Went to do 10k service on 2017 Passat TSI

And VW no longer gives free oil changes? I know it has been 7+ years since we bought our 2010 Jetta TDI, but we got the first 3 free. When the rep told me it'd be $146 I was kinda like ***? I asked why it wasn't included and he told me they apparently did away with that in 2015.

That just surprises me. Do other manufacturers do that also, or is it only VW? If this is the case, then I feel like just doing it myself. I didn't mind paying when it came to the TDI with the DSG, but for this TSI I feel like I'm getting ripped off paying for oil changes.

I worked at Lexus and there was nothing free. Some do, some do not, but it isn't "free", it is just something built into the price of the car. I'd not worry too much about it, pay them or pay someone else, or do it yourself. So long as it gets done, and it gets done properly, doesn't really matter.

If the 1.8 is anything like the 2.0, oil changes should be super easy. Only thing I'm wondering about is if the front of my GTI will be high enough to clear my rhino ramps.

You still need to rotate the tires.

And yes, the oil change is pretty easy. Actually, most of the services are pretty easy.... and they need it. Just did yet another rear main seal this morning on a wonderful EA888 engine. Wallet sucking turds.

Smashed Ixnay said:

And VW no longer gives free oil changes? I know it has been 7+ years since we bought our 2010 Jetta TDI, but we got the first 3 free. When the rep told me it'd be $146 I was kinda like ***? I asked why it wasn't included and he told me they apparently did away with that in 2015.

That just surprises me. Do other manufacturers do that also, or is it only VW? If this is the case, then I feel like just doing it myself. I didn't mind paying when it came to the TDI with the DSG, but for this TSI I feel like I'm getting ripped off paying for oil changes.

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"Free" service promises depend on the dealership. The VW dealer a mile from our house sent us a letter saying we can have the first oil change "on them" for the 2017 Jetta 1.4 TSI we bought last summer. But I hear the service techs are goof balls from the friends I have that have their VW's serviced there. So I will ignore the offer and just do the scheduled maintenance myself like I have done on all our cars since I started driving in 1961.

Like Oilhammer says, nothing at a car dealership ends up being free.

Well there is a difference between what a dealer does on their own, and a manufacturer sanctioned program. The manufacturer ones, the dealer gets reimbursed by the manufacturer. The dealer is just that, the dealer's own deal. And it may not even be worth squat, as in some cases it just means a cheapo generic oil filter and oil, nothing else. Which of course is worthless on a Volkswagen.

If you own a MY2015 or earlier VW it says its free 10k right on your window sticker. Not so starting with 2016.

I own one of each so I know.

Here's a shot of the sticker on my GSW:

I went to a different dealer from where we purchased the car. Where we purchased the car we had bad luck, but I went one day just to look at the Passat TSI prior to purchasing it. The salesrep was an awesome guy. I do not regret buying the car from them, but when it comes to service, I will not let them touch my car. I drive 50'ish miles to another dealer where we purchased our 2010 TDI because service was fantastic with them.

If I have to pay, then I don't mind, but I just find it crazy that you have to pay for your first 3 oil changes now. If that's the way it is now, then that's just the way it is. It just caught me by surprise, that is all.

From what I understand the MY 14's were reduced to 2 years / 24,000 miles, and then in 2015 it went to 1 year / 12k miles, then phased out in 2016.


Even if it was included in where we bought the Passat TSI, I will not take it to them. Just too many horror stories when we had to deal with them, and then again whenever my sister's Touareg started acting up. I actually ended up taking the Passat TSI to them for something shortly after we bought the car (b/c salesman said please give them another try), but the service was just as bad as all the other times. It's a shame because they are 15 minutes away and the dealer I go to is an hour.

I will most likely continue taking it to them because I don't like to work on these cars. If I mess something up it'll cost me an arm and leg, and I rather not hear from my wife.

Translation: Care Free Maintenance = It's free so we don't care.