Replacement front fog light lense identified at recent service - dealers name / location deleted - {no naming & shaming please - DD} quoted twice, once on the phone, once in the showroom when collecting car from service, £18-20 plus £9 - 10 for the lense.
Go bak this week, have it done, bill presented to me £8.98 for the lense and, wait for it........£51.32 labour. This is the rate that includes 30% discount because I'm special. Must have taken all of 20 minutes. I was in a hurry and despite protestations they were adamant that that was the bill.
I would never have gone near them had they told me this (am qualified aircraft engineer, never had one crash yet) so know what am doing.
Now begins the tedious task of complaining talking to solicitor etc......
Enough to make me think of a BMW
Any thoughts, similar experiences?
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Bad luck. Moral of the story - get a quote for the labour in advance, or just buy the part and get it fitted by a trusted local mechanic....? Or even yourself.
Maybe best to put it down to experience.
Regards,
Barchettaman
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You were twice given a similar quote - whether verbal or written it is binding. It was the reason why you gave them the job.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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When handing the car in - insist on them adding value of the quote that was given verbally - no argument then when the invoice is made up.
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I'd have thought that for the relatively small ammount involved a Solicitor is the last thing you'd need.
Talk to the manager of the place and explain why you won't be using their services again, unless they sort their costings out.
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>>(am qualified aircraft engineer, never had one crash yet) so know what am doing.>>
I'm a bit puzzled as to why never having had a crash yet has anything to do with a quote for the work...:-)
But the basic fact remains - if you have twice been quoted a price for the work that are both the same then it is binding. In fact that applies to the first quote and the second confirms it.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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I thought it was common knowledge that main dealers charge £30 just to open the bonnet :-)
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I thought it was common knowledge that main dealers charge £30 just to open the bonnet :-)
Do you say that from personal experience or are you just repeating hearsay?
All the franchised dealers I have done business with have been totally honest; often generous above and beyond the call of duty. I've actually had work done free by franchised dealers to rectify problems caused by other companies. I had a wheel balanced free after ATS fitted a new tyre and then said they couldn't balance it because the wheel was buckled ~ which it wasn't. I had the windscreen wiper arms re-positioned free after I had had the windscreen replaced by another company.
It's people like you that give franchised dealers an undeserved bad name. There may be some rogues, but I've never come across one in 50 years.
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L\'escargot.
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My experience with Saab main dealer was that in fact they were cheaper to fix a small fault than my usual local garage.
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Don't BMW foglamp lenses crack then?
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There may be some rogues, but I've never come across one in 50 years. --
You've led a charmed life - after most of my encounters with dealers, I lie awake that night in bed plotting how I can blow their garage up.
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I've yet to go to a franchised dealer who hasn't had a minimum charge (usually equivalent to 30 mins labour) when trying to rectify a fault unless it's covered by the warranty. However, since I've now got a Honda, this is no longer an issue.
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One minor point that could make the difference - did they give you a quote or an estimate? The two are quite different, not sure how it would effect any legal rights.
It sounds to me like you were given an estimate, the garage thought it would only take 30mins to fit, but maybe it actually took an hour? What is involved in fitting a new lense? had to old broken one damagaed something else?
I think the only 'shafting' here is the main dealer rates!
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It's people like you that give franchised dealers an undeserved bad name. There may be some rogues, but I've never come across one in 50 years. -- L'escargot.
You're clearly don't own a BMW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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You're clearly don't own a BMW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nope, never have, and probably never will. Too rich for my taste.
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L\'escargot.
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cdbr,
Why have you let this matter fester in your mind until you're given to using words like "shafted" and are now considering consulting a solicitor? All you need to do (and in fact should have done as soon as posible after you had paid the bill) is to calmy and rationally request a meeting with someone in authority in the Service Department to discuss the price. If you're not happy that the Service Manager is high enough then ask to see the Service Director. Failing that, go right to the top and request a meeting with the Dealer Principal. Be calm and be pleasant ~ and request a meeting, don't demand. i'm sure there'll be a satisfactory conclusion to the matter.
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L\'escargot.
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I have two Honda's and get all my work done at my local dealers who sold me the cars. I have the greatest of respect for them and have often had small jobs done for free including a full diagnostic test . I never have to wait long to have my car booked in and I even have the same mechanic assigned to my car at my request.
I bypass the service desk whenever I have to have work done, speaking only to the service manager in his office.
I am also on first name terms with everyone there.
In my opinion they are doing everything right and more in order to maintain my custom and probably a lot of others.
Mal.
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The Ford dealer I customarily used before I moved house offered a free pre-service consultation on the condition of the car. The car was inspected, under the bonnet and underneath on a hoist, in your presence and you were given an honest opinion of what needed attention. The boiling point of the brake fluid and power steering fluid was checked, as was the concentration of the antifreeze in the coolant. On one occasion I pointed out that the rear silencer was holed, but the Service Advisor said that it was double-skinned and it was only the outer skin was holed and that there was no reason for it to be renewed
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L\'escargot.
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