car servicing - mess up?

[sjkani]

Hi - our car was recently serviced at our local dealership - we have always used the manufacturers garages to help with the service history, etc...
After a service in Nov 08 our car has been struggling to start - after looking at the car again the garage have diagnosed a battery problem and want us to pay £130 to get it replaced (includes labour) we think it should have been picked up on the service and so the garage should foot the bill - they ticked the battery as good on the service report - are we kidding ourselves? We said we would pay for the parts but not the labour - but all they have offered is 10% off the whole bill!
In Nov we had the cash to get it serviced, and paid for other repairs, which was £300 altogether - but we certainly don't have that sort of spare cash 5 days before xmas (who does?)...its a Volvo dealership if that is any help!

Thanks in advance to anyone who has any advice or a similar experience

[hewhoisnotintheknow]

batteries just go wrong

mine was working one minute and the next it was just totally dead

the garage have done nothing wrong

[Fran]

Take it to another garage and tell them it is struggling to start and see what they say. Even if you need a new battery (are all the leads to the battery and around it clean?) you can fit it yourself easily. Many garages would probably stick it in for you anyway in hope of your business. As you've already had the service going somewhere else won't affect the history. You need a second opinion as the problem might not actually be the battery itself and you might have to fork out even more later. Just because they are a dealership doesn't mean they won't try to extract cash from you if they can!

[Conor]

Hi - our car was recently serviced at our local dealership - we have always used the manufacturers garages to help with the service history, etc...
After a service in Nov 08 our car has been struggling to start - after looking at the car again the garage have diagnosed a battery problem and want us to pay £130 to get it replaced (includes labour) we think it should have been picked up on the service and so the garage should foot the bill - they ticked the battery as good on the service report - are we kidding ourselves?

Yes you are. A battery which is near the end of its life can appear perfectly fine then once you get a cold night, it'll pack up the following morning. It can be as quick as that.

It's failed, you need a new one. You'd have to pay for a new one, including the labour, even if it was replaced during the service so you are no worse off financially.

[ArsenalFC]

What make and model is your car? Yes battery can fail. However the battery should not cost that much and it's simple to replace. Car battery from ebay has decent prices shipped to u, if you dont need it right away.

[goldspanners]

even if the garage had rigorously tested your battery and told you it was knackered you would probably have doubted them saying, the car still starts so how can it be knackered.
they wouldnt have replaced the battery for free during the service,so it wont cost you any more,infact it will cost you less because you can get a battery for much less than £130 fitted.
a battery can be fine one day and be totally useless the next.

and predicting the life left in a battery is not an easy thing to get right. when it goes it goes. thats batteries.

i would be expecting to pay no more than £50 for a battery (and thats for a big one,i think some volvos use a fairly large size of battery compared to other cars)

[Conor]

i would be expecting to pay no more than £50 for a battery (and thats for a big one,i think some volvos use a fairly large size of battery compared to other cars)

It's been a long time since you've bought one, hasn't it? :p

Paid £56 for a 550Ah one last week from motor factors.

[goldspanners]

It's been a long time since you've bought one, hasn't it? :p

Paid £56 for a 550Ah one last week from motor factors.

nope,i bought 2 085's yesterday,bosch super platinums for £45 each.:rolleyes:

[jeannieblue]

Alot of batteries have fairly recently gone up quite alot in price, and some have come down again........... no idea why....

Goldie - you got a good deal, most are about £10 dearer and more, but the OP is being ripped off on the labour for fitting of a new one - seems like about £60 plus in labour. But that is main dealer prices for you. No idea why people still go to them for servicing. Seem to think it will make their cars sell for more... I don't think so. :D and probably not getting a good job done either!

[sjkani]

Thanks for all replies, good to get feedback! We got them to 15% off but decided to buy a new battery from the net (delivered tomorrow) and my other half will fit it...and as for dealership only servicing, we think we will probably not bother in the future!
Cheers all & merry xmas!

[oldagetraveller]

If the fitted radio is coded, probably you are aware, but make sure you have the code before disconnecting the battery. Or http://www.tayna.co.uk/tutorials/change-car-battery-without-losing-radio-code.php

[Dancingru]

I have recently had a similar experience. May I ask where this garage was? My Volvo dealership/garage closed down - went to a new one. Had never had a problem with the car until after my full service with this new Volvo garage. Day after the service, car broke down, they told me the fault was a computer fault and it needed to be replaced. I asked why this was not picked up in the service if it was so major. I waited until it broke down again (matter of weeks) then had the part replaced (for a lot of money!). Now a few weeks later the car has again broken down and they are now telling me the steering column has failed, something with the ABS and the alternator had failed and it will cost me £2.5 k to fix!! I am very suspicious and taking the car for a second opinion. I would like to add that the car is only 4 years old!