That's why they charge corkage.

But you still need a piss and roof under which to drink.


BTW Timbo, how much tax do your friends pay for their after hours endeavour?

One million percent.

What are you, the tax police? Suppose you're still trying to get that larger house from the council, eh Andy?


^

Suppose that is a true point.
Although my point still stands. Plus I remember getting my car serviced at Millers, and buying the oil myself from a main dealer (£15 cheaper from the dealer) or online or through a company such as TPS or EuroCarParts or even Opie Oils - Up to HALF ... So £20 saved right there!!

Double post please ignore.

If Andy Capp needs a larger council property then he would have to demonstrate a need for more space?

Not exactly a good advert as to why we should accept any figures from you.

You bought oil from a main dealer & it was cheaper?

I can believe a garage letting one of their own mechanics do the odd PJ when things are quite, but no garage is going to to let a customer supply their own parts & consumables & then charge just the labour. The warranty issues alone make it a total non-starter.

Dealers/garages (most of them anyway) will fit customer supplied oil/parts for a labour charge. I've been down that route a few times in the past.

Anyway, back to the point of this thread.

Never did get a response from the garages I mentioned, so sod 'em. One independant garage did quote me but wanted the same money the main dealer was going to charge me, so I've booked the car in at the dealers.

It's a major service including diesel filter and brake fluid, coolant and a few other jobs, so probably a good thing to get the main dealer stamp in the service book on this one.

Still surprised that so many local garages couldn't even be bothered to call me back though. I won't be calling them back either.

Just making a point, and I don't believe barely a word you have said.


So where did you get the oil for this service?

It looks to me like black market labour and questionable service history.

PS: As for the council house remark, you just proved that you can be a big an @rse as any one on here you complain of.

Independants might use customer supplied parts and just charge for labour and on their invoice ensure that there will be no warranty given. I know of someone who had a gearbox blow up and supplied a used ebay box which his garage fitted, labour and oils but without warranty. Timbo though is just milking a friendly garage but I wonder if he contributes anything to the garage for the heating and lighting and probably consumables as well. In the event there is an accident in the workshop that these 'friends' are using, who pays the insurance claim that I'm sure Timbo would make.
Like the pub, they have to pay staff, heating, business rates, et al and it would not be acceptable to take table space in a pub and bring in their own drinks, plus if they get drunk and cause a problem, it's the licensee who gets it in the neck.

Yes, surprisingly some things are cheaper from a main dealer... Unfortunately cars are one of my interests (I assume not yours) so you wouldn't know this. - Almost every garage will let you supply your own parts but do often provide the provisio that if the part is wrong, or faulty then they are not responsible. Which is fair enough. After all they still make money from the labour..

Not everything is cheaper from a dealer, but, often things like service parts and bulbs are. EG halfords wanted several quid for a brake light bulb for my car. The franchised dealer had one for under £2 and fitted it free, on the spot. Not that I couldn't fit it myself but if it's free then why not
As for things like suspension bushes, and other parts, you can normally get things cheaper from motorist discount centres but I have heard many reports from owners on various owners clubs about the cost-effectiveness of these parts - which often are far lower quality, things like electronic sensors, MAFs (basically air flow meters), suspension components such as bushes and top mounts, driveshafts etc... Sometimes it's better value to pay more, once, than less, 2 or 3 times!



In this particular case I got the oil for my service from Motor Parts Direct, they give me a pretty good discount. It wasn't so much the price but they had it in stock and I needed it that day.

Andy if you don't believe me, will happily meet up with you, whenever suits you best, with my car and service book, and the vast wad of paperwork for servicing, parts and reciepts. You can then judge the mechanical condition for yourself. I am not planning on selling my car (as I'd only get about £4500 for it and when the next car I want is a high performance petrol I might as well keep my car until it dies, for the longer journeys or for carrying things) but if I did sell it, and the person had an "issue" with the "service history" then they can jog on. As I know it's been well looked after by qualified professionals, it's done over 130k and has had no mechanical issues. Infact a work colleague has the same model of car, just it's a 2007/2008 model and has done about 48,000. My engine sounds EXACTLY the same as his And his has a full service history from a main dealer

I also have photographs of my car having all of the private work done (in detail for my own future reference) so there is plenty proof of legitamate, quality work done.
As for being an ****, well - Seems that being an **** is a pre-requisite to posting these days so I'm simply fitting into the demographic.....




You lot are awful, seriously. So cynical. The downfall of society, sometimes... Assumptive, basically - And someone who I actually respect quite a lot would tell me, "if one assumes, one often makes an *** of ones-self."

