Please give some car-related advice from a car-idiot

Unless it’s leased you can take it anywhere.

Yes, you can take it anywhere. In the 21st century, they have computers that will have your service records saved on the interwebs.

Except when you have the oil changed at Cletus' Body Shop in Bumfuck. Arkansas. They ain't got no internets down in tha' holler.

All garages/service stations share digital records, R2? Are you sure? I’m not sure that all healthcare providers can access records from a prior provider.

Find a local guy who specializes in Vdubs and you'll be fine.

You can take it anywhere, but they are not going to have your service records like the lunatic at r2 says. If I were you, I'd take it to a chain store like Firestone. They less likely to try to upsell you or find problems that don't exist.

I agree with R4. Find a local mechanic who specializes on Volkswagens. These people are cheaper than the dealership's service department and usually have more knowledge about the car brand than that department.

Dealerships, the mechanics often have half the skill and it's often at twice the price. Unless it's required by the warranty or a recall don't take it there. Why did you buy a VW next time go Japanese and get a reliable car thats truly neglect able.

[quote]next time go Japanese and get a reliable car thats truly neglect able.

Any year Toyota or Lexus

You can take it anywhere and it will be cheaper too. The only reason you should be sticking with the dealership is because it's still under warranty. Since that's gone, not worth the money unless you had some really expensive sports car.

If it makes you fell better, every time I take in my clients Porsche to the dealer for her, it's always about 10,000!!!

Car nerd here. R4 & R6 are correct: specialty shops are your best option, and that'd be true even if you *did* still have a VW dealership. Nowadays they make most of their money – Covid delays & hikes notwithstanding – from service & maintenance. If your car's still under warranty, then obviously you go to the dealership, but otherwise you could save 30% or more by finding a well-regarded one in your area. (I know VW enthusiast boards list them: I came close to buying a VW Golf R a few years ago & researched them at the time – but if there aren't any with nearby listings, even Yelp or Google Reviews can help.)

Car nerd, off topic, but what do you think of the Toyota GR 86? I am thinking about trading in my Corolla for one, because I really want a stick shift. My Corolla is two years old.

Never take your car to the dealership for maintenance if you can help it. They massively overcharge for everything and it's a major source of income for them.

R11 I'm not car nerd but I love this Toyota and I've never even heard of it before. It looks like an update version of the 280Z. If I wasn't running my old Lexus suv into the ground I'd love to try this one. It's hot and very reasonably priced.

R11, I'm not Car Nerd but I guess I am one and I work in the business.

Have you thought of the Corolla GR? Not cheap and not common but fast, fun and a manual.

Listen to everyone telling you to take it to an independent specialty shop. You'll save thousands and have the same expertise. I used to have a 911, and when the warranty expired the repair costs were a fortune through the dealer. I found an indie shop that specialized in them (and most German cars). Half of their mechanics worked for the major German dealers at on point in time, and they ordered all original parts. They were so busy that they never tried to upsell me, they wanted the car out of there once necessary repairs were completed. I saved $2k alone when I had to get a new clutch.

See if VW has a local car club in your area. The car nerds that belong to them are a fantastic resource, and often have repair shops they affiliate themselves with and hold in high regard. I joined the local chapter of the Porsche club of America for about $125, and it saved me thousands from the advice and connections I got through them.

How do some of you survive day to day issue's?

I bet they know that the plural of "issue" is "issues."

R16 owns a lot of issues.

R12, that's unfortunately true. I used to spend roughly $200 every time I brought my car in to the dealership. Last time, they wanted to do $3,000 worth of work. Part of that was $800 for new tires, after I had mentioned to them that one of my tires was very slowly losing air.

Just go buy a new car you cheapscate.If you live in SM you can afford it-Fuck you

Agree with the posters, above. If you're done with the warranty, then just take it to an outside mechanic. My town doesn't have VW specialists, but it seems like other posters do have VW specialists in their towns.

VWs used to have a bad reputation for reliability.

Just make sure to get your oil changed every 6 months and to not drive on bald tires.

You can also just pay an extra few dollars on your car insurance to get roadside service (cheaper than AAA).

Just bought a 2020 Nissan Rogue and am also wondering if I need to take it to a dealership for service (I assume in a year, since I bought it from a dealership which I don't want to re-visit), or should just find a reputable Nissan service shop.

I have no warranty on this as far as I know (I'm also a car-idiot) except a 2 year/20k whatever which is NOT including service as far as I know, since i recently received a letter from them trying to get me to buy a "service warranty".

I haven't purchased a car since 2009 (and it was already used); so I am really clueless on these matters.

A 2020 may still be under warranty. Find out for sure.

[quote]Dealerships, the mechanics often have half the skill and it's often at twice the price. Unless it's required by the warranty or a recall don't take it there.

I had an oil leak on my old Honda last year. The mechanics at the local gas station repaired it - WRONG. Took the car to Honda and they fixed it correctly - SAME PRICE. So I paid double trying to save a buck. Should have gone to Honda to begin with.

From Consumer Reports:

- Find a shop for your brand of car -- Many garages specialize in certain makes. Those that focus on your type are more likely to have the latest training and equipment to fix your vehicle.

- Ask your family and friends -- Especially seek recommendations from those who have a vehicle similar to yours.

- Search the Internet -- Look for information about local mechanics on Angie's List, the Consumer Reports car repair estimator, and the Mechanics Files at Cartalk.com. Cartalk.com provides those services free, Angie's List requires a subscription, the car repair estimator is free for Consumer Reports' online subscribers.

- Check for certification -- Your mechanic and shop should be certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, or ASE.

- Check the Better Business Bureau -- Auto repair shops rank 12th on the bureau's list of common complaints. Go to www.bbb.org; the information you find might help you figure out which shops you should avoid.

