Showrooms are expensive to maintain - I make sure I get a free can of pop or Flavia hot drink and a biscuit everytime i'm in the dealership and waiting for someone to see to me!

That free can of pop makes all the difference on an 80% mark up for an oilchange vs your local garage (and the special stamp in your sevice book). No one cares where you got your car serviced now, as long as everything was warranty compliant. I certainly wouldn't stand for a VW dealer offering me a few hundred quid less at pat-ex time because the services weren't carried out by a VW dealer.