I have 59 plate CR170 VRS CEGA owned for 10 years. All bosch filters and quantum lll oil comes to £80 delivery off ebay. Do it myself every 9-10,000miles for the past 10 years. , currently on 249,800 miles. Saving myself a lot!
Hi Dean. I have an RS6c6. Full main dealer service history until recently. 1. It seems they only had one senior technician capable of working on the car. 2. Every advisory came with a HUGE estimate. Last time I got cover price from local independent VAG specialist ( employees several ex Audi Mastertechs) and it was just a little under 50% cheaper ( labour). All sorted, OEM parts,polite and punctual. OK they didn’t have a coffee lounge, beauty bar or gym- but that’s fine- all I wanted was my car fixing!!
Spot on! Specialists all the way. I have an Audi a4 Avant 2.0tdi and the Audi main dealer quoted £1512.00 for a cam belt/waterpump. The specialist quoted £1507.91 for a cam belt/waterpump, thermostat, bottom crank pulley, fuel filter and a service. I know it’s not the cheapest but knowing the car is being looked after by ex Audi techs who know their stuff is priceless.
same applies to BMW vehicles .. evern simple stuff .. my wife's X5 needed a new telematics battery (in the sharks fin) .. franchise BMW wanted to read the codes for £140 and then £500 (ish) to replace the battery whereas local specialist needed just £140 including Vat to replace it ... hardest bit they needed to deal with was all the interior trims as it is tucked above the head lining
For me, if the car is within warranty, it makes sense to take it to the main dealer. Once the cover has run out, it’s time for a good independent. My local independent is excellent - very knowledgeable and well-priced. They know me and my cars and always ensure I pay for what’s needed and don’t try to fleece me. I can do without the posh lounge and coffee machine if my bill is 30% cheaper!
@@nowwerefarming5637Not the case sadly, I have a JLR Velar V6 D300, it's due it 7 year service in April, cost £1550, that's a big service including timing belt and other major parts, fluids, filters etc. Indie quote was £1300. The JLR warranty specifes it must have genuine JLR parts for warranty to be valid, the indie would not be using those.
While my JLR warranty is still live I will go main dealer. Tbh the difference in price was negligible for main dealer peace of mind. My JLR Velar V6 D300 is due its 7 year service in April and it's £1550 at the main dealer, including timing belt and other major parts and fluids, filters etc. Indie quoted 1300 plus jlr insist on genuine JLR parts for the warranty to be valid, which the indie would not be using.
I've always done my own since hearing that a local dealer was wiping the oil filter with a rag to make it look like the oil change had been done. Then taking the parts and oil home to do back handers on weekends. I also had to diagnose the fault that was stopping my reversing lights working after they had the car in three times and couldn't fix it! I'm now 70 and still doing most of the families cars including cam belt changes and saving loads and at the same time knowing everything is done. No, I'd never go to a main dealer. They are no longer properly trained mechanics they are technicians who only do what the computer tells them to do with very little idea why they are doing it.
@markrainford1219 I get you, a lot of diy:ers should never touch a car, I mean the ones who actually know what they're doing... 😊 Been working successfully on my own cars for 35 years now and still no mishaps. 👍
I never ever use garages or main dealers. Always do myself. Hate timing belts it scares me. But everything else is OK. Absolutely everything. Cheers Dean fave channel. ❤
I took Dads Suzuki Wagon R in to the main dealer for its first service. When we looked at the sheet it said they had adjusted the clutch and had charged for a bottle of screenwash. I had to challenge them by asking which clutch they had adjusted as it was an automatic and how had they managed to get a full bottle of screenwash in as I had filled it to the brim before setting off and hadn't used the washers? How do they get away with charging VAT on top of VAT? T bottle of screenwash was listed on the invoice at the including VAT price in their forecourt shop yet VAT was added to the whole bill. I did insist that this was removed from the invoice as it was blatantly not used. Needless to say, after a long discussion I persueded Dad to not take it there again, he was convinced it had to go there to maintain its warranty. Found a much closer and far more proffesional independent garage and one of their senior mechanics lived in the next street who would take his car in the morning and return it when he cae home from work. Far more convenient and superior service. No wonder they get reffered to as "Main Stealerships".
I started in the motor trade early 70’s every joint needed greasing, inc prop shaft, steering box oil check, oil change engine, gear box rear axle between 5&8K miles. Distributer points and rotor clean replace adjusted etc, carburettor clean and adjust, Dynamo belt adjustment, they went wrong often, now suspension rubber bushes which last, alternators go on for ever, as more items were improved ie., lasted a lot longer, less work, less labour, so main dealership put up their prices to cover the short fall, we were told this by several dealers we knew !!!
Started in the 70s too primarily as Auto Electrician but worked at Main Dealers service depts so saw all and did some comprehensive service schedules too.How things have changed,everything now is check this and that and change some filters.Every other job is extra charge--- wheels dont even get removed,brakes never stripped and cleaned etc etc..The term full service does not exist now and for good reason!
Everything shown here is brilliant for anyone working on a vag car of similar age and engine type... No water pump with the belt change, completely negates the whole process and reasoning for the job in the first place. Thank you for your great video's
Not changing the water pump is the silliest mistake you can make on these engines... If it goes you've to do it all over again... And there's a bloody good chance it will go
Ever since I started servicing my cars myself and doing basic maintenance (faulty sensors etc, suspension, brakes, etc) whenever I have had to go into a garage the prices have genuinely shocked me.. you get accustomed to everything costing "parts only" prices ... Once you add in labour it's staggeringly expensive keeping a car on the road!
Initially took my Octavia to Skoda dealer in Oswestry. But they’ve been bloomin useless getting parts. I’ve since bought the car and use a local guy at Cwrt garage nr Aberystwyth to do everything. I really trust him, he’s super knowledgeable and charges very fair prices.
Wouldnt go near a main dealer with their pricing. I do my own servicing when i can. Have limitations to my abilities but persevere until unable and luckily i have a local mechanic very close who is dead on. Channels like yours make it look easier than you think sometimes. Definitely keep them coming.
I've been using an Audi main dealer for servicing (2011 Audi A3 which I've owned since 2012) because I bought a service plan which at the time was good value. With their labour rate now at £180/hour I won't use them for repairs, especially if it's something I can do myself. It's quite easy to source new old stock genuine VAG parts at a fraction of the price of a main dealer. The other thing I've learned is that main dealers are unfamiliar with the common faults that emerge as the vehicle ages. Generally they only see newer vehicles up to the first MoT and want to charge for diagnosing a problem that a specialist would know straight away through their experience of working on older models. It's like asking a paediatrician to take on a geriatric case!