- Give the shop a tryout -- Before your car needs a big repair, you might want to try out some local shops with smaller repairs or maintenance items, such as oil and filter changes.

- Ask about warranties -- What kind of guarantees does the shop give on repair work? Warranties can vary greatly among shops, so ask about them ahead of time. Use a common repair, such as brake work, as your guide.

- Make sure the shop is convenient -- Even the best shop might not be worth the effort if its hours conflict with your schedule or you have few transportation options after you drop off the car.

I checked the cartalk "Mechanic Files" mentioned at my R25 post for VW service in Santa Monica and the the only one that comes up seems to be not in business anymore

But I did find this website that lists VW specialists in the SM area - you gotta scroll down past the "featured specialists" which seems to be ads to the actual list of "all volkswagen specialists"

I don't know anything about this site or it's sources or whathaveyou but at least it's a list for ya to check out

Watch YouTube to learn to do as many things by yourself as you can. I have guys in my neighborhood that help me, or even show me how to do things on my own. Love them!

I'm not mechanical at all, but I don't trust anyone to work on my vehicles, and that's why I have learned to do a lot of things by myself. It's easier to work on an older vehicle, because the newest/most expensive ones are made to be difficult to repair on your own.

But here's a hint: when your "check engine" light comes on, there is a hand-held device you can buy at any auto supply store that plugs into the lower left underside of your dashboard that will tell you what is wrong. That way if you do have to take it to a shop, you won't sound like you don't have a clue. [see attached YouTube link]

I changed the oil and filter in my Nissan truck by myself without even jacking it up by watching YouTube. It's an invaluable tool if you use it.

[quote]It's easier to work on an older vehicle, because the newest/most expensive ones are made to be difficult to repair on your own

OP literally said the car is 5 years old, R27

Also, plenty of people don't want to work on or repair their cars. I'm one of those people. I used to when I was a youngster and had a beater car but in my older age I got things I'd much rather do than deal with wrenching my car... like lounging in the pool for example.

Also, that device you can buy to diagnose a check engine light - You don't even have to buy one. Several chain auto parts places, like Auto Zone, will do that for you FOR FREE with their device.

Car Talk has been doing reruns for many years now (Tom, the older brother died a while back). I don't think people post that much on "Mechanic Files," although I did find a good mechanic there -- a long, long time ago.

What are you trying to say, R28? That a five-year-old car is a newer vehicle or an older vehicle?

And, in case you're unaware of how the other half lives, some people simply can't afford to just take their cars to the shop. I'm sure if I'd been paid as well as most of you gentlemen, I'd lay by the pool as well.

[quote]Also, that device you can buy to diagnose a check engine light - You don't even have to buy one. Several chain auto parts places, like Auto Zone, will do that for you FOR FREE with their device.

Of course I already know that, but some of us don't like to be dependent on others to do things we can easily do ourselves. And some of us don't mind getting our hands dirty.

R30, I was saying a 5 year old car is a NEWER CAR

Lots of hijinks under that hood that a novice can easily make worse

Also, lots of people don't work on their own cars because they're apt or condo dwellers with no space for doing anything on their car.

My condo has a parking garage where there's no space to work on one's car. I do occasionally see a guy working on his motorcycle down there but that's only because he's got a full car sized parking space for the bike.

[quote]Just make sure to get your oil changed every 6 months and to not drive on bald tires.

I encourage proper maintenance, but an oil change every six months is definite overkill. This *might* have been the case before synthetics became the norm, but nowadays you really *are* supposed to go by whatever guide comes with the car. (But OTOH it's obviously essential for any type of vintage car.)

[quote]I had an oil leak on my old Honda last year. The mechanics at the local gas station repaired it - WRONG. Took the car to Honda and they fixed it correctly - SAME PRICE.

That sounds like a fluke, not any real argument for choosing a dealership over other alternatives. Also, literally nobody is suggesting taking a car to the "local gas station." (Who the fuck even *has* gas stations nowadays with anything but self-serve gas and possibly a quickie mart?) A local Honda specialist would've been the best option, even if the fix was a quick one that apparently didn't cost much.

[quote]But I did find this website that lists VW specialists in the SM area - you gotta scroll down past the "featured specialists" which seems to be ads to the actual list of "all volkswagen specialists"

R26, it definitely takes some digging on the enthusiast boards to find helpful info. A lot are specific to individual models as opposed to specific dealerships, so you might only have a long-ass thread with dealer recommendations. Btw "featured specialist" sounds like paid placement, just FYI. (If so, there should be some wording saying it's a paid ad.)

R27, I'm afraid I have to agree with R28 (and I don't own a pool, or even any type of real estate). Understood if you had some horrible mechanic experience years ago that left you untrusting of them, but that's not the case with me, and while I've had a few shitty mechanics at various points, I entirely trust the ones I use today. If anything I wouldn't trust *myself* with any sort of car repair, and that's based on a full lifetime of having nearly zero mechanical aptitude. It's great that you do, but kinda shitty for dissing other people who opt otherwise.

Where do you live, R32, in the desert? I have two “gas stations” with mechanics within walking distance where I live.

He will never find a local VW shop near Santa Mónica! 😵‍💫…

Christ - just drive down Slauson, or Centinela, or Culver, or Lincoln, or…

So many valley girls here.

Quite the opposite. Good VW shops are a dime a dozen in the Valley.

Get yourself an odb-II reader and app - they are cheap and will translate codes into readable errors you can intelligently talk to any car shop about. Max 99 bucks. Every car has an ODB-II port. After warranty, you can take it anywhere. Just get regular oil changes (at least once every 10K miles). Rotate the tires, you can take it to any tire dealer.