Repair receipts

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Mon 29 Mar 2021 01:10
Repair receipts - Sheriffrusty

Hi all and thank you in advance.

I left my car with a local garage - the mecahnic has been alright in the past.

The car stopped turning on. It sounded like it reached the amount of revs that sound right before cutting out. Then it wouldn't manage that - transferred to the garage with an "i'm not in a rush message" as I had access to another car. I accept that I said that so can't complain too much about the time frame. I got it back 2 months later. The water pump was also leaking prior to this and needed changing.

It took some time before I was told EGR valve was sticking and inquired about the cam belt and water pump being replaced.

The part that concerns me is this;

When I asked for an update I was told the mechanic had a spare engine he was going to take parts off. When I further asked for an update I was told he was awaiting parts as the ones off another engine didn't fit and he needed to buy some in. I should have taken note at this point but I had a busy few months and it didn't register properly at the time.

I asked for an itemised bill and received a receipt stating;

Replace complete cam belt kit + water pump

Oil + filter change

Repair inlet manifold

And a price. No breakdown, parts cost, VAT, brand of kit.

I am not in to cars all that much but I trust that some people are however if I found that receipt as a person buying the car in the future I would be skeptical.

Is this the norm for garages and receipts to be so vague and to be almost a token gesture?

What can I expect a detaileed and full receipt to look like?

How should an ideal receipt be broken down?

How can I tell if the parts are new? (Any clues to look for)

Is it right for me to ask for a purchase receipt copy or equivalent for the parts bought?

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Mon 29 Mar 2021 07:12
Repair receipts - badbusdriver

First, what car are we talking about here and how old is it?. I ask because it sounds like a back street garage which you've put the car to in the hope to keep the bill as small as possible with your saying you were not in a hurry and the garage saying the parts, initially, were going to be taken off an engine they had lying about(?).

And the point of that is that under those circumstances, if the car is now fixed and the bill was not too excessive, I'm struggling to see what your beef is?. Assuming, as I am, the car in question isn't massively valuable, I'm not sure the bill not being properly itemised is going to have any impact on the car's value should you sell it or trade it in.

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Mon 29 Mar 2021 07:36
Repair receipts - _

Tell us what car it was,engine as well, diesel or petrol, age, and the total for the bill and I'll tell you in 10 seconds if it is reasonable.

Main Dealer or large indie. Itemised bill.

Back st garage, (with no disrespect for them) not vat registered, easily acceptable.

Edited by _ORB_ on 29/03/2021 at 11:04

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Mon 29 Mar 2021 09:16
Repair receipts - skidpan

About 30 years ago many of us in the office used a small workshop up a back street that was also an MOT place, car breakers and tyre shop. All the bills were written on bits of paper and immediately thrown away as soon as the payment had been made in cash. Despite that none of us were ever robbed or had issues with any work carried out. I remember having an MOT, service and 2 new tyres and getting a bill for about £120.

Only issue at the place were the numerous cats and their kittens, you were in more danger of coming away with either than an invoice.

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Mon 29 Mar 2021 09:48
Repair receipts - Sheriffrusty

About 30 years ago many of us in the office used a small workshop up a back street that was also an MOT place, car breakers and tyre shop. All the bills were written on bits of paper and immediately thrown away as soon as the payment had been made in cash. Despite that none of us were ever robbed or had issues with any work carried out. I remember having an MOT, service and 2 new tyres and getting a bill for about £120.

Only issue at the place were the numerous cats and their kittens, you were in more danger of coming away with either than an invoice.

Haha! And it is likely the case here. I suppose there are parts of the story that I was holding back so that I didn't waste any more of other people's time and take it off topic. I became dissatisfied with the outcome as I got a bit niggled by the delays, missed dates (I do get that mechanics have to juggle work and I was trying to support that) and getting the car back there is speckles on all the interior where another car must have been sprayed in the shop (driving past I noticed my car and another had been covered). Luckily you can only can see It once you look for what it. And ofcourse other people saying "they are taking the Mick (forum safe alternative word) out of you" was a bit of a flag.

The receipt being so vague was the final "come on" moment for me.

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Mon 29 Mar 2021 09:21
Repair receipts - Sheriffrusty

Morning folks,

It is an Astra J 2.0 ctdi diesel 2010. I can see why those assumptions may be made. £480 overall.

The garage isn't a main dealer but a local and I've been there based on my dad's trust in the same business for a few years. As I said above been alright before. There was no intention of it being as cheap as possible on my part. I know some people may make those choices. I had switched jobs and was working from home, brother furloughed so thought using my brother's car if I needed to made it easier on the mechanic. 2 months felt abit excessive though and I wasn't happy to see parts on the back seats (now partially stained). May car also seemed to sit doing nothing for large period of this 2 months and each date I was given for a fix or an update was missed - I was asking weekly.

I just expected the receipt to show what was actually put in the car to fix. I am under the understanding that when selling if there is no clear receipt then buyers would make the assumption it hasn't been done. It was searching on the forum for a bit of a clue to the standard of a receipt that made me a little more suspicious.

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Mon 29 Mar 2021 11:03
Repair receipts - _

Replace complete cam belt kit + water pump

Oil + filter change

Repair inlet manifold

Now I have seen what car it is the £480 is not too bad from looking on the vauxhall forums for just the cambelt and water pump. if the water pump is driven by an aux belt then that's a bit more plus oil filter and oil and repair, I would not be inclined to say excessive,

but the stains on seats not nice, or the free paint coat.

ORB, moderator.

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Mon 29 Mar 2021 09:37
Repair receipts - Sheriffrusty

I take your point here though. I am not as clued up as I would like to be on such things. If it wouldn't affect the sale value then I can accept that I will likely drive it for a while as its comfortable for me.

Most importantly though i don't want to find the same parts playing up in a year and the engine fault light had turned on after one day.

Hence my interestin how transparent a receipt should be.

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Mon 29 Mar 2021 13:01
Repair receipts - Andrew-T

Hence my interestin how transparent a receipt should be.

I would expect an invoice to record the cost of parts used and the number of hours charged. Not necessarily the trivial use of consumables such as grease. The business should be reputable enough to do that, tho I guess there are small places which are VAT-exempt and can do a decent job.

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