I worked for austin rover,nissan,citroen,renault,kia,chrysler,misubushi,lotus dealers over my 38 years in the industry i know plenty of backstreet garage owners who have worked with me in the past,plenty of cowboys out there and plenty of gems just do your homework and youll find garages who will give just as good if not better service than a dealer!😊
Always do any work im able to on my own cars. I keep all receipts and use quality parts. I think the way things are going now with videos like yours, more and more people are willing to give things a go themselves rather than pay thro the nose to main stealers. Its always good to know a good fair trustyworth mechanic though.
Brilliant. Really enjoyed this. Great work. Both spanner and camera. I tend to use independent specialists for my Subaru. I have just bought a Skoda Fabia vrs mk1 with only 60k in the clock. I am 100% taking that to Skoda main dealer for belts, full service, few little electrical niggles. Just to keep the book stamped and up to date and hopefully preserve the originality and value of the vehicle. Great video as always. Really enjoyed that.
Very interesting video am from U.K. but moved to Poland I bought a Octavia VRs 2.0 TDI I’ve a local garage with a elderly guy he is so spot on Labour only £40 I just had front struts and springs top hats and wish bone bolts changed OEM parts as Czech is just over the border for factory parts the cars has done over 200K but still runs so well I’ve been running liquid moly injector cleaner in it and it’s made running and starting much smoother Only gets used for long drives but love it
I'm lucky enough to have a good, laid back independent mechanic very near me. He takes care of the stuff that needs a ramp, and MOT/servicing. I do the other stuff myself when I can
Main dealer for servicing or not? This experience goes back a long time, to when the Vauxhall Vectra had very recently been launched. I’d just gone into a main dealership to buy replacement wheel trims for my Cavalier because the originals had just been stolen while on the Asda car park. They had a Vectra in the showroom and I liked the look of it and asked if I could have a decent length test drive in one. Cutting it short, they said they didn’t have a salesman available but as long as an employee was with me, I’d be insured. That sounded like a bonus. An oldish guy in a boiler suit joined me and I gave it a run along the country roads I used to commute on. We got into conversation along the way and the guy told me that he was normally employed to clean up around the place but that lately they’d been busy and he was now working doing the trim on car interiors. I was a bit put out by that because for anything that involved trim work they charged a premium because it was the job for experts not mechanics and certainly not floor sweepers, nice guys as they may be. I bought a Vectra from the dealership up the road where I’d bought my wife a Mantra back in 1984. I swapped the Vectra for a 6 month old Octavia 4x4 turbo hatchback with 4383 on the clock in 2002. I still have it with 212,060 on the clock, looking and running good.
@@KeyBrosUK but they do dispose of the oil. That’s what an employee said to me after quoting me £380. I can take it to the tip for a few quid of petrol
Hello from Ireland again, Dean. God, I do remember this Car, ages ago lol. There are Years left in this Car, with all this Work getting done, great job. That Engine sounds wicked. Whoever Wins 🏆 it, they should be so happy, well done with that Switch, 🙄🙄👌. Thanks, Dean. 🙏🙏🥰👌👌👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 P.S Over here Dean, we don't go to main dealers for a Service, we go to smaller private garages, like your garage, with a 70yr old mechanic, who knows everything lol 🙄🙄😅😂🤣🤣🤣
I do my own work on my vehicles. Everything mechanical and welding etc. I only get shitters as they're for work with the only exception being the wife's beemer, which due it's service soon. In all honesty it's channels like yours that give me the confidence to dig in and get it done.
Love the videos Dean. I got an Octavia vRS, a little older than yours but it’s the best car I ever had. This video has been particularly helpful. Gutted for you about the camera, I’ll have a fivers worth of tickets on this one to try and take edge off a bit for you 😂 Great content. Keep ‘em coming. Thanks 🙏
You've a great knowledge and explanation of things it's great to see you from your first vids to now I'm just starting my TH-cam journey an yes your right the hardest bit is been Infront of a camera . Keep up the great work
I'd a 2007 Skoda Octavia Lauren & Klement Hatch with the 2 litre BKD Diesel Engine for about 8 years up until April 2023 and I ordered the parts from either ECP or GSF and bought the oil wherever I could find it at a good price and my local garage would change fit everything for me for around £25-£35 depending on just how many filters I was changing ... Basic Oil Change with air filter was £25, pollen filter was £30 and it was £35 to include the fuel filter ... Sometimes I'd change the air and pollen filter myself as it was so easy ..... cost was usually under £100 and theyd check the states of the tyres, brakes and suspension whilst the oil was draining out .... Id no stamp in the service book but I kept all the receipts for the parts. I bought a 2013 Skoda Superb in March 2023 which was serviced by the garage before purchase so they serviced it for me in Feb 2024, full service including oil, oil filter, air filter, pollen filter, fuel filter and MOT was £220 and a stamp in the service book as I'd an extended warranty to keep happy ... Shes due a service and MOT next month so she'll be getting booked in around Feb 7th for that
Hi Dean, great content on this video mate love watching somebody who knows what he’s doing. Makes a hell of a difference mate. Also thank you for helping Chris and Maggie out for that was good of you.😊😊😊😊😊
Takes 40 minutes to do a cambelt but books at 4 hours. Wonder if the main dealer charged the customer 4 hours labour or 40 minutes? Answers on a postcard
Many thanks, always find your videos interesting and often pick up a few gems of information for servicing my own car - because of the age/value of my car, it was a while since I visited a main dealer though 😂
We have a Touran, A3 and T-Roc in the family. I carry out routine servicing myself and use my excellent local VW dealer or local VW indy for other things. For DSG oil changes, the main dealer consistently offers a better price than the indy, probably as some kind of loss leader. For anything else including MOT tests, the indy offers far better value.
Been watching this channel since this octavia! Car is looking so good now compared to when you got it
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Hi Great video, Re main dealer servicing, I recently bought a 16 year old Golf Mk 5, one owner, low mileage, garaged and full main dealer service history. Really disappointed that despite the annual “free health check” that it was on the original (yes original) rear tyres that had 5mm tread and the front tyres were 10 years old. Basically a motorway death trap. Also 3 of the 4 glow plugs were faulty. Appears that the servicing was done to scheduled items and nothing else. So much for relying on the credibility of the main dealer for servicing and MOT. Was not impressed when I uncovered these failings. Tyres changed, four new glow plugs and no more white smoke on startup.
Pretty much do everything myself on the driveway on my 2003 BMW 330d touring. Only thing I had to farm out to a garage was a clutch and flywheel about 3 years ago.
Thanks for showing normal things that can be used even if you can't afford an expensive sportscar. I drive a 16 years old Audi and have been servicing it by myself for 5 years.
