expnsive service!!

jubi lee · 07-07-2008 1:51pm #1

booked my car in for a service and timing belt change. it's an 03 vectra with 50k.
I had brought the car into advance pitstop abut 4 weeks ago as the break change light had come on. they said there was plenty left on them and said didn't need changing, they also did the trackign and said tires didn't need replacing but there was slight wear one side so flipped the tires around.

so now get a call from the dealer saying:
1. service will be 200 quid
2. breaks and break sensor need to be replaced 200 euro
3. both control arms for suspension need replacing plus 4 new tires - 500 plus
4. timing belt - 550 euro!!!!!!

car drives fine...

how the hell can there be such a discrepency between two garages. i know it's a dealer but i am pretty shocked about the price!

Max_Damage · 07-07-2008 1:56pm

How I'm glad I service my own car myself.

jubi lee · 07-07-2008 2:07pm

well unfortuanelty i'm not a mechanic.

i rang up one of the main dealers in town and they are only charging 400 for the timing belt. the dealer i'm going to is defo ripping me off!

Ferris · 07-07-2008 2:16pm

jubi lee wrote: »

booked my car in for a service and timing belt change. it's an 03 vectra with 50k.
I had brought the car into advance pitstop abut 4 weeks ago as the break change light had come on. they said there was plenty left on them and said didn't need changing, they also did the trackign and said tires didn't need replacing but there was slight wear one side so flipped the tires around.

so now get a call from the dealer saying:
1. service will be 200 quid
2. breaks and break sensor need to be replaced 200 euro
3. both control arms for suspension need replacing plus 4 new tires - 500 plus
4. timing belt - 550 euro!!!!!!

car drives fine...

how the hell can there be such a discrepency between two garages. i know it's a dealer but i am pretty shocked about the price!

None of those dealer prices seem to bad, certainly compared to other manufacturers dealers. The service is ok, the brake pads could be done for less. Control arms and tyres for 500euro is cheap enough. T-Belt is less than other makes.

I wouldn't go by Advance pitstop for detailed diagnosis of a cars faults.

What I would do if I were you is find a good independant mechanic and get quotes for the work required (if it is indeed required). There is no point in maintaining a dealer service history on an '03 Vectra. Just using manufacturers parts and recommended grade of oil should be enough.

I thinks its more that all this work has come at the same time, most of it is routine maintenance.

JHMEG · 07-07-2008 2:25pm

200 for a service, while not good value, is quite common
200 for brakes is a tad expensive (the sensor is a wire cast into the pad)
550 for a timing belt is a rip off and is about 300 too much

Get the tyres from a tyre place (shop around)

Control arms need to be done? I doubt that.

jubi lee · 07-07-2008 2:35pm

Ferris wrote: »

I wouldn't go by Advance pitstop for detailed diagnosis of a cars faults. .

i hardly think checking the breaks and tires are detailed diagnosis. i'm sure they are well able to tell me if my tires and breaks need a changing. why would they tell me they didn't need changing if they did? they are only doing themselves out of money!

Ferris wrote: »

I thinks its more that all this work has come at the same time, most of it is routine maintenance.

i bought the car from a main dealer 8 months ago. it had been fully serviced etc 2 days before i picked it up. I'm surprised it needs this much so soon.

thanks JHMG - i told them not to bother with the tires as i'll get them done elsewhere and told them not to bother with the control arms either as it'll prob be cheaper to get them done by a local mechanic.

Ps. correction to first post that they are charging 500+ for the control arms only, tires are extra.

pvt.joker · 07-07-2008 2:40pm

JHMEG wrote: »

550 for a timing belt is a rip off and is about 300 too much

.

I disagree. Timing belts usually cost between 350-450. I've never heard anyone pay as low as 250.
There's an awful lot of labour involved (3-4 hours) at probably 80 per hour, then the kit is normally around 120.
Id say its slightly overpriced. By about 50 euro

jubi lee · 07-07-2008 2:46pm

pvt.joker wrote: »

I disagree. Timing belts usually cost between 350-450. I've never heard anyone pay as low as 250.
There's an awful lot of labour involved (3-4 hours) at probably 80 per hour, then the kit is normally around 120.
Id say its slightly overpriced. By about 50 euro

in my last car (which was also an opel) cost 320 for new timing belt. my mate got his avensis done and it was 360.

one of the bigger opel dealers in dublin are charging 420. so i'd say they are overcharging by 110 quid at least.

however, i've no option but to pay it. will not be using them in the future though,

Ferris · 07-07-2008 3:00pm

jubi lee wrote: »

i hardly think checking the breaks and tires are detailed diagnosis. i'm sure they are well able to tell me if my tires and breaks need a changing. why would they tell me they didn't need changing if they did? they are only doing themselves out of money!.

Your original post made it seem like you were wondering why Advanced Pitstop hadn't caught the control arm issue. This is not the type of work they do was my point.

jubi lee wrote: »

Ps. correction to first post that they are charging 500+ for the control arms only, tires are extra.

