Dealer servicing, do you bother?

[Russ_20vt]

My 40k service is coming up and i really cant decide wether or not to get it done by the dealers, ive had my car since 23k and up to then it had a full service history.I did the 30k service myself as i wasnt prepared to pay £180 for an oil change basically but i keep thinking whether it will help with the resale of my car getting the important 40k service done by a dealer

In the 40k service is oil/filter,plugs, air/fuel filter and brake fluid i beleive, all this im capable of changing myself but is it really worth paying the labour charges just for a stamp in the book. As working the part prices out ill be paying roughly £120ish on labour.

Suggestions please.

Thanks

Russell

p.s i enjoy doing the work myself.

 

[RALF]

I do mine all myself now, as i refuse to pay £80 per hour my local dealer charges. As for the stamp, i stamped it at work. Not a seat stamp.

What i have done with invoices that i have with parts on that i have changed is write the date and mileage on them.

If you want a stamp use a vw specialist or local garage. Its also amazing the things you find on a certain auction website

 

[cu51pra]

i get my car serviced at the dealer every time

 

[Russ_20vt]

do you mind me asking why? just to help me decide.

 

[flashbsd]

same as but i take mine to a local garage who does an excellent job, and even lends me a car for the day without having to book it!

to be honest, full dealer service history is good, but they can do just as crap'er job as if i took it to a rover garage! swings and roundabouts

 

[Simon L]

I prefer to take my car to a local garage i have been using for a while, where i know the mechanics and they look after the car.

 

[Russ_20vt]

True, its either take it to a full dealer or do it myself. I dont know of any good small garages around that i would trust as much as myself.

 

[Cupra Kid]

Theres a VW specialist in my town so i take it there a dealer service history isnt important i dont think and they can stamp it and still do a crap job. I like mine because the mechanic himself comes out covered in all kinds of stuff from my car with a massive list and tells me then shows me exactly what he's done and why. I'll take oily and narly over clean and smily coz it always makes me think they done nowt at the dealers

 

[dannyk]

I take mine (and the wifes) to a local garage as i know th guy and i know he does a good job, i can also go in the workshop and see what hes doing etc. In my experience with dealers, they don't do all the checks that is required for a service, The y don't take care of your car, you have to book a courtesy car weeks in advance and have to pay to get insurance on the car.

TBH, i'd rather buy a car which has a full service history from a local garage who was known by the seller.

Cheers

Danny

 

[Kam]

I watched a VAG technician carry out the 40K service on my old Cupra - it was done privately. There really wasn't that much to it and I am sure that if you know you can do it yourself, it will be equally as good.

The stamp in the book is important in terms of re-sale creditentials though I think!

 

[Forbez]

I get mine done through a VAG garage, and it never works out that expensive, plus i wan the full service history, but seeing as you've lost that by doing the 30 yourself, if you can do the 40 then go for it.

 

[m0rk]

When I bought my 16v I got a service history carried out by SEAT until 30k, the rest by a VW specialist. But by service history I mean - every single invoice the car ever had. Stamps in books only tell half the story (that you know a mate with a stamp) receipts & invoices give a much better idea.

 

[dannyk]

Stamps in books only tell half the story (that you know a mate with a stamp) receipts & invoices give a much better idea.

Very true, i keep every invoice/receipt i get, i also ask for a copy of all the warrenty work carried out to, from new. Found out there had been a few things done before i bought my car. Just helps alot when it's time to sell.

Danny

 

[WeeJase]

i'm sure the last two people to buy my SEATS will vocuh for just how much paperwork i keep when i own a car,receipts for everything gets kept in a folder,if i'm doing a service myself i fill the book in,if its something i can't do then i use a local garage.
for far too long dealerships have had the general public under the impression that you HAVE to have it dealer serviced.

 

[Beaker™]

What about the servive light that pops up on your dash?

 

[Mattman]

i use awsome gti !!!

 

[davidol]

I brought my car on 28k miles and its now on 32k after owning it for 3 months, the car only did 4k miles last year but the guy that owned it had it completely serviced by seat.

The way i see it now im planning on changing the turbo etc so i'd rather a specialist with excellent VAG experience did the work, plus i dont think the value of the seat stamp in the book is worth the extra resale value when you sell the car. I had a 30k service done by Grant and Jock at westec and they did a excellent job

The other annoying thing that bugs me with dealers is the all too familar attitude of "well if it doesnt show up as a fault code theres nothing wrong". Jock and Grant have always taken the time to investigate any faults on my car with their eyes and hands, not just what the ECU says

However if I was capable of doing the jobs byself (im a sparky, not a mechanic) i'd be tempted to do them all myself and keep detailed receipts for what i'd done any maybe takes some photos of the job im progress to show the potential buyer come resale time

 

[WeeJase]

What about the servive light that pops up on your dash?

mine only flashes "service" on the tacho,then goes out,its not been reset since 47k,its now on 52500k i'll get round to resetting it next time it can be reset with vag com

 

[Russ_20vt]

Woo thansk for all the replys, still confused although im definately not going to bother with the main dealer - may have a hunt around for a local Vag specialist or put the mittens on and get out in the cold.

Seems most people like to see recipts and evidence of what has been done to the car over a stamp in a book.

Suppose i could make my own blue peter stamp.

 

[WeeJase]

if you're not too keen on getting under the car,i can highly recomend a pelle pump to suck out the oil,doing the oil change yourself could pay for the pump in a couple of changes.
though i haven't tried emptying the oil filter yet,my idea is to peirce it and get the pelle pump into the filter casing.might make it a whole lot eaiser still.