Servicing my car after a $1500 service!!

[81yne]

Well after getting a $1500 service a couple of weeks ago i thought i would check all the fluids in the ute. To my suprize i found this!!
[IMG][/IMG]
The little plastic tub is my clutch fluid tank and the bottle cap has fresh fluid in.. Not wat i was expecting.

[EB#]

$1500 service eh....
Do you have a list of what they did for that price ?

[81yne]

I do have a list but im not at home at the moment. I know though that the service did include 4 tyres, engine oil change, coolant flush and change, replace thermostat, wheel balance and alignment...

[AdamL]

Ok, so it wasn't a $1500 service. Your total bill was just $1500.

[Kable72]

The 4 tyres would have thrown it way up there.

[81yne]

Yeah should of taking the price of the tyres out. But when talking to the mechanic who worked on my car and listening to the apparent detail and care he took on my car i think the condition of the clutch fluid should have been mentioned if not changed

[FPV GTHO]

They would probably look at clutch fluid with other fluids like power steering and brakes.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Are you following the log book schedule at all or just doing stuff as you remember?

What exactly did you tell the service centre when dropping off?

Did you price match / shop around for tyres?

Curious to see a break down of what you were charged if possible.

[81yne]

The car was orignally put in for a genral log book service. But as buying the car second hand was unsure of its servicr history. During the service the mechanic called saying the car needs 4 tyres (which was expected) at i think around $130 a tyre. The power steering and brake fluid were replaced and coolant changed with a flush that i requested. Im not really concerned about the price it was just the fact going through everything he did and missed what i think is a big problem.

[2011G6E]

Many moons ago a service manager I know personally told me to have a careful read of what is checked in a "log book service", and more importantly check yourself things that aren't mentioned, as some mechanics shops, even big dealerships, don't bother looking at anything near what is listed in the book.

In my mates words: "If something right next door to what the logbook said to check was on fire, they wouldn't even look at it if it isn't in the book to be checked at that service..."

[BENT_8]

Wow, $1500 for that.

So roughly...

$520 for tyres inc. balance
$70 for alignment
$40 for oil
$10 for filter
$40 for coolant
$15 thermostat
And you can bet your left one they would have only sucked the old fluids from the actual reseviors and not flushed and bled the lines.

Sounds way to high to me, i'd love to see the itemised prices they invoiced you for.

[xisled]

The price sounds fine to me.

But I have worked at a dealership and what most mechanics do, is exactly what the customer has requested.

My question is, did you actually ask for this to be checked and if needed replaced?

[xtremerus]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

Wow, $1500 for that.

So roughly...

$520 for tyres inc. balance
$70 for alignment
$40 for oil
$10 for filter
$40 for coolant
$15 thermostat
And you can bet your left one they would have only sucked the old fluids from the actual reseviors and not flushed and bled the lines.
Sounds way to high to me, i'd love to see the itemised prices they invoiced you for.

Why do you say that. Is that what you would do?

[81yne]

Yeah the price im not really concerned about. And i didnt ask for the clutch fluid to be replaced. During the service the mechanic rang me to tell me about the tyres and also told me some other small things and asked if i wanted them replaced (thermostat, and an idler pulley ) which this was fine. This is why i thought it was strange he missed how bad the clutch fluid was.

[Fiesta_Man69]

$1500? Somebody saw you coming....

[Sic6XD]

I work at a major workshop in bendigo, And that price seems about right, What doesn't is the fact the care level is low, I personally like to check everything, right it down and call the customer if it seems off, Not just cover it up and hope they don't notice some mechanics need to treat car's like there own.

[81yne]

Originally Posted by Sic6XD

I work at a major workshop in bendigo, And that price seems about right, What doesn't is the fact the care level is low, I personally like to check everything, right it down and call the customer if it seems off, Not just cover it up and hope they don't notice some mechanics need to treat car's like there own.

Thanks mate thats exactly what i think.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by xtremerus

Why do you say that. Is that what you would do?

Yes, that is what i do, only i do it every time i service my cars, so instead of a full P/S flush once every 2 years i keep it refreshed every 3 months by changing whats in the resevior.
Doing this means the oil stays of good quality.

When you get a trans service they only ever change what is in the pan, whereas a full flush would set you back an extra $50-$60 to fully flush it.
The only time i get a full trans flush is on a newly aquired vehicle if the old oil is burnt.

OP, keep an eye on the brake resevior, if they only emptied the master cylinder resevior old brake fluid will begin to leech back into the clean fluid within a week.

I am only making this accusation based on the presentation of the clutch resevior, it doesnt take too long to wipe it out before new oil is added.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

Wow, $1500 for that.

So roughly...

$520 for tyres inc. balance
$70 for alignment
$40 for oil
$10 for filter
$40 for coolant
$15 thermostat
And you can bet your left one they would have only sucked the old fluids from the actual reseviors and not flushed and bled the lines.

Sounds way to high to me, i'd love to see the itemised prices they invoiced you for.

So labour was gratis then?

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

So labour was gratis then?

Did you add up what i estimated, a long way short of $1500...

Even with a tensioner pulley @$25, which i've replaced 6 of over the last 3 months on numerous i6's it is still way to high, but as the OP said, he's happy with the price, the dirty resevior is whats upsetting him.

I am doing an altenator on an AU2 tomorrow, the owner was quoted $420 fitted, i priced a new one at $225 and it takes 1/2 hour to fit give or take 10 minutes.
Would you pay $180 for half hours labor?

The same guy paid $700 for a new radiator fitted a month ago, i've done two in the last 6 months for $140 per radiator with 24mth warranty and tectaloy 100 @$40 using demineralised water.

To qualify my angle, i spent half my life working in dealerships and have seen many vehicles dropped off and picked up without even the bonnet opened.
I've even seen a major service on a 100 series Landcruiser done in half an hour, this service requires all hubs repacked...

[Yellow_Festiva]

Double post

[Windsor220]

Sounds like normal dealer pricing. Just remember they charge about $150 an hour.

[BENT_8]

Just to clarify, was this done at a dealership, or was it a logbook service carried out by an independant?

[81yne]

I got it done at ultra tune.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by 81yne

I got it done at ultra tune.

Thankyou, enough said.

[rushing on acid]

One rule i have when it comes to anything replaceable is cheap doesn't mean better.

To the OP, what you paid is pretty fair for the service. Its a shame they missed the clutch fluid. Best thing you can do is notify them of their mistake, do it in a nice way they MIGHT resolve the issue free of charge as a sign of good will.

[galaxy xr8]

Originally Posted by Sic6XD

I work at a major workshop in bendigo, And that price seems about right, What doesn't is the fact the care level is low, I personally like to check everything, right it down and call the customer if it seems off, Not just cover it up and hope they don't notice some mechanics need to treat car's like there own.

Which workshop would this be may I ask ?.

[Fiesta_Man69]

I'll rephrase: ultratune saw you coming...

To be avoided at all costs...

[81yne]

Rockhampton (southside). I will get back in contact with the mechanic and let him know wat i found. Im not after a refund or anything as i have fixed the problem myself but the point of my story was how he didnt pay much attention and pretty careless on his behalf.

[mik]

i would`nt be a critic until i knew precisely what they did on the service, because they missed one thing does`nt mean the rest of the job was lack lustre.