Getting a mechanic to check a used car

Iano_128

Just wondering what the standard amount of money is that you'd pay a mechanic to come with you (same county) to check over a used car?

Gary ITR

Iano_128 wrote: »

Just wondering what the standard amount of money is that you'd pay a mechanic to come with you (same county) to check over a used car?

How much travel time? Is he being collected and dropped or using his own car? Is he a mate?

Anywhere from 50 to 120 if it can be done inside 2 hours

Iano_128

Gary ITR wrote: »

How much travel time? Is he being collected and dropped or using his own car? Is he a mate?

Anywhere from 50 to 120 if it can be done inside 2 hours

Not really a friend but he's worked on my Dad's cars for years and done a bit on my current one so we have a good relationship/bit of crack with him. It'd be about a 25 minute drive and I'd collect him/drop him off. I don't want to ask him how much he wants, I'd rather just know what to give.

MidlandsM

Iano_128 wrote: »

Not really a friend but he's worked on my Dad's cars for years and done a bit on my current one so we have a good relationship/bit of crack with him. It'd be about a 25 minute drive and I'd collect him/drop him off. I don't want to ask him how much he wants, I'd rather just know what to give.

€50 - it's not like he's gonna be giving you an invoice and paying tax on it :pac:

F1ngers

I'd think it prudent to ask him what his price is.
What if people the concensus here is E50 but his price is E75?

You can't say to someone, "people on boards.ie advised me to pay you this much, regardless of what you charge".

biko

That's almost an hour travel time alone, time he could be working on another car I presume?
These things are usually by ear (particularly when it's someone you know), so maybe ask your da?
If it's two hours including travel I'd offer 100 and see what he says. After all, he could be saving you a bundle if he found a serious issue.
Give it to him in 20s and he might just hand you back one or two...

Iano_128

Grand I'll just go ahead and ask him so Wasn't sure how much work was involved in looking at the car and didn't think of the travel time either. Nice one lads.

Idbatterim

not sure on the price range of the car your looking at, but I would prefer to bring the car to a mechanic who has a ramp and diagnostic equipment...

Iano_128

Idbatterim wrote: »

not sure on the price range of the car your looking at, but I would prefer to bring the car to a mechanic who has a ramp and diagnostic equipment...

1st car I've bought was from a mechanic so I had no need to worry about this stuff, would someone selling a car have no problem letting me take the car off for a couple of hours to have it looked at? I don't know if I'd be too happy about letting a stranger drive my car off for a couple of hours.

Gary ITR

Iano_128 wrote: »

1st car I've bought was from a mechanic so I had no need to worry about this stuff, would someone selling a car have no problem letting me take the car off for a couple of hours to have it looked at? I don't know if I'd be too happy about letting a stranger drive my car off for a couple of hours.

If somebody wanted to take a car I was selling to a garage I'd have no problem, once I went along with it

keithsfleet

No your right, they wouldn't. If someone wants to sell a car though it's not too much to ask them to travel 25minutes to this mechanic.
If they think the car is sound and will pass an inspection they would happily drive to it themselves, or should at least.
If they say no with no explanation at all then you know they know the car has some flaws and it'll save you giving your mechanic 80 euro.

discombobulate

biko wrote: »

That's almost an hour travel time alone, time he could be working on another car I presume?
These things are usually by ear (particularly when it's someone you know), so maybe ask your da?
If it's two hours including travel I'd offer 100 and see what he says. After all, he could be saving you a bundle if he found a serious issue.
Give it to him in 20s and he might just hand you back one or two...

50 quid an hour seems a bit much when half of its sitting in a car on the way and way back unless he was doing it during the day when he could be genuinely earning. I'd presume its cash in hand. I'd ask him how much he wants and if he doesn't give you a figure then 50-60 would be fair. If he managed to save you a few quid by finding a fault or two or helped you negotiate a better price on the car maybe more.

power pants

I paid 50e to garage with a decent rep in dublin city centre back in march 2013. They checked the car to a decent standard and saved me a few grand as the car was well over priced and had a few issues, oil leaks, bushings, break pads/discs etc

best money spent