My Garage Bill

[Adywebb]

Just had my 5 year old BMW 328Ci serviced at my local BMW dealer - It was just going to be an oil service, which would normally cost around £150.

Had the usual phone call during the day - 'excuse me sir, but we thought we should bring this to your attention...' - and by the time I collected the car, the bill had grown to £625

They had to replace a 'door lock actuator' - the motor that pushes up the central locking button, as it was sticking and sometimes failed to operate - cost £260, just for a little motor!

They also replaced the Cam and Aircon belts because they were worn and squeeling and couldn't be adjusted any further - another £150.

Chuck in a pair of wiper blades, and there you go - £625.....

What REALLY got me though, was that after all that, when I collected the car and checked the boot, inside was a lovely litre bottle of engine top-up oil inside a plastic bag, together with hand wipes and dipstick wipes - lovely I thought, what a nice gesture.......then I looked at the bill, and there it was...£12 + VAT.

The oil has been returned, together with a piece of my mind - I am not a happy bunny......

 

[Ian]

Not surprised you're not too happy! Did they tell you how much it was going to be when they rang?

 

[itsme]

Just had my 5 year old BMW 328Ci serviced at my local BMW dealer - It was just going to be an oil service, which would normally cost around £150.

Had the usual phone call during the day - 'excuse me sir, but we thought we should bring this to your attention...' - and by the time I collected the car, the bill had grown to £625

They had to replace a 'door lock actuator' - the motor that pushes up the central locking button, as it was sticking and sometimes failed to operate - cost £260, just for a little motor!

They also replaced the Cam and Aircon belts because they were worn and squeeling and couldn't be adjusted any further - another £150.

Chuck in a pair of wiper blades, and there you go - £625.....

What REALLY got me though, was that after all that, when I collected the car and checked the boot, inside was a lovely litre bottle of engine top-up oil inside a plastic bag, together with hand wipes and dipstick wipes - lovely I thought, what a nice gesture.......then I looked at the bill, and there it was...£12 + VAT.

The oil has been returned, together with a piece of my mind - I am not a happy bunny......

Now thats what I call "being taken to the cleaners"
Ady have you an itemised bill? as I am rather curious as to the charges incurred. How long did the work take them? in my estimation no more than 3 Hrs maximum

 

[Adywebb]

Not surprised you're not too happy! Did they tell you how much it was going to be when they rang?

To be fair, yes they did - but of course I forgot about the VAT .

What I'm really upset about is the fact they added the top-up oil to the bill without asking - if I hadn't have checked the boot, I wouldn't have realised...

Now thats what I call "being taken to the cleaners"
Ady have you an itemised bill? as I am rather curious as to the charges incurred. How long did the work take them? in my estimation no more than 3 Hrs maximum

Trying to work out exactly what the labour charges are on the bill is very similar to trying to interpret your BT bill

Bearing in mind they charge about £120 an hour for labour - 3 hours is probably about right.

 

[cirianz]

Now thats what I call "being taken to the cleaners"
Ady have you an itemised bill? as I am rather curious as to the charges incurred. How long did the work take them? in my estimation no more than 3 Hrs maximum

Hmmmm, that can depend on how much they had to take apart & put back together again after to reach the parts needing replacing or fixing.
Still, sounds to me you need to find yourself a new mechanic Ady, sounds like a rip-off to me. The oil etc in the boot does indicate that they were likely charging you for unneccessary 'repairs'.

Had something similar with a plumber a wee while back. Had had some minor repairs done on the roof a few weeks earlier & they'd told me there was something else would need fixing within the next year & did I want them to do it while they were up there already. Would've been smart... saved a call out fee etc, but I just didn't have the money & had to say no. No problem.
Few weeks later had the plumbers round to fix a problem with the guttering downpipe... while they were up there they fixed this other problem... no asking or anything... and billed me for it.
I refused to pay. I hadn't asked, or wanted the repair done & if they had bothered to ask I would've told them so.
I paid what I'd asked for to be done of course... but refused the rest of the bill... they were insistant but nearly a year, & a couple of debt collectors, later I did win (I'm stubborn like that). I know they had to have spent way more on trying to collect than the bill actually was worth. I think they just got sick of the whole mess in the end. But I was damned if I was going to pay for work I hadn't wanted them to do in the first place.
You can bet they didn't get good 'word of mouth' advertising from me though. Know of more than one customer they didn't get because of that fiasco.

 

[crazylegs]

Sorry to hear of the large bill you recieved Ady

Unfortunately if you own a BMW even if its an old one, garages still think you got money to be driving around in such a big car...

How much to fill the tank up on that thing and how many miles to the gallon does it do....I bet you'll be lucky to be getting more than 25 to the ga;llon out of it....because of that garages and your average grease monkey will often mistake you for Richard Branson and charge your wallet accordingly.....

as for the oil.....thats an old trick sticking that one on the bill.....

And a reasonable charge for labour should be no more than £60.00 an hour, any more and your getting ripped off.....next time go elsewhere and enquire as to there labour charges before work starts.....

 

[itsme]

Bearing in mind they charge about £120 an hour for labour - 3 hours is probably about right

£120.00 an hour Sheeesh!!!! Oh I get it they use Gold tools to do the repairs and warranty the repairs for life.
Joking aside that is a rip-off, I still keep in touch with Jaguar main dealer`s and they only charge £60.00 Per hour >Gawd I wish I were still working lets see I worked 70 hours a week X 120 = £8,400,00 Think I will start up again.
PS Read my Profile

 

[Adywebb]

£120/hour is pretty normal for London BMW Main Dealers - its about £140+/hour in central london.

