what is your most expensive repair?

Nikolaymk · Post by **Nikolaymk** » 05 Nov 2003, 02:01

I was recently quoted about £40.00 for an AIR FILTER change on my 1.8 Xantia. I only asked out of curiosity and was quite shocked by the answer. Which came from a chap in a local garage - not a dealer. I did the "work" myself some time ago - less than a minute and £3.50 for a new filter.

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 05 Nov 2003, 02:48

Quoted well over £900 for a clutch change in my CX.
Did it myself over 2 full workdays - new clutch kit was £170 (from Citroen dealer). It was a full drivepack out/in job.
- that was back in '94 ....

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 05 Nov 2003, 03:11

Iwas quoted A$195 but charged A$385 to supply and fit a new radiator core to a CX but that was in 1984.
At the time, a genuine radiator was A$120 but this was supposedly a "more efficient type" which turned out to be bull**** anyway. Then I was told I couldn't geyt the car back because I querird the bill, so I gave hime a cheque, drove the car to the Bank, cancelled it & told him I'd "see him in court" an offer he didn't take up.
He made several threats and got told to get stuffed several times.....come to think of it; I still haven't paid him to this day...I think that's what they call "Poetic Justice" isn't it??
Alan S[:D][:D]

blueboy2001 · Post by **blueboy2001** » 05 Nov 2003, 06:57

£125 for what basically amounts to an oil change (12,500 mile service) on the old C5 a couple of months back. Apparently they do all manner of other checks, but considering the petrols only need servicing every 20k/2yrs I can't really see them bothering.

wrinklet1 · Post by **wrinklet1** » 05 Nov 2003, 12:26

Don't forget, You need a written 'QUOTE' before having a job done NOT an estimate.A quote is a quote and an estimate can vary, normally upwards....
Paul

gjb02 · Post by **gjb02** » 05 Nov 2003, 12:34

£125 for an oil change on the old Saxo... to keep up the Warranty. The warranty was free, you must pay over the top for what amounts to £15 worth of oil and filter. £90 over the top for the sake of argument. A service every year for 3 years £270. So the Warranty you get free with the car actually costs you £270. And that's if you do average mileage.
And how often does a failure under warranty come under the heading, ' I'm sorry that isn't covered under the warranty! ' or ' I'm sorry it appears you've used non-citroen wheel trims, I'm afraid your warranty is no longer valid! ' [:)]
Service history, bah humbug.. it's not worth the paper the ink stamp adheres to. A sensibly driven car with the same history as a boy racers car will most likely outlive the later. Why, because the boy racer has ragged his big ends to swarf from cold every morning!
A vehicles' condition is inversely proportional to the number of Boy Racer add-ons it has.. and those neon washer jets.....[:(!][V] WHY??
Off my soap box now.
Pay dealer prices if you must, but only if you must!!!!

MW · Post by MW » 05 Nov 2003, 13:55

I was quoted £120 for fixing a problem with the steering wheel radio controls on my Xantia.
I declined the garage's kind offer. The problem went away.

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 05 Nov 2003, 17:01

Dealer service history is worth having not so much for the warranty as for the resale/px value; My wife has new cars (as opposed to my derelict heaps)and I hate paying a fortune for an oil change, but think of £270:00 of servicing over 3 years as an investment;money you will get back on re-sale.
Without the history you would lose a lot more than £270:00 if you sold the motor, thats if anyone would take a 3 yr old car with no history; about the only way you would be able to shift it would be through the auctions; a good place to buy but not to sell!!!!

gjb02 · Post by **gjb02** » 05 Nov 2003, 20:43

I wasn't getting at the fact that a Service history should be ommitted, more that the Service history has to be kept, to maintain a sometimes fickle Warranty. Yes a 2/3 year old car should have a service history, but if the car has only covered 20/30,000 miles what effect would that have to the mechanics of a car? All they do is change the oil, they won't even check the gearbox levels for another 20,000 miles!!
Chances are if the car has had at least one good oil change in its early years it's good to go. I'd buy it!! You can spot an untidy car from a thousand paces, service history or not. The industry has brainwashed people into thinking that a service history will add thousands onto their cars values.
With some cars you just can't polish a turd, if it won't sell, it won't sell! With or without a service history.
As an example...Citroen Saxo Vtr on Elect 3...penalty for not having a complete or missing service history approx £300. Can't remember the exact figure but that's how little the trade cares about a service history. They know...shame they don't tell everyone else.
We live in a rip off society, servicing costs should reflect the job, not the marque of car. An oil change is easy on 90% of cars, Kwit Kwat Tyre emporiums wouldn't do them otherwise. And they only charge £15 - £20 and use Mobil oil! (No I don't work for them!!)
There are jobs that only a dealer or specialist can do, and they should be paid for it, but general servicing costs are too high.
At the end of the day, it's about peace of mind for some, me... the world could end tomorrow, why spend money needlessly.[:D]

NiSk · Post by **NiSk** » 05 Nov 2003, 20:46

Head gasket on my '93 XM TD12. When I just didn't have time to do it myself . . .
12 000 SEK (= roughly £ 1000 at the time) . . . and all due to crummy citroën rubber quality on a very deeply hidden hose . .
//NiSk

oilyspanner · Post by **oilyspanner** » 05 Nov 2003, 23:47

A customer of mine (little old lady) was charged £1000 for hydraulic repairs to her BX (front to rear pipes and some smaller ones) by her local independent, most of them werent even needed, even the RAC bloke went mad at them.
Stewart

Owen101 · Post by **Owen101** » 06 Nov 2003, 23:05

I think I win here...it cost me 220 euros to get a set of Irish reg plates installed after I imported my ZX. That is not import duty, that was the cost including plates & labour and to jack up the car to have a look underneath.
Anyway if any of ye are ever in Ireland do not go near Citroen Gratton motors in Dublin...

Nikolaymk · Post by **Nikolaymk** » 09 Nov 2003, 02:35

why were the plates so expensive? don't you have Halfords or similar in Ireland where you can obtain the plated for something like £12.00?

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 09 Nov 2003, 03:08

Here's a scarey one...
A guy was having problems with his car intermittently overheating. Took it to an independent after posting and asking questions and receiving a few suggestions mainly that it could possibly be electrical due to the intermittent factor. It appeared not to be a major issue, just something that could be cured with a bit of systematic troubleshooting.
Garage had car for several weeks and returned it along with a bill (from what someone else has told me) for about $5000 or UKPounds 2200.
Vehicle had new hoses, thermostat and pump fitted and aeemed to go well for a while and then started repeating the same problems.
The electrics had all checked out so when it cooled down, the owner decided to check the coolant level only to find the radiator cap jammed up on the spring; removed, cleaned, oiled and refitted and hey presto, no more overheating.
Without doubt, the most expensive radiator cap in the world.
Alan S