HELP Understanding Car garage costs

leo110303

Hi all,

My query is with the procedure of the garage that is undertaking repairs to my car.
What happened was my oil Light decided to start flashing red (along with 3 acoustic beeps), the main thing i did was check the oil level and the coolant level and both were full and fine.
So i decided to call out the RAC who ran a diagnostics test and said their is some fault with oil pressure/sensor and therefore I need to take it around to a local garage and sugessted not to drive to far. (The garage is literally around the corner from me so it was fine to drive there)

Once I dropped the car off on Tues early morning i explained to them the situation etc and they said leave it with them.

They since changed the sensor but that wasnt the reason for the fault, they then have suggested to change oil and filter which was again not the fault,then oil pump change etc . Basically there doing a kind of trial and error to find the cause of the problem.

I appreciate that they need to get to the source of the problem, but My question is this, Should I really have to pay for the costs of Labour/replacements for parts that were not the cause of faults??..

Each time they think of something causing the fault they replace and find out its not, which leaves my pocket getting a lot more empty..

The car is a 52 plate seat leon 1.8 20v.
The garage is a local one not main dealer

Thanking you in advance,

leo

albionrovers

Do you know the garage owners personally?
What did you agree with them in terms of the way forward?
Do you know anyone else who has used them in the past?

If you give them a blank cheque initially, then chances are they will use it to heap the labour charge.

pizzahutdave

Hi Leo

it is common practice in a garage to charge a customer for diagnosis of a fault but they do seem to be trying the 'hit or miss' method.

If the new oil pressure sensor didn't work then they should have measured the oil pressure by removing the sensor and placing a gauge in its place, this will tell them that if the pressure is very low, then the oil pump will at least need replacing or depending on how long the engine had been running with the warning light on, could be a replacement engine.

The RAC should never have allowed you to drive or even start the engine if they knew the oil warning light remained on, this puts some liability onto them too.

Hope this helps in any way

Dave

bryanb

Sounds as though they have followed the logical and cheapest sequence. The next step (strip down check big ends etc) is major, so come to some agreement first.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

when takeing a car to a garage and you know what needs to be done state the part needed ask for QUOTE not estimate inc labour and vat and to call you if there are any problems if a problem arises you again ask what part quote for parts labour vat. again call if any problems if there still is a problem you can decide whether you'd prefure to take to main dealer or seat specialist.

as this situation goes they'll keep on going till you tell them to stop or they find the fault. i would say if it aint fixed after this part they change then tell them to stop and negotiate an end price and seek a main dealer or specialist.

Hintza

bryanb wrote: »

Sounds as though they have followed the logical and cheapest sequence.

I agree with this. They have tried in a fairly logical sequence to sort it and you now need to decide whether to take it to a dealer or a Seat specialist. These things can be difficult to sort.

I have heard stories of faults taking months to find and at some cost going from dealer, to indepenndent and back again.

Unfortuantely yes you need to pay unless you think they are trying it on but from what you say that is not the case.

goldspanners

with some parts it can be just as cheap to remove and replace with new rather than testing older parts beyond doubt.
so basically it could cost you just as much money in labour testing parts than it can be in parts and labour to change things. and at least after changin things you have some new parts.

i know its not very technical but it can save garages lots of labour time and more times than not it is the common cheap parts that fail that they change first.

has it been put on any kind of diagnostic machine?

petrolhead69

it will be either a blocked pickup pipe sieve in the sump or a sticking pressure relief valve. those engines are notorious for it. you need to change the oil a bit more regular and use good oil in that engine. have him clean as much sludge out as possible too.

Kinkajou

Hello leo110303
I was having a similar problem to you last week when I had all kinds of warning lights coming up on my car. After having a garage change the brake light switch, problem reoccured, I was unhappy, so I went to the VW dealership who tell me that my new radio I had installed caused the problem. If you've had anything recently altered in the car, perhaps that's the issue. Only wish I'd known that a week ago! Kinkajou.

petrolhead69

that issue is a bit different, some aftermarket radios wind up pulling the diagnostic k line or can bus line up to 12v causing communication errors. if you refit your aftermarket radio try disconnecting the blue wire if the radio has a harness adaptor.

Homersimpson

bryanb wrote: »

Sounds as though they have followed the logical and cheapest sequence. The next step (strip down check big ends etc) is major, so come to some agreement first.

I disagree with this, the correct diagnostic procedure is to remove the sender and fit a seperarte gauge which someone mentioned above. This would then tell them whether the problem is with the engine or the gauge.

Just guessing until they hit the jackpot is not acceptable and I wouldn't pay them for anything that wasn't the cause of the problem. I would have outlined this to them upfront though....