Help in understanding recommended repairs for car

Joe_Horner

red_eye wrote: »

Joe_Horner wrote: »

Quite how they gauged 20mm disk thickness left by a visual check would be interesting to know as well!

easy, when you see 20mm day in day out you and guess reasonably accurately

Only within a couple of mm, which is quite a lot in terms of disk wear!

OddballJamie wrote: »

They use one of these

Yeah, but that's not a visual check

mouche

Thank you all for your responses - we will be taking the car into our old garage tomorrow, telling them we took it to Ford for a service but were not happy with it and want them to do another one (to explain the stamp in the service book). Will also ask them to quote for new cambelt and brakes.

Some ones asked when the last MOT was - it was less than a month ago and the only finding was that one of the front tyres had to be replaced.

OH has also asked that I give you all some more detail on the 'sluggishness' of the car in the hope that you might have some ideas of what is wrong. When he hits the accelerator in second gear the car really struggles to pick up speed and also jerks. The engine light also starts flashing. When it finally picks up speed and he goes into third, the engine light eventually stops flashing but it remains on. We've had the engine light going on sporadically over the past two years but it wasn't accompanied by any loss of performance and went away on it's own last time. Since the Ford service, the problem has been much worse. Also, I'm probably being paranoid here but since the service, the car stinks - as in a foul rotting odour. We've had a quick look around but couldn't find the cause. OH will look more carefully tomorrow. Any idea what might be causing either of these problems.

And once again most massive thanks for your replies. I will be complaining about the inflated prices to Ford direct. I checked in more detail and they are charging £100 per hour for labour!

gilbert_and_sullivan

Get your proper garage to diagnose the poor running before they do any other repairs, that smell you speak of sounds like the CAT failing, or possibly a fuelling problem leading to CAT problems.

Either way get this diagnosed properly and a real mechanics (as opposed to the fast fit crew who did the last estimate) opinion of the rest of the car before you spend another penny.

When you know what the sensible cost to bring the car back to full working order is you can decide whether to proceed or trade it in or flog it on with a long mot.

OddballJamie

The £100 an hour for a London main dealer is about right, I was charged £85 an hour by a local Peugeot dealer about 5 years ago.
The issue seems to be the exaggerated costs of everything, especially when Ford is suppose to have set prices for certain jobs as advertised on their website.

Not sure why you are paying for another service again, seems a waste of money. What's wrong with the service book, did they not stamp it correctly?

OddballJamie

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

Get your proper garage to diagnose the poor running before they do any other repairs, that smell you speak of sounds like the CAT failing, or possibly a fuelling problem leading to CAT problems.

Either way get this diagnosed properly and a real mechanics (as opposed to the fast fit crew who did the last estimate) opinion of the rest of the car before you spend another penny.

When you know what the sensible cost to bring the car back to full working order is you can decide whether to proceed or trade it in or flog it on with a long mot.

As they mentioned the car needs the air con servicing, the smell could be that. May just need a new pollen filter, worse case a full clean.

red_eye

OddballJamie wrote: »

red_eye wrote: »

They use one of these

no they do not! this is a visual check not remove wheel and dismantle brake. besides that is a useless tool for measuring brake pad thickness though a wheel.

mouche

Thank you Jamie and Gillbert - do you mean we should take it into our old garage (which is a Mazda dealer) and tell them we have had it serviced but not happy and want them to look at the car and check the issues we've been having? Plus, check whether the cambelt needs replacing (or wait to see if they suggest it themselves).

Apologies if this is a stupid question - we've only ever had the car serviced and issues fixed off the back of that. Didn't realise we could just take it in and ask them to look at it for free. (Paying for any work that needs doing of course).

gilbert_and_sullivan

mouche wrote: »

Thank you Jamie and Gillbert - do you mean we should take it into our old garage (which is a Mazda dealer) and tell them we have had it serviced but not happy and want them to look at the car and check the issues we've been having? Plus, check whether the cambelt needs replacing (or wait to see if they suggest it themselves).

Apologies if this is a stupid question - we've only ever had the car serviced and issues fixed off the back of that. Didn't realise we could just take it in and ask them to look at it for free. (Paying for any work that needs doing of course).

Your car is one of the last fairly simple cars made, any decent independent workshops can work on it for you, the very last place i'd take it to is a main dealer for any make.

Main dealers do not fix things with common sense and costs in mind, they plug a car into a 'puter and throw new parts at it willy nilly til 'puter says stop.

Remember your car isn't right, its not pulling properly and stinks, these could be related, the Ford workshops have done nothing for you other than possibly change your oil and take the mickey as far as i can see.

You need to find yourself, by recommendation (friends, taxi owner drivers, anyone with an ounce of sense) a good little independent workshops.

I would then go in and have a chat with them, show them the estimate form the Ford comedy store, it will give them a good laugh and if they don't frame it and stick it on their wall i'll eat my hat.

Explain the smells and the bad running and the possible clutch issues etc, they'll have a good look round it and probably test drive it, they might charge a bit for the diagnosis IF you don't get the work done but that should be included in the cost if you do get the work done.

You should be looking at £40/50 an hour in the SE, not £100+ an hour main dealer glass palace carpets coffee mini skrted receptionists courtesy cars and managers coming out of the woodwork rates.

I can't stress this enough, you need a real mechanic, either mobile or one who works in or has his own little workshops, not a main dealer.

The good indy mechanic is one of the most important people in your life, find him and cherish him.

AdrianC

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

You should be looking at £40/50 an hour in the SE

<chuckle> Good luck. £50/hr + VAT, yes, maybe. But no way £40 with VAT inc...

mouche

Just in case anyone is interested in how this is progressing –

We took the car to our old garage this morning. They checked it immediately and said that the engine was misfiring and they recommended a change of timing belt and that they might as well change the aux belt and water pump while they had the engine open. They also said the front brake pad is 90% worn but can still go for 2000-3000 miles (that’s our annual mileage). And the rear tyres are starting to crack. They said the brakes and tyres were optional so we’ve elected to get them done later. But the total cost including brakes and tyres was £705 – they will do it straight away and have given my husband a lift back home.