.Where to service Polo GTI's? Local mechanic vs. The Dealer

[Brent23]

Hello fellow polo gti owners and vw owners in general. wasnt sure where to post this,and didnt see anything resembling this post so here goes.(still new to this)....

so just passed 5000km in my Polo gti( build date feb 2013) and just as i was about to goto my local mechanic who i have been using for years, and had the dreaded oil light come on.No big deal i thought ,i had been expecting it ,so i just wipped out my 1 litre emergency bottle of Castrol edge 5w 30 and topped it up so i could make it a couple of days before i had booked in with the mechanic.

Now when i went to see VW at sutherland sydney,they literally did not want to know me.Didnt care about the oil light as they say its just normal.When i asked if the castrol edge was ok to be using or if something else would be more suitable,the service centre said and i quote"we dont know,cant sell you oil here and the parts place is on another road not here" i was absoloutley furious with the lack of after sales service so soon after my purchase.

Now all i want to know is where should i be getting my 15000km services done at? im changing the oil and filter every 5000km with my local mechanic,but just really want to know where the rest of the polo gti owners out there are getting there services done at in the south sydney area? I am not interested with dealing Vw any more as i've found their service a disgrace! Thanks in advance for any help.....Loving my lil beast .Other than oil issues couldnt be happier!

[brad]

Welcome to the forum. Could you aquaint yourself with the "enter" key as reading your post just did my head in.

VW Sutho haven't got the greatest of reputations. My Sister gets her EOS done there & they didn't alert her to her 10,000km old tyres getting saw-toothing & a few other things. They are mega-expensive too.

1) Castrol Edge 5w-30 suitability? Is it still VW502.00? If so, fine to use. Generally, most people recomend a 504.00 approved oil such as Shell Helix Ultra Extra or Penrite Enviro 5w-30.

2) 5,000km oil changes. It's probably a bit OTT - especially if you are using 504.00 but if that's your mindset then go crazy.

3) local Mech? There aren't any VW specialists in Sutho Shire that I know of. Can he do a code scan & does he know what VW504.00 means? What's his preferred brand/s of oil filter for a VW? How often should the brake fluid be changed on a VW? If he can't answer these questions then walk away. Many of us use an independant VW specialist. I go to Campbelltown but they are dotted all over Sydney (except Sutho & St.George)

4) I can't be bothered reading through your stream of consciousness a 4th time to see if I've covered all your issues.

[Brent23]

Thanks for your reply .very helpful.sorry bout the long post.and was just wondering how much the 15000 km services cost at the independent vw specialist compared to Vw dealerships.any help would be much appreciated

[brad]

It wasn't the length, it was the format.

You need to ring around - just like the dealerships vary, so do the independents. Probably around the $300 mark +-50.

Price shouldn't be the issue. Knowledge of the product & quality of service is what you want.

[Brent23]

cool thanks again..quick question what veedub do you own?

[brad]

cool thanks again..quick question what veedub do you own?

2007 Skoda Octavia sedan/hatch thingy (think of it as a MkV Golf with a stupidly big boot) with the 1.8tsi (same as an entry level Passat) that's been Bluefin'd up to about 140kw/320Nm

[kaanage]

Thanks for your reply .very helpful.sorry bout the long post.and was just wondering how much the 15000 km services cost at the independent vw specialist compared to Vw dealerships.any help would be much appreciated

Sample reformat:

Thanks for your reply. Very helpful.

Sorry bout the long post. And was just wondering how much the 15000 km services cost at the independent vw specialist compared to Vw dealerships. Any help would be much appreciated

The first post was too long for me to try reformatting

[MGV]

Also, people should really check their oil level much more often than they do...