Volkswagen maintenance: cost, plans and service schedule

Are Volkswagens expensive to maintain?

Volkswagen upkeep doesn’t cost as much as you might think. RepairPal estimates that VWs average $924 per year in repairs and maintenance (adjusted for inflation). That’s not much more than the industry average of $891 per year.

Evaluating the cost, frequency and severity of repairs, RepairPal gives Volkswagen a reliability rating of 3.5 out of 5, placing it 12th out of 32 brands. Unfortunately, while RepairPal suggests VW’s upkeep costs are in the middle of the pack, both J.D. Power and Consumer Reports rank Volkswagen toward the bottom of their latest reliability rankings (26th and 27th, respectively).

How Volkswagen compares to other automakers

Volkswagen vehicles supposedly average 0.5 visits to the repair shop every year, which is a little above average, but the probability of the issue being severe is slightly below the industry average (11% vs. 12%), according to RepairPal. Here’s how their costs stack up against other popular brands.

Volkswagen maintenance and repair costs by model

It’s worth noting that these figures combine statistics for every model and year in each automaker’s lineup, though. In reality, expected maintenance and repair costs vary considerably.

Check out the chart below to see an example of how much these costs can differ for three popular Volkswagen models.

These figures also conflate maintenance and repair costs. That makes sense when you’re trying to see how much people spend on vehicle upkeep over time, but it doesn’t paint an accurate picture of how people actually pay for these services.

While maintenance is usually done on a regular schedule, repairs are ad hoc and often much more expensive. That means the average VW owner might spend under $924 in a year when nothing goes wrong and well over $924 in a year when their vehicle needs a big repair.

Volkswagen maintenance cost and schedule

Volkswagen designs a different maintenance schedule for each model it produces, even if the majority of its recommendations are the same. We recommend checking your owner’s manual, VW’s website or resources from your local dealership to find the appropriate schedule for your vehicle.

In general though, you can expect minor maintenance, including engine oil and filter changes, tire rotations and brake checks every 10,000 miles; standard maintenance, including fluid level inspections every 20,000 miles; and extended maintenance, including filter replacements, inspecting ball joints, exhaust and underbody every 40,000 miles.

Example: 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan maintenance costs

Maintenance costs are generally easier to calculate than repair costs because you can map out the cost of each service on your maintenance schedule ahead of time.

To give you an idea of what regular maintenance might cost you, we got estimates for various maintenance services on a 2019 Tiguan. Your costs may vary based on your location and vehicle.

Volkswagen doesn’t leave customers to fend for themselves entirely, though. All new VW vehicles include Carefree Coverage, which provides two years or 20,000 miles of free maintenance.

Scheduled maintenance for severe driving conditions

Not everyone drives their VW on smooth highways every day. If you are one of the many drivers that pushes your vehicle to extremes, you may require more frequent maintenance intervals.

Consider getting extra maintenance if:

• You regularly tow or haul heavy loads
• You regularly take your vehicle off-road
• Most of your driving is in stop-and-go traffic
• You regularly drive down roads that are dusty, muddy or dirty
• Your location is excessively hot, humid or cold

If you are unsure whether more frequent maintenance is right for your Volkswagen, speak to your local dealership for guidance.

Volkswagen repair costs

Repairs are harder to budget for because you don’t know what’s going to break on your VW ahead of time. However, you can get a better idea by seeing how much the most common repairs for your vehicle cost.

Example: 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan repair costs

If we again look at the Volkswagen Tiguan, we see that common issues include carbon buildup in the intake system, fuel pressure sensor failure and muffler failure.

These repairs aren’t a huge deal compared with engine or transmission replacements. However, the problem with Volkswagens is that a specialized technician is often required to fix them.

Author’s note: As a professional mechanic, I’ve worked on many VW models that ended up needing to go to the dealer or someone who specializes in European models simply because the problem required special diagnostic tools. If this is the case with whatever repair you face, the cost could go up significantly.

The good news is that new Volkswagens come with a four-year, 50,000-mile manufacturer’s warranty. That means if a covered component breaks during this period, you won’t have to pay for parts or labor.

A warranty doesn’t always take care of all of your expenses, though.

“We were stranded in the middle of a 1,200-mile road trip due to a faulty turbo system in the 2022 Tiguan we had purchased 2 months prior,” wrote Jerry, a ConsumerAffairs reviewer from North Carolina.

“The VW dealership we stopped at said the parts necessary would take weeks to months to come in. We were 600 miles from home with a new car that could not be driven or repaired, and VW would not provide a loaner, rental, or any assistance whatsoever. This was the absolute worst customer service I have ever encountered,” they continued.

How can an extended warranty help?

Eventually, the complimentary maintenance plan and factory warranty on your Volkswagen will end, and once that happens, you’re on the hook for the full cost of maintaining your vehicle and repairing it when it breaks down. However, there are ways you can potentially take some of that financial burden off your shoulders.

Volkswagen offers Volkswagen Care Maintenance Plans for 2014 and newer vehicles, letting you prepay for maintenance services. This can potentially save you money by locking in your maintenance costs early as a hedge against inflation or rising prices.

If you’re more concerned about receiving a large repair bill for your out-of-warranty Volkswagen, an extended warranty might be a better option. These plans have their pros and cons, but they can help you avoid otherwise catastrophic repair bills. You can even come out ahead if you get an extended warranty for less than you would have otherwise spent on repair bills.

Your VW dealership may offer extended warranty plans, but it’s a good idea to shop around and compare quotes from multiple extended car warranty companies before you buy. That way, you can make an educated decision about which warranty provider is right for you.

» MORE: Car warranty vs. car insurance