C180 Kompressor - Sevicing and work done

[vijayvermajpr]

Ok every one.
I been to http://www.monly.co.uk/ for my car for service B and the they found out problem about valve and in invoice they have written:

1. Remove cylinder head, replace all valves - Parts - Labour : £1600 !!!
and rest other things. So every thing costed me £2500!!

this is my first car, i an new driver. i had my first experience with this garage. and don;t know what should i say on these charges.

i have to move forward now. they have given me 1 year warrenty on everything they have done.

after this work, i can see car is driving okie. Only gears some time i think not very smooth.


my purpose of this post is to share expenses. not more than that. i can't suggest as i am completely new in this field.

 

[television]

It is a shame that you did not ask here before that work was done, it does seem very expensive, what do others think

 

[st4]

Hi and welcome.

I think you've been had mate. Sounds awful dear. Did you get a quote from an MB main dealer to see what the same work would cost. If not, do, as that should be the most expensive place to service an MB.

Its a nice 1st car and all, but its not something I hope you revealed when you were getting the car serviced as they may have taken advantage of your younger years.

The removal of the clynder head + new vavles parts + labour was £1600, what was the other £900 on.

 

[Alex M Grieve]

It sounds as though the garage has done far too much here and possibly without authorisation?

If you ask for your car to be serviced, that is all that should be done. If the garage finds that additional work is required, they should contact you for authorisation of the work. If you agree, and the additional work is done then the parts removed should be available to you afterwards.

There certainly used to be a Code of Practice by the Society of Motor Manufacturuers and Traders (SMMT) to which garages were asked to comply, which spelled this out. Otherwise, the garage has a licence to spend your money and can hold your car as a hostage if you don't pay the bill.

I think it is worth having a further discussion with this garage on these points. If you then feel that you have been exploited, and approach to Trading Standards may help.

 

[television]

Very valid points above,, they must by law ask or tell you before they add things,,if the estimate was for £1600, then they must tell you if it is going to cost more or they want to revise the estimate

 

[vijayvermajpr]

thank you very much for valuable points.
yes they did ask me on phone about the issues and need urgent attention etc.

since i didn't have any choice than say ok go ahead.

apart from above work: here is the details:

Valves etc : £1600
Assyst B service : £99
Fuel Filter + Spark Plug change labour : £45
Hydrolic Clutch Fluid : £22.50
Computer Programming: £100

Then parts:
Mobil Oil: qty 6 : £54.48
Oil Filter: £11.60
Air Filter: £15.50
Dust Filter: £18.60
Screen Wash: £3.00
Oil Cap: £5.00
Ignition Coils: Qty 2: £59.00
Fuel Filter: £72.50
Spark Plugs: Qty 4: £31.40
A/C regasing: £60
Wiper Blades: £29.83

Total : £2227.41
VAT: £334.11

Total: £2561.52 ( discount £61.52)

TOTAL: 2500

 

[television]

thank you very much for valuable points.
yes they did ask me on phone about the issues and need urgent attention etc.

since i didn't have any choice than say ok go ahead.

apart from above work: here is the details:

Valves etc : £1600
Assyst B service : £99
Fuel Filter + Spark Plug change labour : £45

They had to take the plugs out to take off the head

Hydrolic Clutch Fluid : £22.50
Computer Programming: £100

There is no programming to do

Then parts:
Mobil Oil: qty 6 : £54.48
Oil Filter: £11.60
Air Filter: £15.50
Dust Filter: £18.60
Screen Wash: £3.00
Oil Cap: £5.00
Ignition Coils: Qty 2: £59.00
If the car was running there was nothing wrong with them,it was not a head fault and not a coil pack fault
Fuel Filter: £72.50
Spark Plugs: Qty 4: £31.40
A/C regasing: £60
Wiper Blades: £29.83

Total : £2227.41
VAT: £334.11

Total: £2561.52 ( discount £61.52)

TOTAL: 2500

They have worded your bill up to the max possible and have double charged in places, rotten of them

 

[vijayvermajpr]

I think there should be a sticky on this forum about this garage. there are so many people suffered by this garage. i saw when i went there to take my car.

i am going to get quotation from MB main dealer for all above items. let see. and will do what ever i can if they have ripped me off.

 

[vijayvermajpr]

Hi all

so what do you think for this work what would have been a reasonable charges?

 

[SQ_W211]

They are Rip off and we have already had a major debate about noone to use them. They do not seem to know what they are doing and also seem to be very argumentative and have no customer service skills. you should take them to small claims court and get them sued. There is no way they could charge you this much without any proper work carried out.

