Garage advice,..pre emptive before bill!
Discussion
Folks,
Had an issue with my car in Jan. Basically quite a common fault which generally involves a £100 part and about 1hr labour. Took it in to well rated specialist, luckily took their courtesy car option, or I’d have been stuffed!
Basically, someone has replaced this part before and stripped a thread. But we are now 8 weeks in with no clear resolution. Car still on the ramp! Garage is as good as gold, but have been trying various machining on site to sort it, and have now had to take the head off.
Before we got to that point, about 3weeks ago now, I went into the garage. They have gone above and beyond trying to sort it, but the part still leaks, so my options were to seal (bodge) it up or to have head off and re-machine a thread, basically.
At this point I was tearing my hair out, however we discussed it and boss gave me 2 prices, one for the bodge and one for proper fix. The latter is clearly heavily discounted. So we’ve verbally agreed on a worst case scenario price.
Garage has been good as gold throughout, i trust them, and I think they are struggling to find hours to finish it., but I’m still anxious.
It’s not the time which bothers me, but I am concerned about getting to the end and being presented with a much bigger bill, given it’s taken so long.
Garages have your car, and a lien. What would be the options in such a scenario? IE a much bigger bill than quote?
Had an issue with my car in Jan. Basically quite a common fault which generally involves a £100 part and about 1hr labour. Took it in to well rated specialist, luckily took their courtesy car option, or I’d have been stuffed!
Basically, someone has replaced this part before and stripped a thread. But we are now 8 weeks in with no clear resolution. Car still on the ramp! Garage is as good as gold, but have been trying various machining on site to sort it, and have now had to take the head off.
Before we got to that point, about 3weeks ago now, I went into the garage. They have gone above and beyond trying to sort it, but the part still leaks, so my options were to seal (bodge) it up or to have head off and re-machine a thread, basically.
At this point I was tearing my hair out, however we discussed it and boss gave me 2 prices, one for the bodge and one for proper fix. The latter is clearly heavily discounted. So we’ve verbally agreed on a worst case scenario price.
Garage has been good as gold throughout, i trust them, and I think they are struggling to find hours to finish it., but I’m still anxious.
It’s not the time which bothers me, but I am concerned about getting to the end and being presented with a much bigger bill, given it’s taken so long.
Garages have your car, and a lien. What would be the options in such a scenario? IE a much bigger bill than quote?
Agree it is normal for an estimate to be quite different to the final price but rarely have I found it was way, way in excess. Maybe that a £200 quote ends up around £240 or so.
If this garage is doing well as you say, you'd expect them to stop and call you if they know they are going above that 'annoying but acceptable' increase on the estimate.
If this garage is doing well as you say, you'd expect them to stop and call you if they know they are going above that 'annoying but acceptable' increase on the estimate.
I know from experience that a stripped thread/ broken bolt can turn a simple job into a nightmare.
You obviously have a good relationship with your garage, they sound a very good outfit. Go for the proper job, a "bodge" may not work. Just get confirmation from the garage manager that the price quoted will be the final price to complete the job.
You obviously have a good relationship with your garage, they sound a very good outfit. Go for the proper job, a "bodge" may not work. Just get confirmation from the garage manager that the price quoted will be the final price to complete the job.
Thanks all. I do trust the garage and think that they are just super busy, but as every week passes it makes me more nervous…although I don’t think much work was actually happening, it’s just waiting.
I’ve had a firm price given in our conversation a few weeks ago. Was just thinking of practicalities if I was presented with a much bigger bill.
I am slightly wary since a nightmare garage job a while back which was well overcharged…that I only really unpicked with hindsight…but it’s a sickening feeling knowing that and having to pay up to get your vehicle back!
I’ve had a firm price given in our conversation a few weeks ago. Was just thinking of practicalities if I was presented with a much bigger bill.
I am slightly wary since a nightmare garage job a while back which was well overcharged…that I only really unpicked with hindsight…but it’s a sickening feeling knowing that and having to pay up to get your vehicle back!
Richard-D said:
0ddball said:
As said, why is it taking so long? Or are they waiting on an answer from you?
They shouldn't really struggle to find time, it's a couple of hours to remove the head and refit it.
What car/engine are we talking about?They shouldn't really struggle to find time, it's a couple of hours to remove the head and refit it.
Richard-D said:
0ddball said:
As said, why is it taking so long? Or are they waiting on an answer from you?
They shouldn't really struggle to find time, it's a couple of hours to remove the head and refit it.
What car/engine are we talking about?They shouldn't really struggle to find time, it's a couple of hours to remove the head and refit it.
Not sure what part it is but whilst Mercedes had a love of using exotic materials like magnesium for things like breather covers, the head is going to be something more traditional such as aluminium. Shouldn't be a big deal to helicoil it.
ETA just checked garage and it's an E350cdi. Same applies though, a head-off, disassemble as required to remove swarf/tang, drill, tap and helicoil shouldn't be an 8 week job. OP, you didn't do him for road-captaining a lane closure did you?
Edited by donkmeister on Sunday 20th March 12:40
0ddball said:
Richard-D said:
0ddball said:
As said, why is it taking so long? Or are they waiting on an answer from you?
They shouldn't really struggle to find time, it's a couple of hours to remove the head and refit it.
What car/engine are we talking about?They shouldn't really struggle to find time, it's a couple of hours to remove the head and refit it.
PhillipM said:
Bear in mind it's probably not been done on site and has been outsourced to a machining firm, they may be waiting on things coming back just the same. Easiest is to just ask them and see if they can put you a firm price in writing.
Yes, it has been sent to a local machine shop and they have a bit of a backlog. I’ll give him a bell tomorrow and see how the land lies. It is the E350. Really simple job at the start that I now never wish I’d have embarked on! I’m only really angry at the last garage who replaced the tensioner…badly!
Byker28i said:
On the bright side think positive that this is now being done correctly. Imagine if that had let go whilst you were driving...
Absolutely. Noticed a slight rattle on startup and took it in very promptly, thankfully I did as half of tensioner was off and floating around the engine… lucky escape!0ddball said:
Richard-D said:
0ddball said:
As said, why is it taking so long? Or are they waiting on an answer from you?
They shouldn't really struggle to find time, it's a couple of hours to remove the head and refit it.
What car/engine are we talking about?They shouldn't really struggle to find time, it's a couple of hours to remove the head and refit it.
I think his 'pedantic' point may be relevant in that if it's a classic like a v12 then skilled capability is scarcer and therefore would take longer. OP, sounds like you have a decent place that are being open and honest with you, they probably realise that it's a balancing act over cost/benefit and they're not trying to constantly extract more money out of you if they're meeting you part way, but ultimately, when you're working on stuff, occasionally, things like this happen, through no fault of anyone.
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