On a daily basis we get customers calling us to quote work on their vehicle. Almost always they will then call (or have already called) our nearest competitors to quote for the same service or repairs. This is perfectly natural and we would expect the savvy motorist to do this. In fact we would encourage people to do so!
We also hear a lot of wild & wonderful claims, theories and “expert” opinions of vehicle faults, repair requirements and the ongoing confusion over Genuine vs OEM vs ‘aftermarket’ parts – among many other things!
There are however a few factors which you, the car owner need to be aware of when comparing your quotes from various workshops.
1. Be sure you are getting exactly the same work quoted by each workshop. One workshop may offer a cheaper service, but the fluids they put in your car might not meet the correct manufacturers requirements, the parts they use might be cheap and nasty, they may have skipped out some vital parts – for example: someone might quote you on a timing belt replacement but not include all the tensioners and waterpump, or you may for example be getting a quote for a 60,000km service, but a workshop might not realise that it is a major service including new spark plugs, etc.
Some workshops make profits from lower service costs by using the cheapest parts and pricing them at just below a premium brand price. At Elite Euro we will not compromise on the quality of our parts, but we still aim to keep our prices as low as possible. That is why we don’t offer “service special” deals or any other sales gimmicks to lure in customers. We know our service is of the highest standard, and is still competitively priced. This speaks for itself and that is why our customers always come back. We will even show you the old parts from your car so that you know that we’ve done our job properly!
If you put non Genuine/OEM parts and fluids in your Volkswagen, it becomes less of a Volkswagen!
The bottom line is, at Elite Euro you get what you pay for!
2. Do some research! Be confident the workshop can provide a professional, level of service, are experienced in working on V.A.G. cars and know all their quirks inside out. We work exclusively on Audi, Volkswagen and Skoda vehicles all day, everyday. We know them inside out!
3. People always bring up the topic of what is a “Genuine” part and what is “aftermarket”. The fact is, a true Genuine part often just comes down to the packaging. The vast majority of parts called ‘Genuine VW’ aren’t in fact made by VW/Audi. They are components designed and manufactured by specialist companies for the Vehicle manufacturer’s specific needs.
For example, almost all filters you will find on any brand new Audi/VW etc are actually made by filtration manufacturers like Mahle, Hengst or Mann-Hummel. Braking components will be designed & manufactured by Ate and suspension parts by Lemfoerder or Sachs, electrical by VDO or Bosch and so on. So even if you went and bought an oil filter from the dealership in a Genuine VW/Audi box, if you took it out and looked at it you will see that it is actually made by a filter company, not VW. This what OEM means. Original Equipment Manufacturer. In other words, they are a manufacturer that makes original equipment parts for VW/Audi – but they also sell the exact same part, in their own packaging, to the aftermarket wholesalers! This is how we can fit “genuine” parts to your car, but at a slightly cheaper cost than the dealerships.
These companies have factories all over the world, so parts may be made in Germany, but don’t be surprised if it is made in Austria, Czech Republic, Italy, or China. If it is a genuine MAHLE filter it will be made to the same high standards regardless of what factory it came from!
At Elite Euro we only use Genuine parts. No cheap imitations.
This must all be considered when shopping around for the best quality service for your car, your peace of mind, and your wallet!
