Main Dealer "Major" Service work

Leon FR 184

Active Member
Mar 14, 2021
18
6
MK3 Focus RS had engine problems as well. Warped heads due to gasket failure, sure it ended up being a recall
 
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Leon FR 184

Active Member
Mar 14, 2021
18
6
Ah yes the 2.5T and good old “block mod”
Every post relating to modifications always have block mod, RS clutch and flywheel comments
 

Seriously?

Active Member
Apr 20, 2018
1,237
831
Makes you wonder how a major manufacturer with £000000000000000 engineering and development budgets could make such a comprehensive bog-up of it:unsure:
 

Dannnnn

Active Member
Dec 9, 2018
440
200
Hampshire
I just had my main dealer email me informing me that my cambelt is due a change as my Leon is coming up to 5yrs old.

I replied to them informing them that from my reg plate, they should know the car details and that the Cupra has a chain not a belt, so I wasn't sure how they thought they'd change it.

Another reason why to avoid the main dealers.
 

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,784
983
South Scotland
Good for them trying to make extra money, it is a shame that they couldn't get it right though, and this "5 years" nonsense is only coming from SEAT UK, and not from VW Group Technical, mind you, some of the importers are VW Group, so why hand out the "5 years" warning to owners when the official workshop manual suggests otherwise, no consistency and maybe no logic, another VW Group failing.
 

Leon FR 184

Active Member
Mar 14, 2021
18
6
I just had my main dealer email me informing me that my cambelt is due a change as my Leon is coming up to 5yrs old.

I replied to them informing them that from my reg plate, they should know the car details and that the Cupra has a chain not a belt, so I wasn't sure how they thought they'd change it.

Another reason why to avoid the main dealers.

I contacted my main dealer about timing belt replacement they wanted £670 to replace it and said I could easily pay it off in four monthly instalments
 

BoomerBoom

Active Member
Jun 1, 2018
690
249
Cambelt changes are a gravy trail for dealers. I received a 'warning' that the cambelt needed changing on my last diesel every year from age 4 to 9, despite them actually changing the damn thing at age 6 - and that was only because the idle roller was prone to failure.
 

Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
2,614
906
Ah yes the 2.5T and good old “block mod”
The problem of course was that there was no way to know if the mod had actually been done. I inquired about an ST down south, asked the guy if the timing belt had been done. He was cagey about then said it had been, was in the book. Didn't trust him and asked him to take a picture of the page, which he did.

On one of the service pages was written 'timing belt', in a different shade of blue ink from the rest of the page! So I called the dealer in question who were happy to confirm that the car had not had the timing belt changed!

Guy acted all shocked, news to him, then he re-advertised the car as having the timing belt done...

This is the kind of crap you're up against. Gave up looking for a clean ST.
 
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Leon FR 184

Active Member
Mar 14, 2021
18
6
The problem of course was that there was no way to know if the mod had actually been done. I inquired about an ST down south, asked the guy if the timing belt had been done. He was cagey about then said it had been, was in the book. Didn't trust him and asked him to take a picture of the page, which he did.

On one of the service pages was written 'timing belt', in a different shade of blue ink from the rest of the page! So I called the dealer in question who were happy to confirm that the car had not had the timing belt changed!

Guy acted all shocked, news to him, then he re-advertised the car as having the timing belt done...

This is the kind of crap you're up against. Gave up looking for a clean ST.
Agree unless you’ve got invoice from garage that done the mod so you can contact them you’ll never know unless you take the head off.

I carried out the servicing on my ST but got the timing belt and water pump done by a local ST specialist so I had prof if I tried to sell privately
 
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xyz

Full Member
Feb 28, 2004
565
204
oxford
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Absolutely. The two groups of people think dealer servicing is great are dealers and most of the people who buy cars! I know dealer servicing is a scam but even I want to see a row of dealer stamps when buying a car. It's a bit like McDonald's, it might not be brilliant but at least you know it's not dog food. And the person who buys the car off you might be in the 'McDonald's is brilliant' camp.

But then the people who “know” are the enthusiasts and I’d rather sell to them because they’d have a bit of knowledge about what they’re buying. I’m selling my Golf R soon and I’ll be asking quite a bit for it but what I think is a good price. It’s got quite a high spec, it’s had the thermostat housing done (£1000) uprated clutch (£1000) uprated front brakes (£800) plus it’s a three door manual so not very common, new battery, recent 40,000 mile service, Haldex service and MOT - if someone thinks it’s not worth it, then they can take their chances with a cheaper car that’s had none of those things done. I’m not desperate to sell - I like the car but want an RS3 saloon. If I don’t sell, it’s not a big deal. Not having a mk8 R because I think it’s minging!


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xyz

Full Member
Feb 28, 2004
565
204
oxford
Visit site
MK3 Focus RS had engine problems as well. Warped heads due to gasket failure, sure it ended up being a recall

I’m glad that my local Ford dealership’s poor service by their sales people put me of the RS. I know of one person who had two engines in the first 12 months. The rear diffs can play up too. Bought an equivalent Golf R for £5k less. Much better car.


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