I think I am going to say sod the BMW stamp in the service history book in future, and go to an independent dealer.

It does about 35 miles/gallon on a run, and now costs £50 to fill the tank - but unfortunately I can't live without it - I love it, its a great car

 

[cirianz]

Yeah, John's like that about his Landy She chews through the petrol but he loves her to bits. His youngest boy is a mechanic & has got hold of a cheap diesel engine so we'll be going diesel as soon as poss. Then at least we'll be able to afford go 4x4 driving again. Lately we've only be able to use it to go to our favourite snorkeling beach (Need a 4wheel drive to get down there.)

 

[Adywebb]

Yeah, John's like that about his Landy She chews through the petrol but he loves her to bits. His youngest boy is a mechanic & has got hold of a cheap diesel engine so we'll be going diesel as soon as poss. Then at least we'll be able to afford go 4x4 driving again. Lately we've only be able to use it to go to our favourite snorkeling beach (Need a 4wheel drive to get down there.)

I know its probably a 'man' thing - but we do love are cars!

Sounds great being able to drive down to a snorkeling beach, you're very lucky living in such a beautiful country.

Might be coming over later this year to visit some old friends near Dunedin, they keep telling me how wonderful their life is out there, so I'm going to see for myself

 

[floppybootstomp]

Your car is five years old. It really don't matter now about getting that stamp in the service book anymore, the money you're paying a main dealer is not equal to the money you'll gain by selling it with a full service history from an official BMW dealer.

I have a twenty-two year old Merc. I take it to a local garage once a year for a full service. And I mean a FULL service. I won't go into a list but they check just about everything and empty the ashtray. Parts are replaced, fluids changed or topped up. And everything else.

The Garage charges £35.00 per hour + VAT. In three years, no service has cost more than £250.00, and that one included a tyre. Cheapest was £190.00.

My car is 22 years old, it's been looked after though. Only time it's broken down on me so far is when brake master cylinder packed up and my foot was pumping the floor mat

Get real Ady, your car's five years old. You love your car, I love mine (I really love old cars, hence reason I drive something 22 years old) so stop throwing your money away.

 

[Adywebb]

Your car is five years old. It really don't matter now about getting that stamp in the service book anymore, the money you're paying a main dealer is not equal to the money you'll gain by selling it with a full service history from an official BMW dealer.

Get real Ady, your car's five years old. You love your car, I love mine (I really love old cars, hence reason I drive something 22 years old) so stop throwing your money away.

Yep, your right - already decided that its going to an independant dealer next time - I don't live too far from SE London so how about giving me the name of your garage?

 

[floppybootstomp]

Okey doke, Guy's name is Rob, he in Hoskins Street, Greenwich, SE10, I'll PM you his phone number.

He's good, it's a family run garage, but if it's not genuinely super urgent, you'll have to book in advance.

Say Tony with the Gold Merc 280SE recommended you, it may help, it may not, lol

 

[Adywebb]

Thanks Flops - PM recieved

 

[ChristopherP]

Okey doke, Guy's name is Rob, he in Hoskins Street, Greenwich, SE10, I'll PM you his phone number.

He's good, it's a family run garage, but if it's not genuinely super urgent, you'll have to book in advance.

Say Tony with the Gold Merc 280SE recommended you, it may help, it may not, lol

Same story with me

We have a *fantastic* garage a couple minutes away from my house, husband and wife run family business. It's called Autodan LTD (Unit 10, Bordon Trading Estate, Bordon, Hants) - Danny is head mechanic, Jane runs the office.

They have to be *THE* most honest people i know, so honest in fact he spends a good 15 minutes of his time when i go to get my car explaining and showing me what he has done, and what needs to be done.

if he thinks i can do it myself, he will explain how, and try to save me money - now how many garages do that instead of saying "when can i pencil you in for sir"

I had my car in there on Friday to be MOT'd - it failed on a steering rack ball joint (tie assembly, the inner one). I called up the next day and one of their employees answered the phone as Danny and Jane had the weekend off - and said "Sorry were just so busy we can't fit any work in until wednesday the 15th"

Then on monday Dan called me and said "thats not strictly true, we always have time to fit you and your family in here" and i explained i had just dropped it off elsewhere as my car is important to me and he asked what i wanted to do about the MOT retest - i said i'll bring it back to you obviously, because i dont have the trust with bordon tyres that i do for you. He said seeing as its you, bring it in tomorrow (Tuesday the 7th) when the work is done, i'll inspect the work to make sure they have done everything ok, and MOT it for you - at no cost.

That really impressed me. That is not just a service, that is a garage - customer relationship, not something you hear of all too often. Fitting me in over a week before their next free slot!

They are great - better than any dealership aswell - they have all the computers that the dealers have to diagnose computer faults and codes etc etc and at £35 an hour they are cheap.

Anyone near my area ring Autodan on (01420) 488588 and tell them Chris with the Red Peugeot sent you their way

 

[Adywebb]

Thanks for the tip on your garage as well Chris - my girlfriend lives in Hook so is not far away - I'll pass on the details to her.....

 

[ChristopherP]

Hook isn't too far away

My cousin lives 80 miles away in Kent - he likes to get his cars done there because he knows the quality of work is simply superb. An hour and a half drive just to go to a garage!

 

[Adywebb]

Hook isn't too far away

Oi Postill - don't start getting any ideas about popping round to say 'hello' to her.....

 

[ChristopherP]

Damn. Plot foiled

 

[Adywebb]

Damn. Plot foiled