Servicing

[Doogle]

So, after going through all the signing and triple checking of documents picking my car up yesterday, I moved onto service packages and in particular the "Cupra Care".
Imagine my surprise when I was advised by the sales guy that I'd be better off "Putting the money to one side and basically pay as you go each year" he honestly thought the Cupra service package was over priced (The top package worked out at around £40.00 a month for 3 years I think)

He may well be right but I'm curious as to what other owners thoughts are and what packages/plans do you use...if any, or do you save and "Pay as you go"?

 

[H Rafiq]

I pay as I go. I’ve never paid for service plans, despite being offered them. I like to shop around reputable garages and dealers and get the best price. I guess it depends if you want peace of mind, and if you want to stick with the dealer on servicing. I also like the flexibility of choosing when to service and what to have done.

It looks like the plan will cost you £1,440 over 3 years. But, looking on Cupra’s website, a service every year for 3 years would cost £769. Independent garages would be cheaper. Depends what the service plan offers you, what intervals they’d service it etc.

 

[/dev/null]

From reading the various threads on here, I think most people (including myself) are either leasing their car on a PCH agreement, or have it on PCP with no intention of keeping it after the term.

For those, I'd question whether it's worth having main dealer servicing at all. You're giving the car back in three or four years so no point shelling out on top tier priced servicing. So long as you can find a service centre who uses genuine parts and is able to update the online service book then go there instead and save yourself some £££.
I did this on my last car (Mercedes C class). Probably saved about £800+ over 2 1/2 years by having it serviced at the local Mercedes specialist. Haters will hate, but so long as you use a reputable partner then there literally is nothing to lose, especially if you're only keeping it for 3 years (so no goodwill required just outside warranty) - independent service doesn't invalidate warranty before anyone says it does! You're never going to own the car, so why pay through the nose to maintain someone else's car? Top and bottom of it is - do the absolute minimum required to keep it safe, reliable, and yourself free from any liability with the finance company (use approved garage and OEM parts) - and nothing more.

 

[Doogle]

I pay as I go. I’ve never paid for service plans, despite being offered them. I like to shop around reputable garages and dealers and get the best price. I guess it depends if you want peace of mind, and if you want to stick with the dealer on servicing. I also like the flexibility of choosing when to service and what to have done.

It looks like the plan will cost you £1,440 over 3 years. But, looking on Cupra’s website, a service every year for 3 years would cost £769. Independent garages would be cheaper. Depends what the service plan offers you, what intervals they’d service it etc.

Yeah I can see your point,

From reading the various threads on here, I think most people (including myself) are either leasing their car on a PCH agreement, or have it on PCP with no intention of keeping it after the term.

For those, I'd question whether it's worth having main dealer servicing at all. You're giving the car back in three or four years so no point shelling out on top tier priced servicing. So long as you can find a service centre who uses genuine parts and is able to update the online service book then go there instead and save yourself some £££.
I did this on my last car (Mercedes C class). Probably saved about £800+ over 2 1/2 years by having it serviced at the local Mercedes specialist. Haters will hate, but so long as you use a reputable partner then there literally is nothing to lose, especially if you're only keeping it for 3 years (so no goodwill required just outside warranty) - independent service doesn't invalidate warranty before anyone says it does! You're never going to own the car, so why pay through the nose to maintain someone else's car? Top and bottom of it is - do the absolute minimum required to keep it safe, reliable, and yourself free from any liability with the finance company (use approved garage and OEM parts) - and nothing more.

And that’s where I’m in a different position as, whilst I’m on a two year PCP deal (To take advantage of the £1500 offer at the time) my intention is to keep the car as it’s been bought with my upcoming retirement and hopefully will last a while
Of course things change so who knows but, after having my last car (Honda Civic) on a plan and regularly serviced I was going to do the same with the Cupra (tbh if it’s as reliable as the Honda was I’ll be more than happy)

 

[Supa Koopa]

I bought the basic service plan which is £14.99 for 2 years which includes the first 2 services, a minor and major. It'll go to the garage for the first couple of years anyway so should be a small saving and I also don't have to worry about paying for it when it's due. The full 3 year one is a rip off as it includes brakes and their prices for brakes are a joke.

 

[oldgitdave]

I bought my V2 Hybrid outright, I've never been a fan of PCP tbh. I was offered Cupra Care but thought it far too expensive. So she'll go to the stealer for general servicing to keep the history up to date and I'll simply pay when due. I don't do many miles in a year, and most of those will be in milk float mode so there shouldn't be much servicing to do tbh. I expect I'll get fleeced though!