If there was an accident at the workshop why the fudge would I claim compensation? (is that what you're trying to insinuate Exhausted?) - Because I genuinely have no idea. Plus it's not in my nature. If I was say, shunted on the road and broke my foot as a result, yes I would claim. But only for that and nothing else. I am not one of those "ohh, let's try and claim money left, right and centre...
And not only that, if I was to try to claim, which I wouldn't, I would not get anywhere because I am an unqualified mechanic in a private area, if anything I would be liable.

Also the garage, Millers, and not my mate, have had the following done (off the top of my head). I do have invoices for these somewhere in my vast wad of paperwork, so I can photograph and upload these if you want.....

Fitting of high performance springs, brakes, and replacing/bleeding brake fluid - Came to about £185 (all parts supplied myself!!!!)
diagnosing and fixing a fuel temperature sensor issue - £45 (inc part)
Issue with ABS wire, corrosion in wiring loom - £85
A few months later, another issue related to the previous ABS wire issue - £60
Alternator - £450 inc parts and labour.
2 mots - £40 each
One service - £113
Tyres fitted and tracking done - £85 (yup I joke not, even I was like wtf but oh well)
Replacement of a blown boost pipe - £96
Air con recharge (£35 but they didn't recharge my air con just told me that I had a broken switch within the system..bit miffed but oh well fair enough)

Not only that but upon my recommendation (and my recommendation alone, because I sing their praises to my friends/family) they have had about £1500+of work for my Mothers car. So I'd say I have generated them enough business to not be "taking the proverbial" when my friend who works there does some private jobs for me. They do not mind, they laugh and joke with me when I go in there, let me drive my own car into the workshop etc...

Out of interest Timbo what car do you have ?

Not making assumptions is exactly what some of use are doing with you in this instance. Your apparent overreaction to questions adds to that scepticism. I'm sure you have had work done to the price you say, what I am less than certain about is that it is a legitimate way to have your car done, especially when you have a warranty to preserve. Like with a lot of things people post, it is not what is told, but what is not told that is in question.


You have 'forgotten' already?

My wild guess would be a VW Golf with orange wheels.

Nope as he said it was a petrol, where as the orange wheels thing was a TDI

Where did he say it was petrol?

These two comments hint at it being a diesel:

"as I'd only get about £4500 for it and when the next car I want is a high performance petrol I might as well keep my car until it dies, for the longer journeys or for carrying things."

"diagnosing and fixing a fuel temperature sensor issue"

Yep missed that bit, diesel then

Yeah I have a diesel. Very lovely for me, comfortable etc but pretty bloody nippy! I do presume many people have TDIs or am I a minority??



I'm really confused.

What do you mean "legitimate"? Not done properly? No, I help out my mechanic buddy and everything is done properly. I do not have a warranty as if you noticed the 130,000+ bit then you'd know I wouldn't have a warranty anyway. Why pay £140 for a service when I can have it done by my mate all in, for half that price but still have as good if not better job than a dealer or through the garage (if my car is in Millers then I always try to get my friend working on it anyway, as Millers know we're friends they try to give him my jobs).
Not only that but I am happier paying my friend (and I'm sure he would appreciate the extra bit of money) than a faceless corporation or a franchised dealer.


There is nothing that is "not" told.. what do you to hear? That things are not done up tightly? or that there are very important safety items which have been poorly maintained? Such as brakes or something??? Things are not done "on the bodge" on my car. The most bodged thing was when I had a seriously seized brake calliper (I have since replaced the calliper and also fitted new pads as well) but I had to go up to Manchester. I noticed there was no friction material left (due to the fact it was seized almost solid thus wearing the pad away in a matter of months... and since we tried (and failed due to being unable to wind the caliper back) to change the brake pads, we clamped off that brake hose with a jubilee clip and some mole-grips.
This was temporary to free off that brake so I could drive without possibly causing my brakes to fail by wearing through the pad and having the piston press onto the disc. This was on a Friday, a new caliper was ordered on that same Friday on my mobile when the old caliper was discovered to be trashed and was fitted the following week.

As long as Timbo's car is roadworthy, safe, taxed and insured, where, how or at what time of the day he gets it repaired or serviced is not that hugely important.

Quite agree - similarly his garage's commercial arrangements are wholly up to them. Nothing new in that - way back, when I rode motorbikes more seriously I would only trust it to the care of one particular mechanic; again a personal friend. I also secured and provided most of the parts and at times helped fit them. After all - my life at risk. The owner was quite happy and only time he became upset was when I gave up!