Garage bill

[Willymr]

Just paid £180 (inc VAT) to have the rear discs and pads replaced on my 1994 turbo - i supplied the parts :
This works out at 3hrs labour as the garage charges £50 per hour!
I changed the fronts myself but found the rear bolts too tight for my small socket set i was using so decided on the garage option!
The garage complained that some bolts were very tight - rusty etc - but i cant understand how it took so long considering they have all the equipment etc - after all its only 3 bolts each side - and not all were seized up!
Whats your thought on this?

[cvega666]

damn! I paid 120 inc VAT for front calipers AND pads to be replaced in a local garage in a small village (decent one too)

[Nik_L]

The bolts are never that tight tbh, yes they are tight for a normal socket set, but with a breaker bar the seal snaps pretty easy. I removed 2 rear calipers in 5 mins the other day. A garage should have been able to to the whole lot in about 30-45mins max.

The bolts aren't that big, so no way would they have been that tight that.

[Driftlimits Performance]

Damn! maybe if they had drum handbrakes and had a mare yeah, but that's ott!

[dawesy]

did they say if the sliders were seized? if they were then that could take some time to sort although three hours is pushing it a tad.
£50ph is about right though,last time i checked main dealer rates were around £75ph.
i did a wheel bearing for a mate on a 54plate corolla TSport last week. dealer quoted £350 for the job incl £75 for the bearing. only took me a couple of hours and that with nipping round to a mates garage to loan his bearing press.

[Willymr]

Didnt mention if the sliders were seized - just said they had hell of a job getting the bolts off
Just comparing the fact i done both fronts in an hour with a small socket set and standard jack etc! - cant really see how it took them 3 hrs even if the bolts were rusty!

[loudandproud205]

I was quoted £300 as my rear wheels would come off and they rekoned I would need hubs and the works.

So we cut the wheel of and changed the brakes all done for less than £50

[4ndee]

Holy crappy, of I charged those prices id be shot. Would cost £52 at ours plus vat. We use gas if bolts/sliders seized takes seconds. Forgot how many cowboys there are.

[dantheman]

if you are supplying parts and have told them specifically what you want you should ask for a quote beforehand, that way they have to stick to it and you can decline in advance

[djpkins]

Did you tell them you weren't happy? I don't like being a "squeeky wheel" and rarely do I complain...but being ripped off is for wnkers. Go back round there and assert yourself, you don't have to start a fight but throw ALL of the fkn toys out of the pram infront of All the customers you can find...few people who take their car to a garrage will have the knowledge that you have about the mr2 and given the fact it's only 2 bolts per caliper and they weren't snapped off or in need of tapping etc...even with a bit of "ramp time" I think an hours charge maximum.

[4ndee]

+1

[Willymr]

Yeh when i first went there the guy said 40-50mins provided theres no hassle - lol!
So how does 40mins suddenly become 3hrs?
I should have been more assertive on the day i collected - but i was running late - i stated that the bill was far more than i expected - nb there were other costs on the bill for fan belt purchase and fitting labour etc - so i pin pointed the discs when i got back home and was flabbergasted!
Could go back to garage but its been a wk now and dont know if it will get me anywhere - hate garages that take the p1$$!!!

[Baker]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/

Get in contact now!

[djpkins]

if they genuinely spent 3 hrs on those 4 bolts...I'm sure they will be able to recall every, never before experienced, nightmare they had with said 4 bolts...thus justifying the charge up, you gotta put the onus on them to explain and weave whatever web they will...then you'll have a much better position to beat the fkr with his own bull$hit stick

[ryan]

Yeh when i first went there the guy said 40-50mins provided theres no hassle - lol!
So how does 40mins suddenly become 3hrs?
I should have been more assertive on the day i collected - but i was running late - i stated that the bill was far more than i expected - nb there were other costs on the bill for fan belt purchase and fitting labour etc - so i pin pointed the discs when i got back home and was flabbergasted!
Could go back to garage but its been a wk now and dont know if it will get me anywhere - hate garages that take the p1$$!!!

Where did you take it, im in South Wales

[Willymr]

The garage in question is David Coe in Gorseion (Nr Swansea) - its a pukka garage which i knew wasnt cheap but were very good at what they done
I ve e-mailed said garage saying that i think theyve made a mistake on the bill lol - i told them i will be coming back to discuss the bill shortly!
Im awaiting a reply......

[HighwayStar]

Make yourself comfy....

[Willymr]

Have received a reply -
Garage now says (was NOT told this before) that the time was taken to completely strip, lube and clean the sliders/calipers as they were seized up!
Suppose they have had time to think up the worse scenario possible before replying!!!
A few days after getting the car back i re-stripped the rears down (of course the bolts were now easier for ME to get off) to paint the rear calipers - i found the sliders to be stiff when trying to wind them back - i would never say they had been taken apart and re-greased etc.
I am genuinely convinced these have not been completely stripped down!
Not sure if its worth persuing as they seem to have their answers all worked out!

[toxo]

Not wanting to sound patronising but you don't normally 'wind' sliders. The things you were trying to wind in were probably pistons not sliders?

[Willymr]

My mistake - thought sliders was slang for pistons as they move out of the caliper! Not really relevant