VW dealership trying to con the wife?

Castiel

Castiel

Castiel

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My wife's Golf went in for its MOT today, passed no worries. Anyway the air-con and Brake fluid change services are due (car is 3 years old at the end of the month) and they offered her a 10% discount on the £85 cost of the A/C service and likewise for the £68 price Brake Fluid service, making them £77 and £62 respectively. (They tried getting her to agree to 3 new tires as well (2mm tread) at £200 a corner for Michelins, I said no as I can get Goodyear F1 AS2 for £120 fitted), anyway...on the basis of the the quote difference I looked up the prices of the respective services to see how different dealers were charging and how that compared to non-dealers...and lo and behold this dealerships (as well as others, as VW apparently offer fixed prices on servicing including A/C etc..) website states that the full retail costs are in fact £79 and £59 and £99 if you have the combined option....this is without any 10% discount. All prices valid from Jan 2013 to Dec 2013 clearly stated on the website.

Now, obviously I will be bringing this up with the dealership management tomorrow, but I was wondering if anyone else has similar experiences with VW authorised dealers? Given this one states that its motto include integrity and honesty, this seems about as dishonest as you can be. It seems they were attempting to fleece the wife.

Not really the kind of service you expect from what is supposed to a premium dealership.

/rant.

One other query, are the Goodyears £45 a corner better than the Kumho KU37?
 
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As someone who works for a major car dealer, our manufacturer gives us recommended prices for services and whatnot but ultimately leaves pricing up to each individual garage albeit ensuring a maximum price. The one that I work for happens to charge the recommended price.

I imagine it's the same for the garage you're dealing with. I'd have thought that if you printed off the page from the website then the garage would honour such a price. Dealers do quite well from their workshops ;).
 
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Ahleckz said:
As someone who works for a major car dealer, our manufacturer gives us recommended prices for services and whatnot but ultimately leaves pricing up to each individual garage.

I imagine it's the same for the garage you're dealing with. I'd imagine if you printed off the page from the website then the garage would honour it though.
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Afaik, VW/Audi offer specific fixed pricing through their authorised dealerships. Having checked around a few this seems to be the case.
 
Skoda gave me some part numbers and prices for changing the pcv system on my car and there was 2 parts that they wanted me to order and pay for fitting that my car didn't even have.
 
Castiel said:
Afaik, VW/Audi offer specific fixed pricing through their authorised dealerships. Having checked around a few this seems to be the case.
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Previously on their website they used to state in the small print that the prices on the website are the maximum prices they could charge.

When I pointed this out and asked why they are quoting higher than the maximum price they just gave me a BS answer and said they would be happy to price match as if they were doing me a favour.

I can't find that small print anymore though.
 
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Certainly when I told my local Audi dealership about the fixed price servicing on my old A6, they claimed they didn't know about it (so I showed them on the website). Low and behold they changed their price there and then, and offered me a discount due to messing me around.
 
The fixed price servicing is a joke, £149 for oil service and doesn't even include MOT! I would find a good VW/Audi indy unless you really want the dealer stamp. Ford do the same for £99.
 
Castiel said:
One other query, are the Goodyears £45 a corner better than the Kumho KU37?
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Yes they are. Kumho are rubbish. I bought them when I had an ST220 thinking I'd made a great saving based on some web reviews and whilst they were reasonable in the dry, they were lethal in the wet.
 
Castiel said:
My wife's Golf went in for its MOT today, passed no worries. Anyway the air-con and Brake fluid change services are due
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The 'Aircon service' is due? Is it really? I would be amazed if it was - generally AC is not part of the scheduled service regeime. I'm not up on the VW scheme but I'd triple check this because I'd be very suprised if the AC service was 'due'. What I suspect is the case is that they want to do an AC service rather than it actually being due.


One other query, are the Goodyears £45 a corner better than the Kumho KU37?
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Yes.
 
[TW]Fox;24299709 said:
The 'Aircon service' is due? Is it really? I would be amazed if it was - generally AC is not part of the scheduled service regeime. I'm not up on the VW scheme but I'd triple check this because I'd be very suprised if the AC service was 'due'. What I suspect is the case is that they want to do an AC service rather than it actually being due.
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Mmmm it showed up on mine as well but that was due to the age of the car and the fact that every bit of work done on it was at the dealers, I think it's more a it's not been done for 4 years so it probably needs doing and we can roll it in with the brake fluid for a cheeky £99.
 
panthro said:
Yes they are. Kumho are rubbish. I bought them when I had an ST220 thinking I'd made a great saving based on some web reviews and whilst they were reasonable in the dry, they were lethal in the wet.
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[TW]Fox;24299709 said:
Yes.
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Thanks, I think then that the tyre decision is sorted, Goodyears it is then.

So is £480 for 4 Goodyear Eagle F1 A2 fitted (225x40xR18) a good price?


Called up a VW specialist Indy and they quoted a combined £114inc for a brake and A/C service, so more expensive than the Main Dealer if they honour their fixed pricing at £99. Waiting on a call back from their Service Manager, their business manager who I spoke to this morning was apologetic and promised he would get her to call today or Monday morning to rectify the situation. We shall see if they do or not.
 
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225 / 40 / 18s

Get Bridgestone RE050A's I got mine a few months back for £96 a corner. Great tyre in the dry and wet.

I bought online, and paid £36 for fitting at a local F1 autocentre place.
 
[TW]Fox;24299732 said:
It's ok, I think. Camskill have:

ContiSport Contact 5 @ £98 a corner

http://www.camskill.co.uk/m61b0s134...Eff_:_E_Wet_Grip:_A_NoiseClass:_2_Noise:_72dB

Eagle F1 Assymetric 2 @ £104.95 a corner but out of stock

http://www.camskill.co.uk/m61b0s134...Eff_:_E_Wet_Grip:_A_NoiseClass:_2_Noise:_70dB


So thats works out at £430 delivered for the F1's or £400 delivered for the CS5.

Fitting is circa £10-15 a corner, so by the time you've faffed £480 isn't crazy money.
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Yeah, by the time you factor in delivery charges and fitting the prices are pretty much in the ballpark. I trust the local garage who quoted me as well and have used them a lot in the past. That's a done deal then.

The tyres on the car at the moment are Michelin Pilot Sport 3 on the front and Bridgestone RE050A on the rear. 3 are at 2mm and one of the rears is 4mm...I was going to change them all and the A2s seemed to get the better overall reviews.
 
[TW]Fox;24299709 said:
The 'Aircon service' is due? Is it really? I would be amazed if it was - generally AC is not part of the scheduled service regeime. I'm not up on the VW scheme but I'd triple check this because I'd be very suprised if the AC service was 'due'. What I suspect is the case is that they want to do an AC service rather than it actually being due.
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This. It's a nice little earner for them.

My Skoda AC still works fine after 8 years. Blows cold and no nasty smells.
 
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