Dealer pricing - XC60 rear brake pads

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Kev0607

The dealer will rip you off. They are charging anything from £130-£160 a hour nowadays, whereas an indy would be anything from £60-£80 per hour for the same thing.

My dad had rear pads replaced at an indy for £60 labour plus the parts. It worked out £90 the time (£60 labour, £30 for the pads). This was about 5 years ago… genuine pads too, not aftermarket. Prices will have changed since then.

We didn’t have the time to do them ourselves. Either way, an indy will be cheaper.

They are not, for once in a lifetime ! That is now going into the Technicians well deserved pocket, there is a world wide shortage as none of the school leavers want that kind of job anymore in this current age when they can earn the money by pressing buttons all day..

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by Clan

The Book time is 1.5 hours to change the rear brake pads and discs.

There is no extra "resetting " I assume that is retracting the rear pads which needs the VIDA connecting... That is included in the 1.5 hours from the standard times book.
You can do it yourself by taking the calliper winding motor off and winding back the pistons yourself with a splined tool whilst the calliper is off changing the pads.

The method I prefer is to wind it back using a small battery. I did exactly this on the V60 at the weekend. Volvo pads, did the job myself, took me about 90mins all in and cost me 60 quid for the pads from TMS.

I even crimped myself a little lead with spade connectors to fit into the back of the caliper and then checked and reversed the polarity at the battery connections. I had a small lead acid battery kicking round the garage which I used. This was far easier than when I have done it before and tried probing into the back of the caliper to switch polarity.

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by Clan

They are not, for once in a lifetime ! That is now going into the Technicians well deserved pocket, there is a world wide shortage as none of the school leavers want that kind of job anymore in this current age when they can earn the money by pressing buttons all day..

Dealers have always have been a rip off, they always will be.

I prefer to go to independents or trusted garages, who still have skilled mechanics and don't charge half as much.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Kev0607

Dealers have always have been a rip off, they always will be.

I prefer to go to independents or trusted garages, who still have skilled mechanics and don't charge half as much.

I have found for the last 7 years or so The independents are charging as close to the dealer as they dare, everyone is suffering the price rises of course especially now.

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by Clan

I have found for the last 7 years or so The independents are charging as close to the dealer as they dare, everyone is suffering the price rises of course especially now.

They aren't charging anywhere near the dealer where I am, but I guess prices can vary depending on location.

Indi's here charge around £60 per hour give or take. The dealer is double that, or even more now. Lookers were charging £130 an hour, and that wasn't long ago.

[Alben]

Can anyone recommend a good indie or body shop in the Coventry or Warwickshire area who could replace a headlamp on a V90? Already have the light unit so just labour.

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by Alben

Can anyone recommend a good indie or body shop in the Coventry or Warwickshire area who could replace a headlamp on a V90? Already have the light unit so just labour.

I have never done the job on a V90 but surely swapping out a headlight is one of those massively simple jobs? Would take longer driving to the garage than just doing it? Unless it is a bumper off job? On the V60 you don't even need a spanner, you just pull out 2 spikes and the unit comes out.

[Alben]

Bumper off job plus may need re alignment as they are tracking main beams and full led. Much more complex than the old V70 which had the slide in clips which made changing bulbs a 5 min job.
But that's progress....

[Tony Gathercole]

Originally Posted by Alben

Much more complex than the old V70 which had the slide in clips which made changing bulbs a 5 min job.
But that's progress....

... but lots of 5 minutes as my old V70 had a habit of blowing headlamp bulbs after almost every long-ish drive.

[MCV60]

Originally Posted by Clan

I have found for the last 7 years or so The independents are charging as close to the dealer as they dare, everyone is suffering the price rises of course especially now.

Only last week I paid £140. For rear pads fitting Inc. 1hour Labour.
In advance of going to Volvo for service.