[Janeymiddlewife]

Ok - if the price is right OH could travel within 150 miles of Reading to get this done cheaper than main dealer price

3rd service £241.39
Brake Fluid £60.80
Emission Check £TBC

Cambelt change = £417
(3 hours labour!)
(should be replaced every 4 years or 60,000 miles, whichever is the soonest.  Was due in April'08.  Disclaimer to be signed if garage work on engine without this routine service time being addressed - cambelt breaks ==> new engine!)

        


Any suggestions gratefully received
thanks

[Faz]

Wow that seems a lot for the Cambelt. I would have thought that the cambelt and tensioner would only be around £30 which means they're charging around £130/hr for labour!

I am in the wrong profession, I knew it.

Brake fluid seems a bit expensive too, should only be a 15 minute job for two people with the car up on ramps.

I agree though that the cambelt definitely is important, if it goes it is bye bye engine.

[Oscar Too]

Bring it down to my place - I'll do it for half.

Seriously though, the clue is in the words "main dealer" in your OP.  Main dealers are always, always, always stupidly expensive. 

Ask around, check the phone books, find a local independent. 

[Janeymiddlewife]

Bring it down to my place - I'll do it for half.

Seriously though, the clue is in the words "main dealer" in your OP.  Main dealers are always, always, always stupidly expensive. 

Ask around, check the phone books, find a local independent. 

I know, I know........... it's just OH I have to convince - I will be soooo cross if he "hasn't  got around" to phoning the numbers i gave him - he has never been anywhere except a main dealer - even though he knows the Toyota dealer i went to tried to fleece us several times - i was barely on speaking terms with them by the time the lease ran out - they're all crooks IMVHO 

[Oscar Too]

Let him pay for it.

And then do something equally idiotic, like spend a lot of money on something you don't need, cos that's what he's doing.

[Janeymiddlewife]

I feel faint.........
he's booked it into a local garage, our window cleaner, who knows everything worth knowing, and quite a bit you don't want to know  , recommended them
 He's saved £180 on the main dealer price, or maybe more as they will only replace brake fluid if it needs doing, which seems sensible to me

now

What can I spend that £180 on..............

[Oscar Too]

Yay!  Result.

[too many girls]

Don't talk to me about cam belts my Megane is still sitting outside awaiting some money to fix it

[Janeymiddlewife]

Don't talk to me about cam belts my Megane is still sitting outside awaiting some money to fix it

Good luck TMG - as others have said - shop around!

[Larkshall]

VW were always expensive for spares and service in the UK, it cost me £20+ for brake pads for a VW in the 1980's in the UK. The next replacement came when I was in Germany (after failure on a mountain road), cost, £13.

I'm glad that my present car is a Skoda Felicia Estate with a high performance engine (no cambelt).