I have a Audi A3 -09 with 66000 miles. It had a full service history in the book, so i really wanted to treat the car right. Audi changed cambelt (hadnt been done since new), and they made a basic service, checking 10 things on the car and changed the oil. For this i get free assistance for a year aswell. I do know how to fix cars, dad thought me before he passed away 5 years ago. However, i find it so nice, to leave it somone who can fix it while am at work. And when am done for the day, so is my car =)
@@KeyBrosUK Thing is, that bother my mind (for like 25 years (am 47) is that, yea it would be cheaper to find a indepndent garage, but here is the tricky thing in my head: That garage can do every car brand thre is (almost) so they know a little about alot of cars. But Audi knows alot about one car. Audi have the exact right tools they have the right hardware - just the little things, my altenator belt from Audi was "Made in Japan". Never ever seen that before =D But i do understand what you meant =)
@@snaswedeya good independent will only work on or at least specialise in one brand of car such as VAG so will service everything from that group .... Let's face it they all have the same mechanicals and electrics
@@petersmith7126 Nah, thats not how it works in Sweden =) Independent here, works on all cars. If you want specfic like i do, you have to go to the Audi workshop
Ive favoured independents for donkeys years. They rely on your business, so have some pride and integrity. I had several bad experiences with main dealers and learned from my experiences. Ive not had any mechanical issues as a result, nor sufferd at resale time.
This was back in the late 80's/earlier 90's I used the VW Audi main dealer, in Bexhill on Sea once. Way too expensive even then. Luckily one of the mechanic's let me know he did jobs on the side in his own home garage. Then the dealer went under. Another mechanic from there, went to their local rival and got his MOT certification and after a few years or so they teamed up and started their own VW/Audi specialist garage. I used to use them for all of my vehicles. They were both great guys and never ripped me off. If I hadn't left the country I would have still used them until they retired. I think this is why I like this channel. Dean reminds me of them. Plus my cousin started his career with VW/Audi. He has gone on to owning his own aviation engineering company just outside of Gatwick. I even found a good one where I currently reside. Unfortunately he died of a brain tumour. God rest his soul. I would love to own the VRS, just stuck here on the other side of the planet.
That gave me a good laugh at the end of the video,using diagnostics to reset service light but not prime the fuel filter 😂 (Not criticising!) Are free tickets gone? Happy new year !!
i buy new cars and at the moment have a renault hybrid austral my services are included in the purchase for 3 yrs but that vid was so good to see what the dealers actually do thank you dean really enjoyed it
I go to main dealer because I get an extra years warranty from Toyota up until the car is 10 years old so it’s worth it and a good set up, I had prior to that always gone to a very reputable local mechanic who has been doing the family cars for over 40 years, so have done both
Floating cambelt pulley / injection pump pulley system isnt designed to make the job easier Its designed to get the cam timing spot on after fitting with a new belt after tensioning , because a new belt may be slightly different
The problem is these days you get a junior tech to service your car, who has just come back from the parts dept looking for sky hooks and Tartan paint, as all the majority of the master techs have left as main dealers struggle to pay them enough and theyve gone elsewhere. 🤷♂️
Interesting insight into main dealer service , my Jaguar dealers are getting worse , l hate going to them but trying to find someone I trust is also hard
Given the mileage Dean and the fact you just changed the Belt and pulleys surely it would have been prudent to change the water pump. Also with the amount of good independents I think main dealers are just way over priced. As long as the car has a good stamped history it doesm't matter nowadays.
Probably would have been changed 3 / 4 times already with that mileage... Cheap car why bother chucking every penny at it Wheels are all curbed...paint chipped in places etc will do someone a turn - timing belts are meant to be serviced every 50k miles anyway so WP can be done next time (if the car lasts that long) Admittedly if it was my own it's a false economy not to change it as your in there anyway but just wanted a quick turn around and send it out the door... perfectly fine Would suit someone who's learning to do DIY on cars For free / 99p I'll take it regardless if the wp is changed or not
In 200k miles it would show signs of wear / leaking Timing belt intervals are 50k and most kits include a water pump... It's been done he knows what he's doing... id quite happy win this and run it to the ground If it Leaked it's not a big problem to change and replace a pump... quit complaining
It’s a balance of cost versus value. A car with a main dealer history is more desirable on the used market, so you can ask more for it, that premium doesn’t necessarily mean it is a better car, in people’s minds they feel more assured by the history. Personally with an all in one manufacturer service and warranty package which is cheap as anything balanced with repairs and replacement parts at a local specialist, in my view I get the best of both worlds.
Great video. I service all my cars myself. It’s worth noting…. The dealerships are extremely competitive for service parts. I’ve serviced my mini JCW since new myself every 6k. Oil and filter costs me no more than £70 from BmW. In the 2 years I’ve had it I’ve done 6 services. All for the price of one service at the dealership. I’m getting better maintenance than anyone having it down on their recommended interval of 2 years. I don’t care about an updated idrive as I have a wad of dealership receipts for oil and filters etc that I’ve annotated with mileage and notes. I’d personally prefer this than one owned and serviced once with one tick on the idrive. Also… My friend and I serviced his Toureg this weekend just gone. Genuine filter and 10L of oil (it takes 8.2 or something) and a sump plug/washer….£75 from Volkswagen. That’s very reasonably priced.
As an ex VAG Mechanic myself, I do my own repairs and servicing but keep all invoices/receipts for things bought, even if it's a cheap indicator bulb, just to show it's been maintained properly. If i had to take my cars to a garage, i would take it to this local one that's been around for years, they are an old school type garage, as in no fancy coffee machine and hospital clinical workshop 😀
I have a 2023 RS6 Performance and I do all the service at the authorised dealer, I have ordered the 2025 RS6 Performance so that will arrive soon so I will part exchange my 2023 for the 2025. As I am changing cars every two years, it makes sense to do the service and maintenance at the authorised dealer as they know me and I have a quite good service agreement with them. Even though I am not leasing but buying my cars. But always faithful to the RS cars and Porsche.
There are a few comments on here from people mentioning that they take their car to the main dealer in order to maintain the warranty, my understanding is that an independent could be used as long as the service intervals are kept to, genuine parts are used and the digital service record is updated. This was the case for our Skoda which I took to a VW specialist for its first service and had subsequent warranty work done.
Specialist all the way. I put my Golf R in for its first service to the main VW dealer in 2017 and had the dashcam running. The apprentice asked the tech "is this 4 wheel drive" and he didn't know.
