How to service brand new car?

[ProTofik]

Well, brand new at least to me.

I would like to start with saying that I have never owned a car younger than 10 years, which I always serviced myself. That was oil & oil filter change, air filter, cabin filter and fuel filter.

So I just purchased 13 months old /14k miles Seat Leon with 5 yrs of warranty from official dealer. In order to keep the warranty, I want told I need to service it with them every 12 months / 10k miles. I don't drive a lot so it's gonna be 12 months for me.

Anyway, the car was serviced by the dealer just before I got it. To my surprise the free service my car got was apparently worth £189 and all they did was change oil and oil filter.

When I asked about this they said oil and oil filter change is every 10k miles, pollen filter every 20k, and fuel and air filter every 40k. This doesn't seem right.

So 2 questions:
1. Is there any way to get service done cheaper while keeping the warranty? first 3 years of warranty are with SEAT and remaining 2 I purchased are with the dealer (SERE).
2. Fuel filter and air filter every 40k? Will I even make it to 40k?

 

[Scrogg]

Full details of the work carried out during each type of service can be found on page 8 of this brochure

 

[Philh46]

If another garage does not use the same oil /filter as seat you risk warranty knock back. Been a few instances where the wrong type of coolant has been used.

The few pounds you save is it worth the hassle while in warranty ?

 

[Dr.Dash]

OP, if you put a location in your profile you may get some more helpful replies.

Use a VW independent specialist. My experience is that the work is done to a higher standard and at significantly lower cost. For example an interim longlife service on my 1.4TSi was £125 from Midland VW, which included the pollen filter which dealers don't routinely do. All genuine VAG OEM parts used.

Even as a low annual mileage driver I'd get it put on the Variable Service intervals so that you only need the inconvenience of a garage visit every 2 years. Then simply do an oil change yourself after a year (5 litres of synthetic oil & SEAT OEM filter costs £30 online).

 

[IbizaNI]

I wouldn't have taken the SERE warranty if I were you. I bought my Leon from SERE 3 weeks ago today and they wanted £329 for a 12 month warranty, their own warranty that is which I didn't take and I've decided I'm going to take out an official Seat extended warranty within the next few days as my manufacturer's warranty runs out next week.

The Seat extended warranty "only" costs £165.28 for all component cover with less than 10k mileage a year and £0 excess, nearly half of what SERE wanted, although I don't know the differences between them, I'd rather have the flexibility of being able to choose which dealer I take the vehicle to, whether it be SERE, Agnew or Donnellys rather than be tied down to a single dealer.

I'm from the Ards area and a good VW Group specialist around here seems to be DR Automotive, VW Group specialists located in Newtownards, which them being VW Group specialists I'd imagine they'd use original manufacturer parts and keep the warranty intact, for the duration of the first 3 years anyway.

However, with the SERE warranty they may tie you down to needing to have the car serviced with them, check the small print and see if it makes any specific reference to this.

 

[LouG]

Do it yourself and keep receipts. Buy the proper sump plug tool too, don't use a screwdriver.