Advance Pitstop / VW Passat Service

fatb0y

Hi,

I have a 2003 VW Passat 1.8 Turbo and am looking to get a full service and change the brake pads as the light on the dashboard is urging me to do so

I live in South Dublin and called the VW Dealership and got the following quote:
€380 - full service
€184 - front brake pads (fitted)
€140 - rear brakes
€155 - wheel balancing

---

€859 - total of above :eek::eek:

don't know if anyone else does but I thought it was shockingly expensive, so I called advance pitstop and got a quote of €385 for all of the items mentioned above.

I've never used advance pitstop before, so just wanted to ask if there is anyone who has had a bad experience with them (Dub Laoghaire / Loughlinstown) or if there is any other reason I should go to the dealership instead?
Any other suggestions as alternative to advance pitstop in the blackrock - shankill stretch would be most welcome as well.

Thanks a lot!

furtzy

€155 for wheel balancing is shocking....should be more like €50 at most

Moanin

That is a crazy price!

chris85

pads are like €30 a pair and do not require much work to fit, balancing only takes a few minutes for each wheel.

Havent heard anything about advance pitstop, used them once or twice for quick things like new tyres and battery. I'm sure they will be fine.

Also try other independant garages for prices.

r0nn13

I got my wheels balanced on my A4 for 32 euro for all 4 wheels

Think this shop has very big windows

Brake prices are rather tasty too... Time for a new garage me thinks...

Your car is not under the VW warranty any more so time for the independents then I say

ShayK1

fatb0y wrote: »

€155 - wheel balancing

OMG!!

Please tell me that's a typo!!!??!!
ANY tyres place will balance your wheels for between €5 and €10 per wheel.
Even if you meant wheel tracking, you should see change out of €60
Maybe they're talking about 4 wheel alignment. I think that can be a bit more expensive but I've never had to do it so I'm not sure.

voxpop

I know this will bring on gasps of disbelief and "I wouldnt let advance do jobs like that" comments, but I got my Golfs timimg belt done in Advance in dundrum. Plenty cheaper than Fosters and it still works a year later

hellboy99

They'll not last long in business with prices like that

walshy123

i would defo be going to advance. perhaps leave the actual service to the main dealer if you are looking to maintain a main dealer service history

fatb0y

Nope not a typo... but err... now that you mentioned wheel alignment I am slightly unsure on what your man said oer the phone because by the time he got to that I was already in a state of shock, I didn't ask for wheel balancing or alignment anyway. Apart from the brakes there is nothing noticably wrong with the car, it probably just needs the various levels checked and change of oil filter etc. as its just gone 1 year since the last service...

thanks everyone for the replies and I would go to an independant mechanic but still don't know much about the area as I haven't lived here that long...
Advance's quote of 385 (180 for service, 110 for front brakes and 95 for rear if needed) doesn't seem too bad to me but just want to make sure that the place doesn;t have a bad reputation.

Thanks again!

fatb0y

walshy123 wrote: »

i would defo be going to advance. perhaps leave the actual service to the main dealer if you are looking to maintain a main dealer service history

I would be tempted to, but the car didn't have a full dealer's history when I bought it, and its over 5 years old now, so I don't think it makes a case for paying an extra 200 (380 vs 180) to me... I am nearly convinced I want to go to advance, but just to be sure to be sure...

cjt156

I use Rathmichael Motors in Shankill - decent guys who won't take the p*ss - charge €80 p/h labour.
Another independent in Cabinteely village (who's name I forget - opposite the Horse & Hound pub on the old road) gets good reviews too.

I'd say they're both worth a ring.

Eoin

hellboy99 wrote: »

They'll not last long in business with prices like that

Unfortunately they will - lots of people will only go to a franchised dealer for their car.

Bobo78

If i were u i would go to the Advanced Pit Stop, i m servicing my car with them for a while now and they are very good.
Last time when i went to pit stop for a service they balanced the wheels of my car for free.:eek:;)

mickdw

Anyone will do the work you mention. it would be crazy paying main dealer for that.
Pads can be had for €30 per axle & fitting is half an hour per wheel max. I would bring it to an independant and I would buy 5L of top quality oil myself and a genuine filter from the main dealers parts counter and that way, you will be getting a top job done. Based on the dealer price of 380, i assume that was more than oil and filter service plus checks, so what were they doing for that money? Were they fitting auxiliary belts, in line fuel filter?, air filter, Spark plugs?
Your wheels will need balancing if they are swapped around during service but 5 - 10 euro each max and you can be sure they will only do the two on the front too.

techie

Ring around other VW dealers as a friend of mine in Cork was quoted crazy figures for a service for his Golf and he more than halved it by ringing around, he got it done at another VW dealer outside of town.