Help needed re repair bill Audi A4 please?

[Melly31]

Hi folks, I've found some helpful advice on here many times so i thought i'd ask your expert opinions if you don't mind?

I've got an Audi A4 1996 1.8SE, it failed it's MOT last week, but i was quite happy with the results as it was nothing too serious:

Front outer CV boot split,

Front brake pads need replacing,

Advised it has an oil leak-but it's not an essential job & won't stop it passing a future MOT test.

Didn't take my car to my usual mechanic as he's on holiday. Instead took it to a little garage, the bloke seemed really genuine on the phone & in person, i was advised he couldn't give an exact price but to expect a bill in the region of £100-£150 & he'd do the MOT retest in with that price (it was origionally done at my local ambulance station) & he'd also sort out the oil leak.

He's had the car since yesterday, today he rings me to say it's ready & the bill is £309!!!

I've nothing in writing re the quoted price, but i just wanted any advice on how much this work should/could of cost elsewhere, i don't have a clue & my mechanic's not back for another week.

I've priced up the CV boot & brake pads on good old ebay & they amount to £20 (inc P&P), so i'm obviously quite shocked at the total amount.

I believe the oil leak was fixed with a bit of welding.

Any advice you could give would be much appreciated.

Mel.

[docurley]

Can't say if the work done was a fair price but what you should of said is if the work is going to be more than the price quoted then he should ring you to OK the rest.

[Melly31]

Hi, i realise this now, i hadn't really thought that he'd increase the price, especially to double, i thought once you've been given a price-thats the price. I had in my head it'd cost £150 tops, & with a bit of luck £100!

I spoke to him twice while he had the car & he didn't mention any price increase?

[docurley]

I would tackle him on it and ask why it went from the £150 max to over £300 and why he did not ring you regarding the mater.

[T-sport]

Hi Mel sorry to hear youve been treated like this but i feel its the usual senario which i hear many garages try on with the female car owners !!

When it comes to car repairs they try it on and push up the price as they dont expect any women to research parts prices and labour costs involved with the work... A lot of women(no dis-respect to you) would not query the price and just pay it happy to get there car back !!

Go back to the garage and ask for a breakdown of parts and labour involved as to ascertain why the price has jumped so much...

Hope you get the situation resolved at a cheaper price and let us know how you get on ...

[RickT]

Im guessing Mel is short for Melanie, if not,I do sincerely apologise

As T-Sport says.. with no dis-respect to you or any other female or male xar owner. theres garages out there who are willing to rob people of their honest hard earned cash.

Right.,... im not wanting to upset you now..... front brake pads, non OEM, standard pads, trade price are a max of £25.. from about £17.99

CV boot, by its self is about £5 for 2..

Labour costs.... approx 4 hours work MAX -.. to remove the wheels.. replace the pads, install new CV boots... (i say boots.. as he should of done both sides! as he had both wheels off for the pads, and you might as well do both sides to prevent the other spliting)

However.. if he has replace the CV joints.. and boots... these cost approx £60 depending on supplier for a pair.

The fact is, the garage should of contacted you prior to any work which was going to be in excess of 10% of the quote provided..

As you have not quote in wrighting, this makes it a little hard. however its your word against his.

I would suggest you contact the garage and get all the work in writing.. (Find out what was welded?????) NO welding should of been carried out really in the engine and all parts are replacalbe.

Once you have a break down.. i would suggest you haggle on the price.. if hes not reducing the price... pay the money, get your car and get out of there..

Then take it further using the below link.

Have a read of this site..
www.oft.gov.uk

Please let us know how you get on.

Thanks

RickT

[Les 51]

What was the outcome Melly ?

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Sorry for butting in and bumping this thread, but I feel a few "loose ends" need tying up, with a qualified view from a "spanner monkey" .

Originally Posted by RickT

Right.,... im not wanting to upset you now..... front brake pads, non OEM, standard pads, trade price are a max of £25.. from about £17.99

OK, but what if the garage found that the discs also needed replacement. Many a time I have scheduled a front pad change, from the inital visual inspection (without any dismantling), and thought the outer face of the discs looked OK. Upon strip down, I often find the inner face of the disc knackered, need replacement, and so that can bump the price (both parts and labour) by quite a bit.

Originally Posted by RickT

CV boot, by its self is about £5 for 2..

Subjective price for the boots - we don't know who supplied the garage. Secondly, the OP stated the car had failed an MoT because the CV boot had already split. There is an extremely high probability of the joint internals contaminated with road grit and dirt, which again would add to the labour because the joint would need to be fully degreased, examined for wear, if wear was found a new joint fitted, if no wear found the existing joint regreased, and only then, the new boot fitted.

There is a lot of difference in scope of work to do between replaceing a CV joint that is "nearly" split, and one which is already split!

Originally Posted by RickT

Labour costs.... approx 4 hours work MAX -.. to remove the wheels.. replace the pads, install new CV boots... (i say boots.. as he should of done both sides! as he had both wheels off for the pads, and you might as well do both sides to prevent the other spliting)

That could at least half as much again, for discs and joints!