Now they won't allow any dashcam footage and stop it (disconnect it), that's what they did Synter Mercedes teesside when I've taken my lease car for the past 3 years
Wow that’s insane. BMW are genuinely very good (allow dash cam too to the guy above me). Expensive though, well worth doing your own servicing and general maintenance if you are able to. That said I used to do mobile service snd diagnostics- guy serviced his Land Rover one day added 5L of oil, well done. Didn’t drain the old oil😂he thought it all gets consumed.
I currently use a fairly local independent for my daily it used to be a Vauxhall main dealer but no more. Have used main dealers in past for brand when car in its early years just because they would generally have the stuff on the shelf so no waiting for parts if needed. But as they get older less bothered - I do some my own but it’s finding the time, easier just to let a garage do some while in for the MOT
Great cars, these are. Had one for 7-8 years now. Only issue it has, the drivers front wheel skips/loses traction when on full lock to the right. No idea what the problem is, but everything else great!
My mate was a tech at a Renault A. Clark garage and they routinely pillaged parts from customer cars for their own cars. He daily’d a clio for this exact reason, swapped over tires, wiper blades etc as well as the usual exaggerating issues with customer cars. He used to service his car a few times a year, changed brakes/springs and all that and that all got priced to the clients in roundabout ways. I’d never go to a main dealer for anything unless had to.
As the cars we have are out of warranty we do our own service, having over 30 years working on cars and bikes, and only take the cars to a specialist for jobs we don't want to do or can't do.
Happy New Year Dean. For me it depends on the car and whether you want to keep it long term or sell in a couple of years. I have my Saab serviced at an independent garage and my TVR serviced at a specialist. As long as you keep the invoices or get the service book stamped it shouldn't really matter.
I’ve always had 8/10 year old cars. Service myself, look up on line for info or use a mechanic mate for a Homer if I’m stuck or outwith my comfort/capability.how people can afford those rates is a mystery. Ps genius granted bud. Yes nice informative vid. 👍👍🙏🚗
Great video, personally i use a local guy for run of the mill cars but everything else goes to a independent specialist, ive only used main dealer for one car and thats a old e30 that has always been seen by BMW to be honest i would probably get a better service from a independent but it so old with such a history it seems silly to stop now
My only observation is that maybe the engine mounts need looking at as there was ALOT of movement when the engine was started after the cambelt change.
F no. I do all servicing and belt changes myself. Genuine service kit for my car is £190 from ebay trade seller(main dealer based) and it takes 30 min max to do it. Dealer price for service currentlyis £475. No thank you. Genuine cambelt kit was £295 and 2h of work-dealer price £680. I appreciate that not everyone has the tools or knowledge to do it, but if you can, then it saves you loads of money.
VW dealer serviced since new (2018) - Golf GTI Performance DSG, 36k miles. I called my local VW Specialist (today, ironically) for an intermediate service and he was £15 more expensive than the dealers for the same service. No brainer for me.
I had one as a Taxi, Dean, It finished on 420,000 and was a great Octavia Estate. Looked after properly, they go on and on. Would love to win this...........👍
I always use the local garage for work, much cheaper and very honest. I've a 2011 Octavia and the ignition barrel failed. The main dealer wanted £675+VAT and couldn't do it for 6 weeks. Fixed it myself for £55 with a spare part off Ebay.
For brake fluid you can buy a tester (much cheaper than fluid change) which sees if it’s ok, a traffic light system, no water no need to change, a money making scheme again, water can damage ABS internal parts, why it’s needed.
Hey Dean, I drive a 12 plate Octavia vRS, still a MK2.5 CR170. My road tax is over £200 😮 These are great cars to work on. Apart from the window regulators. A job I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
Dealers always have been a lot more expensive but generally a dealer stamp does look nice but I’d just go to a normal garage because it’s still a service with a stamp and it’s a lot more cheaper and another thing is it’s easier to book and will be done while I wait as opposed to the dealer, can’t get a booking quickly and will have to wait all day just to get a service done
I do the majority of servicing myself. I git ripped off by a garage once. My Renault master van when in for an mot, where it passed. On driving it out, the garage reckoned the front brake hoses split. Total rubbish. Job creation. Your premises has to be paid for somehow.
Link to VRS: competeforcars.co.uk/product/skoda-octavia-vrs-170ps/
Use code “VRS” for 99p discount
Is there something wrong with the site can't make payment
I’m entered ❤
@@GIXER16I struggled with payment too. Took three attempts to sort it.
How did you get free entry@@Carlos.G
Dealer are a rip off got quoted £900 for timing belt and water pump for a 66 plate Golf GTD Specialist some it for less than £400 😜
I have 59 plate CR170 VRS CEGA owned for 10 years. All bosch filters and quantum lll oil comes to £80 delivery off ebay. Do it myself every 9-10,000miles for the past 10 years. , currently on 249,800 miles. Saving myself a lot!
Hi Dean. I have an RS6c6. Full main dealer service history until recently. 1. It seems they only had one senior technician capable of working on the car. 2. Every advisory came with a HUGE estimate. Last time I got cover price from local independent VAG specialist ( employees several ex Audi Mastertechs) and it was just a little under 50% cheaper ( labour). All sorted, OEM parts,polite and punctual. OK they didn’t have a coffee lounge, beauty bar or gym- but that’s fine- all I wanted was my car fixing!!
I have 2 VAG cars and both go to the local garage because they are great at just fixing things. Older guys who have loads of experience.
Spot on! Specialists all the way. I have an Audi a4 Avant 2.0tdi and the Audi main dealer quoted £1512.00 for a cam belt/waterpump. The specialist quoted £1507.91 for a cam belt/waterpump, thermostat, bottom crank pulley, fuel filter and a service.
I know it’s not the cheapest but knowing the car is being looked after by ex Audi techs who know their stuff is priceless.
My T5 needed pads and discs all round. VW? Nearly £700. Independent fitted Brembo pads and discs for £395…..
same applies to BMW vehicles .. evern simple stuff .. my wife's X5 needed a new telematics battery (in the sharks fin) .. franchise BMW wanted to read the codes for £140 and then £500 (ish) to replace the battery whereas local specialist needed just £140 including Vat to replace it ... hardest bit they needed to deal with was all the interior trims as it is tucked above the head lining
Love this channel, so informative, actually useful and real world relevant to every day people. Keep it up, many thanks.
For me, if the car is within warranty, it makes sense to take it to the main dealer. Once the cover has run out, it’s time for a good independent. My local independent is excellent - very knowledgeable and well-priced. They know me and my cars and always ensure I pay for what’s needed and don’t try to fleece me. I can do without the posh lounge and coffee machine if my bill is 30% cheaper!
Your local mechanic can do your servicing and it doesn’t effect your warranty
@@nowwerefarming5637 True but having a good relationship with the dealer is invaluable when a warranty claim is being made....
