F1 Autocentres are money grabbing cowboys.

peter_the_piper

Is that more expensive as in better or more expensive as in, we are stuck with them, lets not have the ones the customer wants and pretend we can let these go cheaper?

colino

As you have reposted newbie, it does appear you are serious. Just think, a customer turns up at your expensively kitted out garage and wants you to fit a second hand (high value) part.
Do you a) Say no problem, its a half hour job, I'll charge you an hours labour and I know you won't come back complaining later about a spurious, imagined secondary fault caused by me fitting your scrap of unknown origin. Or.
b) I'll do it but I'm going to charge you full price for a cat replacement as I know there's going to be a comeback on this. Just to be sure I'll add on the price of tyre blackening/nipple adjustment/seat correction to see if the fish will bite.
(b) is the GTF option).

salubrious

It's F1 Autocentres.

Despite claims of being a Family run business and being independent, they run the exact same model as the larger fast fits

Sell as much as you can (by any means) and meet those targets

Prothet_of_Doom

musafir05 wrote: »

Hello,

a Catalytic converter which I brought from a salvage yard. The Catalytic converter was a genuine Mini part removed from a 2011 Mini cooper with only 5,000 miles on the clock. It only cost £125 which I was over the moon about, but the replacement cost had me in tears.

.

http://www.cats2u.co.uk/34267/Catalytic-Converter/MINI/COOPER/1.6

You were conned if you paid £125 for a used part, when a new one can be had for £25 more (although not genuine)

musafir05

^^^^

I intent to travel 450 miles weekly due to work requirement. I agree a after-market Catalytic converter is cheaper, however, contain less precious metals therefore have less of a lifespan, anywhere from two years or less in my case.

A genuine for £125 with only 5,000 miles is a steal considering the price for a brand new part from BMW. A genuine has a lifespan of 100,000-150,000 miles or more if looked after.

All Mini One built between April to May has a factory faulty Catalytic converter which last upto 80,000 miles. It is a common problem outline on the online Mini/BMW forums. I am surprised mine lasted 105,000 miles.

datostar

I stopped using F1 a few years ago after faulty re-assembly of rear brakes: claims that a smearing rear wiper and non-operative electric adjustment of a door mirror would cause an MOT fail (rear wiper not part of test and mirror could still be adjusted manually) plus a false claim that front discs were worn below manufacturer's recommendation (they weren't).

musafir05

datostar wrote: »

I stopped using F1 a few years ago after faulty re-assembly of rear brakes: claims that a smearing rear wiper and non-operative electric adjustment of a door mirror would cause an MOT fail (rear wiper not part of test and mirror could still be adjusted manually) plus a false claim that front discs were worn below manufacturer's recommendation (they weren't).

The brake disc and pads are favourite method of conning customers. I intent to buy a set of disc/pad cheaper than what the garages offer.

lincroft1710

peter_the_piper wrote: »

Is that more expensive as in better or more expensive as in, we are stuck with them, lets not have the ones the customer wants and pretend we can let these go cheaper?

From memory (this was over 5 years ago) the more expensive ones were a better tyre.

londonTiger

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

http://www.cats2u.co.uk/34267/Catalytic-Converter/MINI/COOPER/1.6

You were conned if you paid £125 for a used part, when a new one can be had for £25 more (although not genuine)

used genuine or new thirdy party?

I'd go for used genuine any day. Non OE Catalytic convertors will probably give your trouble. The lambda/computer is calibrated to the factory catalyst. An aftermarket one will give completely different readings and the computer will assume it's faulty.

Westmead_Fan

musafir05 wrote: »

The brake disc and pads are favourite method of conning customers. I intent to buy a set of disc/pad cheaper than what the garages offer.

what are they 2nd hand mini ones:p

all well & good getting them yourself what brand are they because there are only 2 top quality brands that we use, the rest are cheap aftermarket rubbish.