Ridiculous service cost - VW Polo

Superjakes

Superjakes

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I am seriously cheesed off at the moment with VW. Got a verbal quote for the 90k km service on my 1.6 Polo, and since they need to change the cam belt (which is understandable), it will set me back a whopping R5800! Would it cost the same on a 1.6 Citi?

I just want to mention that this is the same company that quoted me 6k for four shocks on the same Polo (I eventually got a quote for R1500 for four shocks).

Has anybody had a similar experience? What to do? Do different dealers charge different prices for services? Can anybody recommend an independent car service station in the Centurion area?
 
U can try Car city Service - they have branches all over - see below for Centurion - after VW dealer tried to rip my wife off for fitting of brakes i took it to these guys who were 1 third of the price and they didn't skimp on the quality so give them a call and compare pricing.

Address: Cnr Hendrik Verwoerd Drive & Old Pretoria Rd,
Centurion

Telephone: 012 653 8810
087 802 5207

Email: [email protected]
 
haha you drive a VW /points :D
Serves you right :p
 
I am done defending VW. The cars are decent to great, but the after sale service is rubbish...
 
Superjakes said:
lol - actually my wife drives it. i bought it before marrying her, but she uses it. point and laugh at her if you want! :P
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You bastard! First you knock the helpless lady up then you saddle her up with a VW :p The world is full of sick individuals! :D
 
There...when Renault/Alfa/Peugeot drivers told ya'll to buy the cars, you were all quick to say, no the cars break...but its infact the dealers who break the cars...and then the dealers who'll have to fix it..and overcharge you! LOL...that's MORE than what I paid for my cambelt service...R4000 + labour...comes out less than for a boring @ss polo without leather and dual climate control...get your head right ou, get away from VW and get into stylish cars!
 
I want to agree with ALFAHOLIC's first part......it is infact the dealers that destroy your car when you take them in for services...
 
LancelotSA said:
...and people always talk about the cost of services for Renaults which always grates me!
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Its not service cost but the service itself:D.
My mother's clio (back then i used to drive it) had to be towed 14 times to the dealer in 3 years.
Most of the breakdowns were recurrences.
1 cambelt cut (at 40k kms - shocking)
Ignition coil replaced - twice
Fly wheel sensor - three times (the last time it was towed 4 times - as the sensor fails when hot so u cant start the car again. By the time it was towed, it cooled down so started at dealer - told the delaer each time check the sensor cos i am expert at this (from experience, not a mechanic:p) - they didn't. Eventually towed to another far out dealer - and they fixed first time.
 
Dont ever take your care to VW to get things done to your car. All you need to do, is take the car to them for a normal service. Anything else they tell you is wrong (shocks, cam belt etc) just take it to Shell Auto Serv or some other mechanic dealership you can trust and confirm what VW told you and get them to fix it.

As long as you get your service book stamped at VW at every service, you are fine.


swsup97 said:
U can try Car city Service - they have branches all over - see below for Centurion - after VW dealer tried to rip my wife off for fitting of brakes i took it to these guys who were 1 third of the price and they didn't skimp on the quality so give them a call and compare pricing.

Address: Cnr Hendrik Verwoerd Drive & Old Pretoria Rd,
Centurion

Telephone: 012 653 8810
087 802 5207

Email: [email protected]
Click to expand...
 
I'm thinking this is happening to all of the known new car makes (VW, Opel, Toyota, Nissan, BMW, Merc) due to the level of technology going into them. The "new imports" might be a bit less taxing on the pocket, but I'm sure they'll catch up when they realise how "fixed" the market is.
 
Got the same quote for my polo... took it somewhere else (was an RMI approved service centre) to service for much less. This was in cape town though so can't recommend the place.

Also, vw wanted R450 to change the lightbulb for one of the dipped beams. Bought one at a local motor spares and replaced it myself. It takes less than 1 minute to change the bulb. VW charges are majorly inflated, they're taking everyone for a ride.
 
Superjakes said:
Has anybody had a similar experience?
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Yes. Charged 5k and broke more sht than they fixed and flat out lied. Was not a VW branded garage though but rather that other huge dealership company that I'm not going to name. Still raging about that.

MFour said:
I'm thinking this is happening to all of the known new car makes (VW, Opel, Toyota, Nissan, BMW, Merc) due to the level of technology going into them.
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True. My dad's BMW had an electrical fault somewhere which BMW dealership couldn't find. Various attempts at fixing it cost like 20k & still didn't get it fixed. And that kind of thing you can't take to some no-name brand shop...they have even less chance of sorting out the electronics.
 
If it makes you guys feel any better, I paid R3263 to service my A170 Merc today:

ASSYST PLUS major - R772 :wtf: Seriously - what is this crap? 10-second diagnostic?
Replace brake fluid - R166 + R55.60
Replace dust filter - R333.60
Replace spark plugs - R166 + R120
Oil change - R291.20
Filter Oil - R94.84
Filter Combi - R612.10
Brake Fluid - R65.06
Spark Plugs - R339.48

This was at Orbit Motors at Century City. I've had several services done there, and every time I feel totally ripped off.

They quoted me R1700 to replace only the front brake pads, which I refused to have done.
Is really wish I knew a non-Orbit Motors mechanic who can service my car!!!

I know a dude who drives a Merc C32 who told me his services cost about R10k.

This A170 is a great car, but I will definitely not buy another Merc. Their service costs are outrageous and their service is no better than anyone else's. The only thing I was happy about was the car wash, they did a great job.
 
Superjakes said:
I am seriously cheesed off at the moment with VW. Got a verbal quote for the 90k km service on my 1.6 Polo, and since they need to change the cam belt (which is understandable), it will set me back a whopping R5800! Would it cost the same on a 1.6 Citi?

I just want to mention that this is the same company that quoted me 6k for four shocks on the same Polo (I eventually got a quote for R1500 for four shocks).

Has anybody had a similar experience? What to do? Do different dealers charge different prices for services? Can anybody recommend an independent car service station in the Centurion area?
Click to expand...

We did a 90K service on my wifes polo last November. Costed R2200 with the cambelt change.
 
Nice - you bought a VW - you deserve that.

But seriously, that is impossible. I paid R4k for my Astra's first cambelt service on 75,000km and that included new brakes all round and it was done outside of the service plan.
 
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