Service Costs for a Mk 2 Leon

Fishy

Active Member
May 16, 2005
1,080
4
Mine needs its 30k service, so called about and stealers wanted £185, AMD wanted £120. :whistle:

Fish
 
Dec 15, 2007
1,143
0
South East London
Yep London dealers do seem to get away with charging stupid prices, my first service was £251! I suppose that maintenance package you have depends on how many miles you do, if you get through two services a year and 4 tyres, it will work out nicely.
Jeez... my first service was £100 all in, thats at AMDTechnik at Lakeside. Top blokes and they lent me a Skoda Octy VRS to get me to work and back, only the other side of Lakeside.
The checked everything and even told me that Vag-Com had brought up errors from when i fitted my satnav and speakers, and they cleared them.
Still deciding if I should let them loose with some Revo magic.
 

MATT'88

Selling Leon 170 TDI
Oct 19, 2008
76
0
ESSEX
Surely if you car is going for a SERVICE while still under WARRENTY. Things have to be changed on a service, but you just said if anything has to be done then it goes back to seat. It doesent make sense. Wish i didnt buy a new car now.!!!
 

Donnyboy

The Candy Man
Mar 15, 2005
1,558
1
renfrewshire
Mine goes for it first year service next week after 6k miles. £112 was what I was told on the phone for service and inspection. Thats from a SEAT garage. [B)]
 

chrisboyle999

MFD3 for sale, inbox me.
Nov 28, 2006
1,838
0
Geordieland
Surely if you car is going for a SERVICE while still under WARRENTY. Things have to be changed on a service, but you just said if anything has to be done then it goes back to seat. It doesent make sense. Wish i didnt buy a new car now.!!!

warranty claims have to be done by the dealer, obviously.
servicing can now be done by a vat registered garage and doesnt void the warranty. if the find a problem then it goes back to the dealer. (unless you want to pay for it out of your own pocket that is.)

as for me, cupra 1st service was less than £140 and that included a puncture repair. not too bad i thought.
 

seremotors

Dave the Parts Manager
Mar 11, 2008
12,507
9
Belfast UK
www.seatcupra.net
to recap on an old thread, buy genuine SEAT parts and have your reg number typed on the invoice somewhere at point of sale. get the service done by a reputable garage with an itemised receipt and list of checks carried out. with this proof of servicing, no manufacturer can invalidate a warranty ;) just be sure your garage carries out ALL the necessary checks as per the SEAT schedules.

re labour costs, i thought that a central city location would attract higher operating costs hence needs to charge more for labour?
 

MATT'88

Selling Leon 170 TDI
Oct 19, 2008
76
0
ESSEX
Its just had 2 brand new front tyres. I doubt they come under warranty either its general running gear.
 

/dev/null

Active Member
Nov 12, 2008
1,649
101
Just got mine back from 40k service (FR 170) which was £314 inc 10% discount on the service. Had to have brake fluid and pollen filter changed at the same time, would have been £285 otherwise.
 

belgarion

Cupra07
Mar 13, 2007
102
0
Waltham Abbey
I've just been quoted £260.28 (I'm guessing Ex VAT) for 2nd annual service, and £50 for brake fluid change.. Think I'll do that myself! Charging that much for what? They actually going to watch it drain for 30 minutes? (Seat in Cheshunt)
 

seremotors

Dave the Parts Manager
Mar 11, 2008
12,507
9
Belfast UK
www.seatcupra.net
I've just been quoted £260.28 (I'm guessing Ex VAT) for 2nd annual service, and £50 for brake fluid change.. Think I'll do that myself! Charging that much for what? They actually going to watch it drain for 30 minutes? (Seat in Cheshunt)


same old story guys - average dealer labour rate is £75 an hour, non-franchise averages £35 :( Parts and service departments are expected to generate enough profit to cover the operating cost of the whole dealership. Add in the expense of obligatory VAG corporate standards and its not cheap or easy to run a showroom.
One idea being discussed is a 'sliding scale' of labour charges - full whack for specific stuff like diagnostics, dropping to lesser rates for routine work that any garage can do. Difficult if not impossible to put into practice tho :think: Look how many manufacturers do offers on cars over 3 years old to keep them in the network - same work, different price.
It is a proven fact that the majority of drivers still believe that the dealer is still the best place for service work due to warranty worries, service history, resale value etc. Im not saying I agree or disagree but it is true . . . . . . . . . .
Aint ever gonna change as long as aftersales is subsidising the boys in pink shirts and stripy suits :cry:
 
