Fair service quote?

MOI

MOI

A2OC Donor
Hello all. HNY!

I usually take my 51 A2 TDI 220k to a regular back street mechanic for a service. I’ve done so for the last 5 years and the car has not given me any problems. Each year I’ve done around 10-12k miles. The service usually costs about £125-150.

As the mileage goes up I’m thinking it might pay in the long run to take it to a more specialist place. I live in west yorkshire so although WOM would be my first port of call the logistics make it difficult.

There is a ‘Bosch’ approved place walking distance from me and they’ve provided me with the quote attached.

What do we think here? Worth it?

As always thanks for your help and advice.

Imran

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It's difficuilt to compare of course because we don't know what your normal guy does but the parts prices from the Bosch place look pretty sensible. If you're happy with the normal guy I think I would stick with him, although you should probably ask him to confirm that he is doing the same as the quote above.

Anyway, what does "Bosch Approved" really mean, all it says to me is that they use Bosch parts, they are not necessarily a "specialist" for any model, plus for regular servicing you don't really need a specialist, that is for when something is wrong and you may need VAGCOM etc.
 
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Hello @MOI

The quote looks reasonable but it really doesn’t tell you whether you’re going to get someone with half a brain working on your car who knows for example not to jack it on the sills.

That said, you can get around that particular point by printing on A4 paper in 72 font advice to this effect and leaving it on the passenger seat (as well as telling them numerous times when you take the car there - I must be a very annoying customer!) .

Overall I’d always go with a recommended garage personally. Otherwise you just have to go with your gut feeling and try them I guess.
 
Regardless which you end up using there are two points to note...

Make sure the clutch is also flushed.

No mention of cambelt / water pump on the above list. But what I can see does not look to be extortionate.
 
kraig22 said:
Get some tools and do it yourself as it's the only ways to make sure the work is completed to a good standard.
🤘
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Yes I should have said this as part of my answer - I believe from previous posts @MOI you may not have too much DIY spannering experience (?) - but it's really simple and satisfying to do the filters and change the oil yourself. I think @Sarge 's how-to guides would be a good read.

A brake fluid flush is a garage job, but you can buy a tester that will tell you whether this actually needs doing or not - you may well find it doesn't as I think every two years is excessive, personally.

This would save you money - as would using Mannol 7715 oil which is also VW approved and is about half the cost. One further point is you don't need an engine flush - good engine oil change regularly as it should be (every 8-10,000 miles or every year) will do the same job.
 
dj_efk said:
Yes I should have said this as part of my answer - I believe from previous posts @MOI you may not have too much DIY spannering experience (?) - but it's really simple and satisfying to do the filters and change the oil yourself. I think @Sarge 's how-to guides would be a good read.

A brake fluid flush is a garage job, but you can buy a tester that will tell you whether this actually needs doing or not - you may well find it doesn't as I think every two years is excessive, personally.

This would save you money - as would using Mannol 7715 oil which is also VW approved and is about half the cost. One further point is you don't need an engine flush - good engine oil change regularly as it should be (every 8-10,000 miles or every year) will do the same job.
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I think the OP should check what oil the local garage has been using, before deciding to have the system flushed or not. If the local garage has been using a fully synthetic oil, approved by VW, then agreed, no need to flush. If not, then a flush is a good plan.
Wherever you have the work done, insist on the oil being fully synthetic, and VW approved.
Mac.
 
PlasticMac said:
I think the OP should check what oil the local garage has been using, before deciding to have the system flushed or not. If the local garage has been using a fully synthetic oil, approved by VW, then agreed, no need to flush. If not, then a flush is a good plan.
Wherever you have the work done, insist on the oil being fully synthetic, and VW approved.
Mac.
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Yes I suppose I assumed the oil was the correct spec previously.
 
You could ask whether you could provide your own parts to shave some money off the bill. In my opinion, all parts are slightly overpriced especially the oil and I wouldn’t recommend using engine flush, there’s no need if you’re using quality synthetic engine oils and changing it at approximately 10-12k.

There’s nothing too difficult for the average DIYer so doing it yourself save some money, gives you a sense of satisfaction and you know each job is completed properly.

I’ve just serviced my TDi and also changed the gearbox oil, which is worth doing if it’s not already been done. Febi Bilstein GL-4 is a top quality synthetic gear oil at about £11 per litre (you need just shy of 2-litres).

Belts including tensioner should be checked and replaced if due or if they show signs of deterioration.

I like to change coolant too to ensure the corrosion inhibitor properties are tip-top.

