Garages trying to rip me off

[fossyant]

Indeed, in my case Volvo give a lifetime warranty on their parts if fitted at a dealer (normal wear items excluded) which can be very good value in the long term, so I just throw the keys at them now.

Like me you are getting older, and un-doing bits from an older car is hard work - I've got the kit but if anything hasn't moved since the car was bought (20 years) the local indi can do it... they do usually say it was hard to get off - yeh, been there since the car was made.... terrible this little part has lasted 20 years...

 

[fossyant]

The local garage i use told me to buy Halfords blades as although they cost more they last longer than cheaper blades. Yes, I could've bought them and asked my local garage to fit them, but while I was there I thought 'oh just pay then it's done'! I look at it positively not negatively. Imagine if I'd fitted them (in a fashion) then one, or both flew off on the way home!

Besides, I don't do manual/physical work these days!

Wiper blades. Get them on line, or, as I found, the OEM Valeo ones for my car were cheaper from the stealership..... Couple of minute job.

Car bulbs can be tricky, so Halfords offer to fit can be good for less 'flexible' folk, unless it's something they can't do. Halfords have had some really cheap deals recently on bulbs.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Wiper blades. Get them on line,

I thought about that, but I needed new blades sooner rather than later and online shopping is taking twice as long for arrivals these days.

 

[Drago]

Bulbs is the one thing ill happily do on a Volvo. Pull 2 pins and the wntire headlamps on most models can be removed in seconds without tools. Rear lights aren't usually much harder.

 

[Illaveago]

Thought I'd just put this on here, as it's not really worthy of a new thread. I went to a local Halfords this aft' to buy some new wiper blades. £17 a pair, which I suppose is the going rate, but it also cost me £6 for them to fit them for me. Heck, it only took him one minute to do it! I also noticed they charge £18 to fit their batteries, whereas a local car parts/accessories shop charges £5 for them to bring a new battery to you (if you live locally) and to fit it as well.

It is a case of swings and roundabouts .
I used to work there part time .
We were encouraged to ask people if they wanted parts fitting . The managers said that fitting was 100% profit for them . I didn't like the way in which people were forking out for having multiple bulbs fitted . I used to only charge for fitting one bulb if it was the front or rear depending on difficulty . Some headlight bulbs were a right pain . Lying down next to the front wheel with your arm up inside the wheel arch in all weathers and even in the dark in a car park with cars driving past you wasn't much fun . Some bulbs were simple , open the bonnet , remove a plastic cover and swap the bulbs.
Car batteries could also be a pain ! A Ford C Max turbo diesel. The battery is hidden half way underneath the front bulkhead with pipes and everything in the way. It took me an hour to fit it ! The poor customer didn't have much option as the battery had failed whilst in the car park . We only charged the usual fitting price of £10 plus the battery .
There was a data base for us to check to see how difficult it was to fit certain parts on different vehicles but it was wrong ! Some simple jobs were listed as do not attempt !

 

[Drago]

And if you are inclined to DIY it you may wish to note that the "Haynes Book of Lies" earned their nickname for good reason. Ordered 2 of the completely wrong headlamp bulbs thanks to those lying tothers

 

[CXRAndy]

I watched a video of a chap doing a 10k oil/ filter change on his 2019 golf GTi. He asked the local VW dealer for a price and they quoted £266. His mate said the mechanics are given 36mins to perform the oil change and do the basic inspection of brakes, fluids etc.

Works out at over £300 per hour labour rate

This chaps was fortunate to be a tiny car dealer with access to VW electronic service database. He performed the service himself and loaded the completed service, so to keep his warranty. He did warn anyone doing their own service to use genuine manufacturer parts, because dealers will refuse warranty claims for the smallest infringement- even though most parts you buy from online auto- spare shops are the same product, just not boxed in VW cartons.

The whole car manufacturers are massively without work so are ramping up service work prices.

His suggestion was to use a non franchised service centres, but who could upload warranty service work to the portal.

 

[Drago]

Oil change alone is booked at 0.6 hours.

An 'A' service (oil and filter, check/top up levels, lube hinges, checkstraps and locks, some 30 odd visual safety and wear checks) is 0.8 hours.

These times include getting the car, driving it in, getting it on the ramp, etc. You can tell which sad sod has a set of ICME manuals

 

[Sterlo]

I've just had a major service and MOT done for £120. Needed some work on the windscreen washers, I thought it might need a new pump but they just replaced a T piece with a non return valve in it which was apparently blocked, and they only charged me an extra £25. First time I've used this place, will definitely be using them in the future.

 

[Accy cyclist]

The BMW/MOT testing garage directly across the road from me quoted me ( if i remember rightly as it was a couple of years ago) £140 for an oil change. My local one man band garage did it for £50.

 

[Illaveago]

Oil change alone is booked at 0.6 hours.

An 'A' service (oil and filter, check/top up levels, lube hinges, checkstraps and locks, some 30 odd visual safety and wear checks) is 0.8 hours.

These times include getting the car, driving it in, getting it on the ramp, etc. You can tell which sad sod has a set of ICME manuals

My Jaguar main dealer don't lubricate locks or hinges. They show you a nice video of underneath the car . I think an oil and filter change is over £400. Most of the checks that they do will be done on an MOT .

 

[gavroche]

Many years ago, I used to do all my car maintenance and services. Nowadays, it is all about electronics and special equipment for anything.
Luckily, I don't have to do clutches as I can make a new clutch last over 100 000 miles and as I only cover 5000 miles a year, it is no problems.
I have my car serviced once a year and that should be enough.
I am happy to just top up the windscreen bottle washer when it needs it and check tyre pressure, oil level about once a month and that's it.
Gone are the days of crawling under a car for whatever reasons.

 

[DRM]

Oil change alone is booked at 0.6 hours.

An 'A' service (oil and filter, check/top up levels, lube hinges, checkstraps and locks, some 30 odd visual safety and wear checks) is 0.8 hours.

These times include getting the car, driving it in, getting it on the ramp, etc. You can tell which sad sod has a set of ICME manuals

And don’t forget that the quicker the mechanic does the service, the more bonus he makes, that 0.6 hour oil and filter change could actually be 0.4 hours to do in reality

 

[Drago]

For a skilled mechanic, yes indeed.

The same goes for any tradesman or professional who receives a fixed sum for a job - the quicker they can do it the quicker they can move onto the next one and earn some more. Everyone from taxi drivers to architects works much the same way. Much of the working world gets paid on that basis.

The ICME times are supposed to he realistic average times for industry standard billing purposes. Being an average, for every spanner jockey who can improve upon it there may well be another who cannot.

 

[raleighnut]

Main dealers have a 'book time' for a job set by the manufacturers.