Dec 15, 2007
1,143
0
South East London
same old story guys - average dealer labour rate is £75 an hour, non-franchise averages £35 :( Parts and service departments are expected to generate enough profit to cover the operating cost of the whole dealership. Add in the expense of obligatory VAG corporate standards and its not cheap or easy to run a showroom.
One idea being discussed is a 'sliding scale' of labour charges - full whack for specific stuff like diagnostics, dropping to lesser rates for routine work that any garage can do. Difficult if not impossible to put into practice tho :think: Look how many manufacturers do offers on cars over 3 years old to keep them in the network - same work, different price.
It is a proven fact that the majority of drivers still believe that the dealer is still the best place for service work due to warranty worries, service history, resale value etc. Im not saying I agree or disagree but it is true . . . . . . . . . .
Aint ever gonna change as long as aftersales is subsidising the boys in pink shirts and stripy suits :cry:

But are you saying it's true that people think that, or that it is in fact true.... :whistle:
 

seremotors

Dave the Parts Manager
Mar 11, 2008
12,507
9
Belfast UK
www.seatcupra.net
But are you saying it's true that people think that, or that it is in fact true.... :whistle:

Fair point :think: Depends what you read. Mind you, almost every leasing company still uses the main dealer across all their brands. I have an Audi TT with a faulty speedo/dash panel - well known fault. Its out of warranty with a full non-franchise history. Had it been serviced at Audi, then they would have stumped up the £800 quoted to replace as a customer goodwill gesture. Also, some cars are badly hit on value without a full main agent history. I will be having my services done on all my family cars at the appropriate dealerships but will only get the minimum done - additional chargeable work such as pads etc will be done at home ;) Keeps the cost well down, gets the book stamped, keeps the franchise goodwill and will help resale.
Each to their own :)
 
Last edited:
Jul 10, 2007
1,267
0
Leeds
The things that gets me is half the time I'm not actually sure they've done what they should.

Have had some cars it comes back from the service and you can tell they've adjusted a few things, other times they don't pick up on things they should have done.

My Cupra they actually put the wrong oil in [:@]

My Celica was in the Toyota dealer for some warranty work just before I ordered the Cupra. Got a free safety report for the car which is fine. Pity they had measured the tread depth without looking at the tyres.

One of the back tyres was original so had about 38K of wear, the other had maybe 8K of wear but according to the dealer both had the same depth :confused:

I pay my money and go to the main dealer for servicing, but not convinced they even check what they should. I only go there for the stamp in the book to reduce any issues with warranty work or in case I need a goodwill gesture just outside warranty.

Also what confused me was VW and Audi have variable servicing, whereas SEAT is fixed service intervals with the exact same engine :confused:
 

seremotors

Dave the Parts Manager
Mar 11, 2008
12,507
9
Belfast UK
www.seatcupra.net
The things that gets me is half the time I'm not actually sure they've done what they should.

Have had some cars it comes back from the service and you can tell they've adjusted a few things, other times they don't pick up on things they should have done.

My Cupra they actually put the wrong oil in [:@]

My Celica was in the Toyota dealer for some warranty work just before I ordered the Cupra. Got a free safety report for the car which is fine. Pity they had measured the tread depth without looking at the tyres.

One of the back tyres was original so had about 38K of wear, the other had maybe 8K of wear but according to the dealer both had the same depth :confused:

I pay my money and go to the main dealer for servicing, but not convinced they even check what they should. I only go there for the stamp in the book to reduce any issues with warranty work or in case I need a goodwill gesture just outside warranty.

Also what confused me was VW and Audi have variable servicing, whereas SEAT is fixed service intervals with the exact same engine :confused:

Im with you 100% on that one - there is NO excuse for poor work, dishonesty or lack of product knowledge. The whole motor trade gets a bad enough name without shooting itself in the foot at every opportunity [:@] We dont get it right every time either - I have been a service Manager for a few franchises and I moved back into Parts as service is so thankless. Pressure to sell hours, no room for goodwill, no one wants to pay for anything. crazy franchise standards . . . . . its mad!
Re the intervals, a lot is 'political' and down to the VAG hierarchy - Audi is prestige so gets all the innovations and updates first, then VW, then SEAT, then Skoda. You get treated like a lord at most prestige franchises but dont forget its all paid for by the labour rate ;) no such thing as a freebie, not even the 'free' BMW Saturday carwash club :lol:
 
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