Doing a proper job with quality parts and lubricants ensures reliability and durability and should be viewed as sensible preventative maintenance.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Nick
 
Oil filter is a bit pricey especially compared with GSF at the moment

Personally I don't believe you can do a proper brake fluid change with 1 litre of fluid, the reservoir holds around half a litre alone my boss used to play hell up with me using "too much fluid" but if the customers paying (was £40 all in, addition cost to service back in 2012) and I am doing the job it's done right or not at all! Tbh I wouldn't trust anyone to do a proper BFC perhaps I am OTT lol
 
When it comes to service, I don't exactly trust the garages, they usually overfill or miss something, like not changing the crush washer on the draining bolt and the oil leaks slowly. Also as the A2s are not new cars, most mechanic probably care even less, so I do what I can myself.
I'm not a pro, just an enthusiastic amateur, but when it's done, I know it's done properly, as it should be.
Of course if you feel you rather take it to a garage, 2.4 hours seems a bit excessive though and that "engine flush" seems an easy money-making, as you cant really check if they done it or not, so I recommended checking out their google reviews as well.
 
Sylvester said:
When it comes to service, I don't exactly trust the garages, they usually overfill or miss something, like not changing the crush washer on the draining bolt and the oil leaks slowly. Also as the A2s are not new cars, most mechanic probably care even less, so I do what I can myself.
I'm not a pro, just an enthusiastic amateur, but when it's done, I know it's done properly, as it should be.
Of course if you feel you rather take it to a garage, 2.4 hours seems a bit excessive though and that "engine flush" seems an easy money-making, as you cant really check if they done it or not, so I recommended checking out their google reviews as well.
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The A2 tdi sump plug is fully reusable as it's not a Crush washer, reused them many times on hundreds of VAGS without issue, they used to be £1 too lol

Sure you could request "no flush" some garages have to offer them to be in schemes like "the good garage scheme" which was powered by Forte. Forte is good stuff again used 100's of times without issue, did it help, who knows???
 
Ideally I’d give it a go myself but just don’t have the time to work it all out at the mo.
I’ll have a chat with the regular chap and find out what’s he’s actually been doing to teh car all these years and take it from there!
Thanks for all the considered input!
 
It's the undertray that puts everyone off servicing these cars at home isn't it. I love servicing my cars but the A2 undertray nonsense makes my heart sink. No wonder so many examples get left to run over servicing schedules and are abused.
Must cut a hatch for the sump next time. 🤔
 
Not sure why an under tray would put people off, it’s quick and easy to remove and refit. I’ve seen some under trays modified by cutting an aperture at the rear adjacent to the engine oil drain bung so that it doesn’t need I removing to do future oil changes. I think pretty much every car is and has been fitted with an under tray since the 1990s.
 
Gilbert said:
Not sure why an under tray would put people off, it’s quick and easy to remove and refit. I’ve seen some under trays modified by cutting an aperture at the rear adjacent to the engine oil drain bung so that it doesn’t need I removing to do future oil changes. I think pretty much every car is and has been fitted with an under tray since the 1990s.
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Quite agree - in fact on the TDi at least if the front wheels are on ramps you actually don’t really need to remove the under tray at all!

That said I can see why you might find removing it slightly daunting at least until you’ve done it once and successfully got it back on with all bolts done up - there’s a lot of them and the two up in the wheel arch were a surprise when I couldn’t pull mine off at first when I did it for the first time. That said, once you have had it on and off once or twice and have the T25, ratchet and various extensions you know will do the job to hand, it becomes second nature.
 
CrispyEdd said:
It's the undertray that puts everyone off servicing these cars at home isn't it. I love servicing my cars but the A2 undertray nonsense makes my heart sink. No wonder so many examples get left to run over servicing schedules and are abused.
Must cut a hatch for the sump next time. 🤔
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I’m with you @CrispyEdd whilst I know how to remove the under-tray and have done it a good few times now, getting it up and down the ramps and the tray off and back on again seems to take longer the most of the actual jobs I’ve done over the years 🙈

That said, the satisfaction of accomplishing something myself at the end USUALLY makes it worthwhile 🤣
 
For those not wanting the hassle of removing the under tray, or even getting beneath the car, could consider a vacuum siphon. Oil is drawn out of the engine via a small bore pipe through the dipstick tube.

This reaches the bottom of the sump but is unlikely to remove 100% of the old oil and the oil must be hot for best results. I’ve had one for many years and swear by them; they’re also good for getting old engine oil out of the oil filter housing when the filter is removed.

I use it for all sorts and clean it out with diesel after use to keep it cleanish!
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Gilbert said:
For those not wanting the hassle of removing the under tray, or even getting beneath the car, could consider a vacuum siphon. Oil is drawn out of the engine via a small bore pipe through the dipstick tube.

This reaches the bottom of the sump but is unlikely to remove 100% of the old oil and the oil must be hot for best results. I’ve had one for many years and swear by them; they’re also good for getting old engine oil out of the oil filter housing when the filter is removed.

I use it for all sorts and clean it out with diesel after use to keep it cleanish!View attachment 102984
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ive got one of those in the shed . never pulls the rubbish from the sump very well. its better getting dirty lol , then running your oil through a filter to check you have no impending large repairs lol
 
Everything is a compromise; changing 95% of the oils is much better than not changing it at all and doing so with hot engine oil should ensure most of the contaminants are suspended in the oil instead of settled on the bottom of the sump.
 
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