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Garage charged 3-10x parts markup - advice?
Hello all - after having to change garage after a move, my partner and I have just had unpleasant experiences with garages charging rip-off markups for parts - we've been stung for £565 for a Micra service (with wheel bearings + brakes) and £658 for a BMW (non-dealer) MOT + brakes replace! :eek:
I'm hoping to get feedback on how reasonable these charges were and the massive markup I've found was applied to the parts, and see if we have any recourse? Or at least a means to avoid a repeat in future! In both cases, the garage rang mid-service (as they generally do) and we felt like we didn't have much choice but to proceed as they'd whack us for the MOT / work so far.
The Micra (1.0, year 2000) first: went in for a MOT + full service for £35+£130 = £165 at a Kwik Fit franchisee / partner (Ebley). In addition to this fee (payable upfront!), they charged (inc VAT):
They rang early on saying various pads and the n/s/f caliper needed replacing, at an extra cost of ~£400 (and mentioning they were still looking at the handbrake). They then rang back part way through the work saying the handbrake was "worst case scenario" and the rear brake pipes, handbrake shoes and rear discs needed replacing too, at a further cost of £277 - total cost ~£728, for a car serviced 6 months previously!
The breakdown provided was (cost figures are mine, from prev mechanic / online):
So - the BMW (NON manufacturer) parts were marked up by up to ~2x, but they at least agreed to *some* reduction. It's the Micra parts markup that I'm now concerned by. They provided no breakdown to my partner during the service, just an overall figure - only now can we see 10x mark-up for a bulb and ~2.5x for brake discs and pads.
Is this really reasonable? I notice that there isn't a separate labour charge for fitting those parts, perhaps it's reflected in their cost - or should time fitting brakes etc be covered by the service? Are we likely to have success going back to them now we have the breakdown and kicking up a fuss? They already have our cash of couse, in order to release the car.
Finally, any tips - particularly from those in the trade! - on how to avoid being ripped off (for parts in particular) during a service or MOT? Or perhaps just a garage recommendation in Cheltenham that is more reasonable!
Many thanks, Ben
I'm hoping to get feedback on how reasonable these charges were and the massive markup I've found was applied to the parts, and see if we have any recourse? Or at least a means to avoid a repeat in future! In both cases, the garage rang mid-service (as they generally do) and we felt like we didn't have much choice but to proceed as they'd whack us for the MOT / work so far.
The Micra (1.0, year 2000) first: went in for a MOT + full service for £35+£130 = £165 at a Kwik Fit franchisee / partner (Ebley). In addition to this fee (payable upfront!), they charged (inc VAT):
- £170 - Wheel bearing kit x 2 (~£70 each online?)
- £4.95 - "Brake consumables"
- £83.30 - "Micra 1.3 9802STP" (exhaust box I think?)
- £1.50 - "Eco exhaust disposal"
- £50.05 - Brake pad set (~£18 for 4 online!)
- £80 - Brake disc x 2 (~£30 for 2 online)
- £10.20 - 448 headlight bulb (~£1 online)
- Total = £565 inc VAT
They rang early on saying various pads and the n/s/f caliper needed replacing, at an extra cost of ~£400 (and mentioning they were still looking at the handbrake). They then rang back part way through the work saying the handbrake was "worst case scenario" and the rear brake pipes, handbrake shoes and rear discs needed replacing too, at a further cost of £277 - total cost ~£728, for a car serviced 6 months previously!
The breakdown provided was (cost figures are mine, from prev mechanic / online):
- Mot cost £55
- Labour - Replace rear brake pipes above fuel tank due to corrosion £175 plus vat
- Parts - Pipe & fittings £10 plus vat
- Labour - Replaced n/s/f caliper & replace front brake pads £49.50 plus vat
- Parts - Caliper - £78 plus vat (cost = ~£56?)
- Parts - Bosch wiper blades £23.99 plus vat (cost = ~£19.56?)
- Labour - Replace rear handbrake shoes, Brake discs & brake pads. £69.30 plus vat
- Parts - Handbrake shoes £35.33 plus vat (cost = ~£10-£12)
- Parts - Rear brake pads 28.38 plus vat (cost = ~£15-16)
- Parts - Rear brake discs £44 plus vat (cost = ~£25-£30?)
- Front brake pads £37.50 plus vat (cost = ~£20)
- Total = £709 inc VAT (£19 unaccounted for from original £728)
So - the BMW (NON manufacturer) parts were marked up by up to ~2x, but they at least agreed to *some* reduction. It's the Micra parts markup that I'm now concerned by. They provided no breakdown to my partner during the service, just an overall figure - only now can we see 10x mark-up for a bulb and ~2.5x for brake discs and pads.
Is this really reasonable? I notice that there isn't a separate labour charge for fitting those parts, perhaps it's reflected in their cost - or should time fitting brakes etc be covered by the service? Are we likely to have success going back to them now we have the breakdown and kicking up a fuss? They already have our cash of couse, in order to release the car.
