If you are in Spain... 20K service

[Sooty torques]

While in Spain recently my 20K service became due. Odo was showing 18.5K when we left the UK, so told the wife we may as well get the service done in Spain at the local (to her dad's) SEAT service centre. My local stealers had already quoted me "around £230" for the 20K.

Took the car in for checking price and was told the 30K km service (20K miles equivalent) would be costly. Then they told me it would be "around 130 euros". I made them detail all that they would do against the service book to check I was getting the full show.

Just got bank statement which shows just under £113 including all bank and exchange charges. And they vacuumed, washed and polished my car for me, which my local stealers never do - they are always "too busy" / "didn't have time" / "short of staff" / etc. Plus the service centre in Spain is very swish and shiny and new - like a boutique - and the staff are really friendly and helpful (again not like my stealers who act is if they are doing me a favour!!!).

BTW this is the same Spanish dealers who stripped, cleaned and rebuilt the turbo on my Leon PD130 for 300 euros when my stealers said same job would cost at least £600...

Just need to try and synchronise visits to father-in-law with service intervals...

 

[johnbev]

Yep, my Dad lives in spain too, has an ibiza tdi and thought it expensive when he was quoted around 200 euro for a cambelt, till I told him how much it is here
Main Seat dealer too, just goes to show what rip off labour charges are over here And why they are refered to as "Stealers"

 

[warren_cox]

Yep, my Dad lives in spain too, has an ibiza tdi and thought it expensive when he was quoted around 200 euro for a cambelt, till I told him how much it is here
Main Seat dealer too, just goes to show what rip off labour charges are over here And why they are refered to as "Stealers"

Labour rates in general are quite a bit cheaper in Spain than in the UK as wages are lower on the mainland. However the differential between UK and Spain is in some part down to profiteering. They will tell you it is the cost of the equipment they have to have, but the garages over there seem to be tooled up to the equivalent. Rip off Britain I'm afraid, every dark art is turned into a excessive profiteering opportunity (look at plumbing for instance).

 

[Jacey Boy]

My parents have a place in spain too and have a Leon MK2 TDi Sport (LHD) and they say Seat are a ripoff down there

 

[Sooty torques]

Well dpends on your view-point I suppose? For example my f-in-l just had his Mitsubishi Colt 1.6 serviced - major service - and he was grumbling that it had cost him nearly 80 euros...

 

[BeezerDiesel]

I guess the Spanish are used to paying those sort of prices so will grumble as they know the Juan under the railway arches can do it for 2/3s of the price, or Miguel who works for the dealership can do it cash in hand for a quarter during siesta time.
The current exchange rate being nearly 1:1 really brings it home.

Us Brits like to grumble about everything so the powers that be give us plenty to grumble about as they know we won't do much about it.

Still, excellent excuse to go on a nice touring holiday Ray.

 

[Sooty torques]

Hey Andy - so true! Any excuse for a blast down the autoroutes or over the Pyrenees...