Freelander failed MOT but now costing almost 100% more than quoted, where do I stand?

milliemonster

We have a land rover freelander xdi, its a W reg we have had for 3 years now as a second car and its been great, its getting on and a bit tatty, done 116k miles but it does the job.

It's just been in for it's MOT and failed, which we knew it would as there was a problem with the drive shaft which needed fixing. They assessed it yesterday and called us to say the drive shaft needed doing plus some bearings(?) and it would be somewhere between £300-400, which is ok.

The guy from the garage has just phoned me now to say that it's nearly ready but as he is totalling everything up for the invoice, its actually a bit more than he quoted yesterday, so I ask him how much and he says £571 plus the MOT:eek:

Now I'm really mad, this car is probably worth £1200 at best so I can't see the point, I'm angry we agreed to £300-400 and now its a heck of a lot more. We were considering selling it and getting something smaller before the MOT anyway but I'm beginning to feel it's just not worth it getting it done.

It failed last year on the brakes and something else that cost about £400, plus it has always been serviced while we have had it, we have only put 4k miles on it since then and now this.

We have the money to get another car for about £2k max, what should we do? what would you do?

Inactive

It's a bit late now, the work has been completed, just pay for it and then make a decision on what to do with it.

I doubt that he " quoted " you, probably an estimate of what it may cost.

marlot

Its not really 100% more than estimated - more like 45% more than the £400 (you'd have had to pay for the MOT anyway).

If he said "i think it'll be £3-400" I don't think you have a leg to stand on. Unless you'd said something along the lines of "I authorise up to £400"

It wouldn't have been worth a huge amount with no MOT. I'd sell it with its now MOT and buy something cheaper to run

Takoda

marlot wrote: »

Its not really 100% more than estimated - more like 45% more than the £400 (you'd have had to pay for the MOT anyway).

If he said "i think it'll be £3-400" I don't think you have a leg to stand on. Unless you'd said something along the lines of "I authorise up to £400"

It wouldn't have been worth a huge amount with no MOT. I'd sell it with its now MOT and buy something cheaper to run

Yeah I was just thinking that too.

Reckon OP got off lightly. Someone on here Goldspanners maybe? says they are called "Three Granders" in the trade because that's how much they usually cost when something goes wrong. And it often does!

goldspanners

Takoda wrote: »

Reckon OP got off lightly. Someone on here Goldspanners maybe? says they are called "Three Granders" in the trade because that's how much they usually cost when something goes wrong. And it often does!

not me.

but i agree with the sentiment based on the op's car. these freelanders aren't the best to be honset and do start to cost a few quid.
i understand the garage have possibly pulled a fly one regarding price,occasionally there is the od communication breakdown where you think you agreed to one price but the garage heard something different.

£600 to put a freelander through an MOT isn't too bad considering its age.

i would sell it now with a years MOT and buy something smaller if thats what your looking for.

you could start another thread on here with a shortlist of potential cars and let others on here rip it to shreads leaving you non the wiser.:)

anewman

£571 doesn't seem too bad an increase on the original £400 to me. Now if it was £800 or more I'd be starting to question it.

Land Rovers probably aren't the cheapest cars to run in terms of fuel and repairs anyway. Do you really get any benefit from the LR over another car or MPV? Some MPV's will give you the same raised driving position/interior space, and if you don't go off road/across fields then I can't see the benefits - especially when concern about the repair costs makes you question whether you wish to keep it. In your position I would probably get rid soon while it has the 12 months MOT which will help sell it quickly.

hartcjhart

Freelander failed MOT but now costing almost 100% more than quoted, where do I stand?


at the bus stop if you dont pay the bill:rotfl::rotfl:

JQ.

and don't forget, lots of garages quote exclusive of vat. So the original quote was actually a total cost of £470.

CluelessJock

Never in my life have I ever heard so much tosh!

This indeed is the danger of forums, lots of people opening their mouths and letting their belly rumble.

It matters not whether it was a Freelander, BMW, or indeed a chip pan.

The fact is they had to call to get authorisation to do the work, they did that and now they are simply trying it on. Clearly most would fall for it.

If the story, as told here, is true there is no way they can demand the silly figure now asked, to advise £300 -£400 is by definition a limit of £400.

I would bet I would get this car back by paying less than £400, never mind the £571 now quoted.

goldspanners

goldspanners wrote: »

i understand the garage have possibly pulled a fly one regarding price,occasionally there is the od communication breakdown where you think you agreed to one price but the garage heard something different.

CluelessJock wrote: »

Never in my life have I ever heard so much tosh!

This indeed is the danger of forums, lots of people opening their mouths and letting their belly rumble.

It matters not whether it was a Freelander, BMW, or indeed a chip pan.

The fact is they had to call to get authorisation to do the work, they did that and now they are simply trying it on. Clearly most would fall for it.

If the story, as told here, is true there is no way they can demand the silly figure now asked, to advise £300 -£400 is by definition a limit of £400.

I would bet I would get this car back by paying less than £400, never mind the £571 now quoted.

you don't know the full story so who is opening thier mouth and letting thier belly rumble?

Hintza

Plus if you only do 4,000 miles in year expect the pads and discs to need replacing evry year (or so). Modern pads and discs are kust not suited to low mileages.