@@nowwerefarming5637Not the case sadly, I have a JLR Velar V6 D300, it's due it 7 year service in April, cost £1550, that's a big service including timing belt and other major parts, fluids, filters etc. Indie quote was £1300. The JLR warranty specifes it must have genuine JLR parts for warranty to be valid, the indie would not be using those.
While my JLR warranty is still live I will go main dealer. Tbh the difference in price was negligible for main dealer peace of mind. My JLR Velar V6 D300 is due its 7 year service in April and it's £1550 at the main dealer, including timing belt and other major parts and fluids, filters etc. Indie quoted 1300 plus jlr insist on genuine JLR parts for the warranty to be valid, which the indie would not be using.
@@nowwerefarming5637Not always true, jlr insist on genuine JLR parts for the warranty to be valid, which the indie would not be using
I've always done my own since hearing that a local dealer was wiping the oil filter with a rag to make it look like the oil change had been done. Then taking the parts and oil home to do back handers on weekends.
I also had to diagnose the fault that was stopping my reversing lights working after they had the car in three times and couldn't fix it! I'm now 70 and still doing most of the families cars including cam belt changes and saving loads and at the same time knowing everything is done.
No, I'd never go to a main dealer. They are no longer properly trained mechanics they are technicians who only do what the computer tells them to do with very little idea why they are doing it.
Hope I can say the same when I get to 70 😅 good on ya
😂 yes of course you did
What ever you say
The best part when you diy is that you are sure it´s been done and done right! That you save a hell of a lot of money is a pretty nice bonus... ☺👌
@@mikaeljonsson4686 DIYers 'think' they have done it right.
@markrainford1219 I get you, a lot of diy:ers should never touch a car, I mean the ones who actually know what they're doing... 😊 Been working successfully on my own cars for 35 years now and still no mishaps. 👍
I never ever use garages or main dealers. Always do myself. Hate timing belts it scares me. But everything else is OK. Absolutely everything. Cheers Dean fave channel. ❤
I took Dads Suzuki Wagon R in to the main dealer for its first service. When we looked at the sheet it said they had adjusted the clutch and had charged for a bottle of screenwash. I had to challenge them by asking which clutch they had adjusted as it was an automatic and how had they managed to get a full bottle of screenwash in as I had filled it to the brim before setting off and hadn't used the washers?
How do they get away with charging VAT on top of VAT? T bottle of screenwash was listed on the invoice at the including VAT price in their forecourt shop yet VAT was added to the whole bill. I did insist that this was removed from the invoice as it was blatantly not used. Needless to say, after a long discussion I persueded Dad to not take it there again, he was convinced it had to go there to maintain its warranty. Found a much closer and far more proffesional independent garage and one of their senior mechanics lived in the next street who would take his car in the morning and return it when he cae home from work. Far more convenient and superior service. No wonder they get reffered to as "Main Stealerships".
I started in the motor trade early 70’s every joint needed greasing, inc prop shaft, steering box oil check, oil change engine, gear box rear axle between 5&8K miles. Distributer points and rotor clean replace adjusted etc, carburettor clean and adjust, Dynamo belt adjustment, they went wrong often, now suspension rubber bushes which last, alternators go on for ever, as more items were improved ie., lasted a lot longer, less work, less labour, so main dealership put up their prices to cover the short fall, we were told this by several dealers we knew !!!
Started in the 70s too primarily as Auto Electrician but worked at Main Dealers service depts so saw all and did some comprehensive service schedules too.How things have changed,everything now is check this and that and change some filters.Every other job is extra charge--- wheels dont even get removed,brakes never stripped and cleaned etc etc..The term full service does not exist now and for good reason!
Everything shown here is brilliant for anyone working on a vag car of similar age and engine type... No water pump with the belt change, completely negates the whole process and reasoning for the job in the first place.
Thank you for your great video's
Not changing the water pump is the silliest mistake you can make on these engines... If it goes you've to do it all over again... And there's a bloody good chance it will go
Ever since I started servicing my cars myself and doing basic maintenance (faulty sensors etc, suspension, brakes, etc) whenever I have had to go into a garage the prices have genuinely shocked me.. you get accustomed to everything costing "parts only" prices ... Once you add in labour it's staggeringly expensive keeping a car on the road!
Initially took my Octavia to Skoda dealer in Oswestry. But they’ve been bloomin useless getting parts. I’ve since bought the car and use a local guy at Cwrt garage nr Aberystwyth to do everything. I really trust him, he’s super knowledgeable and charges very fair prices.
Wouldnt go near a main dealer with their pricing. I do my own servicing when i can. Have limitations to my abilities but persevere until unable and luckily i have a local mechanic very close who is dead on. Channels like yours make it look easier than you think sometimes. Definitely keep them coming.
I've been using an Audi main dealer for servicing (2011 Audi A3 which I've owned since 2012) because I bought a service plan which at the time was good value. With their labour rate now at £180/hour I won't use them for repairs, especially if it's something I can do myself. It's quite easy to source new old stock genuine VAG parts at a fraction of the price of a main dealer.
The other thing I've learned is that main dealers are unfamiliar with the common faults that emerge as the vehicle ages. Generally they only see newer vehicles up to the first MoT and want to charge for diagnosing a problem that a specialist would know straight away through their experience of working on older models. It's like asking a paediatrician to take on a geriatric case!
All the way from Zimbabwe. Very educational. Keep it up. One of these good day i will enter your competition.
I worked for austin rover,nissan,citroen,renault,kia,chrysler,misubushi,lotus dealers over my 38 years in the industry i know plenty of backstreet garage owners who have worked with me in the past,plenty of cowboys out there and plenty of gems just do your homework and youll find garages who will give just as good if not better service than a dealer!😊
Always do any work im able to on my own cars. I keep all receipts and use quality parts. I think the way things are going now with videos like yours, more and more people are willing to give things a go themselves rather than pay thro the nose to main stealers. Its always good to know a good fair trustyworth mechanic though.
Great video Dean. With an older car out of warranty I would always use specialist as opposed to a main dealer.
Brilliant. Really enjoyed this. Great work. Both spanner and camera. I tend to use independent specialists for my Subaru. I have just bought a Skoda Fabia vrs mk1 with only 60k in the clock. I am 100% taking that to Skoda main dealer for belts, full service, few little electrical niggles. Just to keep the book stamped and up to date and hopefully preserve the originality and value of the vehicle. Great video as always. Really enjoyed that.
This is why i do my own cars. Great vid Dean
Dean, I wish you and your family a happy and healthy 2025!! Thanks for all the great videos!!
