Charged 83% over the quote.

Emmia

VinceStClair said:

OK, so not a single answer to a simple question.

Good work 👍

I think you have your answer - there is no consumer law covering this.

If I've understood it correctly you had a verbal estimate, but it transpired the parts needed were more expensive or more numerous than anticipated, and/or the job took longer.

If you're not happy, don't go back to that mechanic.

pinkshoes

VinceStClair said:

Good lord!    I give in!

It’s as basic a job as mechanic can do.   Short of changing a Windscreen wiper……

Even “Quote” is the wrong word, he gave me a PRICE.   

There was no diagnosis to be done.  No extra work.    30-40 minute job, 1hr tops.

Standard parts.   Discs & Pads.   That’s it.

Had he quoted £366 at the outset, I would have gone elsewhere.

My question relates to the price hike without warning?

No need to be rude, as we are just trying to ascertain exactly what was agreed. 

e.g. if you had an email/letter that said QUOTE at top then £200 to change rear pads and discs including VAT, then you absolutely should NOT be paying any more.

If the price was given verbally, then we need more info. What car was this for?

At £366, was this perhaps fitting branded parts rather than generic?  Or did they perhaps quote for pads and not the discs too?

There are websites that will tell you typical costs of getting pads/discs changed:
How Much Do Brake Pads and Brake Discs Cost? (2024: UK) | BookMyGarage

I would be asking the garage for a complete breakdown of the costs, including the hourly rate.

It may take an hour tops, but I did my own and they took an hour EACH, with two cut knuckles and a LOT of bad language. Next time I'll pay the £269 the garage quoted for a Vauxhall!

Arunmor

Go and price up the parts yourself then you will have a better idea if he has overcharged you.  I got pads and disks on tne missus car last year and was horrified at the price.  Parts prices are going through the roof.

Ergates

VinceStClair said:

OK, so not a single answer to a simple question.

Good work 👍

If you want a simple answer then:   No.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Hello OP

A quote is a quote, an estimate is an estimate, if it isn't clear then I would say Section 69 of the CRA applies:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/section/69

(1)If a term in a consumer contract, or a consumer notice, could have different meanings, the meaning that is most favourable to the consumer is to prevail.

Even if it were an estimate, nearly doubling the price isn't acceptable in my view, brakes should be bread and butter for a garage so they should be able to price estimates with greater accuracy.

An exception with estimates might be any unknowns, I know little about cars but let's say you want a wheel bearing changed and it's rusted on firm so takes an extra hour to get the old one off and it wasn't possible to determine this was needed beforehand then it may be acceptable to simply do the work and charge the extra hour.

If they took your car apart and found something else (again that couldn't be know beforehand) that either makes sense to be done or needs doing to complete the job in question they really should contact you and advise rather than going ahead a doing the work.

If you have a contract for brakes they can't simply amend the contract to including replacing the caliper just because it needs doing.

However with cars there is usually some leeway accepted by people as pragmatically people need their car on the road but I'd only expect that from a garage I know and trust.

If you they simply did the brakes and now want an extra £166 for it I'd pay the £200 and take my car. 

HedgehogRulez

Raise an official complaint to the CEO complaints team and threaten you’ll take them to the car mechanics ombudsman if you don’t get satisfaction. I’m outraged on your behalf! 😬

Emmia

HedgehogRulez said:

Raise an official complaint to the CEO complaints team and threaten you’ll take them to the car mechanics ombudsman if you don’t get satisfaction. I’m outraged on your behalf! 😬

If this is an independent garage I doubt there's a CEO complaints team - the CEO may be the guy who fitted the brakes.

Going to an ombudsman requires the garage to be a member... I've also never heard of a car mechanics ombudsman.

Edit correction - there is 
https://www.themotorombudsman.org/#:~:text=The Motor Ombudsman | Motor Industry Codes of Practice

The difficulty will be if the work the guy did was making the vehicle roadworthy, I'd prefer it if mechanics didn't let dangerous vehicles knowingly back on the road.

HHarry

VinceStClair said:

OK, so not a single answer to a simple question.

Good work 👍

Because there isn’t an answer - at least not a concise, specific, legal answer.

You clearly feel 83% is too much, so go and do something about it.  Stop getting annoyed with strangers on the internet who don’t agree with you.

sheramber

Make sure you get written ‘quote’ next time. 

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Emmia said:I'd prefer it if mechanics didn't let dangerous vehicles knowingly back on the road.

There is no indication OP's car was dangerous to begin with nor that that the extra was anything to do with car being dangerous. 

Emmia said:

HedgehogRulez said:

Raise an official complaint to the CEO complaints team and threaten you’ll take them to the car mechanics ombudsman if you don’t get satisfaction. I’m outraged on your behalf! 😬

If this is an independent garage I doubt there's a CEO complaints team - the CEO may be the guy who fitted the brakes.

Going to an ombudsman requires the garage to be a member... I've also never heard of a car mechanics ombudsman.

Edit correction - there is 
https://www.themotorombudsman.org/#:~:text=The Motor Ombudsman | Motor Industry Codes of Practice

Pretty sure the other poster you quoted was being sarcastic.