February 2009
So we can squeeze every teat possible (from the battery to the big ends) - to extract your money...
You may feel you are a bit of a bull - or at least one of those rangy looking steers frisking about on Rawhide.. but no, you`re a milk cow, as soon as you are detected on dealer `radar`.
That usually means the `receptionist` behind who`s skill at pricing top dollar jobs - lurks hungry looking share holders - wanting to spend winter in Florida.
So the old story continues - you pick up the phone and ask ` How much for a brake fluid change` - "That will be £57.30p" - you then ring the other dealer (same marque) 16 miles away and it`s £30.
You remember when the first dealer tried to double up the labour for a new waterpump (to be fitted at the same time as the cambelt) and when challenged - the receptionist said " It`s an extra £120 (labour, excluding the pump )sir because we have to drain the cooling system" (done at the second dealer for £120 less)
Then you remember the time you asked the first dealer "how much to fit a new door check strap" - "That will be £75 sir" - challenged - "I made a mistake with the price sir - its £55"
Then you buy one from parts for £13 and fit it yourself - in doing so you find a shortcut through the speaker housing that lets it be fitted in 10minutes.. ( of course never intended to let them fit it - as it`s become a sport in itself getting inflated quotes)
All I can say is, be careful who you buy a car from...
That`s with me though and I`m reasonably technically minded........... At the service desk it`s obvious that 9 out of 10 people don`t have a clue and it`s more than being `milked at dawn` more like `raptors are go`
I wonder if these places are nervous enough to play background music when huddled together planning their `recession survival strategies?
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Hi their,
i bought a honda automatic x reg on saturday drove it home was a lovley drive ,
gets up sunday went up the road in it and its jerking as im driving then the engine manegment light went on , i carried on and the jerking stopped after bout 10 minutes the light went off about 15 minutes later,
it drove lovley after that,
today get in it and same thing with the jerking and i heard a loud clunk from front of car as i stopped at lights then again after few minutes on the road it stops the jerking,
the car did come with a warrenty im taking it in tommorra but really want to take it back to the dealer and demand money back i feel sick like i just been done out of my £2300,
i didnt want to be taking car into a garage after buying it and having it just 2 days plz any advice on what it sound like it can be and what i do now,
very depressed blubell gal herexx Read more
very pleased you got the cash back, wow, some unlucky so and so wil get it but there you are.
My lad sold a manual Accord a year ago for £1600 ,T reg ,and it was immaculate, I know because I looked after it.
There are good Accords out there, they are tough and nice to drive, but need to be looked after, with new belt etc . - forget auto in this country .
I say go private, but make sure it is , not a trader in drag. need to see it owned at least two years by owner, otherwise walk away
I think local papers are the best bet, I loathe autotrader, never trust the cars in there, and have my reasons
I noticed that my local VW franchised dealer has a "special £89" service going on at the moment.
What are the obvious catches to this offer? My Golf is a P-reg & it can still be included in the offer, which I find really strange! :-/ Read more
My local dealer wanted £265 to carry out an Interval inspection service on my Jetta tdi. The service schedule says they do:
Date of the next service is to be entered on the door sticker
The battery is checked
Vehicle system test carried out
Engine oil changed and oil filter replaced.
Tread depth, condition, wear and pressure of all tyres inc spare are checked
Brake pad thickness front and rear checked
Service interval display is reset.
Got it done at my regular trusted Vauxhall dealer for £77 using genuine VW parts.
I'm having a nightmare with my vectra it has an intermittent fault on starting, sometimes it will start no problem othertimes it will turn over then flash up the car spanner light indicating an immobiliser fault i've had the imobiliser ecu changed but it is no better. When my brother uses the car there doesn't seem to be a problem when i use it it leaves me stranded in all sorts of places refusing to start. The only suggections that i've had suggest changing the ECU, but i have also been told that you cannot fit a second hand unit. Any suggestions welcomed. Thanks Hayley Read more
we've tried both keys, and now are just using the one key but there is no improvement sometimes it starts fine other times it will start run for a couple of seconds and other times just turn over and not fire up ie immobiliser problem. Its so unreliable and frustrating it's killing me
Thinking of buying a XR125 for commuting, anyone know any good points, bad points? Read more
There's a report in today's MCN by someone commuting London to Peterborough (!) on a Honda CBF125. I would think the XR is better in an urban-type environment.
If I was commuting cross-city in (possibly) bad weather then the XR is the type of bike I'd consider.
On the open road I'd be looking to a 500cc at least.
Is tank range an issue for you ?
Hi I have just got a replacement Cuore steering rack (manual one)T reg 1999 1.0 litre and the breaker says they have sent me the correct rack but it will it not fit the new rack is shorter are there different racks on Cuores.
Neil Read more
any 1 know where the thermostat is on a 2.0 diesel mg zs Read more
Hi there,
I have a 1.4 SX Chevrolet Kalos. I have noticed on a few occassions that it takes a few turns of the key to start and the performance has slowly dropped off.
On the review on this site I noticed that it states
"TSB 12th March 2007. If customers complain of poor running due to carbon build up on the valves, replace the valves with a modified scraper type which will eliminate carbon built up and running faults."
Does anyone have any further detail on this? From past experience with the dealers round here I will immediately get fobbed off and my warranty expires in about 6 months so if needed I would liked this done soon before I'll have to pay for it myself a year down the line when the problem is worse.
Any comments would be appreciated.
Paul Read more
Hi all I have a 2005 54reg sorrie 2.5 CRDI Auto and would like to ask anyone in the know if side steps made for a 2006+ sorrie would have the same chassis fitting as my sorrie, I have found a really nice set on ebay but aren't sure theyll go on mine, thanks for any help ADE :-)
{small typo in header corrected} Read more
Oh don't mention it. More than glad to help
Oh you didn't. :-O
I'm wanting to connect an MP3 player, with a USB connector, to the stereo system on my Hyundai Coupe.
The car has a flying lead in the centre console for plugging into an iPod. Can I get an adaptor to connect up with my MP3 instead? If so what is it called.
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Yes, the flying lead,a flat connector, is intended to plug into an ipod.
I have an HMV MP3 player.
One end of the lead /adaptor will thus need to be a female adaptor ipod docking socket and the other end a female USB or a male 3.5mm jack, to connect to the MP3 player.
Tried to find via Google without luck. Any ideas exactly what I should be searching for?
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Thanks, L'escargot. Unfortunately I'm a long way from Doncaster. But the checklists are useful.