Finally, any tips - particularly from those in the trade! - on how to avoid being ripped off (for parts in particular) during a service or MOT? Or perhaps just a garage recommendation in Cheltenham that is more reasonable!
Many thanks, Ben
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Comments
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you went to kwik fit?....well you cant get better then a kwik sh*t sh*tter.
the price of parts depends on the quilty look on eurocarparts for the micra it looks like the labour charge is included.
tips? always get a quote before saying yes to the work and dont go to kwik fit0 -
ALWAYS use a Council run MOT centre. Simples!0
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Is this really reasonable? I notice that there isn't a separate labour charge for fitting those parts, perhaps it's reflected in their cost - or should time fitting brakes etc be covered by the service? Are we likely to have success going back to them now we have the breakdown and kicking up a fuss? They already have our cash of couse, in order to release the car.
Finally, any tips - particularly from those in the trade! - on how to avoid being ripped off (for parts in particular) during a service or MOT? Or perhaps just a garage recommendation in Cheltenham that is more reasonable!
Many thanks, Ben
They can charge what they want - its a free market economy. Labour for fitting those parts wouldn't be included in a service charge.
Lets look at one item, Wheel bearing kit. They charged you £170 for two wheelbearings. If there was no labour charge for fitting, that's bloody cheap for the complete job.
Yes you can buy a pair of brake discs for £30 but I'd not want them anywhere near any car I owned.
I think £565 for two wheelbearings, front discs and pads and an exhaust system all incl fitting is quite reasonable for a job that'd take up to 4hrs. For a comparison, I live up north and my local garage which charged £45/hr has quoted me £140 to have decent quality front discs and pads fitted to my Mondeo which is around £100 cheaper than the main dealer.0 -
To be honest none of it looks absolutely outrageous, the mark up on parts is part of the profit but has a cost as the car is often occupying space whilst waiting for parts to arrive. The is also a cost to stocking the parts locally which makes comparisons with online suppliers slightly unfair.
Of more concern to me would be were the repairs needed/were they actually done as the list includes lots that I would have thought you would have noticed in day to day driving. Did you get the old parts back?
For the future, as others have said, use an MOT place that doesn’t do repairs, stick the car in 4 weeks before the MOT expires, if it passes go down the pub and spend your repairs money.
If it fails then, armed with the fail list, you can get a couple of quotes for the repairs. Once you’ve found a reasonable garage then build a relationship, stick with them and send all your friends there too. Taxi drivers are normally a good source of info on who to go to and who to avoid.
Don’t get hung up on parts prices, it’s the total cost that’s important and don’t even think about supplying your own parts as if you do and get a problem later you’ll have difficulty getting either the garage or the parts supplier to accept responsibility.0 -
The Micra exhaust back box was at least 2 or 3 times the actuall value. Need I say more?
Consider contacting trading standards too.“I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to make an a** of yourself.”
<><><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><> Don't forget to like and subscribe \/ \/ \/0 -
Strider590 wrote: »The Micra exhaust back box was at least 2 or 3 times the actuall value. Need I say more?
Consider contacting trading standards too.
No it wasnt because it includes sourcing the part; delivery and fitting.
The OP's argument is flawed because each part includes the labour of fitting. The prices are pretty reasonable. As someone has hit on though was the work required.
The BMW is pretty similar although there prices are marked up more.
Kwik fit shouldnt be trusted but if you do need new brakes or an exhaust and know this then they can often be the cheapest and most convenient.0 -
Strider590 wrote: »The Micra exhaust back box was at least 2 or 3 times the actuall value. Need I say more?
Consider contacting trading standards too.
Contact Trading Standards because they charged £83 to supply and fit an exhaust having first contacted the customer and got their agreement?
I can see them queuing up to take that case on0 -
Doesn't seem bad.
For a comparision, I had new brake lines fitted at the back of a 106, over the axle, not even over the fuel tank.
It took two hours labour at £45 +vat per hour, and he wasn't messing about as I was there the whole time.
When you compare to an online supplier, don't forget to include the carriage, the days you're waiting until they are delivered, the extra hassle when you find the parts fitted to the car are a different variant, and the ones your supplier gave you don't fit, and most of all when the part is faulty, so you now have to pay the garage again to take it off, and fit a new one, that you re-supply them with.
Or you let the garage source the parts, put on their mark up, and when it goes klonk they just fix it under warranty.0 -
Strider590 wrote: »The Micra exhaust back box was at least 2 or 3 times the actuall value. Need I say more?
Consider contacting trading standards too.
Where was the fitting charge? Oh, that's right, included in the price.
My local corner shop sells 2L bottles of Pepsi for £1.69. I can get two bottles of the same at Tesco for £1.66. Should I also be contacting trading standards?0 -
The prices the OP was charged particularly for the BMW were quite reasonable, if you really want to see some serious calculator speed zero's get the same work done at the BMW dealer, and setting up the 3 series handbrake to actually work takes time.
Why didn't you use your previous mechanic/garage, a good one is to be treasured....edit, sorry see you moved.
Quoting online prices doesn't mean much unless you state the make of the parts involved.0
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