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Post by johnc on Dec 4, 2019 19:01:42 GMT
My wife took her 27,000 mile X4 in for a service today and I am now £1,100 lighter!
The service alone was bad enough at c£650 (major service incl brake fluid change) but the sting in the tail was that the rear pads needed changed and the rear discs were right on the limit of wear - how does that happen after 27,000 miles of mostly going forwards: according to the service manager, cars which are treated more gently tend to wear out the rear brakes first because the brake bias is to the rear in gentle stops, moving to the front as more brake pressure is applied.
I also think the service costs have crept upwards in proportion to the fall in the sale of cars. I wonder how many miles an electric car will get out of its brakes?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2019 19:05:29 GMT
From what you say, not many seeing how they weigh so much more.
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Dec 4, 2019 20:57:56 GMT
From what you say, not many seeing how they weigh so much more. A lot more as they use regenerative braking. |
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Post by ChrisM on Dec 4, 2019 21:26:18 GMT
I also think the service costs have crept upwards in proportion to the fall in the sale of cars. I wonder how many miles an electric car will get out of its brakes? With regenerative braking, many electric cars have brakes that can last for tens of thousands of miles - there is supposed to be a bigger issue of corrosion of the discs due to lack of use, rather than them wearing out. As to your servicing cost on the X4, the Captur (2014, so 5-year service) cost me the thick end of £800 in June, but that did include 4 new Crossclimates |
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Post by LandieMark on Dec 4, 2019 21:30:05 GMT
I know I do the majority of my own work, but I am upset if a service costs £150 in parts including the oil. Another reason why, outside of a major windfall, I won't buy another new/nearly new car.
Ive just ordered the six month service parts for the Defender. Fuel filter and oil filter at £12 for both and the oil at £30. I've ordered a new brake master cylinder as I'm not happy with the performance of the current one - I suspect the front seal is passing to the rear and the total parts cost is £120.
I'll give it a good check around and grease where needed and that will do until MOT time in April unless something breaks in the meantime.
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Post by Martin on Dec 4, 2019 22:13:59 GMT
My wife took her 27,000 mile X4 in for a service today and I am now £1,100 lighter! The service alone was bad enough at c£650 (major service incl brake fluid change) but the sting in the tail was that the rear pads needed changed and the rear discs were right on the limit of wear - how does that happen after 27,000 miles of mostly going forwards: according to the service manager, cars which are treated more gently tend to wear out the rear brakes first because the brake bias is to the rear in gentle stops, moving to the front as more brake pressure is applied. I also think the service costs have crept upwards in proportion to the fall in the sale of cars. I wonder how many miles an electric car will get out of its brakes? They’re just warming you up for the main event!  |
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Post by johnc on Dec 5, 2019 7:44:18 GMT
They’re just warming you up for the main event! Thanks for those reassuring words! |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2019 9:28:21 GMT
Was the brake wear indicator lit? I ask as the first time my car had new front discs they were not, but the dealership told me that they were (after 14k miles of not being a heavy braker). Sets left until the indicator then lasted much, much longer. Basically, they shafted me.
Main dealer now charges £250 per hour*, increasing from £150 about five years ago. I'll never be darkening their door again - it's not as though they do a particularly good job, and they palpably don't give a shit about customer service.
(*That was 18 months ago - it's probably £275 or so now.) |
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Post by Tim on Dec 5, 2019 9:57:27 GMT
I got about 50k miles out of the rear pads on the 320 and the discs are still fine, I don't think I'm particularly heavy on brakes either.
I would never take the main dealer's word for it where brakes are concerned, I think they tell you pads are needed once they're below about 50% and the cost is extortionate.
Nissan in Dundee wanted nearly £200 for rear pads on the 370 but I did them myself - with EBC pads - for just over £20 and, once I'd worked out how they were secured, did one side in about 10 minutes including jacking the car up.
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Post by racingteatray on Dec 5, 2019 10:54:35 GMT
That does seem pricey. Mind you, yesterday the GC had its first MoT, as well as its first scheduled brake fluid service and the annual winter wheel swap, and I left £260 lighter.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2019 12:03:04 GMT
Last time I went to a dealer it was because I could find no one else to do the job. I asked if they could do the job properly, they lied. £140 to completely fuck up the carb settings. I was pointed at a bike specialist who happens to be an air cooled fan and he put things right and did it because he had an interest in Bess and her ilk. One of the world's proper gents and when I stop driving he gets Bess. No higher appreciation in my book.
I was quite shocked at the last service bill though, £178 and apart from replacement oils they could not find anything else to do. That being said, at least they did not pad the bill with unnecessary jobs like the previous garage that tried to charge for oil and air filter until I pointed out Bess has neither of those.
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Post by Blarno on Dec 5, 2019 12:50:44 GMT
Was the brake wear indicator lit? I ask as the first time my car had new front discs they were not, but the dealership told me that they were (after 14k miles of not being a heavy braker). Sets left until the indicator then lasted much, much longer. Basically, they shafted me.
Main dealer now charges £250 per hour*, increasing from £150 about five years ago. I'll never be darkening their door again - it's not as though they do a particularly good job, and they palpably don't give a shit about customer service.
(*That was 18 months ago - it's probably £275 or so now.)
Shit the bed! 
I charge people £20 per hour for anything mechanical, maybe I need to work on my pricing....