Very interesting video am from U.K. but moved to Poland I bought a Octavia VRs 2.0 TDI I’ve a local garage with a elderly guy he is so spot on Labour only £40
I just had front struts and springs top hats and wish bone bolts changed OEM parts as Czech is just over the border for factory parts the cars has done over 200K but still runs so well I’ve been running liquid moly injector cleaner in it and it’s made running and starting much smoother
Only gets used for long drives but love it
I'm lucky enough to have a good, laid back independent mechanic very near me. He takes care of the stuff that needs a ramp, and MOT/servicing. I do the other stuff myself when I can
Main dealer for servicing or not? This experience goes back a long time, to when the Vauxhall Vectra had very recently been launched. I’d just gone into a main dealership to buy replacement wheel trims for my Cavalier because the originals had just been stolen while on the Asda car park.
They had a Vectra in the showroom and I liked the look of it and asked if I could have a decent length test drive in one. Cutting it short, they said they didn’t have a salesman available but as long as an employee was with me, I’d be insured. That sounded like a bonus. An oldish guy in a boiler suit joined me and I gave it a run along the country roads I used to commute on. We got into conversation along the way and the guy told me that he was normally employed to clean up around the place but that lately they’d been busy and he was now working doing the trim on car interiors. I was a bit put out by that because for anything that involved trim work they charged a premium because it was the job for experts not mechanics and certainly not floor sweepers, nice guys as they may be.
I bought a Vectra from the dealership up the road where I’d bought my wife a Mantra back in 1984. I swapped the Vectra for a 6 month old Octavia 4x4 turbo hatchback with 4383 on the clock in 2002. I still have it with 212,060 on the clock, looking and running good.
I have 3 x VWs at present and use a local VAG specialist in Carlisle (Ben Cross Motors) very knowledgeable an an honest guy. Never let me down.
£380 for oil change at BMW or £60 to do it yourself. No brainer
Black gold
That’s on a non M car too - near 1000 on an M3😂😂😂
@@KeyBrosUK but they do dispose of the oil. That’s what an employee said to me after quoting me £380. I can take it to the tip for a few quid of petrol
Where are you getting these prices? I own an F82 M4 and main dealer oil and filter change is closer to 200
@ from my local BMW dealership.
Hello from Ireland again, Dean. God, I do remember this Car, ages ago lol. There are Years left in this Car, with all this Work getting done, great job. That Engine sounds wicked. Whoever Wins 🏆 it, they should be so happy, well done with that Switch, 🙄🙄👌. Thanks, Dean. 🙏🙏🥰👌👌👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 P.S Over here Dean, we don't go to main dealers for a Service, we go to smaller private garages, like your garage, with a 70yr old mechanic, who knows everything lol 🙄🙄😅😂🤣🤣🤣
Just as easy to do as a 2 litre PD IMO ,happy memories, cheers Dean 👍
I do my own work on my vehicles. Everything mechanical and welding etc. I only get shitters as they're for work with the only exception being the wife's beemer, which due it's service soon.
In all honesty it's channels like yours that give me the confidence to dig in and get it done.
Love the videos Dean.
I got an Octavia vRS, a little older than yours but it’s the best car I ever had. This video has been particularly helpful. Gutted for you about the camera, I’ll have a fivers worth of tickets on this one to try and take edge off a bit for you 😂
Great content. Keep ‘em coming.
Thanks 🙏
You've a great knowledge and explanation of things it's great to see you from your first vids to now I'm just starting my TH-cam journey an yes your right the hardest bit is been Infront of a camera . Keep up the great work
5 minutes in and I already know you're more thorough than a landrover dealer.....
I'd a 2007 Skoda Octavia Lauren & Klement Hatch with the 2 litre BKD Diesel Engine for about 8 years up until April 2023 and I ordered the parts from either ECP or GSF and bought the oil wherever I could find it at a good price and my local garage would change fit everything for me for around £25-£35 depending on just how many filters I was changing ... Basic Oil Change with air filter was £25, pollen filter was £30 and it was £35 to include the fuel filter ... Sometimes I'd change the air and pollen filter myself as it was so easy ..... cost was usually under £100 and theyd check the states of the tyres, brakes and suspension whilst the oil was draining out .... Id no stamp in the service book but I kept all the receipts for the parts.
I bought a 2013 Skoda Superb in March 2023 which was serviced by the garage before purchase so they serviced it for me in Feb 2024, full service including oil, oil filter, air filter, pollen filter, fuel filter and MOT was £220 and a stamp in the service book as I'd an extended warranty to keep happy ... Shes due a service and MOT next month so she'll be getting booked in around Feb 7th for that
Hi Dean, great content on this video mate love watching somebody who knows what he’s doing. Makes a hell of a difference mate. Also thank you for helping Chris and Maggie out for that was good of you.😊😊😊😊😊
Great video Dean as always mate your work is definitely spot on fella good works man for sure!..👌👍👍
DIY/DIM.
Never fancied dealer prices.
Just done rear n/s caliper on our VW - you coulda fried an egg on that wheel!
Great work on the Skoda 👍🏼
Takes 40 minutes to do a cambelt but books at 4 hours. Wonder if the main dealer charged the customer 4 hours labour or 40 minutes? Answers on a postcard
I think we all know the answer to that.
Obviously not.
Many thanks, always find your videos interesting and often pick up a few gems of information for servicing my own car - because of the age/value of my car, it was a while since I visited a main dealer though 😂
We have a Touran, A3 and T-Roc in the family. I carry out routine servicing myself and use my excellent local VW dealer or local VW indy for other things. For DSG oil changes, the main dealer consistently offers a better price than the indy, probably as some kind of loss leader. For anything else including MOT tests, the indy offers far better value.
Been watching this channel since this octavia! Car is looking so good now compared to when you got it
Hi Great video,
Re main dealer servicing, I recently bought a 16 year old Golf Mk 5, one owner, low mileage, garaged and full main dealer service history.
Really disappointed that despite the annual “free health check” that it was on the original (yes original) rear tyres that had 5mm tread and the front tyres were 10 years old. Basically a motorway death trap. Also 3 of the 4 glow plugs were faulty. Appears that the servicing was done to scheduled items and nothing else. So much for relying on the credibility of the main dealer for servicing and MOT. Was not impressed when I uncovered these failings.
Tyres changed, four new glow plugs and no more white smoke on startup.
Pretty much do everything myself on the driveway on my 2003 BMW 330d touring. Only thing I had to farm out to a garage was a clutch and flywheel about 3 years ago.
Thanks for showing normal things that can be used even if you can't afford an expensive sportscar. I drive a 16 years old Audi and have been servicing it by myself for 5 years.
