Golf Mk6 Capped Price Servicing

[Umai Naa!!]

Toyota subsidise the dealerships for the capped price servicing. So you'd be naive in thinking that it's all half-hearted quality.

In the case of Volkswagen, the services in most cases, are NOT cheaper in all instances, but essentially, the price is same across all dealerships that are participating.

[WhiteJames]

My local dealership is part of the AHG, the biggest dealership in Aus. Service Manager told me about 1-2 year ago that up to half the VW mechanics on hand are apprentice mechanics and that he didn't consider mechanics in their final year of apprenticeship as apprentices anymore. The $180 + subsidy or $400 + subsidy argument is a bit futile when its likely that more than half the mechanics on hand are still in their training phase. Mind you - I've seen some ordinary experienced mechanics in high volume turnover shops do a ordinary job on upgrades.
Cheers.
WJ

[Transporter]

When ever there was something subsidised, it got often corrupted, misused or whatever you want to call it. I remember the LPG was once around $2000 to install, then the government started to subsidy it (contributing $2000 towards the LPG instal) and the price jumped to $4000+ . What I'm saying is, I would be watching the quality of such servicing like a hawk, if I would be using it.

[ParaBul]

Dealer servicing?

Many years ago, a good friend of mine was working in a major Adelaide dealership ("Dealer of the Year" for a number of years running), working in Used Car Reconditioning. One Friday afternoon he was asked to help the Service Department finish up.

When he wandered down, the Service Manager pointed to a car and instructed him to change the service sticker. No problem, he asked to see the paperwork to confirm that everything had been done.

"No. Change the sticker."

He asked for the paperwork again, and was told again:

"No. Change the sticker."

He walked out, and 5 hours later he was still steaming, and not sure if he'd have a job on Monday morning (and not sure that he cared).

Monday morning, nothing was said.

I used Volkswagen for my first service, and am considering continuing to use them while the vehicle is under warranty - but I'm also considering going elsewhere, to a mechanic I trust.

[Umai Naa!!]

Dealer servicing?

Many years ago, a good friend of mine was working in a major Adelaide dealership ("Dealer of the Year" for a number of years running), working in Used Car Reconditioning. One Friday afternoon he was asked to help the Service Department finish up.

When he wandered down, the Service Manager pointed to a car and instructed him to change the service sticker. No problem, he asked to see the paperwork to confirm that everything had been done.

"No. Change the sticker."

He asked for the paperwork again, and was told again:

"No. Change the sticker."

He walked out, and 5 hours later he was still steaming, and not sure if he'd have a job on Monday morning (and not sure that he cared).

Monday morning, nothing was said.

I used Volkswagen for my first service, and am considering continuing to use them while the vehicle is under warranty - but I'm also considering going elsewhere, to a mechanic I trust.

You don't have to go to a dealership for a sticker service.

Witnessed it more than once in a few private shops, too.

You can't tar them all with the same brush.

[walbjj]

When ever there was something subsidised, it got often corrupted, misused or whatever you want to call it. I remember the LPG was once around $2000 to install, then the government started to subsidy it (contributing $2000 towards the LPG instal) and the price jumped to $4000+ . What I'm saying is, I would be watching the quality of such servicing like a hawk, if I would be using it.

the problem with this argument tho is that the mechanics working on the cars have no idea about the invoicing, they jsut get the job card. so they dont know which ones to cheap out on wrt subsidised vs full freight services.
my brother was talking to bill buckle toyota about how it works, and as i said before, they book it in as a normal scheduled service at the normal rate, and then charge the customer the toyota advantage price and then collect the subsidy from head office at the end of each month or whenever, so each customer is just a job number and the amount they pay has no relevance on the level of service performed.
if the service centre preforms crappy services, then it wouldnt matter if they were doing them at a subsidised rate or not, crappy work is crappy work.
as it stands, the hilux has been serviced twice and its been fine both times, no issues

[ParaBul]

You can't tar them all with the same brush.

True, and that had not been my intention. Trying to point out that there's nothing magical or special about service quality in a dealership, even a multiple winner of "dealership of the year". In my opinion, there is nowhere you can go that is guaranteed "safe", but being a regular customer at a shop where you know the person who works on your car is a lower risk.

I guess I'm only going to the dealer because they offer me a loan car (OK, hire car) for the day. My trusted mechanic is a little trickier to get to, and no loaners.

[Transporter]

the problem with this argument tho is that the mechanics working on the cars have no idea about the invoicing, they jsut get the job card. so they dont know which ones to cheap out on wrt subsidised vs full freight services.
my brother was talking to bill buckle toyota about how it works, and as i said before, they book it in as a normal scheduled service at the normal rate, and then charge the customer the toyota advantage price and then collect the subsidy from head office at the end of each month or whenever, so each customer is just a job number and the amount they pay has no relevance on the level of service performed.
if the service centre preforms crappy services, then it wouldnt matter if they were doing them at a subsidised rate or not, crappy work is crappy work.
as it stands, the hilux has been serviced twice and its been fine both times, no issues

Yes, with the colour stickie dot attached to it.

[aVex]

My 45,000KM servicing is coming up soon, as my car was purchased in March 2011, I don't qualify for cap price servicing. Was anyone offered servicing cost close to the cap price servicing even though they don't qualify?

I don't wanna go create a 45,000KM servicing cost thread yet :p

[nat225]

vw capped prices are similar or perhaps higher than what they used to charge a couple of years ago. i had my tiguan serviced at the dealer 2 months ago for similar price to VWA capped price. Also used to pay $360 for 15,000km service with Denlo Parra about 3 yrs ago.

toyota capped prices are actually cheaper than what they used to charge, eg: the new Rav4 service is capped at $170 each service for 3 yrs, this will include 40,000km one for those who drive a lot, brake fluid, pollen filter, etc.. I paid $500 plus for 40,000km one more than 10 yrs ago.

Corolla is $130 cap.

I am hoping that VWA do a real capped program, say $200 max each service for 3 yrs, for all tiguan, golf gti / r. $140 for all Polo and Up. This will hopefully offset some of the negativity in the media lately. Then I am sure a lot of people would come back to them, and the independents may not be too happy..