£99 pound service voucher from VW

[Teutonic_Tamer]

My first MOT is due next week, £54 at my local VW dealer.

Anyone think there is any merit in getting the MOT done at a dealer or would I be just as well heading off to a local garage and paying half the price?

NEVER use a main dealer for your MoT test.  Even if they price match.  Getting an MoT at an independent means you are getting a second pair of 'independent' eyes - which is especially handy if have any kind of 'dispute' with your stealer.

Indie MoT FTW every time. 

[Teutonic_Tamer]

While we're on the subject and without starting yet another cambelt thread, I need to get mine done - what should I be looking at for a competitive quote? Should I get the water pump done too and how much on top for that? I've done 64k miles

Search the forum, and dig up the existing thread.  Ignore the warning in red pen about not being posted in for more than 30 days.  It will be much better to try and keep threads on topic. 

[Teutonic_Tamer]

My first MOT is due next week, £54 at my local VW dealer.

Anyone think there is any merit in getting the MOT done at a dealer or would I be just as well heading off to a local garage and paying half the price?

That is the standard Governmet cost of an MOT, you will not get it any cheaper (unless some pikey garage is offering an MOT with a tyre change or something)

Rubbish.

The 'official' price is set at a maximum price - many MoT tests, be they from main stealers, chains such as Halfrauds, to back street garages are all able to charge what they like - they can even do it for free!

[Teutonic_Tamer]

There are plenty of garages that do cheaper MOT's, some also do free MOT's with a service.

Exactly!

However be wary, as some certainly 'look' for extra work 

Yup, and official VW stealers are not exempt from that either.  Just think of all the completely un-necessary 'air conditioning' services they offer!    If air con isn't broke, it don't need fixing - verging on scamming, is that! 

[FamilyDub]

Just think of all the completely un-necessary 'air conditioning' services they offer!

From this statement I'll conclude that since it never stops pi$$ing with rain, or gets above 20c in the Scotland that i can leave my A/c service until next year!

Thats c£40-50 more for mods next month

[AudiA8Quattro]

There are plenty of garages that do cheaper MOT's, some also do free MOT's with a service.

Exactly!

However be wary, as some certainly 'look' for extra work 

Yup, and official VW stealers are not exempt from that either.  Just think of all the completely un-necessary 'air conditioning' services they offer!    If air con isn't broke, it don't need fixing - verging on scamming, is that! 

Interesting you should say that. The one and only time i used a main dealer for an MOT(about 9 years ago), the car came back with a few faults that i don't remember seeing when i checked the car over.
The brake lights stop working, a tiny hole in one of the cv boots, and both front brake hoses 'bulging'.
Not suggesting that my car was 'tampered' with, but especially the cv boot was very 'iffy'.
The main dealers usually put the cars out to another MOT place anyway, so i went back to where they put it in, after doing the work myself.
Something definately didn't smell right, so i'd never use one again for a private MOT.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Just think of all the completely un-necessary 'air conditioning' services they offer!

From this statement I'll conclude that since it never stops pi$$ing with rain, or gets above 20c in the Scotland that i can leave my A/c service until next year!

Thats c£40-50 more for mods next month

Just leave it - seriously.  If your air con is working - it does NOT need servicing.  It is NOT part of the official service schedule, therefore isn't a requirement for maintaining warranty.

[FamilyDub]

Just think of all the completely un-necessary 'air conditioning' services they offer!

From this statement I'll conclude that since it never stops pi$$ing with rain, or gets above 20c in the Scotland that i can leave my A/c service until next year!

Thats c£40-50 more for mods next month

Just leave it - seriously.  If your air con is working - it does NOT need servicing.  It is NOT part of the official service schedule, therefore isn't a requirement for maintaining warranty.

Coolio.

[jaydubveedub]

Back on the MOT topic......

I got mine done at the dealer where I bought it, although this was mainly because it was free. I have had good experience with the garage (i.e. courteous, car doesn't come back damaged) and I can sit in the service reception and watch it being done through the glass.

Mind you, I don't get my servicing done there as one my good friends is a VW mastertech.

Last year (with my old car) I got it done at Nationwide Autocentre, purely because they were doing them for £26 with a voucher from the internet. Never again. They are an arrogant bunch of c&nts and tried to charge me over £100 to replace a CV boot (part costs £9 from GSF). I politely told them where they could stick their CV boot and got it done down the road for half the cost.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

I certainly wasn't recommending one of the chains like Nationwide - I was just using them as an example.