06 GTI Dealer Replacement CV Joint, CV Boots, Rear Discs and Pads

[the_duderama]

Hello,

Bought a Mk5 06 GTi about 6 months from an independent dealer, the guy told me he'd had it serviced, MOT'ed etc, but I thought I'd better get it checked out at a main dealer at some point just to make sure, and they've found the following:

Rear Pads and Discs - £229
CV Boots (both split)- £399
CV Joint (offside knocking on full lock) - £150
Hole in Air Box: £100 - £150
DSG Service needed £150

Personally I'm thinking that they are charging too much for the rear pads, discs, and the CV boots. I do know a good local garage who will use decent quality parts so I'm thinking of taking it there. I understand that a main dealer will charge more due to overheads, using official VAG parts etc, but these are around double of what I've paid recently for work on a Focus ST170. Does anyone else think these prices excessive?

I'll get the DSG Service done there, and let them sort out the air box as they diagnosed it (occasional exhaust warning light), but I often think places take the mick with pricing up brakes and discs due to the safety factor.

Cheers for any advice!

[Snooze]

Avoid main dealers at all costs.  Just go to your friendly local garage.  I never take my car to the main dealer, they are just rip off merchants

[Snoopy]

VW standard plastic CV boots are rubbish. I would much rather use aftermarket ones as i have had to replace 2 VW OEM ones on two of our cars 2 years running! to get it through the MOT because there rubbish quality. I will fit aftermarket ones this time round....

Ask your independent dealer to use genuine make parts. All parts are made for VW by someone else.
VW use to use ATE brakes for example and you can buy those from eurocarparts on here for a 25% discount!
The parts will have the makers name stamped in so its easy to find out who actually supplies VW with the OEM ones.
Independents can also get original oem VW parts from TPS (trade parts supplies) or from the trade delivery/counter of there local VW dealer. So theres no reason an independent could not fit quality oem or oemVW parts.

[the_duderama]

Cheers for the advice - took it to the local garage, turns out the knocking was the CV joint, he also thought the other CV joint would go soon so replaced it also, all in (plus the rear brakes and discs) cost around £390, the dealer was looking to charge nearly £800! All proper parts as well. Just need to get the DSG oil change done and the air box, although I'm thinking about doing the air box myself as it shouldn't be too difficult.

That independent I bought it off had it serviced and must of found out the boots were knackered, but never got them fixed for both of the CV joints to go, should've bit the bullet when I first got it and had it serviced and checked out properly by a VAG dealer and got it done under the dealers warranty. He was well dodgy like.