Service Rip Off?

[Jacey Boy]

Just got the FR serviced, and also wanted it looking at to make sure nothing is wrong before the warranty runs out next month, when I collected I found a 1 litre bottle of "Top Up Oil" on the passenger seat unopened, when I went back in to ask what it was for I was replied that....

"We are now doing this as part of the service to stop customers topping up with the wrong make of oil which has caused for some warranty claims to be turned down with Seat", WTF my warranty runs out next Month!! They charged £11.06 + Vat for that

 

[fireblade929]

when i bought my new, pre registered cupra recently i was offered the first 2 sevices for £99, which would take me up to the end of the warrenty, when it would get traded in , bargain i thought, so i bought it.............

 

[andycupra]

is it a rip off or good service?

well i think its good service to do this, - however i do agree thats very expensive for 1 litre of oil.
But then so are most 1 litre bottles and its usually only a fwe more £s for a 4 or 5 litre bottle.

What the dealer 'could' do is fill a 1 litre bottle rather than sell one.

If i was you i would have asked them to remove it from the bill, return it and ask them to point you to the correct oil and get yourself a 4 or 5 litre bottle of it.

Interstingly i often find cars overfilled with oil after a dealer service, so they seem to have charged you £11 to have it in a bottle rather than in the engine!

When i had my pug 205 they specified the oil they had used, when i called up a few months later saying i could get that specific oil locally they said pop in and we will give you some more.
When i got there with my old platic bottle they said hold on, appeared with an empty 5 litre bottle, and then proceded to fill it up from the massive container they had and said there you go. No charge.

Generally speaking i do find it annoying when you have a dealer service to get charged for these little extras. In this case im not sure it wrong to charge, but that is a fair bit. But when i see £2-3 on the bill for screen wash this annoys me, especially when it was pretty full when it went in.
Just what exactly is included in a service these days? - not alot.

 

[HotHatchSteve]

The price of oil depends on what make. For example Castrol Edge which is recomended costs about £15 for a 1 ltr bottle. However they should have asked you if wanted tje oil.

 

[dazjb69]

Just got the FR serviced, and also wanted it looking at to make sure nothing is wrong before the warranty runs out next month, when I collected I found a 1 litre bottle of "Top Up Oil" on the passenger seat unopened, when I went back in to ask what it was for I was replied that....

"We are now doing this as part of the service to stop customers topping up with the wrong make of oil which has caused for some warranty claims to be turned down with Seat", WTF my warranty runs out next Month!! They charged £11.06 + Vat for that

What makes it a complete joke is that oil should be quantum longlife III and I bought 1ltr from my local SEAT stealer a couple of weeks ago for just over 8 quid.

 

[Sooty torques]

The price of oil depends on what make. For example Castrol Edge which is recomended costs about £15 for a 1 ltr bottle. However they should have asked you if wanted tje oil.

While on holiday in Norfolk recently, called in the car spares shop at Fakenham to find correct Castrol Edge for the FR TDI on the shelf for £21.75... PER LITRE

OK yes it is good service to inform you about the correct oil to use - maybe leave a leaflet / photocopy on your drivers seat pointing out the possible warranty issues - but I sure as hell would hand it back and ask for my money back (but I always carry a 1L of correct grade in the boot from my local Skoda dealer = much cheaper than SEAT dealer!).

Sounds a little like sharp practice to me.

 

[Nath.]

I'm on the fiddle. I buy Mobil1 for my company car 5 times a year on my company fuel card, then put the Tesco cheap stuff in the company car if it ever needs topping up between services (very rare TBH). Then when I get my Leon serviced I present the dealer with 5 1L bottles of Mobil1 and ask them not to charge me for their stuff.

 

[sialdo]

BMW and MINI do it too. Thought good idea. Equiv of £1 a month. Bargain

 

[/dev/null]

Pretty standard thing for the dealers to do although the ones I use only do it upon request - I already have 3 bottles from previous services so kindly decline!

 

[Jacey Boy]

I might just get the money back!

 

[si-mate]

I've had this a few times and usually take them back and ask they are removed from the bill.

 

[andycupra]

i can see its a nice gesture, but for me the real piss take is the price.
Often to buy a 1 litre bottle is more than half the price of a 5 litre bottle..
and the dealers will be buying in bulk so will be even cheaper for litre than a 5 litre bottle.

Now, if they provided a bottle (maybe with the dealers logo etc on it) topped this up from the bulk supply and offered it for a few £s then ok. it would be a nice touch.
Even better if part of the service.

They seem happy to pay someone to scratch your car, (sorry i mean wash your car) and dont charge for it. So perhaps when booking in they can ask you if you would like a complimentary wash or top up bottle. This might even stop the cars being washed when you say not to!

 

[techie]

I've had this a few times and usually take them back and ask they are removed from the bill.

Exactly, its upselling.

If you dont want it, ask them to remove it from the bill and give it back.

Or before you hand the keys over ask them not to add any extras, i.e screenwash etc as its too late afterwards.