Bike shop quoted me €90.. final bill €200

Kevhog1988 wrote: »

Just wondering is this normal?

I bought a kids racer for my son for xmas (2nd hand but seemdd in good nick) that i wanted to get serviced. I dropped it into the LBS to get it serviced and was quoted €90. Got a text today that its ready for collection and the price is €200.. Cash only.

Surely I should of had a call before the price increased to €200

First thing I'd do is ask for a breakdown of what the €90 was going to cover, and what extra work was done that cost €110 more

They should have called you and had you agree to the extra work. Not a legal expert but I imagine you're not under obligation to pay the extra €110. I've had car mechanics try that **** on me a few times. €40 labour charge to top up the windscreen wiper fluid one time being one particular sneaky charge that sticks in my memory.

Kevhog1988 wrote: »

needed cables, new bar tape and pedals apparently. I would have thought cables would be included in a full service. Bar tape and pedals fpor a kids bike can be massively expensive?

Pedals cost from about €6 upwards, tape €6, a complete set of inner and outer cables would cost less than €25 for 2 brake and 2 gear cables. Get a full breakdown of what was actually done because at the moment you are being fleeced. Cash in hand means no vat is obviously being paid on the parts either. Labour at worst would be €35-€50 per hour and there is less than an hours work on what you were quoted.

Brake cables, pedals and tape would have taken a competent mechanic no more than 20 minutes. Add another 10 minutes if gear cables were being replaced.

He's taking you for an absolute ride.

gaffmaster wrote: »

A friend of mine brought a bike shop in Dublin to the small claims court for this exact reason. He left his bike in for a new bottom bracket, the shop never rang him to agree on additional work they thought the bike needed (bar tape and other consumables). When he went to collect the bike, the price was about 100% more than agreed. He refused to pay the money and suggested they reverse the work done. Deadlock. They wouldn't release the bike to him (which he needed for work).

The Judge ruled in his favour citing his own experiences with car servicing - if there's more work to be done than agreed, the shop has an obligation to get your approval.

Yes, small claims court is great. It requires a bit of patience and you might be at a disadvantage if you don't have the original quote 'on paper'. Perhaps try to get this recorded in your text messages and i think you have a very good case.
The 'complainee' usually settle when they get the letter from the Courts Service if they have been in the wrong - it doesn't actually go to 'court' then if they settle with you.
The only problem is you will probably be without the bike if they dig in their heels. Probably best to:
1) get the 'evidence' of the original quote
2) be reasonable, and make a compromise 'offer'
3) explain you'll go to Small Claims Court if they don't
4) do it, if you can wait for the bike

I know it's not a bike because I'd a pet involved

But the same logic applies

Dropped my dog off to check her glands done and check up and cleaning of teeth

Came back and the vet had removed 4 teeth and said I owed X

I was wtf

I didn't even have the cash on me and asked why I wasn't rang in advance to advise there was extra work

Standard response of it had to be done anyway

Now obviously (maybe not obviously) but I paid because its my dog but I was highly annoyed because if I got a call in advance I could in theory shop around that day and got it cheaper /within my budget with another vet

I paid the money begrudgingly as its an animal and the work was done

But in your case, I would have expected a call, asked did you want the work done by them for the extra work and then for you to agree to their prices and have it done

Otherwise you've no option price around and are just left with a bill and work you didn't forsee expect

What happens if you don't have the money...

Take the new parts /replacements out?

A call is common courtesy

Had this happen before with a (car) main dealer.

Was dropped in for a specific piece of work under warranty. They were told to call me if anything beyond this.
End of the day I get a call telling me the car is ready and they wanted something like 400 quid and that they wouldn't release the car until paid.

I ended up on the phone to the owner on the way back. By the time I got there, the service manager handed me the keys without an argument.

Don't pay anymore than agreed OP. They're completely chancing their arm.

A new bike would come with free cables

letape wrote: »

They are totally taking the piss. €90 in the first place was totally excessive for a service... and for a €90 Service on a kids bike, I would definitely expect cables to be replaced.

What bike shop was it?

Cables is cables is cables doesn’t matter what the bike. I got my bike services last year in a large cycle store in Dublin. €115 without cables hmmed and hawed if I should splash out €185 instead to get the cables and tape changed too then didn’t. 3 days later cable snapped in a race. Went back and was told two week turn around if I dropped it in again I’d have to pay for a service again basically, went elsewhere got new outers inners and bartape and brake pads in two days and worked out a lot cheaper

What work did you ask them to do in the first place? Unless you were specific, asking them to "service the bike" is pretty open ended. I'm not saying what they did was fair or right and they should have called you if the cost was going to be in excess of the €90 quoted (was this in writing?).

I bought my bike in Wheelworx in Fonthill in 2014 and they give free servicing for as long as I own the bike. Now that covers a basic service (bolts tightened, brakes and cables adjusted, gears adjusted etc) and any additional work requested by me or suggested by them is always agreed in advance and the price given in writing. I recently had that service done and I also had new wider handlebars, a longer stem and new double wrapped bar tape put on the bike. Total cost including new parts requested by me was €80. So your €200 quote is excessive and they have to justify it in writing with a full breakdown. Once you have this breakdown of exactly what they did, check out the component parts online and then you'll have a rough comparison of what the parts should cost and what they are charging for "labour". Asking that you pay in cash is highly suspect and may be some dodgy employee trying to pocket the money under the nose of the owner. Maybe ask to speak to the owner directly to clarify this price? You could add that you work for the Revenue Commissioners and you find it highly "irregular" to be asked to pay in cash!!!!