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Post by racingteatray on Dec 5, 2019 14:01:09 GMT
Does Audi not have a lower rate for older cars? Or is there an "RS tax" in play?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2019 16:40:11 GMT
They used to, but fleeced both Ms 12th and me equally.
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Post by Roadsterstu on Dec 5, 2019 20:42:32 GMT
250 an hour?! Good Lord. That's outrageous.
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Post by PG on Dec 5, 2019 21:09:04 GMT
I suspect that it is a main dealer policy (of all manufacturers now it seems) that they refuse to change pads without changing the discs as well. Whereas in the real world, unless you cane the brakes I am sure that discs last much longer than pads do.
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Post by ChrisM on Dec 5, 2019 22:18:59 GMT
250 an hour?! Good Lord. That's outrageous. Indeed - almost as bad as lawyers and solicitors :-( |
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Post by Tim on Dec 6, 2019 9:13:39 GMT
I suspect that it is a main dealer policy (of all manufacturers now it seems) that they refuse to change pads without changing the discs as well. Whereas in the real world, unless you cane the brakes I am sure that discs last much longer than pads do. I don't think that applies any more. So far I've got 50k out of the front pads and discs on my 320. I still expect to have to add pads at 15-20k and replace the discs at every 4th or 5th pad change but clearly that's not the case anymore. |
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Post by ChrisM on Dec 6, 2019 9:25:43 GMT
... not just service costs, battery costs.
My nightmare week continues, last night the wife went to go out to see some friends and the Captur battery has died after not being used for about 2 days. It did this a few weeks back when she was ill and off work for a month, car not used for a few days then the battery was flat, but putting it on charge restored it and it's been OK since until last night.
Not an AGM stop-start battery, just an ordinary lead-acid type will do but the cheapest I have found so far is a whisker under £100.... I've been used to paying around £70. Whatever, looks like my planned day out on Saturday has been scuppered by having to get this sorted :-(
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Post by LandieMark on Dec 6, 2019 9:28:54 GMT
... not just service costs, battery costs. My nightmare week continues, last night the wife went to go out to see some friends and the Captur battery has died after not being used for about 2 days. It did this a few weeks back when she was ill and off work for a month, car not used for a few days then the battery was flat, but putting it on charge restored it and it's been OK since until last night. Not an AGM stop-start battery, just an ordinary lead-acid type will do but the cheapest I have found so far is a whisker under £100.... I've been used to paying around £70. Whatever, looks like my planned day out on Saturday has been scuppered by having to get this sorted :-( I used these people for the Defender battery. Next day delivery by pallet. |
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Post by Tim on Dec 6, 2019 9:33:03 GMT
The BMW dealership told me 2 services ago that the 320's battery needed replaced at a cost of £350 - due to it being an AGM one.
I always turn stop-start off and so far it's not been a problem.
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Post by ChrisM on Dec 6, 2019 9:56:19 GMT
GSF, £67 for a Yuasa and 5 minutes down the road from where I work ... bargain (so long as it fits OK).....
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Post by racingteatray on Dec 6, 2019 11:06:12 GMT
250 an hour?! Good Lord. That's outrageous. Indeed - almost as bad as lawyers and solicitors :-( I think £250/hour might get you my trainee...or possibly one of the paralegals. |
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Post by Alex on Dec 6, 2019 11:16:01 GMT
GSF, £67 for a Yuasa and 5 minutes down the road from where I work ... bargain (so long as it fits OK)..... Mark's link showed up a battery for the wife's panda would be 50 quid delivered. Bargain! Luckily she doesn't need one. Typed in my reg and they apparently don't have batteries for an Ioniq. |
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Post by johnc on Dec 6, 2019 11:28:02 GMT
Typed in my reg and they apparently don't have batteries for an Ioniq. They might need more than a pallet for that one. |
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Dec 6, 2019 11:34:08 GMT
£250 an hour for what is basically a fitter is nonsense, we charge out skilled CNC operators and welders at £50 an hour. That said we don't have the fancy glass showrooms and coffee machines to pay for. And the dealership Principal's wife's car.
I used to moan at Lexus charging £90 an hour.
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Post by Tim on Dec 6, 2019 11:46:20 GMT
Servicing is where they make their profit which must make depressing reading for them at net margins of 2 or 3%.
Still, if you're getting 25% off a £40k car then a few hundred £ in servicing doesn't seem unreasonable.
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Dec 6, 2019 12:03:02 GMT
Servicing is where they make their profit which must make depressing reading for them at net margins of 2 or 3%. Still, if you're getting 25% off a £40k car then a few hundred £ in servicing doesn't seem unreasonable. I think the fact that a service consists of £5 of oil and a £10 filter, plus a kick of the tyres, that'll be £250 please, sticks in peoples' craw. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2019 12:30:04 GMT
They tend to charge north of £60 for the oil though. Some mark up.
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Post by Tim on Dec 6, 2019 12:44:02 GMT
Servicing is where they make their profit which must make depressing reading for them at net margins of 2 or 3%. Still, if you're getting 25% off a £40k car then a few hundred £ in servicing doesn't seem unreasonable. I think the fact that a service consists of £5 of oil and a £10 filter, plus a kick of the tyres, that'll be £250 please, sticks in peoples' craw. I agree but then would they rather pay a more realistic amount - either up front or monthly - to have the car in the first place? |
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