Car service nearly double quoted price

skymonkey_2

I've been using the same garage for the last few years, just getting a interim service and MOT when due. However this year as I've been racking up a few extra miles, I decided I'd get a full service and MOT. Called up my usual garage and was quoted £130 - £140 for the service & MOT, so I booked the car in for collection and delivery, for while I was on holiday and left the car at my dads.

When I collected the car from my dad after my holiday, he said he hadn't paid the bill for me as it was double the £140 I was originally told. He had tried to get an explanation for the increase, and he was told the person that has quoted me mustn't have be authorised to give me that price/quote.

After discussion with the garage they now saying the person who they think I spoke to (I never thought to take the name as I never had problems with them before) had been fired, but they are prepared to come down to £150 + VAT for the work they did (apparently they can't go lower due to the cost of parts).

Obviously I'd rather pay the £140 I was originally told, however where do I stand in all this if I stick my ground? Or am I best off paying the extra and just finding a new garage next year?

Note: The garage in question were advertising MOT and major service for £140 last year so I question if £150 + VAT is actually the lowest they can go.

earthstorm

was it a quote or estimate.
i would suspect an estimate as they cant give you a price until they actual check the car over as the unexpected thing can crop up with cars.

Note: The garage in question were advertising MOT and major service for £140 last year so I question if £150 + VAT is actually the lowest they can go.

Parts cost the garage money and they have to also add their profit, also mechanics need paying. everything has increased in price since last year, just look at your main shopping and you will see you dont get as much for the the same money you spent last year.

scheming_gypsy

Did they need to do anything to put it through the MOT? / was the £140 quote for a service and first time pass.
Although it does seem quite cheap (depending on the service). 5ltr of oil, spark plugs,oil filter, air filter and labour, plus the cost of the MOT.

earthstorm

MOT alone £55
https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/mot-test-fees
5ltr of oil - approx: £20
spark plugs - approx: £3 each
oil filter - approx: £5
air filter - approx: £7

then you have their profit margin and labour costs

skymonkey_2

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

Did they need to do anything to put it through the MOT? / was the £140 quote for a service and first time pass.

Passed 1st time, all I asked for was the price of the full service and MOT.

earthstorm wrote: »

Parts cost the garage money and they have to also add their profit, also mechanics need paying. everything has increased in price since last year, just look at your main shopping and you will see you dont get as much for the the same money you spent last year.

I appreciate costs have increased, and the fact I was told £130 - £140 would indicate more or a estimate rather than actually quote, and if they had charged the £150 + VAT straight away I wouldn't be so concerned. However the excuse of the fired employee/ not authorised to gice prices, jumps out trying to backtrack after being questioned on their first invoice.

Jeff_Bridges_hair

skymonkey wrote: »

I appreciate costs have increased, and the fact I was told £130 - £140 would indicate more or a estimate rather than actually quote, and if they had charged the £150 + VAT straight away I wouldn't be so concerned. However the excuse of the fired employee/ not authorised to gice prices, jumps out trying to backtrack after being questioned on their first invoice.

What first invoice? This is the first time you have mentioned a first invoice.

Do you mean quote?

marvin

Jeff_Bridges_hair wrote: »

What first invoice? This is the first time you have mentioned a first invoice.

Do you mean quote?

From reading what the OP wrote I would say this relates to the invoice which was double the original quote/estimate and have since offered to reduce this thus producing another invoice.

I still think £140 is cheap for a service and an MOT, a service on my pedal bike often costs more .

visidigi

earthstorm wrote: »

MOT alone £55
https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/mot-test-fees
5ltr of oil - approx: £20
spark plugs - approx: £3 each
oil filter - approx: £5
air filter - approx: £7

then you have their profit margin and labour costs

Anyone who pays £55 for an MOT is off their head.

Thats full retail price, the actual is less than half that...

As for £140 for a full service, thats very cheap. Cheap parts are not a good thing in a car...

paddyrg

visidigi wrote: »

Anyone who pays £55 for an MOT is off their head.

Thats full retail price, the actual is less than half that...

I disagree. Having had garage grief in the past where bogus failures have only been solved by the testing garage doing bogus treatments, I now prefer MOT test centres with no garage attached.

Each area has one, often used as the councils reference garage. They have zero incentive to fail on dubious grounds, and every incentive to give an honest assessment of the road worthiness of a vehicle. It costs the full MOT price as they don't make the money up on borderline repairs etc.

It also helps keep the garage honest. In the past when I was younger and greener, 'essential welding on the chassis' was filler and paint, then they passed it through their MOT. Try doing that with an independent test centre and suddenly you have proof of crooked behaviour.

Personally, for the sake of saving of a score, I reckon I've saved that several times over on dodgy dealings.

forgotmyname

They allowed your father to take the car without paying them?

Sounds like they made a genuine mistake and not holding the car to ransome until you pay up.

Phone around and ask for a price on the work that you had done and see how it compares. They sound genuine enough so i would probably pay.

sacha28

So you will probably be paying about £180 rather than £140? Personally I would just pay up then find a different garage. The loss of business will hurt them more and it's only an extra £40ish.
When you pay, make sure you tell the manager that you will be taking your business elsewhere and telling any customers that you have recommended them to to do the same