 

[Supa Koopa]

Quick look online, first service £249 second service £299, so that's £548 in the first 2 years as they have to be serviced yearly. The cheap plan is 14.99 X 24 = £359.76, so in theory I should be just under £190 better off. Even if I could get them discounted down to £180 each I'd be no better off and they're already paid for so I don't have that sick feeling walking out of the garage having just given them £200 for lifting the bonnet and saying everything is fine. (I've got the 310 by the way so don't know what the others require).

 

[/dev/null]

Quick look online, first service £249 second service £299, so that's £548 in the first 2 years as they have to be serviced yearly. The cheap plan is 14.99 X 24 = £359.76, so in theory I should be just under £190 better off. Even if I could get them discounted down to £180 each I'd be no better off and they're already paid for so I don't have that sick feeling walking out of the garage having just given them £200 for lifting the bonnet and saying everything is fine. (I've got the 310 by the way so don't know what the others require).

Is that just the 310 and/or hybrids which require yearly servicing?

The 1.5 doesn't.

 

[Supa Koopa]

Maybe it's the 310's. ( Registered April 22)

 

[Tormentor]

My VZ3 requested an oil change after 3,000 miles! I have the £14.99 monthly plan, so in it went.

 

[schofier]

I was under the impression it depends on what service schedule has been set on the vehicle, longlife or time and distance.

 

[oldgitdave]

Hmm, interesting th8s is how my V2 Hybrid looks:

 

[FormentorVZN]

Hmmm picked my car up at the end of March and was planning on having the car serviced every year (will be paying as I go along to avoid the monthly outgoings).
However, my Cupra app shows that I don’t need a service or at least an oil change for 2 years?!

 

[/dev/null]

Maybe also check in the car, as the app doesn't have the best reputation of being reliable for anything!

 

[Fr2013]

Hmmm picked my car up at the end of March and was planning on having the car serviced every year (will be paying as I go along to avoid the monthly outgoings).
However, my Cupra app shows that I don’t need a service or at least an oil change for 2 years?!

Variable service schedule. I specifically asked for mine to be set to this when I picked it up, so that in the 3 years I have the car on lease, I only need to get it serviced once. Worked a treat with my Ateca.

 

[Andy.M]

How can you tell what schedule you are on?
Why are there different schedules anyway?

 

[SRGTD]

How can you tell what schedule you are on?
Why are there different schedules anyway?

There should be a PR code on your car’s data sticker to indicate whether the service regime was set to flexible (variable) or fixed (time and distance) in the factory when the car was built. Below is the list of possible servicing PR codes.

PR codes used will depend on the county / market a vehicle is sold in. For the UK, codes should be either QI4 or QI7 for the fixed / time and distance servicing regime or QI6 for the flexible / variable servicing regime.

• QI1 Service interval display every 5,000 kilometres or every year (fixed)
• QI2 Service interval display every 7,500 kilometres or every year (fixed)
• QI3 Service interval display every 10,000 kilometres or every year (fixed)
• QI4 Service interval display every 15,000 kilometres or every year (fixed)
• QI6 Service interval display every 30,000 km or every 2 years (flexible)
• QI7 Service interval display every 10 000 miles or every year (fixed)

I seem to remember that historically, the flexible / variable service regime was introduced primarily for operators of large vehicle fleets to help them ‘manage’ the maintenance costs of their fleet of vehicles. IMHO, the service regime that is best for you / your car depends on how you use your car. If you’re leasing your car, there may also be specific requirements regarding servicing in the lease agreement.

VW have the following guidelines on their website, which would also be appropriate for Seat, bearing in mind VW and Seat use the same engines;

Fixed Service - Recommended if:

• You drive fewer than 9,300 miles per year
• You mainly drive in the city, or if you make frequent short journeys
• You often carry out high engine loading activities, such as steep hill climbs, towing, and driving often with multiple passengers
• You often drive using a high engine rpm with heavy acceleration and braking

Flexible Service - Recommended if you:

• You regularly drive more than 25 miles per day
• You regularly drive long-distance
• You drive at a constant speed with minimum vehicle and engine loading, such as hill climbs, towing, and driving with passengers

 

[Andy.M]

Thanks for that, very informative. Looking at my Cupra connect app it states service required in 18,600 miles or 710 days so I'm going to assume its QI6.
As we usually fall into the less than 9000 miles a year, VW would suggest the fixed regime. Presumably for an oil change? Would the car recognise this if required and request an oil change on the app?

 

[Fr2013]

If you’re not intending to keep the car longer than three years then I’d leave it as it is and save some money. If you plan to keep it/own it then with your mileage I’d move to Fixed yearly personally.

 

[dashnine]

There should be a PR code on your car’s data sticker to indicate whether the service regime was set to flexible (variable) or fixed (time and distance) in the factory when the car was built. Below is the list of possible servicing PR codes.

Where's the data sticker on the Formentor? I had a quick look around the car but couldn't find one. I assume we're meaning the one listing the VIN, build, option codes, etc.?