Hello
Not sure if this forum can help, I know it's not for getting quotes, etc(!), but I've been told I've been ripped off.
My car recently needed a new clutch and gearbox and the total job was £844 - clutch £123, gearbox (reconditioned) £464 + 7 hours labour & gear oil.
Can somebody tell me why the gearbox is reconditioned and what the difference is between that and a new one - is it price? I also have a guarantee from a company called MJS (www.mjs-services.com - does anybody know them?).
I also had the head gasket done last year for a total cost of approx £600 all in. Was this a rip off?
Also - this sounds v. dodgy to me - somebody said they could have done the job with parts from a scrap heap for £450 all in. But surely scrap heap parts aren't the same thing!? He's screamed blue murder that they are. That a reconditioned gearbox is exactly the same as going to the scrap heap and getting one out of a dead car there. I would have thought that you can't possibly know the quality of a scrap heap part other than to see if it's seized or buy it then take it apart to check the individual parts for wear. Even then, it's surely not the same as reconditioned? As for the clutch, same question - surely you couldn't trust a clutch off a scrap heap car the same as you would new? Confused!
I have to say that personally I trust my garage but not being a mechanic I wouldn't be able to say either way. I stick with the same garage for everything - is this a mistake? I thought it would be better to build up a good relationship with one garage rather than nameless mechanics at several garages? I'm a woman - not that that means anything, but it's been suggested to me that I've been ripped off as a woman who knows nowt about cars (true).
Cheers, RO?
p.s. I've had the car from new & have personal reasons for wanting to keep the car.
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Well,
your garage is charging you £37 pounds an hour for labour, That is certainly not a rip off rate.
I would say that (if it is a proper reconditioned gearbox) in total you have not been ripped off.
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>>That a reconditioned gearbox is exactly the same as going to the scrap heap and getting one out of a dead car there
Nope,its risky getting anything from a scrap yard.And as RF said you have not been ripped off IMO,
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Steve
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Put it this way - apparently, the Ford dealership in the next town charge £76 an hour labour.
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Clutch - always get a new clutch, I've a bad experience a few years ago with recon clutches, price sounded about right as long as everything was changed like thrust bearing etc.
Gearbox - recon are the best way to go unless you have money to throw away on a new one. It should be new parts in an old housing nothing like one from a scrappers! The scrappers gear could be the same or worse than yours!
Head gasket - prices vary depending on damage, the head could need skimming etc.
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By the sounds of it, I don''t think you have been ripped off.
I do, however, think your friend is a bit of a messer. The saving you might get from fitting a scrap yard clutch isn't much comfort if it lets you down soon afterwards.
There are times when scrapyard parts are ideal purchases - you can sve a fortune on trim and body parts especially if they are already the right colour. Of course, trim parts aren't likely to be either safety critical, or the cause of a breakdown.
Paying a little more than scrap yard prices to get more reliability is sound decision making IMO.
Number_Cruncher
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Thanks for all your replies so far, much appreciated.
Cheers
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Hi I can tell you about my experience of getting a recon gear box I didnt go to my local garage I found one in Glasgow that did the job for 400 pounds for the recon gear box and labour they fitted the clutch in exchange for the old one. They also changed the gearbox oil after 250 miles and its still going after 20 000.
I think its better to shop around a little. The reason you get a recon gear box instead of a new one is the cost I would think a new one if you could get it would cost you thousands, with a recon one they would rebuild it and replacing worn parts its as good as new.
For what it s worth I don t think you where ripped off because the price you paid would have been the price I paid if I had gone to my local garage. I was lucky to find the other garage that is a specialist in gearboxes.
P.S I am also keeping my m reg rover 214 SEi on the road for personal reasons.
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