Diagnostics fee!!

[Teddy Lop]

DonkeyApple said:

Teddy Lop said:

You could always diagnose the fault yourself and instruct them precisely which part to replace?

This is true but it is my understanding that fault codes aren’t always specific but rather a guide to where to begin the deeper investigation. There are lots of fault codes which anyone could self diagnose but others which simply wouldn’t be plausible. This is part of why

"Lots of reasons why"

Yes that was kinda my inference.

My mechanic was livid after unvesting something like 5k worth in a snap-on reader on the assurance of the rep it wouldn't be superceded anytime soon, only for precisely that to happen. And it only told him the BMW had "a" coil pack out, not which one, so really not much more help than a MK1 earhole on that occasion.

Never mind, corbyn will win the election today and we'll all get a free one on the NHS.

[DoubleD]

Mr Whippy said:

They shouldn’t charge diagnostics unless you asked for it?

Just fit the parts.

Do you tell them which parts you want fitting when you have a problem then?

[Mr Whippy]

DoubleD said:

Mr Whippy said:

They shouldn’t charge diagnostics unless you asked for it?

Just fit the parts.

Do you tell them which parts you want fitting when you have a problem then?

If I know which parts have failed then I’d explicitly say fit part X.

It’s like taking a car for a clutch. You’d know if it’s worn.
The garage might double check, but they’d assume you know what your asking for.

For them to charge you to tell you what you already know is retarded, if the job is otherwise a ‘dumb’ task.

Ie, new reluctor ring fitting for an ABS fault, when you’ve already checked the codes, the speed sensor outputs, and seen the ring grinding the sensor face.

Yeah, the garage might do the job and it wasn’t that.
Oh noes. You got it wrong. That’s life.

[MK1RS Bruce]

I had a classic one today, took car in to get the bonnet release catch fixed as the cable was moving with the lever but there was no resistance so guessed the catch was broken. Told the garage at the time of booking it in what was wrong. Turned up today and they said it would be subject to a £90 diagnostics fee!

What were they going to do plug it into the computer and get nothing for their £90 or try the handle and come to the same conclusion as me?

I have no issues with paying for peoples time but really don't take the mick! Also this is a Garage that offers MOTs for £34 / test. So please don't tell me they have equipment and premises to pay for if they can afford to do tests at that price it shouldn't be people like me who have to make up the shortfall with simple issues like the one above.

[donkmeister]

I've paid for diagnostics before... If you run older cars it can be useful to get a full readout as an aid to assessing if anything needs attention.

I have a decent brand-specific OBD diagnostics tool but there's plenty of data I can't get through that which a specialist with the OEM diagnostic suite can, and in my experience they will often say things like "yes that's showing a fault code but it won't cause a problem unless this other thing happens too, and if that happens we charge £x to fix it".