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Mechanic charged me for a simple check and not a service

[Deleted User]

Hi,

I've been charged 60 quick for a pretty much an oil check and other things I could have done myself. The mechanic reckons I don't need a proper service for another 7 km according to their log book. Is this right? I've not had my car serviced in over 18 months so I just assumed an oil change and other bits would be needed. Maybe they did me a solid. Correct me if I'm wrong.

How do you keep track and know when service milestones are due? I want to learn from this as I could have saved myself 60 quid doing checks I regularly do anyway.

Also, any tips or resources of basic DIY things I could do with a car, such as oil changes? I'd rather leave going to a mechanic only when absolutely necessary.

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banie01

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123164307#Comment_123164307

I reckon he's his own 😉

Curse These Metal Hands

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123164493#Comment_123164493

He didn't describe it was a "quick check." He just misspelled quid.

kirving

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123164096#Comment_123164096

Certain things will have a set interval, based on either milage and/or time, but that is based of of a statistical average of all cars, and is usually very conservative.

ie: if an oil filter should statistically last for 30,000km on an average car, they will recommend changing it at 15,000km - which in all likelihood will cover 99.9%.

Some cars can detect that the oil quality is reducing, if it's being driven hard, in a cold environment, etc, and call for an oil change earlier if necessary - so that means the manufacturer can push out the "standard" interval to 30,000km and save you money.

Other stuff, again statistically, will last an average length of time and should at least be checked every so often because the car can't detect it automatically (eg: rubber hoses, suspension joints, brake discs).

You're paying the mechanic for their experience in making that judgement call. I think €60 is okay value for a once-over check that nothing serious needs attention, and you can have a bit of confidence in the car for the next 7,000km until you do need the oil change.

corks finest

😂😂obviously

You’d expect most ppl to have a wrench set etc

But good point

Tbf I don’t need much to service my hybrid

My Sealey vacuum pump has paid for itself over n over the last 8/10 years

CMOTDibbler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123164493#Comment_123164493

A thousand times this.

bucketybuck

He did you a favour and you are complaining about it. This is why there is no point doing anybody a favour, there would be less complaints if he had just done a full service and charged you full price for it.

And "a quick check" is such a disingenuous way to describe this. You are paying for his expertise, even when that expertise means that he inspected the vehicle and was happy that everything was ok. Should he only get paid for his expertise when there is actually a problem? That is a great way to encourage mechanics to always find a problem.

Do you really think your quick checks are the same as what he did? Do you check the bushes and links? Can you tell when a little movement is ok and when it is not? Can you tell the difference between an oil leak and oil sweat? Because if you can't, then you will do the checks yourself right up until the point where the car stops running because of the things you didn't know to check.

The problem is that in the old days people had an idea of what a service was. Today oils are better and last a lot longer, so many manufacturers decoupled the idea of inspections and oil changes. You should get the vehicle inspected regularly, but that doesn't mean it always needs the oil changed at the same time.

For €60 you have an honest mechanic who appears to have been looking after you and your response is to find a way to never go back to him. Doesn't make sense to me.

And yes, there is nothing worse than somebody saying they could have done it themselves. If you could then you would.

admcfad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058396103/mechanic-charged-me-for-a-simple-check-and-not-a-service

I would be in a very similar position to yourself, my milage is very low, approx 3,000 k a year, and my mechanic sends me away when I try to book a yearly service, I keep on top of fluid levels myself and if I notice an issue (dash light/rattle etc ) I will get him to look at it, but I generally only get a full service every 10,000 k. I have a mini service roughly every 10/12 months.

CMOTDibbler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123164271#Comment_123164271

Ahem, you also need some tools.

corks finest

ask a mate or a relation

Buy a vacuum pump

Axle stands and a jack

and get him to stand over you to do a simple service

Oil/ oil filter air filter change etc

You’ll learn life skills and be able to pass them on

And save bobs

PS if u choose to buy what I recommend make sure it’s from a reputable source

User567363

Could there be a mix up with the "next service due at millage" and the "last service done at millage"?

Ya hardly did only 3000 miles in 18months, a lot would do that in 1 or 2 months

CMOTDibbler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123164096#Comment_123164096

You don't determine what it needs based on the 'clock'.

[Deleted User]

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123164084#Comment_123164084

Pretty much, yes. Well, I have never done an oil change, change spark plugs, and so on. My confidence is a bit ruined now as I'll have to be more probing and careful next time. I'd prefer if they let me know it does not need a service based on the clock and ask if I'd like a check anyway.

What I can do myself is check the oil level, tyres are pumped, and so on (what was done).

kirving

I'm not being smart, but if you could have done it yourself, why didn't you do it yourself?

Would you be happier if the mechanic did an oil change (that you didn't need) and charged you €200?

Generally speaking, and oil change once a year would be advisable (so you're not wrong there) but it's not strictly necessary.

It sounds to me as though the €60 is flat rate for 30 minutes to get the car booked in, fluids checked, up on the lift for underbody/brake checks, quick test drive, and logging that everything is ok. Is that what the mechanic did?

corks finest

taking a leaf out of the doctor’s book

corks finest

feck