Car main dealer prices vs. Independents - Worth reporting?

[simon.r]

MrsR's 5 year old Mini was in the local main BMW/Mini dealer for its MOT last week. It failed on one corroded brake pipe and got an advisory on the other.

We were quoted, wait for it...£1013 to replace one brake pipe, or £1209 to replace both.

After picking myself up off the floor I did a bit of Googling and ringing around a few local independents and found that the going rate for replacing brake pipes on a Mini is about £70 each.

I appreciate that a main dealer has higher overheads and would expect to pay more, but not *that* much more!

I dropped the car off at an independent yesterday. Shortly after I got a phone call from them saying "we wouldn't fail it on the brake pipes, they just need a bit of a clean up". Long story short, they cleaned them up, changed the brake fluid and MOT'ed the car for £120.

My main reason for posting is to ask whether it's worth reporting the main dealer to anyone and if so who?

My concern is that a vulnerable customer could be ripped off - I can imagine, for example, an elderly customer just assuming that the main dealer must be right and paying without querying it.

@screenman ?

 

[Drago]

Was the independent using a genuine BMW item? Pound to a pile of dung it wasn't, they were making their own off the roll, whereas a franchise dealer will be required by their contract to use BMW supplied parts.

They've not broken any laws or trade guidelines, so I'm not sure what you'd report them for.

 

[Levo-Lon]

I would if only to log a concern..

 

[simon.r]

Was the independent using a genuine BMW item? Pound to a pile of dung it wasn't, they were making their own off the roll, whereas a franchise dealer will be required by their contract to use BMW supplied parts.

I'm sure you're right, but does a few metres of brake pipe justify that difference?

 

[Drago]

The items are probably like £300 a piece from BMW.

Find an online BMW parts specialist and make an enquiry, that'll confirm it.

 

[srw]

Price gouging is not in itself a crime. The car repair industry isn't a regulated one. You were quoted a price, did the sensible thing and discovered you could get an equivalent repair for less money elsewhere - that's how a free market is supposed to work.

 

[Drago]

Just checked - only available from BMW via a dealer, resellers can't stock them. I don't know your model but you're looking in the order of £380-£520 each, plus VAT.

They're trendy cars, intended to serve they're trendy niche. They cost 50% or more than the equivalent Fiesta for no more actual ability or substance. Bearing in mind the cost to acquire is inflated quite heavily just because of the 'name' and image, I'm at a loss to understand why someone would then be surprised when parts prices were similarly daft.

 

[gavroche]

You run a BMW, you pay BMW prices, same with Mercedes and AUDIS. They are all snob cars but no better than other cars.

 

[NorthernDave]

BMW can charge what they like for parts and labour rates at a main dealer will always be top dollar.

However, if you think they failed the car on something that didn't need doing (but bear in mind a lot of stuff on an MOT is subjective), then you might consider bringing that the the attention of DVSA?

On a personal note, I stop using main dealers the second the manufacturer warranty expires and use an established independent specialist who provides me with a much better service - the lower costs are an added benefit.

 

[simon.r]

Just checked - only available from BMW via a dealer, resellers can't stock them. I don't know your model but you're looking in the order of £380-£520 each, plus VAT.

Bloody hell! That'd explain it then.

 

[simon.r]

However, if you think they failed the car on something that didn't need doing (but bear in mind a lot of stuff on an MOT is subjective), then you might consider bringing that the the attention of DVSA?

I wouldn't make a fuss about the failure, as you say it's going to be subjective.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

They charge what they believe people will pay. That lesson cost me £6000 in 18 months.
My final straw was the differential bearing that the supplier wasn't allowed to sell for about a fiver so that BMW could sell the whole diff for £1300 or 'allow' a reconditioned one at £850. Plus labour of course.
Then there's the £300 windscreen washer bottle filter...

Was a nice car tho...

 

[accountantpete]

I bought my ancient Astra with an advisory for corroded brake pipes. The local mechanic stated that they only need to see superficial rust for the problem to be reported and that a good clean would be enough to get it through (I didn't bother).

Three years later they finally failed the car and a corroded brake pipe was part of the failure - the local garage presented me with a bill which itemised the cost of a new brake pipe - £5 - although there would be labour on top.

 

[ozboz]

Where you live can have an impact on the costs of motor related repairs , I had a quote for my van to have a clutch fitted , £1200 in Richmond ,
£550 up north ,
Big difference ,

 

[fossyant]

5 year old car with brake pipe corrosion. OMG.

At least they needed a clean. Had similar on my 15 year old car. Advisory so I cleaned the pipes externally and applied a thin coat of grease to prevent further corrosion. No advisories since.

That is a serious rip off. Brake pipes are nothing fancy.