Cheapest repair bill for an Aston ever?

[Simpo Two]

Earlier this week I found a fault with my car. It could have got serious but luckily my local garage was able to see it the next day.

Today I went to collect the car. Conscious that I hadn't asked for a price first, I was wondering how much they were going to demand.

'£7.20' they said.



What did they do? Answers on a postcard.

[Monkeylegend]

Replaced a rear light bulb ?

[Agent57]

Replace a clip holding the boot carpet in place?

Replace a fake wheel nut covering a locking wheel nut?

Edited by Agent57 on Friday 1st September 20:21

[Buster73]

Inflated the tyres to correct pressure

[ctdctd]

Needed a gallon of petrol?

[cuprabob]

Replaced the battery in the key.

[Calinours]

battery or bulb. Just be careful it’s not a bait and hook.

[williamp]

£7.20 is the going rate for them to print the bill. The contents of the bill, however...

[Simpo Two]

williamp said:

£7.20 is the going rate for them to print the bill....

Handwritten!

Contents thus:

Replaced 1x valve (OSF): £1.00
Reset all tyre pressures/no leaks
Labour: £5.00
VAT: £1.20
Total due: £7.20.


I'm popping in later today to retrieve the cap they forgot to refit. I expect it's lost and a new one is £100

[Minglar]

Simpo Two said:

williamp said:

£7.20 is the going rate for them to print the bill....

Handwritten!

Contents thus:

Replaced 1x valve (OSF): £1.00
Reset all tyre pressures/no leaks
Labour: £5.00
VAT: £1.20
Total due: £7.20.


I'm popping in later today to retrieve the cap they forgot to refit. I expect it's lost and a new one is £100

I had a feeling it had to be something like that. Perhaps it’s worth framing the bill as I very much doubt you will get a cheaper one for your Aston Martin any time soon! A few years ago Mrs Minglars old SUV developed a persistent slow pressure drop in one of the tyres. I tried as hard as I could to see if there was something sharp in the tyre but I couldn’t find anything. In the end I booked it in to our local Kwik Fit centre for a free tyre check. They diagnosed a problem with the valve and replaced it. Probably took the guy half an hour to find the air leak, get the tyre off, fit a new valve and sort it all out. I asked the office guy for the bill/charge, and he said “nothing to pay sir, it’s all part of the free check”. But I couldn’t walk away without giving the technician something as he was so helpful and courteous. So I popped back in to the fitting bay, gave him a score on the hip, and he was very happy. Well done Simpo. Your story has made my day today! BRM.

[CSK1]

That’s rather expensive!
Dealer in Monaco discovered a nail in my rear tyre on my DBX707, took it out, did a repair (possible if it’s a micro puncture and the tyre isn’t damaged) and didn’t charge me for it. Who would have thought the official dealer in Monaco would be cheaper than your local garage?

[Simpo Two]

Minglar said:

[ Well done Simpo. Your story has made my day today!

It was such a bargain I feel I should go back back and buy another 100 valves, just to save money...

Would he have had to take the tyre off to change the valve (middle bit) or can it be done in situ? The stem of the valve is the same.

CSK1 said:

... and didn’t charge me for it. Who would have thought the official dealer in Monaco would be cheaper than your local garage?

His bank account was probably maxxed out at 100M Euros and wouldn't take any more

[LTP]

Simpo Two said:

Would he have had to take the tyre off to change the valve (middle bit) or can it be done in situ? The stem of the valve is the same.

If he didn't have to remove the main part of the valve from the wheel then no, you can replace the Schrader inner valve core with the wheel on the car as it just screws into the main valve body. You'll lose some of the air (not too much if you're quick ) and then you just need to pump up the tyre to the correct pressure.

I used to have a little tool with a die for re-cutting the cap threads and a special slotted bar for removing the valve core - a bit like the picture below. (I didn't know you could still get them)




Typo fixed

Edited by LTP on Saturday 2nd September 14:45

[Simpo Two]

Blimey, magic!

(Did anyone else think that was a spacecraft at first glance?)

[Buster73]

Simpo Two said:

williamp said:

£7.20 is the going rate for them to print the bill....

Handwritten!

Contents thus:

Replaced 1x valve (OSF): £1.00
Reset all tyre pressures/no leaks
Labour: £5.00
VAT: £1.20
Total due: £7.20.


I'm popping in later today to retrieve the cap they forgot to refit. I expect it's lost and a new one is £100

Seeing that I was close with my guess , when are you sending the winning prize out ?

[Simpo Two]

Buster73 said:

Seeing that I was close with my guess , when are you sending the winning prize out ?

Well, unfortunately you missed out the critical bit - the part that needed replacing to save a breakdown. Secondly, having scoured my post most carefully for the word 'prize', I can find no such offer. The true prize is the joy obtained from taking part

We now need a sequel to the challenge, namely 'The most expensive repair bill for an Aston ever?' - a competition I hope to lose by a huge amount...!

[David W.]

Simpo Two said:

Handwritten!

Contents thus:

Replaced 1x valve (OSF): £1.00
Reset all tyre pressures/no leaks
Labour: £5.00
VAT: £1.20
Total due: £7.20.


I'm popping in later today to retrieve the cap they forgot to refit. I expect it's lost and a new one is £100

No leaks suggests he did put some spit on the value to check, guess that was covered in the labour bit so you paid vat on that too!
Always surprises me that people replace or refit a value and don’t check for a leak with some spit any more