What is the best course of escalation for over priced servicing. A colleague has recently had a Vauxhall Dealer service on a s-reg astra, and was quoted £2700 for a basic servive, MOT, plus extras such as clutch-adjust, replace headlamp etc.
Once the big extras were removed from the scope of the work(clutch, headlamp) the bill was still £900 (400parts/500 labour) including such things as £35 for 'investigating' a poor quality radio (conclusion - upgrade it!) and £30 for changing the wipers (labour only).
The dealier isn't interested. Vauxhall say thay only regulate part-prices....Dealer says labour rate is 64.50 plus vat.
What are the other courses ? Credit Card (bill payed by Visa), Trading standards ????
Advice please....
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Surely the best thing is to ask the garage to quote only for any work seperate to the service and only authorise once you are satisfied that the work is required and offers value?
I had a quote on my 306 (2000 X) at a main dealer and even without any non-standard work they wanted £270 for a 40,000 mile service. Local independent did it for £90 inc. replacing fuel filter which main dealer wasn't going to do!
I think the tag 'main dealer' translates as 'licence to print money'
The labour rate sounds a bit steep - are you in the South?
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The total cost sounds outrageous.
The hourly rate charged by Nissan main dealers in the South East is about £50 per hour. I don't think the rate you give is that bad. However, many/most main dealers charge in multiples of half an hour. So although changing the wipers will take no more than 5 minutes it will cost 0.5 * the hourly rate i.e. ~£30. Perhaps they are quoting half an hours work for each 5 minute job ! Wow. I would love to try that one myself.
I'd try another main dealer. Even better find a reputable non main dealer.
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Sorry just noticed it is a fait accompli! I thought the dealer was supposed to quote before doing any work on the car. Did this not happen?
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"However, many/most main dealers charge in multiples of half an hour. "
This is why main dealers are so expensive. You leave the car for a day, they work on it for perhaps three hours actual time, but charge for 14 hours labour.
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£30 to change the wiper blades!!!!! I am changing my job. I am sure trading standards would be interested to hear about that one. Also removed the big stuff (Clutch adjust - a 10minute job - or did you mean a clutch change?) - change head light, another 10/15 minute job. I am (virtually) speechless. At that price you might as well chuck the car away and buy another one!
I remember now why I do my own servicing.
Richard
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After reading HJ's report from the Black Bush auctions your mates Astra probably isn't worth £2700! I appreciate these dealers have to make some money and pay for the training of their staff but how they come up with the prices for the parts and labour I don't know.
I have justed paid £39 for a new battery on my Impreza, this mornings frost killed it, and it took 5 minutes to fit. Our Subaru dealer wanted £76 for the same part although they would fit it for this price. Not a bad deal but it is nearly twice as much as I paid. When Petta Solberg stops crashing his Subaru maybe the price will come down!!?
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Tell your colleague to find their nearest MasterFit centre ( www.masterfit.co.uk ) Providing it's a bog standard Astra and not a tuned SRi, then a major service and MOT costs ITRO £125.
Not sure how many people who own Vauxhalls are aware, but once their cars are over 3 years old, you can make huge savings using MasterFit. Same Vauxhall mechanics, same parts. Lot cheaper though. The price is subsidised by Vauxhall.
Eg, Just had my 2yr old Vectra 2.2litre serviced at main dealer. Major service; cost £210 (with brake fluid change). Had it been a 3yr old Vectra, I could have got the same service done, with an MOT thrown in for £125 inclusive.
I suspect the £2700 your colleague was quoted was for additional work on top of the service to get it through the MOT.
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I agree with RichardW, do the servicing yourself. You have to wonder how much of this work is imperitive to the running of the car? My dads car, Rover 218 td 225,000 on the clock, all he does is oil changes, and work done when its busted:-) For £2700 I think I would swap the car.
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I didn't appreciate just how cheap Fords were to service until now, a main dealer major service on a Mondeo is £150. :O
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I didn't appreciate just how cheap Fords were to service until now, a main dealer major service on a Mondeo is £150.
But what is their hourly rate?
The Vaux main dealer I use is £58 per hour. (Oxfordshire)
Don't forget though, it all depends on where you live in the country. I would imagine the further North you go the prices would get cheaper. But places such as London/Birmingham would be more expensive.
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The Vaux main dealer I use is £58 per hour. (Oxfordshire) Don't forget though, it all depends on where you live in the country. I would imagine the further North you go the prices would get cheaper. But places such as London/Birmingham would be more expensive.
BM London area - £85 an hour ex. VAT
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Buy a Ford or Japanese...
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Buy a Ford or Japanese...
I'd rather not!!
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What do you drive again DD?
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What do you drive again DD?
BO, mentioned above.
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Oh, er..... um..... Well I thought that you might just take a different brand of car there for a service.... No, that's not going to stick is it? :)
What you got against Japs and Fords? Alright I can see the problems with the older Jap cars, but modern stuff like the Yaris is excellent, and I don't really need to say anything about Ford... :)
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>> What you got against Japs
Nothing really. I've owned plenty of Japanese motorbikes in my time. Considered buying a Nissan Primera once, but then a rather nice Vauxhall changed my mind.
and Fords?
I just don't like Dagenham dustbins. Strip the paint off a body panel and you reveal the word Pepsi - they are that thin. You must have heard the expression "Tinny Fords"?
Give me a Vauxhall any day of the week.
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Dave
As someone who (once upon a time) used to be a dedicated Ford man, I must say I agree. I had a Mk III Cortina estate that rotted away virtually overnight and I've never been near them since. And you can still tell from the smell of burning oil when you're following an elderly Ford.
Wouldn't necessarily agree about Vauxhalls either - although their 1960's/1970's bodywork problems have obviously been well sorted now.
IMHO a number of the "minority" manufacturers have excellent offerings these days.
Terry
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Fortunately I've started driving when buying a Ford ensures cheap servicing and repairs and good quality that has progressed in leaps and bounds lately. :)
I just couldn't bring myself to buy a Vauxhall, they all seem deadly dull to me. Compare a Focus and an Astra and tell me which one looks like the driver has a pipe and slippers! :)
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Haven't a clue what the hourly rate is, I'll find out when I'm next in, which, with any luck won't be until one year or 10,000 miles! :)
The £150 was all in, parts and labour though.
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£2700 for a basic service and a few odd jobs? Are you sure it's not £270?
I'd say there is little you could do IF the bill has already been paid although a word with the local Trading Standards department may shed some light.
The only word of advice I'd give is don't use the garage again!
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If you've just paid nearly 3 grand for a service, I doubt the garage would care if you never went back! They've already made all their profit out of you...
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If you want to service it yourself then reset the Service light here's how...
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To reset InSP on Vauxhall:
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o Ignition Off
o Hold Trip Reset In
o Turn on Ignition
o Still Holding Trip Reset wait for three dashes
o Turn off Ignition
o Turn on Ignition
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