[Closed] Audi vs VW vs Skoda vs Seat

There's no short answer - it depends on the model and the variant.  If you buy a previous gen Audi you may well be able to fit generic VAG or Skoda or Seat service items and parts. If you buy a 2018 Audi R8 it probably won't use Skoda brake discs or oil filters. I'd love to find out that it does though.

Depends who’s doing the servicing. An Audi main dealer will give you the “reassuringly expensive” spiel or words to that effect...

They’re all the same car underneath, at least you appreciate that, but the Audi will “feel” more premium to sit in, and you’ll pay for it in dealer costs.

Good advice Jim.

Thanks.

Anyone had real world experience?

They have the same floor plan, but the rest of the components aren't necessarily the same. You can get different engines on Audis, you probably get different shocks etc and the interior equipment and spec is different. I suspect that you get stuff like firmer springs on Seats since they are marketed as sporty.

Many parts are the same but they aren't the same cars. They share basic stuff too like fasteners and connectors etc too I think.

But much of it is made elsewhere anyway. Sachs shocks, Brembo brakes, Lemforder bushings, Bosch sensors and injectors, GKN CV joints etc. Those are probably the same across brands.

We’re on our second Octavia and Mrs B used to have a Roomster.  The latter had a small electrical glitch that meant we had to call out the VAG equivalent of RAC/AA.  The fella turned up in his Audi/VW logo’d van and while he was running diagnostics on Roomster, he spotted my VRS.  Turned out to be a ‘Q car’ fan and was explaining what mechanical parts are shared between brands, models etc., and various potential mods. Interestingly, he also knew brands and models got the most call outs (mainly guys in Audi 4wds who’d exceeded their driving talents;)

We looked at several Golfs, Leon’s and A3’s before getting our latest Octavia.  IMO, the nicest interiors were Audi the Skoda/VW, then Seat.

Basically, as previously mentioned, there can be some differences in suspension design and components - most particularly the rear.  I.e. multilink rear goes onto more VW, Audi than Skoda.  As service fella explained, there’s advantages and disadvantages with this - slightly more composed ride, but more bushes etc to wear in long term.  Engine, gearbox wise, they’re very similar, so should be very similar servicing costs - but I didn’t check Audi’s servicing cost.

Advice from the VAG repair guy was, for a long term keeper, get something manual without adaptive suspension etc, then go with main dealers until warranty expires, then find a reputable independent VAG service place.

As above, it’s more complex than “same car, different panels”.

Audi for example were until recent fairy bespoke bar some of the smaller engines were shared.

But a lot of the service bits are shared, I don’t know about Audi but in my local dealers Seat service costs are the same as VW / Skoda for like-for-like engines.

Personally though since you no longer need to maintain a dealer service history to maintain the warranty I wouldn’t bother with them over a decent indie.

Oh if you don’t want to get hammered on bits avoid unusual combinations of engine / body. My Dads V6 TDI Passat costs a fortune in bits. There’s a million passats on the road and Audi has loads of V6 TDI engines, but the combination of the 2 made for some packaging issues and I remember spending an eye-watering amount on an alternator which hadn’t been used on any other model.

To give you an idea they all offer fixed price servicing for cars over three years old. these are the prices for a major service for a less than 2 litre car.

Skoda - £279

VW - £329

Audi £338

You'll pay a wee bit more for an Audi,  but the coffee is nicer.

Christ that is some expensive coffee!!! 

I had three Seat Leon's on the trot and got an Audi A4 two years ago.  All serviced at the dealer.  Much to my surprise my service costs have dropped significantly with the Audi as the service interval is almost double

The Audi is a much nicer place to be than the Seat, but the initial purchase price was bowel loosening compared to the Leons