feel ripped off!!

chris106 · 26-09-11, 11:44 PM

had the car serviced for the first time, since buying the other week, this morning and i had an initial quote of 135 so was happy but then coming to pay it was 191! thats:
oil filter
air filter
pollen filter
engine oil
brake cleaner?
and top up of anti freeze

does anyone else think thats abit over the top? was in a rush to work so didnt really argue...

cheers chris

Ritchy · 27-09-11, 06:46 AM

dont need to pay it if you never authorized it, only need to pay the amount you authorised

magpie67 · 27-09-11, 06:49 AM

Got mine serviced in June, cost me ?176, and that included spark plugs and air con regas

the regas alone was ?40

oh i nearly forgot, and it was cleaned

peterzs · 27-09-11, 07:40 AM

Can always disagree with the bill and ask for an itamised account.

You can price it up yourself from a factors, and then look at the difference, that will be the labour charge, VAT 20% on top, all pushes the price up.

Just had my car MOT'd at Halfords Autocentre, they had a priced menu for servicing, could give them a call and see what they charge.

ZRed · 27-09-11, 08:15 AM

No disrespect meant to yourself Pete, but I genuinely wouldn`t let a Halfords "technician" go to shop for a can of beans in fear of them getting it wrong, never mind work on my car!

If what you have paid is a main dealer using genuine parts, then I don`t think it is excessive at all, but looks more like they have done something worth an additional hours labour charge - maybe cleaned out sticking brakes/handbrake? But as said above, if you haven`t authorised it then you aren`t obliged to pay for it. Someone should have called before carrying out the work.

If that`s "back street" type garage using non genuine parts, then yes i`d say it`s a little overpriced.

Very difficult to find a trustworthy garage these days, and I see it from the otherside as a trader! The amount of cars I buy with problems that are solely induced by poor workmanship is frightening.

Mr ZS180 · 27-09-11, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeAservices

No disrespect meant to yourself Pete, but I genuinely wouldn`t let a Halfords "technician" go to shop for a can of beans in fear of them getting it wrong, never mind work on my car!

The Halfords Autocentres are formerly Nationwide Autocentres and the staff are still the same staff that were originally there, just renamed. Not like the Halfrauds monkeys working in the stores.

For the work you have had done mate that price is massively excessive. As Ritchy said, you only have to pay the price you agreed.

mattie007 · 27-09-11, 12:20 PM

When I first got my bike they said the first service would be ?80. Had it done last weekend at a cost of ?140, ?95 was labour.
Last time I let them do it!

ZRed · 27-09-11, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr ZS180

The Halfords Autocentres are formerly Nationwide Autocentres and the staff are still the same staff that were originally there, just renamed. Not like the Halfrauds monkeys working in the stores.

For the work you have had done mate that price is massively excessive. As Ritchy said, you only have to pay the price you agreed.

Again I wouldn`t put my car anywhere near a Nationwide Autocentre either!

It`s not massively excessive as I said above. Completely depends on the breakdown of the bill and what make the parts are.

If it`s a main dealer taking ?50 per hour labour and using Castrol oil, there`s ?150 including the vat right off the bat! Based on 2 hours labour and rounded up to 5 litre oil.

Vat is a killer just now.

But for the difference in the original quote to what the OP paid, it has to be an additional item at roughly an hours labour.

Malcs · 27-09-11, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris106

had the car serviced for the first time, since buying the other week, this morning and i had an initial quote of 135 so was happy but then coming to pay it was 191! thats:
oil filter
air filter
pollen filter
engine oil
brake cleaner?
and top up of anti freeze

does anyone else think thats abit over the top? was in a rush to work so didnt really argue...

cheers chris

oil filter ?5
air filter ?10
pollen filter ?15-20
engine oil ?40+
brake cleaner? ?3-4
and top up of anti freeze ?5
?84 Plus 2 hrs labour at say 45-50 for an independent garage, I wouldn't have said to expensive but they should have spoken to you before doing anything over the 'estimate' note almost no garages will 'quote' for work as there are very often unforeseen things that need doing. A common one is a car has A/C on it when it wasnt booked in specifying it so it has to have a pollen filter fitted say ?20 and a fraction extra labour

Dan1971 · 27-09-11, 04:33 PM

Can't do that really ... but it's a bit late as you've paid.

Put the C4 into a main dealer the other day and had to sign that I would pay the ?205 for the service when I dropped off the car. Had a row with the service desk as they put an advisory on for a broken clip valued at ?1.46 and the girl asked me if i wanted to book it back in to get done ! I remonstrated that considering it was a warranty repair and they had it for a day they should've got on with it ! Fair point the manager stated and it got done in 5 mins.

Wouldn't go back though to your garage personally.