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Car Servicing

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Got my car serviced today - they ripped me off, but were very nice about it.

I arrived at 08:35 and they gave me back the car at 09:30. The bill said 1.30 hours labour, when I queried this, he said it was 1.3 hours and not one and a half hours. I then pointed out that they'd only had the car for 55 minutes - assuming they started working on it straight away - his immediate reply was that they had two "technicians" working on it for some of the time.

They also charged me for a sump plug washer, even though they went no where near it - I put some mud on one of the undertray bolts and unless they put some back for me, it was still there after the service.

They charged me for 5 litres of oil, even though the engine capacity is 4.5 litres.

- I hate these people!!!!
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Comments

  • Ellie2758
    Ellie2758 Posts: 2,848 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I take it this was a main dealer?

    Ellie
    Ellie :cool:

    "man is born free but everywhere he is in chains"
    J-J Rousseau
  • italiastar
    italiastar Posts: 1,448 Forumite
    Yes - you got it in one. The really worrying thing is this one was the cheapest at £165 - my supplying dealer wanted nearly £300 for the same job!!!!! :mad:
  • YorkshireBoy
    YorkshireBoy Posts: 31,541 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    italiastar wrote:
    They charged me for 5 litres of oil, even though the engine capacity is 4.5 litres.
    They have to cover the cost of oil slick you usually have all over the plastic engine cover!! At least thats what I suggested in my complaint letter to my main dealer last year. Result was the (declined) offer of a full valet and (accepted ;)) 60% discount on this years service.

    Would have been really chuffed had the price not gone up from £116.99 last year to a whopping £150.00 this year. How can they justify that kind of increase for the same work? (both were standard 12.5K services).

    Before anyone says "why don't you do it yourself?", this is my first new car and I have to have it done to comply with the warranty. However, as an engineer (as well as an MSE), it breaks my heart to pay £150 for what is essentially an oil change taking 20 minutes and using £14 worth of parts!

    Still, warranty runs out next summer so I'll be doing my own 37.5K service.
  • fairmorn308
    fairmorn308 Posts: 1,530 Forumite
    From your 1st post it says they never removed the undertray to get the the sump but they charged you for oil

    How can they charge you for oil if they never drained the old stuff out 1st?
  • italiastar
    italiastar Posts: 1,448 Forumite
    How can they charge you for oil if they never drained the old stuff out 1st?
    - they use a device to suck it out of the dipstick pipe - whilst this works, it never sucks all of the oil out - the best way to drain oil is via the sump plug with a hot engine - how many garages do that?
  • fairmorn308
    fairmorn308 Posts: 1,530 Forumite
    I am a mechanic and never heard of that.

    Best and quickest way is to remove sump plug and drain oil.

    Maybe they didnt change ur oil after all and just charged u for it
  • italiastar
    italiastar Posts: 1,448 Forumite
    [/QUOTE]I am a mechanic and never heard of that.
    Have a look at this -

    http://f64.nu/oilchange/DSC_0004s.jpg - I'm sure they'll use an automatic version - whilst the pump is doing it's work and cost me £80 an hour, the "tecnician" is ripping someone else off. About 25 years ago you could got to a garage and use this sort of kit yourself.
    Best and quickest way is to remove sump plug and drain oil.
    - I totally agree!
    Maybe they didnt change ur oil after all and just charged u for it

    They did because the oil is actually very clean - more than I can say with my wife's Skoda, which has the same engine and has cover half the miles - they also didn't remove the undertray!
  • Sorry but if you are stupid enough to go to main stealers then they will rip you off.
    Stop showing off, buy a car out of warranty and let a knowledgeable independent service it at half the cost or less, and do a proper job.

    Going to a main dealer is certainly not mse!
  • maggie1976
    maggie1976 Posts: 97 Forumite
    Sorry but if you are stupid enough to go to main stealers then they will rip you off.
    Stop showing off, buy a car out of warranty and let a knowledgeable independent service it at half the cost or less, and do a proper job.

    Going to a main dealer is certainly not mse!

    What a helpful post Mr Accountant.
    Baby #1 due December '05 :)
  • BFG_2
    BFG_2 Posts: 2,022 Forumite
    Sorry but if you are stupid enough ...Stop showing off...
    Going to a main dealer is certainly not mse!

    Sometimes postings can make the poster come across as a complete ar5e, sometimes not. I'm not sure how to start an opinion poll, but I know how I'd vote for the above comments.

    To borrow your own terminology 'Being abusive in a posting is certainly not mse!'
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