The Volkswagen Golf has been a staple of South African roads for many years. While it may seem that its heyday has passed with customers opting for the Polo or one of the numerous crossovers on offer today instead, there are still a great number of Volkswagen Golfs on our roads and in the used car market.
Related: How reliable is the Volkswagen Golf 7?
The Volkswagen Golf sells with a 5-year/60 000 km service plan and this means that even 2017 year models are now facing service costs, even if their mileage is rather low. Later models that have more than 60 000 km on the clock will also cost the owners when it comes time to service. Which begs the question: how much does it cost to maintain a Volkswagen Golf?
Dealer versus independent
If you're sitting with or looking to purchase a used Volkswagen Golf that is outside of its service plan, you'll be faced with deciding whether to take the car to a Volkswagen dealership or make use of an independent service centre. The Right to Repair act means that you will still retain the balance of your warranty if you do happen to opt for an RMI-approved service centre.
While the pricing may be slightly better, there are still a few benefits from continuing to use a Volkswagen dealership for your services. With 109 dealerships across Southern Africa, you're guaranteed to be able to find a dealer that is convenient for you and your location. Volkswagen's extensive warehouse also stocks more than 40 000 parts, ensuring the availability of your required service parts. Should you run into a little trouble and find your vehicle requiring parts that are not in stock, Volkswagen is able to ship parts in from Germany within 10 days to ensure that you do not sit with your car any longer than is needed.
Service costs
Here is what you can expect to pay, on average, for a service from both independent service centres and dealerships, keeping in mind that Volkswagen dealers will use genuine VW parts and back these parts with a 2-year warranty for additional peace of mind.
Volkswagen Dealer
Minor service: Approx R2 000
Major service: Approx R6 100
Cambelt service (where applicable): Approx R11 500 (R18 000 total)
Independent service centre
Prices will vary significantly, but as a rough estimation from an RMI service centre, you can expect to pay in the region of:
Minor service: R2 100
Major service: R3 300
Servicing your car at the dealer doesn't have to cost the earth and often you will be surprised at how affordable it is. Sometimes, the slightly higher price is also worth the peace of mind that comes with knowing that the experts have carried out the work on your car.
