am i getting ripped off........

[stevo48]

Took my car to local garage today (non volvo) where they fitted a new fuel filter for me (filter supplied by me), charge £10 (happy).
I ask them to check the car over for any obvious issues, nearside drop link fubared and inner nearside cv boot in need of replacement.
They had the droplink in stock so I ask them to fit it. 20 minutes later all done (cv boot to be done at a later date). The cost of fitting the droplink was £45!!!
I asked if they were having a laugh, to which they said no, they were being quite serious," droplinks cost £20 each" he says.
I replied with i could get a pair of droplinks for less than that and basicly told them I will be taking my business elsewhere in future!!!
do you guys think they were charging too much? opinions please.

Parts for Volvo's online
Droplink (front) £10.70 inc VAT
Braydons
droplink price, £9.86 excluding VAT, both still cheaper than the local rip off garage!!

edit: The odd thing was that he only quoted me £55 for doing the inner cv boot which is quite a big job?????

[940Graeme]

I'd say about right tbh. My local charged me £20 to fit a new lower suspension joint for the MOT - similar sort of job. So not far of the mark IMHO.

Question is, do you have the time/tools/space/knowledge to DIY? If yes, then great - save 40 quid, if not well.........a main dealer would probably be nearer £100 for the same work! You pays your money and takes your choice!

Graeme

[stevo48]

I do have the tools, knowledge and my son's garage but time is limited so that's why I used the local garage,still seems a bit steep to me.

[940Graeme]

That's it thou isn't it? What price your time? It is worth shopping round thou, (of course), I got my exhaust replacement (whole thing, inc Cat), down from £500 to £247 by asking around.....and giving the garages the "previous" quotes.

Graeme

[ruffday]

I dont think its a bad price for the part but you will only know by checking the price of your local motor factors. No garage will be ordering their stock from an online parts specialist.

[tt82]

Is it not common for garages to mark up the price of parts and make a little bit of profit on them?

[V70Driver]

If you look at it from a mathematical point of view, bearing in mind I am not a mechanic, you supplied a part for the garage to fit and the "labour" was £10.
When they fitted the drop link and charged you £45, of which £20 was the price of the part, then the labour must be £25.
Admittedly, I have no idea how long it takes to fit these parts, so can conclude the difference is in the labour and the VAT.
That said when you stated seeing as you have the part in stock and time is short, go ahead and fit it, did you ask what the total charge is to be expected?
I suppose in the realm of things with costs and charges these days, it does not sound "off the mark" as this was an impromptue request, the car was not booked in to have the work done.
Just my thoughts on the matter.
V70Driver

[RUTV70]

Last time I bought a drop link is was about £18..then you have fitting...so not that bad I would have thought..?
...but I'm guilty of always thinking I'm being ripped off.!!...which is why I stick to the same guys that have looked after my cars for some years..I trust them.!

My Mrs has just had her thermostat changed in her Renault Megane C/C. (at our local Ford dealer)..I bought the thermsostat...but they charged TEN quid for topping up the coolant.!!! (on top of labour of course).
She had it done whilst the car was in for it's MOT (charged her over 50 quid for that)...which it passed without advisories thankfully..!
I think the total bill was just under £100..MOT/Thermostat (part supplied).

Neil

[Clan]

Took my car to local garage today (non volvo) where they fitted a new fuel filter for me (filter supplied by me), charge £10 (happy).
I ask them to check the car over for any obvious issues, nearside drop link fubared and inner nearside cv boot in need of replacement.
They had the droplink in stock so I ask them to fit it. 20 minutes later all done (cv boot to be done at a later date). The cost of fitting the droplink was £45!!!
I asked if they were having a laugh, to which they said no, they were being quite serious," droplinks cost £20 each" he says.
I replied with i could get a pair of droplinks for less than that and basicly told them I will be taking my business elsewhere in future!!!
do you guys think they were charging too much? opinions please.

Parts for Volvo's online
Droplink (front) £10.70 inc VAT
Braydons
droplink price, £9.86 excluding VAT, both still cheaper than the local rip off garage!!

edit: The odd thing was that he only quoted me £55 for doing the inner cv boot which is quite a big job?????

Its a bargain considering a volvo part is about £50 ( which will last another 10 years ) and 18 minutes to fit it ... what did you expect to pay? £10 labour for a 20 min job? things have moved on unfortunatly . Expect to have the same job done again in a year or so , you get what you pay for ...

[andy_d]

sorry stevo but to me £25 fitting seems ok to reasonable on the drop links, £40/£50 per hour and a 20ish min job , not that much of a rip.
£20 for a "3rd party" single drop link, hum theres cheaper out there, but perhaps the garage dont use cheapest of the cheap parts?.

i have to agree with clan on the "3rd party parts not lasting as long as volvo ones", and with my wallet on "volvo ones do last well,,but the £££". but it has to be noted im a "gen parts" prefering type person. (well for things not steel brake lines or rubber brake hoses, or pirelli tyres,,that is)

[deathrider311271]

The odd thing was that he only quoted me £55 for doing the inner cv boot which is quite a big job?????

Dont get caught in the same trap i have been for the last 2 weeks with this job, they couldnt get the wheel bearing off and this has resulted in a new drive shaft as well so a £55 job has turned into a £250+ job + £50 a day in taxis. Oh ye no one had a new drive shaft even Volvo quoted 7 working days to get one for £350+vat. Now i managed to get a good second hand one eventually, even tho the courier has let us down, supposed to be here last Thursday, paid for next day and am delivery, still not here so more taxi expense, this job will have cost me in excess of £500 by the time its done. Not happy at all

[440-Turbo]

Drop links are £108.10 for the pair from Volvo, then labour on top to fit.

CV Boot is £10 for a universal stretch boot and about 45 minutes to fit.