Hi Guys...
Just had a my car serviced at a dealership, its a 2001 Fiesta 5dr.
each year Im increasingly confused by the service bills....
It seems 3 years is the limit for reasonable service costs - (Aroudn the 200 quid mark). After that, they suddenly find all sorts of things wrong..
Anyay, I just had my car seviced on Friday.... the guy phones me up tells me its not too bad, just a few things - front suspenstion arm wishbones bushes are liftiing up - they arefine at the mo and wotn fail MOt etc as they onyl do that when they are cracked apparently.. rear brakes shoes clocked up, air con needs checking/regasing and 2 new tyres whcih are fine tread wie but are suffering from age deterioration 9sides walls crackign etc)... So I says to the guy ok, how much is all this goign to come to.. he says oh ts nto too bad, no need for a second morgage or anything... Ã,£640+ quid!!!!!!!!! I said umm thats a bit high so i told him to forget the suspension armthingy, air con and tyres - how much does that coem to - he tells me 290 summing, i said ok, go ahead with that.
Now - the car has only done around 4700 miles since last service... whats it all about???? i understand the rear shoes needing clearing cos they clogged up cos they guy said if you do lot of short journeys or sit in alot of traffic, the dust stays ont he shoes so ok, I can live with that and it was Ã,£50 all in to clear them so cant be a major job.
Anyway, went to get car - did come to 290 odd so thats fine paid it and left - but that included the air con check/regas at 80 quid which i did tell hi to leave but ive never had it chekced and the car is 5 years odl now so im not gonna chase them for the cash back.
do you think its worth takign the car to ford dealership anymore or just find a decent mechanic who charges a reasonable rate to do the job from now on? its 5 years old..
Also, i got the fun tasksof getting a new winscreen fitting on Wednesday at RAC auto windscreens on my insurance - any they any good?? Apparently it takes about 3 or 4 hours to fit???? i was surprised, i was expecting about an hour... Im just hoping it all gets sealed up properly and doesnt start leaking etc cos they dotn do a godo job....
thanks for info..
Kevin
Dont go to a stealership. You can take it to a reputable non dealership, and they will still stamp your book.
Vote with your feet.
Dealerships are expensive and will load you with anything they can, go to a reputeable alternative.
They have their priorities. (http://www.stevensmarine.com/paymentcalc.php)
Yeah, im realising they expense hehe.
well i got my windscreen replaced yesterday - really bizarre though - when i phoned up - they said oh takes 3 - 4 hours... so will be done between 1pm and 5 pm... I thought blimey - 4 hours - what they do with it???
Anyway - dropped car of about quarter to 1 (was bit early) - went in, they took copy of insurance etc and then said ok drive the car in (i was expecting to give them the keys and they do it) but never mind drove it into the garage area.... Guy couldnt see the stone chip - its was just above the wiper ont he passenger side so i only noticed it by sheer luck...
Anyway he said yeah needs replacing, sit in reception ill give you a shout when its done. now as they said woudl be 3 - 4 hours, I took a couple of books and was gonna walk backup the road about 20min walk tot he pub and get a rink, maybe some lunch and stuff just to use the time up.. but he kinda gave me the impression wouldnt be too long so sat in reception....
some other guy cam ein so got chatting to him - he was todl woudl take 2 hours... and he has a bigger car than me....
Anyway - bout prob 45mins later, guy comes out and says All done... i thought great - but what was the 3 - 4 hours bisiness about? the toehr guy who was waiting says ah yeah, now you prob ot to wait for it to dry - i thought oh brill...
Anyway guy fills out paper work, take me cash (Ã,£50 excess) and says drive it carefulyl for the next hour and dont was for antoher 4 hours - I said no need to worry abotu that mate.
So so far all seems ok, Ive not inspected it fully as eneded up of errand to run yesterday etc but im just waiting for it to rain now so i can ensureits not leakign anywhere....
only thik left now is I have a free Ã,£49 showroom Valet voucher from Fords (got when i bought the car in 2002) so Im planning on using it now as it could do with bringin back to show room quality :D
just got to arrange that now and the cars a ok :)
i was considering keepign it until i wanna sell it and havign it done just before but I figure the vouchers are not goign to last forever (despite there being no use by date etc but i expect Fords will soon stop them..)
First time ive every claimed anything via Insurance.
Kevin
may i suggest going to a local reputable garage cause it only took me 1hr to refit the windscreen on my 1999 Ford Escort Van (RIP) the best ones are owned by excentric gentlemen i have found who have been dealing with cars since the ford model T!! well maybe not that old but you know what i mean, fazely street motors in birmingham is an example. if you wanna do it yourself start working on a mini to start and it will give you a shed load of knowledge about how cars work etc..... i have had 3 haha
Oz
Quote from: kev2006Guy couldnt see the stone chip - its was just above the wiper ont he passenger side so i only noticed it by sheer luck...
Mate I hate to tell you this but they saw you coming, you should have gone to one of the big windscreen places and they would have *REPAIRED THE THING FOR YOU!* Your insurance would have covered the costs and no problems at all with loss of no claims...
http://www.autoglass.co.uk/faq/windscreenrepair/They have been going on about it for weeks on the radio (classic FM)