Same when selling car
Spent thousands getting main dealer stamps and when you trade it in price isnt different to normal servicing
I have a Audi A3 -09 with 66000 miles. It had a full service history in the book, so i really wanted to treat the car right. Audi changed cambelt (hadnt been done since new), and they made a basic service, checking 10 things on the car and changed the oil. For this i get free assistance for a year aswell. I do know how to fix cars, dad thought me before he passed away 5 years ago. However, i find it so nice, to leave it somone who can fix it while am at work. And when am done for the day, so is my car =)
Find a good independent locally, that way you give half the money maybe less and to some good hardworking lads instead of billion dollar corporation.
@@KeyBrosUK Thing is, that bother my mind (for like 25 years (am 47) is that, yea it would be cheaper to find a indepndent garage, but here is the tricky thing in my head: That garage can do every car brand thre is (almost) so they know a little about alot of cars. But Audi knows alot about one car. Audi have the exact right tools they have the right hardware - just the little things, my altenator belt from Audi was "Made in Japan". Never ever seen that before =D But i do understand what you meant =)
@@snaswedeya good independent will only work on or at least specialise in one brand of car such as VAG so will service everything from that group .... Let's face it they all have the same mechanicals and electrics
@@petersmith7126 Nah, thats not how it works in Sweden =) Independent here, works on all cars. If you want specfic like i do, you have to go to the Audi workshop
Ive favoured independents for donkeys years. They rely on your business, so have some pride and integrity. I had several bad experiences with main dealers and learned from my experiences. Ive not had any mechanical issues as a result, nor sufferd at resale time.
This was back in the late 80's/earlier 90's I used the VW Audi main dealer, in Bexhill on Sea once. Way too expensive even then. Luckily one of the mechanic's let me know he did jobs on the side in his own home garage. Then the dealer went under. Another mechanic from there, went to their local rival and got his MOT certification and after a few years or so they teamed up and started their own VW/Audi specialist garage. I used to use them for all of my vehicles. They were both great guys and never ripped me off. If I hadn't left the country I would have still used them until they retired. I think this is why I like this channel. Dean reminds me of them. Plus my cousin started his career with VW/Audi. He has gone on to owning his own aviation engineering company just outside of Gatwick. I even found a good one where I currently reside. Unfortunately he died of a brain tumour. God rest his soul. I would love to own the VRS, just stuck here on the other side of the planet.
A lovely gesture for your subscribers 👍👍
That gave me a good laugh at the end of the video,using diagnostics to reset service light but not prime the fuel filter 😂
(Not criticising!)
Are free tickets gone?
Happy new year !!
Thanks for the great laugh Dean we really enjoyed watching the customer wave 😂
I love these types of videos! Would be great to do some more of them. :)
i buy new cars and at the moment have a renault hybrid austral my services are included in the purchase for 3 yrs but that vid was so good to see what the dealers actually do thank you dean really enjoyed it
I go to main dealer because I get an extra years warranty from Toyota up until the car is 10 years old so it’s worth it and a good set up, I had prior to that always gone to a very reputable local mechanic who has been doing the family cars for over 40 years, so have done both
Oh man i watch most of your videos in last few weeks. Was waiting for a new one
Floating cambelt pulley / injection pump pulley system isnt designed to make the job easier
Its designed to get the cam timing spot on after fitting with a new belt after tensioning , because a new belt may be slightly different
Or fine tuning if head/block skimmed, and distance from crank puĺly to top puļly has changed
The problem is these days you get a junior tech to service your car, who has just come back from the parts dept looking for sky hooks and Tartan paint, as all the majority of the master techs have left as main dealers struggle to pay them enough and theyve gone elsewhere. 🤷♂️
Correct… almost like you know 🤣
@SavingSalvage 👀
Very true!
Brilliant video there Dean happy new year to you and your lovely family 👪 good video Dean Thanks for sharing that information very well explained 😀
Thanks Dean Happy New Year to you and your family 👨🔧👍👍👍
Interesting insight into main dealer service , my Jaguar dealers are getting worse , l hate going to them but trying to find someone I trust is also hard
Given the mileage Dean and the fact you just changed the Belt and pulleys surely it would have been prudent to change the water pump. Also with the amount of good independents I think main dealers are just way over priced. As long as the car has a good stamped history it doesm't matter nowadays.
He did talk about why he didn’t do that.
Probably would have been changed 3 / 4 times already with that mileage...
Cheap car why bother chucking every penny at it
Wheels are all curbed...paint chipped in places etc will do someone a turn - timing belts are meant to be serviced every 50k miles anyway so WP can be done next time (if the car lasts that long)
Admittedly if it was my own it's a false economy not to change it as your in there anyway but just wanted a quick turn around and send it out the door... perfectly fine
Would suit someone who's learning to do DIY on cars
For free / 99p I'll take it regardless if the wp is changed or not
@@leeplee6652 Why would it have, As your talking about a belt every time? Thats just bonkers to say the water pump probably has been changed.
In 200k miles it would show signs of wear / leaking
Timing belt intervals are 50k and most kits include a water pump...
It's been done he knows what he's doing... id quite happy win this and run it to the ground
If it Leaked it's not a big problem to change and replace a pump... quit complaining
Great informative video. I love that model of skoda and am currently looking for a good example to buy.
Keep up the good work.
Better channel than MA
They're both great.🙂
Lemme assume you're high!
@@JohnHonda101Yeah i think the same
You can't compare any TH-cam channel to another....Dean has a completely different format to Mat Armstrong
Too right i feel same....dean keeps it down to earth, and doesn't just chuck cash at the cars...MA just says look at me now
It’s a balance of cost versus value. A car with a main dealer history is more desirable on the used market, so you can ask more for it, that premium doesn’t necessarily mean it is a better car, in people’s minds they feel more assured by the history. Personally with an all in one manufacturer service and warranty package which is cheap as anything balanced with repairs and replacement parts at a local specialist, in my view I get the best of both worlds.
Great video. I service all my cars myself. It’s worth noting…. The dealerships are extremely competitive for service parts. I’ve serviced my mini JCW since new myself every 6k. Oil and filter costs me no more than £70 from BmW. In the 2 years I’ve had it I’ve done 6 services. All for the price of one service at the dealership. I’m getting better maintenance than anyone having it down on their recommended interval of 2 years. I don’t care about an updated idrive as I have a wad of dealership receipts for oil and filters etc that I’ve annotated with mileage and notes. I’d personally prefer this than one owned and serviced once with one tick on the idrive. Also…
My friend and I serviced his Toureg this weekend just gone. Genuine filter and 10L of oil (it takes 8.2 or something) and a sump plug/washer….£75 from Volkswagen. That’s very reasonably priced.
