Pine Man said:
I had a call yesterday from my dealer notifying me that my first service was due in about three weeks and I should book it in.
I asked why it was about six weeks earlier than I expected as all my previous VWs were serviced annually on the anniversary of delivery to me. The response I got was that it was the onboard computer that worked it out and if my mileage was a bit higher than expected it would be called in earlier. My mileage since August 2020 has just reached 1400 miles and when I told her the phone went quiet for a while and then she said that low mileage would do it as well!
When I got the car I took out a two year service plan and when I told her that she said that I would have to have other work not included in the plan which would cost just under £40. I can't remember what the additional work was but when I pressed her she admitted it was advisory.
Amazing. I too had the 2 years service plan on my 2.0 R-Line TSi, and I can advise that when it had its first service at one year old, there was absolutely no "additional" work, advisory or otherwise needed.
Just had the second service done at 2 years old under the plan back in March, and when I checked it in, they told me that the brake fluid needed changing at 2 years. I queried that, as I know from experience of my Audi's that the first brake fluid change is at 3 years from new, then every 2 years thereafter. Turns out that I was correct - now why don't dealerships know this!!!!! The only other thing they recommended was a disinfecting of the air-con system (which I did authorise, as it always helps to have the system cleaned every couple of years), yet later in the day, they recommended that I needed a complete re-gas, so I said if that was the case they could do it under warranty as no way should an air-con system need re-gassing after 2 years at which point they admitted that if everything was "blowing cold", then no need for a re-gas. So that was another £169 "advisory" saved.
Lesson from all this is to know what needs doing at what service interval and not be "advised" by their need to shake a few more shekels from your pocket unnecessarily.
Oh - and if you have the sun-roof - that apparently needs servicing every 2 years (correct), AUDI I know charge about £125 for doing this (I haven't asked the VW cost, as you can buy the proper grease for doing the job yourself at the spares counter for about £10 or so).
I have no problem with work that needs to be done at proper intervals being done and go out of my way to understand what that may be; but every time they have an "advisory" I do ask them to show me the VW service schedule indicating that that work is necessary or advised, ALSO why they never mentioned it when I booked the car in.
