Torn between dealer service and taking the risk on warranty excess

[Chchgti35]

Just had service done yesterday, $511. Wondering if I should take the risk for the sake of $500 excess on warranty claims and have it serviced outside dealer network next time. They didnt even wash it which I thought was odd? Gave me a 60k car to drive around in though although I only travelled 30km, always a gamble with warranty’s. That was without pollen filter which I will do myself along with air filter. It would have been another $90 for pollen filter. It has sub 75k on the clock and they tell me the cambelt is due, book says 180km and no time period mentioned.

[schattenblau]

that's a bit slack.
my car always got a comp wash, even when in  just for a wof.
plus they price match non-franchise quotes

 

what warranty do you have ?
factory, after-market/third party ?
do they stipulate dealer servicing ?

[slowmo]

Why would you want a free wash? They will probably use a dirty sponge and cause swirls on your paint.

I actually specifically tell them to not clean my car.   

[Chchgti35]

It’s a VW warranty, if serviced outside VW network any claims carry $500 excess, otherwise zero excess if serviced within network.

that's a bit slack.
my car always got a comp wash, even when in  just for a wof.
plus they price match non-franchise quotes

 

what warranty do you have ?
factory, after-market/third party ?
do they stipulate dealer servicing ?

[schattenblau]

Why would you want a free wash? They will probably use a dirty sponge and cause swirls on your paint.

I actually specifically tell them to not clean my car.   

ditto but dealer here has a fancy brushless car washing machine

 

[Naekyr]

Why would you want a free wash? They will probably use a dirty sponge and cause swirls on your paint.

I actually specifically tell them to not clean my car.   

This, if I get it dealer services I tell them not to wash the car, I've got a mate that works at a dealership - I've seen how they treat cars and I don't want them touching my paint with their crap

That's why you can find swirls even on brand new cars that haven't even left the dealership..

[thomas.dq]

Screw the dealers.

Go outside to a reputable place and pay the excess if something comes up.

[McDoof]

The cambelt thing is always a bit of a funny one. All the published literature says 180k km, but then all the dealers say that it should also be done every 4 years. The service book says it should have a visual inspection done every 4 years, but also no mention of it needing to get replaced.
Maybe just the dealers reading between the lines (making stuff up) to make some extra $$$

[Worms]

I suspect if the dealer "inspects" it at 4 years, and says it's fine, but it then breaks... there are going to be questions and expected cost-covering.

Much safer for them to say to replace it.

Personally, I'd be wary of running more than 5 years - the potential failure cost is much higher than replacing it. Of course I wouldn't trust the dealer to do it right, so I'd end up doing it myself!

I used to do the belt on Dads E30 325i every 5 years - it wasn't unusual for it to have only done 30K on a belt, water pump and tensioner. Of course BMW parts are far more reasonable than VW ones, too!

[McDoof]

Most other manufacturers recommend 100k or 10 years

[schattenblau]

The cambelt thing is always a bit of a funny one. All the published literature says 180k km, but then all the dealers say that it should also be done every 4 years. The service book says it should have a visual inspection done every 4 years, but also no mention of it needing to get replaced.
Maybe just the dealers reading between the lines (making stuff up) to make some extra $$$

^ agree

the guy who bought my gti did some research and found;
- my local dealer, who has serviced the car from new, told him with it's low usage to follow the book.
- his nearest big town dealer said change now, this dealer's quote was also a couple of hundred more than other quotes