So, car has been picked up. The list of work is long to be fair and includes power steering belt, headlight align, coilover tighten etc. I know all small and easy jobs but have been done. It came to 714 including the VAT, which if you deduct 200 say for parts, means I paid for around 7 hours of labour. I know I've been done and I've still got to do the rear discs/bearing myself but the car does feel good on the way home (especially the linkage - didn't realise what I'd been missing!). It's a lesson learnt, and I'm going to get some quotes for other garages for what they would have charged and if it is massively less then I will send off the info to the OFT and see what they say. Where's the cheapest place (surprisingly is lean now) to buy standard discs/bearings from - gsf? Thanks for all your responses - I'll be contacting you guys to see if you fancy working on my car for some cash next time!
What did they do when they tightened your coilovers? Sounds like bull**** to get another 30 minutes labour. Avoid this garage next time. Headlight alignment? Serious, 1 minutes work with a posi screwdriver.
I fitted my own coliovers, but didn't have a torque wrench or the VW tool to tighten them up correctly, so got them to do it. Headlight alignment was done free, well as part of everything else. They've done the heater bypass job - is this a safe way of getting heating back as heard of horror stories where boiling water gets chucked over your feet?! I will be avoiding in future though! Least I've saved even more expense by doing the brakes myself!
Think it can be done with those step down spanners as well, the head of the spanner is lower than the handle so you can get to the nut that sits lower than the top mount
I had to pay in order to drive the car away! Am going to get other quotes and if they are wayyy different will contest. Had a full breakdown of work done which was longer than I first thought must admit, but cost breakdown of each was as per one of my previous posts. Fingers have been burnt, but a lesson has been learnt. Even though I'm busy, make the time and do jobs yourself!
To be perfectly honest that doesn't sound that bad - everyone who does there own work on cars knows how long it can take to do jobs that can be simple - even with a ramp and all the special tools available. I wouldn't waste time worrying about it now you've paid. Discs and bearings from VW - will last much longer than pattern parts, you also need new carrier bolts and pads of course.
Got to be honest this all sounds a bit dodgy to me. It sounds like they've found/invented things which 'needed' doing. I would still contact trading standards. Have you phoned another garage (could be anywhere) and asked for a quote for the work done and compared it to what you've been charged? I can give you the number of a VAG specialist by me, who isn't cheap but I'd bet my dog he's cheaper than half of that price you paid. If you can get something in writing to this affect you have a case. Also BY LAW a garage cannot just do jobs they find, they should always contact you and advise any extra costs or work. This applies to labour too, if an old bolt snapped and needed drilling and hellicoilling you can't just put another 100 on the bill when someone turns up you need to inform people. Who's saying the customer can afford it? Another potential lifeline is; did you pay by credit card? If you did the credit card company is legally responsible for the work (as in law you bought it from them). They will then argue with the company, so take it up with them.
Yeah, I'm gonna get another garage to quote and see what it comes out like. Luckily I have paid on credit card so not all lost.
we just built a new massive showroom. big windows so you can see the merchandise, and SO WE CAN SEE YOU COMING!!!! HELLO FRESH MEAT
how much was your car? no offence, but dont buy a car over 10 year old and then leave it to a dealership for servicing and then....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... if you dont want to pay... do it yourself!!! legally, everything that needs fixed by law is covered. so a completley uprated braking system in line with EEC relgulation 10976543holy ****, including alist of stuff. could cost in excess of 1000 quid. which is twice the value of most mk2's on the road. my personal advice is to take advantage of the government scrappage scheme and trade in your banger for a delightful kia picanto 1.1 chill for 6145. wait 968 years and join up at silverstone!!!!
Not sticking up for this garage as has been said looks like they have done you for fun, but.... This is not actually the case on a 16v, dont need to remove the rocker cover to do the cambelt. The reason the rocker cover gasket can be a bit more of an expensive job is because the upper inlet manifold gasket can die when you separate the 2 parts to get to the rocker cover nuts. Looks like a lovely mk2 thou but to be fair its not really economical to own old bangers if you need to pay someone else to do all the jobs. D
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ You dont need to take off the rocker cover on an 8v either to do a cambelt
What's this garage place you speak of, the garage I go to is down my drive... people are visiting each other's garages now?
My girlfriend had two bent valves repaired, new headgasket and belts for 350. You're getting ripped of im afraid. There is a quality engine specialist down my road that charge 40 p/hr also.
You do if you're like me & want to be absolutely, positively, definately certain that you have the cam timing correct, try as I might I just can't see the cam lobes through the cam cover