Originally Posted by RickT

However.. if he has replace the CV joints.. and boots... these cost approx £60 depending on supplier for a pair.

Exactly!

Originally Posted by RickT

The fact is, the garage should of contacted you prior to any work which was going to be in excess of 10% of the quote provided..

But the OP never indicated to us exactly his/her instrucutions to the garage. The garage may have stated something like "your CV joints may need a good clean as well", and "you want me to do your front brakes" - and the OP may have given the nod.

Originally Posted by RickT

As you have not quote in wrighting, this makes it a little hard. however its your word against his.

It's extremely rare to get a written quotation to replace the front barakes, or any other "routine" works. Maybe consider a written quote for major overhall, say of the engine or gearbox!

Originally Posted by RickT

I would suggest you contact the garage and get all the work in writing..

Good, wise advice, and really they should have offered a full itemised invoice anyway, unless there was a prior agreement for "cash - no invoice "

Originally Posted by RickT

(Find out what was welded?????) NO welding should of been carried out really in the engine and all parts are replacalbe.

Could have been pin-hole corrosion in a cam-cover, or sump - perfectly reasonable to "fill" by welding.

Originally Posted by RickT

Once you have a break down.. i would suggest you haggle on the price.. if hes not reducing the price... pay the money, get your car and get out of there..

I think we might be taking too much of a one sided view!

Originally Posted by RickT

Then take it further using the below link.

Have a read of this site..
www.oft.gov.uk
RickT

Good advice, but there may actually be no "guilty party"!

[Melly31]

Let me start by giving you that detailed break-down of work this guy did....

Engine:
3.5 HRS Semi-Synth = £16
Oil filter = £9
Oil leak (locate fault, labour & switch) = £30
Total = £55

No plate light
2 Wiper blades (these were replaced only the week before Xmas!)
Front bumper loose
Total = £20

Brakes:
Replace front brake pads = £29
Rear brake pads = £25
Labour = £60
N/s CV Boot = £19
Labour (drill out bolt) = £60
Total = £234 (Actually the total is £233-but the guy can't add up!)

MOT = £40 (this bill does not include £35 for 1st MOT)

Total bill = £309!!!

Now i really need your help guys.............as soon as i got my car back i had to go on a short motorway journey (20 mins total time driving-about 10 on motorway) & my brake fluid light came on as did my ABS light?
I brought the car straight home-about half way into my journey (so still total driving time 20mins) & the next morning i rang the guy-its normal he says, put a little brake fluid in it-its because of the new pads, this i did.
I then find that my car is shuddering a lot when i brake (just street driving-no more than 30mph-10mph on turns?), i ring the guy again-its just the brake pads bedding in he says!
Next my oil light is coming on-though he's supposed to have done a full oil change, i ring him again, he dropped by my house on his way home & fills my car with oil!

Please bare in mind i've barely driven my car since this guy had it, i've been a little wary & i've had a lift to work.

Last week i drove a short distance, again my oil light came on, i ring the guy-he's on holiday (WITH MY BLOODY MONEY!), but also my car is making a lot of noise-sounds just like a bomber taxi, so rang my dad who told me to put STP oil in it-this i did & car seems fine.

Today i'm on another motorway journey, been on the motorway 5mins when car starts making a lot of noise again, black smoke starts pouring out of exhaust & oil light comes back on, i took next turning off & rang my dad-who's a member of the AA, he came to my rescue & rang the AA.
They come out, tell me my car has been over filed with oil & its totally knackered!
Its either the pistons or the engine-he'd bet his money on it being the engine-approx £1500 for a new engine-car worth £2000 tops-best advice he can give is do a complete oil change, fill it with STP & trade it in asap (while its not making so much noise)!

HELLO?!?!?

IS IT ME? I ONLY TOOK IT TO GARAGE FOR A FEW MINOR JOBS & NOW I'M CAR LESS?

Yes i know it wasn't a brand new car, but i LOVE that car, it mite only be an N reg, but its black with blacked out windows, lexus front & rear lights & i've got a private reg N558 MEL. I take good care of it, it's washed & polished very often, spotless inside etc etc. It looks good, people always comment on how nice a car it is.

So is that it, i just give my baby away to some dodgy dealer? I can't afford to get a car on the never-never, i paid cash for this 1 2yrs ago using my inheritance-I DON'T WANT A NEW CAR!

Surely this guy is somehow to blame for this?

SOMEBODY HAS GOT TO PAY?!?!? I FEEL LIKE I'VE LOST A CHILD

Please please please help me

Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you.

[Melly31]

& just to add........

THIS IS MURDER-SOMEONE HAS MURDERED MY BABY BOY!

THIS SHOULD BE TREATED AS A MURDER INVESTIGATION!

OK so i might be getting a tad carried away, BUT PLEASE TAKE A MINUTE TO THINK HOW YOU WOULD FEEL IF THIS WAS YOUR CAR.

(Now i'll shut up whinning before you ban me from this site for being a wee bit mental-which right now i am-not to mention HEART BROKEN!)

Once again thanks guys for all your help so far, its much appreciated.

Mel.