Expensive service?

atiftw01

atiftw01

atiftw01

Associate
Joined
8 Aug 2010
Posts
24
Hi all,

Just after some advice as I had my 2004 astra 1.8 serviced and the labour was nearly £200 for 4 hours + £65 in parts (I provided oil/filter and droplinks as they needed changing) he didn't do any other filter besides fuel (I asked him not to do air or pollen filter) so I can't understand how it came to so much. I had changed the plugs and told him I had done so and hes changed them anyway and charged me £19.40 for new ones! I have spoken to him and he said he didn't have a note of it and he was sorry about it but he doesn't think the cost is unreasonable.

No major work was carried out, the brakes where inspected and cleaned and a new alternator belt was fitted.

What do you think was it a fair price or a little steep for what appears to be not that much?

Thanks AF1
 
Had an oil and filter change, as well as a new exhaust back box & centre section done on my 406 today.

Cheeky mechanics changed the wiper blades and charged me £25 for the pleasure! They absolutely did not need replacing. Not happy.
 
GeForce said:
Had an oil and filter change, as well as a new exhaust back box & centre section done on my 406 today.

Cheeky mechanics changed the wiper blades and charged me £25 for the pleasure! They absolutely did not need replacing. Not happy.
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You should have told them to put the old ones on and do one....

A garage tried to charge me £5 for topping up my washer fluid, i said they can take it back.
 
GeForce said:
Had an oil and filter change, as well as a new exhaust back box & centre section done on my 406 today.

Cheeky mechanics changed the wiper blades and charged me £25 for the pleasure! They absolutely did not need replacing. Not happy.
Click to expand...

Free wipers! :D I wouldn't pay for anything I've not specifically commissioned...I've always been called to check whether I want any recommended additional work done. :confused:
 
atiftw01 said:
Hi all,

Just after some advice as I had my 2004 astra 1.8 serviced and the labour was nearly £200 for 4 hours + £65 in parts (I provided oil/filter and droplinks as they needed changing) he didn't do any other filter besides fuel (I asked him not to do air or pollen filter) so I can't understand how it came to so much. I had changed the plugs and told him I had done so and hes changed them anyway and charged me £19.40 for new ones! I have spoken to him and he said he didn't have a note of it and he was sorry about it but he doesn't think the cost is unreasonable.

No major work was carried out, the brakes where inspected and cleaned and a new alternator belt was fitted.

What do you think was it a fair price or a little steep for what appears to be not that much?

Thanks AF1
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Was this your intermediate or major service ? with Vauxhalls it alternates between the two every service interval.

£200 is about right for main deal major service.


mglover070588 said:
Yes it is steep. A n00b can perform a service in under 4 hours. He did it in under 2 hours and is taking the **** by charging you for 4 hours.
The part price seems alright, but he has bent you over for labour.
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Its a main dealer. They charge £100 an hour. This is why people go to independents rather than main dealers.
 
It was a major service but at an independent garage, I think I'm going to talk to the guy when I go to pay but I guess I'll have to just stomach the bill.
 
I'd just argue about the plugs personally.

Thats where most of your parts & labour has gone.

I think at least an hour of that 4 hours labour is the plugs. Thats £50 off the bill already.

Its not your fault they made an administrative error and charged you for something you had ask them specifically not to do.
 
Its an indépendant anyway.

Just assumed without him saying so that for that price it must have been a main dealer.

They usually quote £100 an hour, but then offer to give you a "discount" back to normal levels lol.
 
I paid around £180 for a major service on my 2.2 Astra at an independant without any of the drop links but I did get the pollen / air filter changed.

It certainly doesnt sound cheap but its not eye wateringly expensive.
 
Thanks for the comparison, I think I will try and get the price of plugs off as I have a receipt for them and I did make a point to tell the mechanic.

Thanks for all advice everyone.
 
In summary,

plugs, oil and drop links is a good hours labour, 2 is pushing it.

Ask him to run through exactly what is involved if he argues, make him justify why it took him half a day.

EDIT: Just seen alternator belt and brake check - the belt is fiddly due to access and the brake check could range from rollers to a strip down.

Assuming he did a good job of the brakes, 3 hours may be reasonable - 2 otherwise, ask him exactly what he did.
 
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aproctor said:
You should have told them to put the old ones on and do one....

A garage tried to charge me £5 for topping up my washer fluid, i said they can take it back.
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I will be making it very clear next time that I won't be paying for anything they do without authorising it with me first.

This was a new garage after the one I used to use pulled the same trick -- they regassed the aircon without asking me first. I forget how much they charged for that.

Mud said:
Free wipers! :D I wouldn't pay for anything I've not specifically commissioned...I've always been called to check whether I want any recommended additional work done. :confused:
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Maybe I've just been unlucky with the last couple of garages but I'm going to have to put my foot down next time as this is getting ridiculous.

Sorry to the OP for hijacking your thread a bit, hope you're not offended :)
 
aproctor said:
TROLOLOL.

It's an Astra, not an Impreza. 20 minutes tops.

4 screws, remove leads, remove each plug, check gap on new plugs, screw in, replace leads and screw in.

http://zafiradiy.weebly.com/spark-plug.html
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Agreed

but garages are notorious for rounding up.

They've charged him 4 hours labour for a service. Theres no way changing plugs and a fuel filter + other bits is 4 hours.

So rather than arguing with them about how long stuff did or didn't take, just argue about the plugs which he told them not to do. If they want to argue that it takes 4 hours to do a service that the OP has done half of it for them already (he specifically said no plugs or pollen filter) then just play them at their own game, and ask for a refund based on their over inflated hours.
 
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