I had my car serviced yesterday at 8700 miles. No problems were found and everything as in good working order.
When I got the bill I asked if I could have some top oil (my engine uses 1 litre a year) and he said its already on the passenger seat. While I was pleased as I thought the £170 service didn't include it I would have angry if I already had a load of oil.
Has anybody else come across a container of oil being included automatically in the price of a service?
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Yes - quite often, in fairness over various makes.
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Yes - often itemised at a price a bit less than you'd pay in Halfords or a forecourt.
None of my last 3 cars have needed topped up between services though, so I've got a few litre bottles of varius grades sitting doing nowt.
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>>Has anybody else come across a container of oil being included automatically in the price of a service?
It's never happened to me, but my current car (and the previous one) haven't needed topping-up between services.
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>>It's never happened to me, but my current car (and the previous one) haven't needed topping-up between services<<
Same ere.
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>> It's never happened to me, but my current car (and the previous one) haven't needed topping-up between services.>>
None of the four VWs I've had over the past 20 years have ever needed topping up, but when I used to have an oil and filter change at National I was always given the half-litre or so left of the five or six litres allowed for the oil change. I have two five-litre containers of such oil in the shed...:-))
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>> Has anybody else come across a container of oil being included automatically in the price
>> of a service?
They'll have included for it in the price (they're not philanthropists!) even if it wasn't actually itemised.
Incidentally, I can't remember the last car I had which needed the engine oil topping up between services.
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Yes, and subsequent services were cheaper as I've no need to buy 1 litre bottles when I buy it cheaper 5 litres at a time.
Price charged was considerably above Halfords price.
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I always specify what I don't want doing. I don't want the tyre pressures (including that of the spare) altering, and I don't want the washer bottle topping up.
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Only time any oil's been left on the seat is when it's been transferred from the mechanics overalls ;)
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Never happened on any car I've taken for servicing. Some MB dealers do it, apparently, but mine doesn't. I can near-enough buy 4L of Mobil-1 from Costco for the price the dealer charges for one.
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Every Audi I've ever had has come with a pouch and 1 litre bottle of oil in the boot. If used between services the dealer has always replaced it, and it's never been itemised on the bill as far as I recall. Some of the BMWs were the same, but I don't remember ever having to top them up, so can't remember if they were ever replaced.
Current Merc doesn't have a top-up bottle. Somewhat embarassingly I hadn't even checked the oil level until last weekend. Technically I still haven't - even more embarassingly I couldn't get the dipstick out! Dealer very kindly released it for me and checked!!!
Still, it meant I could sample their coffee - not bad, they've got a starbucks machine in the 'customer lounge', but despite that it tasted significanly better than the last cup of starbucks I had on the highstreet!!
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Yes, nice stuff that Mercedes coffee, Peter. The Volvo dealer I use does proper tea, in a cup with a saucer, so that's what I have there. Makes a surprising difference to the experience - I mean, you wouldn't drink unidentifiable brown liquid from a plastic cup at home, so why would you be pleased to be offered it by someone you're doing business with?
Anyway, oil. Like some others here, I've stopped expecting a car to use any because neither of ours did. Suppose I'd better get back into the habit of checking.
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>> Yes, nice stuff that Mercedes coffee, Peter. The Volvo dealer I use does proper tea,
>> in a cup with a saucer, so that's what I have there. Makes a surprising
>> difference to the experience - I mean, you wouldn't drink unidentifiable brown liquid from a
>> plastic cup at home, so why would you be pleased to be offered it by
>> someone you're doing business with?
on that note, i went to my jaguar garage yesterday and got excellent coffee and a nice danish pastry. apparently they buy 10 a day just in case and if not eaten the staff take them home.
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Your "top-up" oil might not be itemized on the bill but it will be charged for-also the wash of the car by a lad but still charged at £80/hour!
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For what it's worth WDB, my E250 hasn't used any oil in 20,000 miles and I think I'm right in saying that it's pretty much the same engine you've bought albeit in a different state of tune?
In fact, the only car I've had in decades which has used any oil between services was a 2.2 petrol Signum I had for a few fairly underwhelming months.
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ISTR than the A4 1.9 TDI (B6 shape) used a bit of oil between services, as does the 2.0T we still have - that generally requires a 1 litre top-up about 2 weeks before a service ;-)
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>> Your "top-up" oil might not be itemized on the bill but it will be charged
>> for-also the wash of the car by a lad but still charged at £80/hour!
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I realsie that, but if only an Audi main dealer did just charge £80 an hour - I suspect it's at least 50% more than that nowadays!!
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Yes,it's a long time since I had a car "dealer serviced"- especially as most dealers operate with at least 50% trainee/apprentice labour.The "technician" is only involved if there is a serious concern.Don't expect your service to be done by an expert-it'll be done by their latest employee-it's how they learn.
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In reality the actual labour cost is irrelevant to me; our Audi dealer charges £129 for an 'oil service' and £269 for an 'inspection service', with brake fluid/pollen filter/spark plugs being extra as and when required.
Since that includes a courtesy car or collection/delivery and a quick wash and vacuum I'm happy enough not to be bothered looking elsewhere
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PeterS, whereabouts is this dealer, if I may be so bold as to ask?
My local dealer, who is just down the road, charges £100 more than those prices!
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Worthing Audi, though I know that other Audi dealers advertise the same or similar deals. Things like pads/discs/cambelt/brakefluid also have fixed prices, though I can't remember what they are...sure I can dig them out of you're interested!
Peter
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Thanks PeterS. Although Worthing is a bit far from North London, your reply is very helpful because it's made me realise that I CAN get a much better deal if I shop around and am prepared to travel out of London. Within London they all seem to quote the same prices for some reason. . . . . . . :-)
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Watford Audi seem to also offer fixed price servicing, though their costs are slightly higher - £149/£299 for an interim/full service:
www.m25audi.co.uk/aftersales/audi-service.html
Last edited by: PeterS on Sat 28 Apr 12 at 20:15
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PeterS, that's very interesting, because my nearest dealer (Whetstone Audi) is part of the same group as Watford Audi, yet I'm being quoted considerably higher rates.
The one that makes me laugh (not!) is £1109 for a cambelt change!
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My local VW dealership's charges, including a £139 oil/filter etc change can be seen here:
www.volkswagen.co.uk/retailers/offers/00604/corkills-southport/southport
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I'm surpised your engine uses one litre of oil a year Rattle.Daughter has the 1.2 Engine.
Garage added fully sythethic oil and oil level hasn't dropped after a year.Her car is only used on short runs town driving.
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>> I'm surpised your engine uses one litre of oil a year Rattle.
If my car used a litre of oil in a year I would think the engine was worn out.
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I would think the engine was worn out.
Depends a lot on the car and the way you drive. High speed motorway driving will use more oil than pottering about.
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And remember: not using any oil isn't the same as the oil level not moving.
Some fuel dilution of the oil occurs, reducing the apparent amount of oil used.
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Anyway, why shouldn't the Sheikh redline it through the gears from cold when he's nipping round the corner for a sheaf of spare RAM? We've been recommending Italian tuneups to him since he was in nappies. And now perhaps he is loyally obeying.
Hands off the Sheikh! Italian tuneups for Italian cars!
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Servicing top oil included in price - normal? - R.P.
