My first service appointment is Friday. It's a free 10,000 mile oil change, one of those features (I get three) that makes me want to bail due to the high level of inconvenience balanced by the low cost of doing it elsewhere.
Then again, this is the first time this car has been back to the dealer, at least officially. I told Volkswagen of Oakland to suck it after my radio issues and declined their 30 day post delivery inspection (more marketing than substance). The car won't be going back there, if I can help it. This week it visits Dorito Brothers, or Volkswagen of Walnut Creek, if you have an aversion to businesses that sound like strip clubs. I follow the VW forums and I don't know of any recalls or service bulletins for my car that would apply, but you never know.
My big concern is that they don't futz with the electronic settings I've so painstakingly programmed (reminder to get a clean back up). Then there is the car washing, which I want nothing to do with. I made up a sign, as you can see in the photo. I used to make one up for my BMWs too, the last car in which detailing became a hobby in itself (and where service became a painful chore). Car washes, all of them, screw up the paint.
Finally, I don't believe tire rotation is on the menu, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. I'm kind of against it from the stories I've heard. I would rather have reduced tread life than uneven wear and annoying noise. I'm really sensitive to road noise. The Pirelli P-Zero Nero's have been fantastic so far, and I'm told that changes after you start rotating.
"The Pirelli P-Zero Nero's have been fantastic so far..."
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I assume you are aware of the universal derogatory comments they receive on forums like Vortex and MKVI Forums. I guess most comments refer to traction issues.
I have 'em on my GTI and they seem to do a fine job with no noticeable bad habits...yet(?).
I have read that they wear poorly, usually starting at around 20,000 miles or when you rotate them. Wouldn't surprise me. At this point I would buy them as replacements, but knowing what I've read, I've got my eye on other brands.
ReplyDeleteSo 10,000 mile service included a tire rotation. A brake inspection showed 10/10 on the front brakes and 9/10 on the rear. Everything else was normal with no repairs, reported problems, recalls, etc., which was actually surprising to the service adviser. He thanked me for the DO NOT WASH sign and mentioned it would take some time off the service.
ReplyDeleteAs an aside, he under-promised and over-delivered, so a good experience overall. Service took 90 minutes on the nose.
A note on tire rotation: My check tires warming light went on yesterday morning. When the dealership rotated the tires, they changed the tire pressure. I was keeping the pressure at 38 and had reset the tire pressure monitor to that level. The dealership changed the pressure to 36.5 all around. One of the tires was reading 35.5 and set off the warning.
ReplyDeleteI have to say the car definitely rides a lot smoother at the lower tire pressure. At 38, there are some jarring bumps that don't seem to exist at that lower pressure. I might make that change if I take a trip. Until then, I'm back at 38 and I'll see if I have a leak with that out of whack tire.