Astonishing main dealer prices (Audi)
Discussion
I've been able to avoid main dealer servicing for many years, but I have an 18 month old Audi Q5 and decided to take it to the main dealer for it's service, an oil and inspection service, to maintain its value and simplify any future warranty issues. How the hell can they justify over £470 for an hour's work, some oil and an oil filter? I may query their hourly rates as it's daylight robbery.
Not sure but some people pay hundreds of pounds for bottles of wine and a three course meal... I assume it's similar, bottom line is it probably fairly basic stuff but you're paying a hefty premium for all the pomp and circumstance. As with any cars costs, it'd make sense to sanity check the prices, ie try another dealer or consider an independent - though servicing within the manufacturers warranty period, outwith the dealer network can create some issues with warranty / goodwill outwith the three years. So on that basis, I assume it's a captive audience - ie you "need" to get it serviced here so we can charge a nice premium.
Gordon Hill said:
In most cases people choose to put themselves in a position to be beholden to these rip off merchants. If you don't want to pay it take yourself out of their grasp.
I meant to go on and mention that. I bought the Audi to tow my daughter's horse trailer (which never happened). It's a fine car but I don't think I'll be keeping it long term. My next car will be serviced by the excellent Indy I've always used. It'll also probably be outside the premium tax bracket, which I really begrudge paying. Another ripoff.the cueball said:
Your Audi will never, ever be worth more because you overpaid for a service at a flashy building.
Ever.
This my car has paperwork for the service plan that the original owner was paying monthly for at great expense. it now gets serviced by my father who is a retired mechanic with parts from eBay.Ever.
Considering I found the previous cabin filter was not fitted properly and just shoved in with the cover not refitted properly I know it is now looked after better than it has ever been.
I can't imagine paying someone £230 an hour to remove the undertray (and no doubt lose some bolts), undo the sump plug, let the oil fall out, replace the oil and filter and then charge me £400+
lornemalvo said:
I've been able to avoid main dealer servicing for many years, but I have an 18 month old Audi Q5 and decided to take it to the main dealer for it's service, an oil and inspection service, to maintain its value and simplify any future warranty issues. How the hell can they justify over £470 for an hour's work, some oil and an oil filter? I may query their hourly rates as it's daylight robbery.
Do you know for sure it is an hour's work?Not directly related but 18 months seems an odd age to be getting a service? Has it done a lot of miles?
lornemalvo said:
I meant to go on and mention that. I bought the Audi to tow my daughter's horse trailer (which never happened). It's a fine car but I don't think I'll be keeping it long term. My next car will be serviced by the excellent Indy I've always used. It'll also probably be outside the premium tax bracket, which I really begrudge paying. Another ripoff.
Wise choice, everybody's situation is different and one choice doesn't fit all but by and large motoring is as cheap or expensive as you want it to be. lornemalvo said:
I've bought and sold over 70 cars and for a car of this age, you are wrong.
I'm really not, but it's OK to have a different opinion. Why do you think 70 cars is an amazing number btw, do you think that outranks me or means you have more experience...where is the flex you are trying to make?
Just curious why you threw that out there like it means anything?
Main dealer history does make a vehicle more valuable if you do a like for like comparison, dealer versus independent if everything else is equal, particularly on a generic Audi/BM/Merc.
Also, as an example, my wife's Q5 rear diff had a fault when the vehicle was 9 weeks outside of warranty (8000ish miles) and due to main dealer servicing we were offered a 90% discount on parts and labour, so effectively cost me £600ish instead of £6k.
Once outside of main dealer warranty then maybe go find an independent, although my local independent VAG garage want nearly as much as the local main dealer, £250ish versus £280ish for an oil/filter change.
Also, as an example, my wife's Q5 rear diff had a fault when the vehicle was 9 weeks outside of warranty (8000ish miles) and due to main dealer servicing we were offered a 90% discount on parts and labour, so effectively cost me £600ish instead of £6k.
Once outside of main dealer warranty then maybe go find an independent, although my local independent VAG garage want nearly as much as the local main dealer, £250ish versus £280ish for an oil/filter change.
Richard-390a0 said:
The shiny glass palace, "free" coffee, "free" biscuits & "free" wifi all need paying for somehow...
Yet on that same basis, I was able to get my Cupra Formentor 310 serviced at their 'glitzy' main dealer with free biscuits, coffee and wifi for £215 in the last 12 months. That included a courtesy car for the day (£15 insurance fee). It's nothing short of a badge driven mark up / con.I'd suggest that you'd maybe look to see what a local VW, SEAT/Cupra or Skoda dealer will price for that same service - i'd expect you'd be able to get that done for half the price, unless its maybe an SQ5 or very high mile vehicle demanding different filter/more parts etc.
the cueball said:
Your Audi will never, ever be worth more because you overpaid for a service at a flashy building.
Ever.
A friend once bought a Lexus GS from auction. It had over 250k miles and full main dealer history that would have cost more than the car! Still only made the car worth a few hundred when he bought it.Ever.
Frimley111R said:
A friend once bought a Lexus GS from auction. It had over 250k miles and full main dealer history that would have cost more than the car! Still only made the car worth a few hundred when he bought it.
The fact that it did 250,000 miles and was still worth buying at auction could suggest the main dealer service was worth it.Frimley111R said:
A friend once bought a Lexus GS from auction. It had over 250k miles and full main dealer history that would have cost more than the car! Still only made the car worth a few hundred when he bought it.
That's a terrible comparison, not relevant to an 18 month old car under warranty.But no doubt the GS made a cracking buy with FSH at that age/mileage.
For servicing I can get a plan from Merc for my 13 year old car which works out only slightly more expensive than my Indy, particularly the ‘B’ service. However, I would never get them to repair anything at those rates. My Indy who I trust is around 50% of the labour cost and I am happy they do a good job. My 5 year old Jag has been at an Indy for a couple of years and has Jag Warranty. Jag confirmed they were ok with this as long as OEM parts are used and it also shows on the online history. I would never use a dealer from my personal experience unless it was a new car, but each to their own, I’m sure there are good dealers out there, I just haven’t found one yet 
The key will be maintaining the warranty until 3/5 years - I think there is plenty of "value" in that aspect at least. I certainly wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of a bill for an engine related issue because it hadn't been serviced 'correctly' (in the loosest sense of the word).
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