Service Invoice Sense Check!
Discussion
We've used the local garage for 20 or so years, but their prices recently seem to be getting a little on the ouchy side! My wife's 15 year old Civic's just had a service and the bill was £311.
Can anyone advise if this is in the right ball park now? I know the cost of living etc has increased prices but this seems rather expensive? Garage is near York if that makes any difference?
Can anyone advise if this is in the right ball park now? I know the cost of living etc has increased prices but this seems rather expensive? Garage is near York if that makes any difference?
MattyD803 said:
My local is good as gold and has replaced the odd bulb and wiper for me in the past FoC too, not to mention full clean inside and out plus any software updates/recall work done at the same time. (Even on a 13 year old CRV).
They have been good to us in the past. When my wife was driving home the brakes started making a screeching sound. She was about 10 mins from the garage but they came out, followed her to the garage, had it on the ramp and found a stone lodged in the brake caliper. No charge.I've an engine code read and brake fluid checked for my Beemer at no charge too (and I don't take that to them!).
2Btoo said:
Reminds me why I have a trolley jack and a set of overalls, but that's not the point of this thread.
I've got a friend with a lift and all the tools I could ever need but spare time do do this stuff myself is usually a bit scarce! Maybe I should plan ahead next year and make time to do it myself?MattyD803 said:
_Hoppers said:
I've got a friend with a lift and all the tools I could ever need but spare time do do this stuff myself is usually a bit scarce! Maybe I should plan ahead next year and make time to do it myself?
I'd say so. £30/35 for 5L of good quality oil, £10-15 for a genuine Honda filter and sump washer and your done for <£50 in parts. Brake fluid change might be on the cards depending on when it was last done (every 2 years), but that's another fairly straight forward job...only £12-15 for 500ml of genuine Honda stuff......A good poke and prod about on the ramps and your laughing. 2Btoo said:
_Hoppers said:
Thank you all for your feedback, I queried this with the garage after posting and they said the time they put down for the service was incorrect.
Revised invoice is £252
Good. That's £60 more to spend on a nice meal out with your missis. Revised invoice is £252
_Hoppers said:
I've got a friend with a lift and all the tools I could ever need but spare time do do this stuff myself is usually a bit scarce! Maybe I should plan ahead next year and make time to do it myself?
It depends upon your own values and inclination. There are very few people in the world whom I would trust to look after my cars, but that's because I know I can do a good job myself, I have the tools and I enjoy it (and I distrust garages and dislike spending money when I don't have to.) Having said that, I fully understand why other people prefer to spend money to have such things done for them. Neither is right or wrong. FWIW, if you're anywhere near Cheltenham then I'd be more than happy to lend a hand with a DIY service, but I've not checked your profile so I have no idea how realistic that is.
I'm near York. Thank for the offer but my mate with the lift has an engineering background and worked at at independent garage after finishing his degree. He now builds racing cars for the Classic Touring Car series.
J4CKO said:
Its a pretty good hourly rate, its basically a very expensive oil change as doesnt look like anything else was done,
When the car was serviced last year it had an 'intermediate service' which was pretty much what the recent one was but without the air filter. I queried it then because it was £180. I was paying about £90 for an intermediate oil change service at BMW (after a friends and family discount). He listed the stuff you'd expect like checking bulbs etc but they had also stripped and cleaned the brakes. I could see some fresh copper grease so it looked like they had actually done it. I'll know for sure when it needs new discs and pads.
Old Merc said:
Firstly the OP`s invoice was pretty much average ( now that the labour charge was corrected ).
I'm reasonably happy with the revised invoice, but I can't be sure if it was a genuine mistake? There's another garage near us which has a good reputation, their standard prices seem to reflect my local garage but it doesn't look like they strip the brakes?
Old Merc said:
It can take a few years to build up a good reputation, and you could loose it over night if you start upsetting people.
I've mentioned this to my mate who takes his car to the LG on my recommendation and he's contemplating trying somewhere more convenient for his location now!vikingaero said:
_Hoppers said:
ecs0set said:
And the maintenance costs includes the mechanic, the receptionist, the buildings, the equipment, the training, the administrative overhead, marketing...
Plus the holidays to Dubai, overseas trips to see the F1, the new electric Audi SUV and the Type R race carShirley we pay what we are comfortable with and whom we trust?
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