I will post you the link for previous post so you know what people have been through.

once again, very bad luck, but a valuable lesson learnt, they are cheap for a reason and do make up the charges on additional work

 

[SQ_W211]

Read through this post

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=16839

 

[sailorjim]

I've used these people some years ago (I happened to be in the area when B service was due) £99 for the B service but when the rest was added it was nearly £350. "The rest" included, when I scrutinised the bill later, more oil than the vehicle can possibly take, at top price per litre, unnecessary filters, and unnecessary coolant and brake fluid changes. The odd thing about the latter was that the guy pointed out to me in my(?) handbook where it said they were required, but when I got home the handbook didn't way that at all.

Best avoided, I think.

 

[philharve]

MB dealership repair policy

Hi All

I am not in the least surprised by the big bill. The MB dealerships have a tendency - I think it's policy - to replace not just broken parts, but complete subsystems. It happened to me wrt windscreen wiper failure. Thankfully I found an indie who took a different attitude towards repairs and I saved a packet.

I, too, have been charged for work/materials not undertaken/used by MB dealerships.

I suspect you may have unintentionally given the dealership the go-ahead to do the repairs, not just the service. You need to be very specific when dealing with MB service managers. It has proven a very expensive lesson for you.

My commiserations but at least you now have a car that is in tip-top condition. Or at least I would hope so.

If it is not an impolite question, how much did you pay for the car? It seems to have had quite a few things wrong with it.

REGARDS

Phil

 

[vijayvermajpr]

well i paid cash

 

[Alex M Grieve]

You need to be very specific when dealing with MB service managers

And not just with MB service managers. I recall once having a Wolsley 4/44 serviced prior to the onset of winter. I specifically asked him to ensure that the anti-freeze was correct. He gave me a greasy patronising smirk and assured me that would be "part of the service", and wrote down my request.

As I recall, he was unable to reproduce the smirk when a core plug heaved out because of weak anti-freeze. He did however complete the repair free of charge.

So it can work in your favour - drainage channels for rainwater are the things I specify on the W220 these days - and they still give me that patronising sneer, but it does not deter me.

It is nice to win one occasionally, but I heartily sympathise with those who are exploited.

 

[television]

but I heartily sympathise with those who are exploited.

Does that include me Alex

 

[SQ_W211]

Hi All

I am not in the least surprised by the big bill. The MB dealerships have a tendency - I think it's policy - to replace not just broken parts, but complete subsystems. It happened to me wrt windscreen wiper failure. Thankfully I found an indie who took a different attitude towards repairs and I saved a packet.

I, too, have been charged for work/materials not undertaken/used by MB dealerships.

I suspect you may have unintentionally given the dealership the go-ahead to do the repairs, not just the service. You need to be very specific when dealing with MB service managers. It has proven a very expensive lesson for you.

My commiserations but at least you now have a car that is in tip-top condition. Or at least I would hope so.

If it is not an impolite question, how much did you pay for the car? It seems to have had quite a few things wrong with it.

REGARDS

Phil

I dnt think he went to MB, This place is called mercs only in hanwell near ealing and they quote very low prices on servicing etc but have been ripping people off in other departments

 

[hawk20]

Far better off with an MB dealer in my experience. And if anything goes wrong you can always complain to MB.

What age car is it and what mileage?

 

[philharve]

Not a MB dealership

I dnt think he went to MB, This place is called mercs only in hanwell near ealing and they quote very low prices on servicing etc but have been ripping people off in other departments

Hi Amo

Well spotted! I visited their website and both read & listened to their advert which leaves the impression that they are a Mercedes dealership. Even their name, staff qualifications and repair policy reinforces the notion that they might be a dealership. In fact M-Only seems to be a specialist.

REGARDS

Phil

 

[jberks]

Was the car running ok before?
3 possibilities in my opinion.
the first is that it needed doing and maybe you were overcharged - but if so you ok'd the work so its really too late.
The second is that they invented the work and did it but the situation is probably the same as the first.
The 3rd is that they saw you coming, invented the work, charged you for it and din't do much more than change the oil.
Assuming it is no3 (and if they are the crooks they appear to be it's likely - we have a thief/garage near me that stung me when I was a poor gullibe student so I know how you feel.) then I'd be tempted to have a mechanic or possibly even the dealer take a quick look. An engine that's had a head off job, plus col packs etc should be obvious to a mechanic just from looking at it. Things will be cleaner than they should be etc. If there is no evidence that it was touched then trading standards would no doubt be delighted to take them to the cleaners for you. A call to them would be advisable anyway - after all, as Malcolm says, a car with problems like those listed on the invoice should run like a trabant.