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Car Servicing Rip Off ?

50Twuncle
50Twuncle Posts: 10,763 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
I had my small japanese car serviced on Tuesday at my local main dealers - it has been mine from new (2 years / 18000 miles) and the dealers took 1 hour 20 minutes to complete at a cost of £179 labour parts
This is where it gets interesting
The final itemised bill - included £47 for 4 litres of oil (ouch !!)
2 "NUTS" at £5.42 each
All Plus VAT
And a CYLINDER HEAD gasket at £21.87
I paid this and left - only to realise today what I had paid for....
(I was told nothing major had been done)
What concerns me, is whether I am liable for parts such as a cylinder head gasket - if, in fact, this had been changed (remember 1 hour 20 mins for a FULL service - and only ONE mechanic was working on the car) - or whether this would be covered under the 3 year warranty supplied with the car from new ?
«13

Comments

  • maninthestreet
    maninthestreet Posts: 16,127 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    Changing a cylinder head gasket would not normally be part of a service schedule - it would only be replaced if it was defective. I would also question what the "Nuts" were required for, and why they were so expensive.
    "You were only supposed to blow the bl**dy doors off!!"
  • 50Twuncle
    50Twuncle Posts: 10,763 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Surely - also, if he did, somehow change the head gasket AND service the car - in 1 hour 20 mins - the warranty would cover the head gasket - the labour costs don't point towards this actually being changed
  • vax2002
    vax2002 Posts: 7,187 Forumite
    The cost of main dealer servicing far outweighs the value retained by having a full dealer service history
    At £179 you are very lucky indeed, £500-800 is not unheard off once they start on brakes and bits. .
    Hi, we’ve had to remove your signature. If you’re not sure why please read the forum rules or email the forum team if you’re still unsure - MSE ForumTeam
  • 50Twuncle
    50Twuncle Posts: 10,763 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Total cost was £303 - including £179 labour !!
  • Forwandert
    Forwandert Posts: 1,211 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    There's no way they have changed the head gasket in that time and at that cost, you need to ring and find out exactly what work they have actually done on the car.
  • 50Twuncle
    50Twuncle Posts: 10,763 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I have emailed them - copied to the MD - This stinks !!
  • vax2002
    vax2002 Posts: 7,187 Forumite
    21Twinkle wrote: »
    Total cost was £303 - including £179 labour !!
    Thats a very good price for a main dealer service, you got away very lightly, my friends main dealer service on a 4 year old mondeo came home at £859, he had the work priced at his local and it would have cost £220 all in.
    A main dealer service history VS non main Dealer tends to add around £500 to the value of a £5000 second hand car, which probably a tenth of what you will spend getting it done.
    Horses for courses.
    Money saving Tip, find a new garage.
    Hi, we’ve had to remove your signature. If you’re not sure why please read the forum rules or email the forum team if you’re still unsure - MSE ForumTeam
  • Flyboy152
    Flyboy152 Posts: 17,118 Forumite
    21Twinkle wrote: »
    I had my small japanese car serviced on Tuesday at my local main dealers - it has been mine from new (2 years / 18000 miles) and the dealers took 1 hour 20 minutes to complete at a cost of £179 labour parts
    This is where it gets interesting
    The final itemised bill - included £47 for 4 litres of oil (ouch !!)
    2 "NUTS" at £5.42 each
    All Plus VAT
    And a CYLINDER HEAD gasket at £21.87
    I paid this and left - only to realise today what I had paid for....
    (I was told nothing major had been done)
    What concerns me, is whether I am liable for parts such as a cylinder head gasket - if, in fact, this had been changed (remember 1 hour 20 mins for a FULL service - and only ONE mechanic was working on the car) - or whether this would be covered under the 3 year warranty supplied with the car from new ?

    Changing a head gasket and doing a service in an hour and twenty minutes???? Wow, who did the service; Speedy Gonzales?
    The greater danger, for most of us, lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark
  • Flyboy152
    Flyboy152 Posts: 17,118 Forumite
    21Twinkle wrote: »
    Total cost was £303 - including £179 labour !!

    One hundred and twelve pounds an hour, plus VAT, labour. Was this a Ferrari? :eek:
    The greater danger, for most of us, lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark
  • BM-AK
    BM-AK Posts: 106 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    Flyboy152 wrote: »
    One hundred and twelve pounds an hour, plus VAT, labour. Was this a Ferrari? :eek:

    That's even more than what the likes of BMW and Merc charge :eek:
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