Help Needed for Argument with Garage

[Mav_UK]

Hey People,

Well I just got the bill from the Garage for last weeks service (on my '96 440 1.8i), and do not want to pay, but I need some help backing my case up.....

Firstly they charged for 4 hours labour for a big service and rear brake pads. I have it on pretty good authority that if you take it quite slow, or if you have MAJOR problems then it's about 3 hours work. Any ideas? BTW The rear brakes on mine are disc's.

Secondly the cheeky little so and so has charged me for a pollen filter. Now as far as I am aware there isn't a pollen filter for a 440. Can one be fitted as an after market thing, or is he totally screwing me over?

Other little things that they did were charge me to fill my washer fluid (it was full when it went in), and over charged me by up to 90% for some items. i.e. Fuel Filter 41 euros, fuel filter form a motor factors (and they are expensive for most things in Holland) 25 euros. Brake pads 50 euro's, motor factors 31 euros, oh and he fitted them without calling me when I specifically said that he was to do *nothing* without consulting with me first.......

Also is there a *special* thing with 440 handbrakes that means that even after they have been adjusted the handle still goes to full travel, or have they not done that either? Spoke to my dad (the mechanic) last night about it and he was saying that if the handle goes all the way up then the chances are it would fail the British MOT, so I can't see Volvo making a car ike that......

Thanks in advance people,

Stu

PS The one thing he didn't go beserk on was spark plugs, 3 quid each, thats less than I normally pay in the UK, So I have no idea what he's fitted to it....

PPS If I get no joy I'll send the info to Bob to try to name and shame, and post a scan of the invoice on my site to back my claim up.....

[Mike Clift]

Stu

Why not post the cost of the service in £'s for an easier comparison to be made.

Pollen Filter - my old 1.8 440 had one as well but should be easy to check if there is one - ask the garage to show you where it is!

Handbrake - I don't remember how far the hanbrake came up. The main question has to be - Does it work?. Could be ok but may need an adjustment, How high did it used to pull up before the service?

Seems you need to ask again why bits were fitted without asking although if they were considered essential for safety may be difficult to argue!

Washer fluid is probably the biggest scam in the Uk. I've been charged for it before when I have told them it's full. Tell them you don't want it and ask them to take it out and remove it from the bill!

Good Luck


Mike

[Mav_UK]

Thanks Mike,

I dodn't bother to convert as I know that parts at least are expensive over here, I just compared to the retail price that I found for them at a place I don't consider 'cheap'. The main thing was the fact they were charging so high (that I will argue with them) and the Pollen filter. I am going to ask them to show me the pollen filter - was it easy to get to on your 440?

The brakes are a sticking point as I was going to replace them myself with my next trip to the UK, but I don't think they should have failed the APK as there was still plenty of braking power... Then handbrake did go all the wau up before the service as well, and yes it does hold the car (although you can still drive with it on - I tested this, not forgot to take it off..), but if you are driving and you pull the handbrake nothing happens. When using it does have a better 'feel' to it than before, it was like nothing was happenning before the service and it's now got resistance, but works exactly the same.....

I like the idea of the telling them to remove the washer stuff and taking it off the bill......

Thanks again (I'll let you know what happens tomorrow at the garage on Monday)

Stu

[Friar Tuck]

If I remember correctly they use a rolling road to test brake efficiency for the APK, pretty much the same as the UK MOT, and isn't there a certain number of notches the handbrake should come up before engaging in order to pass?

As for the cost of parts, I think you'll find that garages always charge substantially more than a motor factor. An example for me recently was an exhaust pipe on a VW. KwikFit wanted £120 fitted, the parts alone from a local motor factor were £35!

There's no excuse for fitting parts and carrying out work that you specifically asked to be informed about beforehand, unless you intimated you wanted the vehicle to pass the APK.

If you think the garage are rogues then get onto the RDW, they do random inspections and the garage can have their cerificate revoked if they don't come up to scratch.

[Mav_UK]

RDW? I am going to contact Bovag as the garage is a member...

I wouldn't mind the prices being more expensive if they included fitting, but this is all excluding fitting....... There is the 4 hours labour on top of all that.

I took the car to Volvo at the weekend, and they were very helpful. They took my car in and checked out each point mentioned on the invoice and gave me a verbal report that yes everything mentioned had actually been renewed and yes my 440 should have a pollen filter (how many were made this way?). But they also said that it would have cost me 130euros less and 1 hour's labour less if they had done the job (Volvo charging less than back street garage - I could have had a Volvo stamp in my service book and saved cash!)

I'm going to call the garage tomorrow with this and see what they say.

Chat later

Stu