Unreasonable Garage Invoice

[Smithy]

Wondered peoples thoughts on my recent arguments with my local garage.

Basically, the garage owner has bumped up my invoice due to the fact I supplied my own brake parts, as I got them trade price from elsewhere. Service labour was up 35% from the year before when I had my 40k service, his explanation was "following the market" and the fact they haven't made a profit on the parts I supplied myself. UNREASONABLE?


In my eyes, labour means labour, not covering for items you could have made a profit on.

I also helped push my car through the workshop quicker, running about getting parts from the dealership which GSF didn't supply (sleeve on clutch cable) and was without my car for 3 days. This is because I took it upon myself to order a clutch cable through the dealership in the hope this sleeve part was included, in the end it wasn't but also bought and fetched the sleeve, and again, because I supplied my own part, more bumping!


I understand garages have got to pay their bills, but surely other garages don't take this b@stard approach?

Oh, and to top it off, my car failed on MOT due to rear bearing movement, both of which were new and replaced during my service, so had to run the car back to them, adjust, go back to MOT centre ...grr

 

[FR-RUSH]

does seem harsh, but do you know for a fact that they havent just increased their hourly charges?

what you could do is just call them or get a mate to and ask what their hourly rate is. if they have raised it, yeah that seems harsh, well erm not harsh but unfair.

 

[edc]

I have previously just got a fixed price for fitting to avoid any confusion, bit late now though.

 

[Smithy]

My mum and dad have taken their cars to him for years, checked their invoices too, charge varies by about a tenner on service. Everything else is broken down labour wise, ie brake fitting, clutch cable and full service. Had a long conversation about it with the owner, because if labour for a full service goes up by the same amount next year, I'll be paying £100 in labour for the service part!

I supplied my own brakes, clutch cable labour was £30, 50k service still £285? Would have been cheaper taking it to the Stealership if they'd supplied my brakes front and rear aswell.

 

[Smithy]

I have previously just got a fixed price for fitting to avoid any confusion, bit late now though.

Will be the case in future

 

[edc]

Will be the case in future

It is normally straightfoard. They have a book/database for work tasks on each car and base their prices on these. Eg when I had my cambelt done a few years back it was listed at 2 hours labour IIRC but work completed in less time so I was billed less than quoted.