Octavia just out of warranty. Dealer or indy service?

My 21 plate Octavia estate is a couple of months out of warranty and due a service.  A basic oil change and inspection, plus spark plugs and pollen filter which are apparently due is coming in at £440 at the Skoda dealer – £160 just for the spark plugs.  I’m sure I can get this done cheaper at a local garage I trust and use for an older car.

I’m probably going to sell the car in a year to 18 months.  I don’t have a paper service record, it’s an electronic one and I’m worried it will show as not having been serviced on there. I would of course have a receipt for an independent service if I go that route. Will a non-dealer service affect resale?

Just go to a VW/Audi/Skoda indy and ask if they will update the electronic record.  Mine does, and they can also give you a print out if necessary.

I can only speak for myself but I’d rather have a car maintained at a good indy than a main dealers.

£160 for spark plugs, that is a piddle take.

I took out a plan which covers all servicing. £20 a month. I also extended the warranty as it covers my DSG gear box.

£160 for spark plugs, that is a piddle take.

Indeed. That was the point at which I thought about going somewhere else.  With older cars I am happy to do a basic oil change/spark plug service myself. If an independent can update the electronic record and clear the warning on the infotainment display, that might be the way to go.

Get a quote from an indy. I used to use a VAG specialist but in the last couple of years their prices have really gone up.

So much so that I now just service the car myself. Although it does have nearly 150,000 miles on it, so not massively concerned about resale value.

£160 for spark plugs, that is a piddle take.

They’re expensive these days, cost over 50 quid for Fiat 500 ones last time I purchased from a motor factor, and it only had 2!

But they do go 3 or more years between replacement now, not annually like they used to be.

You may get some goodwill from Skoda should something go wrong even if out of warranty if its had a full main dealer service history. May help residuals if you’re planning to sell.

Main dealer if you plan to sell shortly.  It would affect my decision as a buyer.

As it happens when my 6 year old Skoda Superb was due an oil change service and MOT the main dealer was far  cheaper than three independents I got quotes from. £202.42 total.

No faults found. No upselling. They mentioned aircon service but it blows cold. Queried brake fluid but that was done last year.  Advised front brake pads were 60% worn but not needing changed anytime soon.

Indys were all around £280-£300

Henrys (north)  Glasgow

Epends on your indy guy.

We went straight to the local guy after ours went out of warranty. It’s 5 minutes walk rather than pissing around with the main dealer to get to them either on a day when there’s a courtesy car or on a day MrsMC can fetch me back home and then take me in again later.

Local guy is clear if its a job that needs a main dealer – he won’t do belt changes on certain VAG engines due to a known issue with a dodgy bolt (I think it was). He took his own van back to the dealer to get it done.

If an independent can update the electronic record and clear the warning on the infotainment display, that might be the way to go.

Look online. It used to be possible to reset the warning by a combination of button presses, key insertions, flap wiggles etc…

Depends on what independent you have, how much you trust them etc.
Mine is great, I’ve used for 10 years, isn’t much saving over the dealer – but I do trust them and they do a better job than the dealer IME.

At that age I’d get the oil change done at the dealer and everything else done at an Indy. I’ve literally just done this with my 4 year old A4 which is on a service plan.

Audi wanted north of a grand for new discs and pads, Indy place was half that and all the saving is in the labour – I’ve still got OEM parts fitted.

Edit – pollen filter change on a mk3 octavia is a bit faffy , so theres probably a hefty labour cost there too. I DIY’d mine, its not difficult, but does take a while as you have to take  the glove box door out.

If you’re keeping it then probably Indy, although as others have said you might buy yourself a bit of goodwill if you get unlucky.

If you’re planning on selling shortly through then go main dealer – that’ll help with resale.

DIY