As an ex VAG Mechanic myself, I do my own repairs and servicing but keep all invoices/receipts for things bought, even if it's a cheap indicator bulb, just to show it's been maintained properly. If i had to take my cars to a garage, i would take it to this local one that's been around for years, they are an old school type garage, as in no fancy coffee machine and hospital clinical workshop 😀
Loved the video Dean great content 👍
I have a 2023 RS6 Performance and I do all the service at the authorised dealer, I have ordered the 2025 RS6 Performance so that will arrive soon so I will part exchange my 2023 for the 2025. As I am changing cars every two years, it makes sense to do the service and maintenance at the authorised dealer as they know me and I have a quite good service agreement with them. Even though I am not leasing but buying my cars. But always faithful to the RS cars and Porsche.
There are a few comments on here from people mentioning that they take their car to the main dealer in order to maintain the warranty, my understanding is that an independent could be used as long as the service intervals are kept to, genuine parts are used and the digital service record is updated. This was the case for our Skoda which I took to a VW specialist for its first service and had subsequent warranty work done.
Specialist all the way. I put my Golf R in for its first service to the main VW dealer in 2017 and had the dashcam running. The apprentice asked the tech "is this 4 wheel drive" and he didn't know.
Now they won't allow any dashcam footage and stop it (disconnect it), that's what they did Synter Mercedes teesside when I've taken my lease car for the past 3 years
Wow that’s insane. BMW are genuinely very good (allow dash cam too to the guy above me). Expensive though, well worth doing your own servicing and general maintenance if you are able to. That said I used to do mobile service snd diagnostics- guy serviced his Land Rover one day added 5L of oil, well done. Didn’t drain the old oil😂he thought it all gets consumed.
Just another great video and not a bad looking skoda 👍👍
I’ve been a taxi driver for 16 years and I’ve driven a few Octavias they are a great car (my favourite taxi car)
Every time I take my vrs for a mot they make a big song and dance about the DRL/sidelight thing. It does my head in!!!
What is DRL?
@@chubbychubs4636daylight running lights, the LEDs on the front
I personally do it myself as you know the jobs are done and not ripped off 👍
Great interesting video again. TY Dean, Happy New Year
Nice one Dean... great vid.. bought my tickets too..
Great info dean looks a great car with mileage your a great mechanic
I currently use a fairly local independent for my daily it used to be a Vauxhall main dealer but no more. Have used main dealers in past for brand when car in its early years just because they would generally have the stuff on the shelf so no waiting for parts if needed. But as they get older less bothered - I do some my own but it’s finding the time, easier just to let a garage do some while in for the MOT
Great cars, these are. Had one for 7-8 years now. Only issue it has, the drivers front wheel skips/loses traction when on full lock to the right. No idea what the problem is, but everything else great!
Loving the light switch genius-ness 😎
My mate was a tech at a Renault A. Clark garage and they routinely pillaged parts from customer cars for their own cars. He daily’d a clio for this exact reason, swapped over tires, wiper blades etc as well as the usual exaggerating issues with customer cars. He used to service his car a few times a year, changed brakes/springs and all that and that all got priced to the clients in roundabout ways.
I’d never go to a main dealer for anything unless had to.
It's always interesting to watch this. 😊😊😊😊
As the cars we have are out of warranty we do our own service, having over 30 years working on cars and bikes, and only take the cars to a specialist for jobs we don't want to do or can't do.
Great offer Dean. Happy New Year
Happy New Year Dean. For me it depends on the car and whether you want to keep it long term or sell in a couple of years. I have my Saab serviced at an independent garage and my TVR serviced at a specialist. As long as you keep the invoices or get the service book stamped it shouldn't really matter.
I’ve always had 8/10 year old cars. Service myself, look up on line for info or use a mechanic mate for a Homer if I’m stuck or outwith my comfort/capability.how people can afford those rates is a mystery. Ps genius granted bud. Yes nice informative vid. 👍👍🙏🚗
Great video , i have the same car , and I'm going to be doing my belt , waterpump etc soon 😊
I go to main dealer for service history with a new car for resale value.
If I bought a cheap 2nd car as a runaround I’d go to an independent garage
Great video, personally i use a local guy for run of the mill cars but everything else goes to a independent specialist, ive only used main dealer for one car and thats a old e30 that has always been seen by BMW to be honest i would probably get a better service from a independent but it so old with such a history it seems silly to stop now
19:26 when you plug it in and you hear the chime 😂 "your Bluetooth device has been connected successfully"
My only observation is that maybe the engine mounts need looking at as there was ALOT of movement when the engine was started after the cambelt change.
F no. I do all servicing and belt changes myself. Genuine service kit for my car is £190 from ebay trade seller(main dealer based) and it takes 30 min max to do it. Dealer price for service currentlyis £475. No thank you. Genuine cambelt kit was £295 and 2h of work-dealer price £680.
I appreciate that not everyone has the tools or knowledge to do it, but if you can, then it saves you loads of money.
VW dealer serviced since new (2018) - Golf GTI Performance DSG, 36k miles. I called my local VW Specialist (today, ironically) for an intermediate service and he was £15 more expensive than the dealers for the same service. No brainer for me.
I had one as a Taxi, Dean, It finished on 420,000 and was a great Octavia Estate. Looked after properly, they go on and on. Would love to win this...........👍
I always use the local garage for work, much cheaper and very honest. I've a 2011 Octavia and the ignition barrel failed. The main dealer wanted £675+VAT and couldn't do it for 6 weeks. Fixed it myself for £55 with a spare part off Ebay.
Do most the stuff myself. I work at main stealers (not vag) and apart from clutch I’ve done it myself. Saves a shitload just getting stuck in
For brake fluid you can buy a tester (much cheaper than fluid change) which sees if it’s ok, a traffic light system, no water no need to change, a money making scheme again, water can damage ABS internal parts, why it’s needed.
Hey Dean, I drive a 12 plate Octavia vRS, still a MK2.5 CR170. My road tax is over £200 😮
These are great cars to work on. Apart from the window regulators. A job I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
Try the 3.0 Audis BMWs of same era £750
Dealers always have been a lot more expensive but generally a dealer stamp does look nice but I’d just go to a normal garage because it’s still a service with a stamp and it’s a lot more cheaper and another thing is it’s easier to book and will be done while I wait as opposed to the dealer, can’t get a booking quickly and will have to wait all day just to get a service done
I do the majority of servicing myself. I git ripped off by a garage once. My Renault master van when in for an mot, where it passed. On driving it out, the garage reckoned the front brake hoses split. Total rubbish. Job creation. Your premises has to be paid for somehow.
I service my BMW 750IL or if im at the Gym that day . I leave a note on the Fridge for my wife to do it .takes about 20 minutes .