25 replies to this topic

[mab01uk]

Even if you are hands on practical person but take your car into a BMW or MINI Main Dealer and tell them exactly what the problem is, it seems there policy is still to insist that a 'diagnostic check' has to be carried out first at a cost of £70-£80 and that no work can proceed until this has been carried out. You don't get the diagnostic fee back unless you give the go-ahead for the work to be done.......

[Ethel]

Isn't it life in general? Big business is happy to turn us all in to children, needing them to wipe our ar runny noses for us - for a price.

[Gerbil367]

I dont use my BMW dealership for repairs these days as my car is over 3 yrs old - I was quoted £250 to replace front brake pads and sensor - nipped across the road to my local F1 Auto centre and they did the same job for £86 - I get good rates from them as a regular customer for all the family's tyres etc so they do my diagnostics checks free any time I have popped in.  Still some good service out there - just not at main dealerships!

[Ben_O]

The garage i use for my MOT's are vary flexible and as i use them often, they give me as many free re-tests as i can fit into the 10 days until it's right. Handy for things like brake balance and issues which you can fix at home but not test accurately enough yourself.

 

They always do odd bits like bulbs and wipers free of charge if that's all thats needed.

 

They do still exist, it's just finding them.

 

Ben

[skinnyminny]

Yep I second that they are out there!

My local garage lets me nab their tools on a Friday night as long as I bring them back Monday morning before they open - free of charge. They diagnose things for me for free & let me use the ramps if I need them. They also loan me their muscle for tight nuts and bolts. All I have used them for is an mot every year (which it always passes thanks to the above!).

I do live in a small community and I am the only non-land rover driver but I really feel they go above and beyond. I guess it just makes them smile to see the mini out and about in all weathers when the landy owners are quivering in their boots about a bit of snow or flooding!

[The Matt]

It's one of the reasons I'm so grateful of my years in the motor trade.  There's no job on a car I won't take on myself now (I'm not very good at some of them, but I still take them on).

 

But when you look at the prices of second hand modern cars now, they're SO cheap and there are so many bargains out there if you're willing to put a few small things right. 

[Youngowner93]

My fiesta is in the dealers on Thursday because of a knock from the steering column, common issue apparently. I'm dreading to see what they will charge me to fix it I'm a bit annoyed it they haven't been recalled because of it.  

[Allrounder]

Be thank full we can all still get the parts we need to repair our classic's. Came across a 5 year old Ford C-Max which had run short of engine oil and destroyed a big end bearing making a lovely knocking noise, not leaving a mark on the crank. But as been the norm from ford you can't get the parts separate, just the whole top or bottom to the tune of thousands.  

 

When you think about it makes sense for the dealers to do this as at their labour rate to pull a engine apart and inspect in would be close to the same figure.

[mini93]

I'd love a new car, Lease hire (i think its called) does make things more acceptable, for the term of the agreement, its owned by the lease hirererer, then you have the choice to buy it outright after the term, of course if it goes south in the time its on hire, you can fling it back to them...

 

I think thats how it works...

 

We have a ford scheme at work, so a lot of folk are driving around in 14 plate fiestas, focus' etc

[Ben_O]

I'd love a new car, Lease hire (i think its called) does make things more acceptable, for the term of the agreement, its owned by the lease hirererer, then you have the choice to buy it outright after the term, of course if it goes south in the time its on hire, you can fling it back to them...

 

I think thats how it works...

 

We have a ford scheme at work, so a lot of folk are driving around in 14 plate fiestas, focus' etc

That's all good and well if you have the money.

 

A basic lease car, say a Vauxhall Corsa costs in the region of £130 PM so that's £1560 per year. Yes you have no worries about the car but that seems like alot of money to me.

 

Especially when you consider the fact the a few years ago, i bought a Peugeot 306 in lovely condition for £500 and i ran it for 3 years and in that time all i spent on it was the annual MOT test fee of £39, a backbox, a set of rear shoes and cylinders and just before i stopped using it, the brand new tyres that were fitted to the Alloys when i bought it were very low so i bought a set of Peugeot 206 steel wheels with nearly new tyres and peugeot wheel trims for £50

 

So that's 3 years motoring for around £700-£750 obviously not including Tax because you would be paying that on the lease car anyway.

 

After some of the stories i hear about new cars going to dealers for repairs and coming away un-repaired and the grief alot of new cars cause with problems, I would choose an older car any day just for she simplicity and i have only had one older car that messed me about but on the other hand i've had alot of older cars so not bad!

 

Ben

[Black.Ghost]

I looked at lease hire, just out of interest rather than any real desire to do it, and I have to agree with Ben - it's a lot of money to not even own the car! My Focus cost me £350, and that was the car, a few small repairs and an MOT! Its a perfectly good runaround car, and a tiny tiny fraction of the cost of a new one. 

 

Like Matt has said above, there are so many bargains to be had. 

 

I think even if I was on mega money, there are enough decent slightly older cars around I wouldn't need a brand new one. The only other way would be if I was given a company car I think.