Hi guys, don't know if anyone is still around tonight but...
My old golf has just failed it's MOT today on a worn suspension arm thing. 92pounds plus VAT to replace it, and some more to realign the steering afterwards, apparently. 142 total including VAT. I took the car in for a service and MOT.
Now, do i just say yes? i.e. does that price sound about right? Or am i possibly getting sucked into paying for work that doesn't need to be done. If it was just a service, then i'd be right to be careful, but an MOT is completely above board....right??????
Get 2nd opinion or just trust and go ahead? I told the bloke to give me an evening to think about it!!!
many thanks
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Never, ever, ever get a car repaired at the place that MOT'd it, it just encourages them to fail more.
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I read often, only post occasionally
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Get the guy to put it on the hoist and have a look yourself. A worn suspension arm can be very nasty. I know some workshops don't like customers having a look for themselves but the good ones don't mind - it shows they are dealing with a human being.
eProf
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Well its possible its worn, Its possible thats the full list price for the part, and they dont appear to be ripping you off for lots of labour.
If they were going to rip you off I would think it would be for more, and that's an unusual part and reason to rip you off for an mot (favourite is brakes) so it sounds kosher to me.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Sounds honest to me. If it was a ripoff they'd be asking for more. Front suspension arms go these days, all the road bumps and so on, modern rubber bungs instead of proper bushes...
My take is that the guy's being honest. Someone else might easily charge more. Some people don't know when they're lucky.
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I'd agree with the Lud and TVM. A rip off merchant could find much more than 150 quid's worth of work. If that what it costs to keep a reliable run about on the road for another year you're a lucky man!!
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I know its not fail safe but would it be an idea to give the go ahead but ask them to keep the damaged one for you to see?
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Cheers everyone. From what you guys are saying, i'll give them the go ahead. But i'll definitely MOT it first somewhere else in the future, before servicing it at my regular place. Problem is, just more hassle and sometimes they give discount if you do both together. At least price is right, and as u say, could have been lot more costly and something less unusual.
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plus i wouldn't know a suspension arm from a firearm. let alone a worn one.
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Yeah but the garage doesn't know that!
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the garage sounds as honest as the days long ,if you infered to me when i had explained it needed a new lower arm and these invariably dont come out due to seized collars that you wanted to see the old parts in a knowing winking way then i would not work on your car and tell you to sling your ouk,as it is you have asked the right questions and i would let them do the job and put them down as a recommended garage for the future.
With regards to the poster who says never let the mot garage do the work,i ask what kind of country do we all live in?i dont rip people off i sleep soundly in my bed and i know many men in my profession do the same,its so easy to tar everyone isnt it
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\"a little man in a big world/\"
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While not entirely agreeing with oldman, you do state "My old Golf".
Just how old is the "old Golf"?
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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You can get an idea of the price of the parts involved at:
secure.gsfcarparts.com/shop/shop.asp
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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With regards to the poster who says never let the mot garage do the work,i ask what kind of country do we all live in?i dont rip people off i sleep soundly in my bed and i know many men in my profession do the same,its so easy to tar everyone isnt it -- \"a little man in a big world/\"
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We live in the kind of country where garages rip off punters.
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We live in the kind of country where garages rip off punters.
Not in my experience. You must go to some right dodgy back street garages.
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L\'escargot.
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I'd disagree with that strongly. The only garages that have ever scammed me have been main dealers. I've had back street places I'd describe as honest but incompetent, but never been ripped off by them...
Gord.
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K reg golf. So 13 years old now. Dodgy back street garage? Well i surfed around for the cheapest, as it just doesn't seem worthwhile paying a lot for servicing for a 1000 pound car. hence the slight concern about whether i was being slightly ripped off. can be false economy i know, but one just needs to be careful i suppose when agreeing to work, and the garage in question is actually a large chain. michael schumacher's level of motorracing if u know what i mean! or the first function key on ur keyboard! we can trust chains can't we.................?
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I know the chain you are on about - I used them once to fit a complete exhaust and 2 tyres, price was the best in the area for the work but then they tried to tell me i needed 2 rear cylinders and a wheel bearing - none of which needed doing, So they may get more business on things like tyres if they are the cheapest, but other then that I will steer clear - It could of course be the individual branch rather then the chain, but my feeling is they are all on bonuses so all look to get as much work as possible.
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