Fixter

[pokerking]

Amy body used this service before?

Been quoted £310 for a Cambelt change from a garage I use.

Had a look on Google and this site popped up, 9.8 on trust pilot with over 900 reviews.

Quoted £210 and they will pick the car and drop it off. Seems like a bargain?

Or is there a catch to this kind of service.

 

[mccarf]

I think the only thing that would put me off is what if the car goes wrong after the work is completed? Usually you'd have a garage to go and moan at and potentially take legal action against if they were useless at fixing it. In this situation would fixter be responsible or would they try to pass the blame onto the garage that actually does the work? It's an interesting way of doing it though because it takes a lot of the inconvenience out, such as how to get back and forth to a garage which is usually on some industrial estate with rubbish bus connections (in my experience).

 

[pokerking]

I think the only thing that would put me off is what if the car goes wrong after the work is completed? Usually you'd have a garage to go and moan at and potentially take legal action against if they were useless at fixing it. In this situation would fixter be responsible or would they try to pass the blame onto the garage that actually does the work? It's an interesting way of doing it though because it takes a lot of the inconvenience out, such as how to get back and forth to a garage which is usually on some industrial estate with rubbish bus connections (in my experience).

This is why it seems tempting. They would pick the car up at 7.30 and return it at 5.30 when I arrive home. (Company Van) so my personal car would be left at home.

I have booked it in for Tuesday. I shall see ha!!

 

[mushtafa]

Being in the motor trade, these sorts of websites can be good or bad.

On the plus side, you could have a really good garage do the work for you, cheaper than usual as they're quiet. Or the bad side, it's a real crappy garage which will do it wrong or without care.

Also, depending on the car, your water pump might be driven off the timing belt. For cars that are, a good garage will always include the cost of water pump replacement with the belt.

That cheaper price could be belt only. They get the job in, give you a ring - your water pump is leaking and needs replacing. Final bill is now higher then it should be.

You've also got to consider the quality of parts they are fitting. I've also seen cheap garages only fit belt without tensioners and idlers!

What's your reg? I could give an estimate of the proper cost for you if you like.

 

[pokerking]

Being in the motor trade, these sorts of websites can be good or bad.

On the plus side, you could have a really good garage do the work for you, cheaper than usual as they're quiet. Or the bad side, it's a real crappy garage which will do it wrong or without care.

Also, depending on the car, your water pump might be driven off the timing belt. For cars that are, a good garage will always include the cost of water pump replacement with the belt.

That cheaper price could be belt only. They get the job in, give you a ring - your water pump is leaking and needs replacing. Final bill is now higher then it should be.

You've also got to consider the quality of parts they are fitting. I've also seen cheap garages only fit belt without tensioners and idlers!

What's your reg? I could give an estimate of the proper cost for you if you like.

Hi very informative post thank you

You were correct the price was for the belt only, I emailed the advisor to double check and he quoted me £50 extra for the water pump. So in total £260 All in.

I really like the concept, I suppose a cam belt and water pump isn't the ideal first test subject.

A lot of places have quoted £350+.

My reg is FD14VZA.

 

[The Running Man]

Hi very informative post thank you

You were correct the price was for the belt only, I emailed the advisor to double check and he quoted me £50 extra for the water pump. So in total £260 All in.

I really like the concept, I suppose a cam belt and water pump isn't the ideal first test subject.

A lot of places have quoted £350+.

My reg is FD14VZA.

Did they include the tensioner too?

 

[pokerking]

Did they include the tensioner too?

I believe so. I've just emailed them again! I've asked for a full list of what work will be carried out and total price.

I can see where this will get tricky!

The original price was for a belt change only £210. It's now adding up haha!!

Also the garage send the recipts off to fixter which I would have like to keep for records, they will stamp the book though.

The more I think about it the more I'm questioning spending a little extra and take the car myself.

 

[mushtafa]

OK, so according to Autodata, the book time for your timing belt replacement is 2.45hrs. Water pump is 2.55hrs. So they are allowing 6 minutes extra to replace the water pump. This is incorrect as it'll take a good 15 minutes to refill the coolant, bleed it, and run the engine up to temperature to test everything.

I would personally quote 3hrs for the job. That'll give you something to base your prices from.

All prices from euro car parts;

Timing belt kit 348774038 £150.99
Water pump 201510131 £37.99
Total £188.98

The small garage I work for charge £70 p/h plus VAT. So that's £252 without parts.

So your quote of £260 all in doesn't fit very well.

Using those prices as a guide, and a strict book time of 2.55hrs, means that garage is charging £27.85 an hour without VAT. I charge more than this doing private work on a Saturday morning!

This can only mean they are using cheaper parts.

It's all guess work not knowing the garage or the parts they're using, but if the garage you usually use want £310 and you trust them and their work, take it to them.

 

[mushtafa]

Apologies for the long post, but places like Fixter make the motor trade a race to the bottom with prices.

Just a thought, Fixter would be taking a cut from that price as well. Doesn't leave the garage much of anything after.

I would suggest sticking with and dealing direct with your local trusted garage.