This seems very expensive. If you can i'd get your car out of there and bring it to an independant mechanic.

Nonoperational · 07-07-2008 3:29pm

Timing belt standard is 3 hours + kit. Usually around 450 - 500 notes.

craichoe · 07-07-2008 3:36pm

gpf101 wrote: »

Timing belt standard is 3 hours + kit. Usually around 450 - 500 notes.

VAG dealer quoted 600, indy mechanic did it for 380 on my 1.9TDI

Webmonkey · 12-07-2008 8:03pm

A timing belt job is different on every car - some are quicker and less hassle to do than others so just cause your mate got his timing belt done for cheaper doesn't mean you get ripped off. Saying this I don't know how complex it is to do on Opels.

JHMEG · 12-07-2008 8:07pm

pvt.joker wrote: »

I disagree. Timing belts usually cost between 350-450. I've never heard anyone pay as low as 250.
There's an awful lot of labour involved (3-4 hours) at probably 80 per hour, then the kit is normally around 120.
Id say its slightly overpriced. By about 50 euro

It depends on the car. Last belt I got done in a main dealer was €220 (Honda Accord). I shopped around: others were looking for €350. This is the most I have ever paid out of the 5 or so belts that I've had done at this stage. As a matter of interest a friend of mine paid €60 for the labour to have the belt on his 1L Polo a while back.

The belt itself is about €25. Again depending on the car but quite often the belt is all that is changed. Tensioners and water pumps are quite often only to be inspected, and replaced if deemed necessary.

Green Hornet · 12-07-2008 8:27pm

Just got the wifes Honda Civic timing belt changed today. Cost was 250 Euro including a few minor top ups, bulbs etc.

Bet the main stealer would have charged about 400 Euro though.

JHMEG · 12-07-2008 9:07pm

Green Hornet wrote: »

Bet the main stealer would have charged about 400 Euro though.

See above.

Green Hornet · 13-07-2008 9:48am

At this stage its a wonder that some type of cog system or at least "backup" system hasn't been developed.

The chain or belt goes and thats the end of your engine.

Seth Brundle · 13-07-2008 9:55am

Green Hornet wrote: »

At this stage its a wonder that some type of cog system or at least "backup" system hasn't been developed.

The chain or belt goes and thats the end of your engine.

How many threads do you recall where a timing chain snapped?
It does happen but not very often compared to rubber belts!

Green Hornet · 13-07-2008 10:20am

kbannon wrote: »

How many threads do you recall where a timing chain snapped?
It does happen but not very often compared to rubber belts!

True but why do many manufacturers continue to use belts then?

Also, although many now use chains there was a move back to belts in the last 10 years or so and now they are back to chains again. It seems that they move from belts to chains and back to belts again.

I do think chains are the better option alright but both technologies are pretty old and I just though there might be a more robust technology out there.

Seth Brundle · 13-07-2008 10:22am

Green Hornet wrote: »

True but why do many manufacturers continue to use belts then?

$ or £ or € or ¥

Green Hornet · 13-07-2008 10:27am

kbannon wrote: »

$ or £ or € or ¥

Oh. I guess thats true alright.

Ferris · 13-07-2008 10:55am

Chains can stretch so they heed to be checked every so often so they're not maintenance free. Also chains are noisier then belts resulting in more engine noise.

A lot of times its not the belt, more often its the tensioner that siezes or breaks which then wears out the belt. I have also herd of oil leaks degrading the belt.

Either way using a t-belt allows a manufacturer to save money, and get you coming back for service. A chain is better in this respect but they also have disadvantages and need to be maintained.

Tails142 · 13-07-2008 1:23pm

I had a really got experience with Advance Pitstop there recently and wasnt expecting it.

Girlfriend broke down on the M50, valve got stuck open (noisy tappets, tried using different oil, clogged up valve), anyway she luckily broke down infront of an Advance Pitstop and managed to get it in on 3 cyclinders.

Now I was expecting them to be bollix, but when I got there they were doing a pressure test and had diagnosed the problem. So i was thinking, get it towed to an independent but they were only charging 50 quid an hour labour.

Decided to get them to do the work and they were great, sorted out the valve, got them to change the tappets, enginge has never sounded better. They also sorted out some other things on the car for free, indicators were wonky and kept turning off and the mechanic sorted it out. Fair enough is a reasonably easy fix taking 10-15mins fair play to him.

At 50 quid an hour labor, and the same polish people working there as in most garages, I find it hard to justify not going there... or at least sending the girlfriends car there

My car needs specialist attention

erie · 14-07-2008 3:50pm

I had a friend.. shop around to get best quote to change t.belt for his Civic 99... Excellent, he got €200 quote and went for it with full service only €260... amazing price. Then not even 500km run the belt slipped out... and end up another €1200 for new fitted engine.... so I better go with Advancepitstop for €400 with they full warranty (parts&installation)... be in safe side...

expnsive service!!

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