I just passed my test a few weeks ago and got my first ever car, a Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 (M reg, 95).
Thing is, after five-six weeks of fab service, the starter motor is knackered (according to the guy from the RAC).
I need to have it fixed obviously, and the RAC guy thought it would cost around #100.
The question is, since I am all new to this, how do I avoid getting ripped off by garages?
I really appreciate any advice you can give me, because, quite frankly, I am completely wet behind the ears on this subject.
Stupid question for car owners, but....
Well the first thing I'd say is ask any of your friends where they take theirs. It's all about word of mouth recommendation in my opinion. It sounds wrong, but a good garage never advertises -- their reputation spreads by its customers, trade and domestic.
Mine is like that and I've never had trouble, he's always been v fair. It's out of the way as well, so many would miss it. I steer clear of the dealer, they're trouble.
Mind you I often just do my *vacant pretty boy* impression and get my wheel changed for free, or whatever -- I don't think I've ever done it myself or had to pay. Although this probably wouldn't work for longer jobs methinks.
I always ask how much he reckons it'll be beforehand too [given that it's a straightforward new starter motor job -- can't you just whack them with a hammer sometimes?] and he usually rings if anything unforeseen comes up. You know roughly what's fair, you can say thanks and go to another one if you're not happy -- things are usually expensive whoever does them though, sadly.
As with most things, just don't look like a clueless victim. And a decent mechanic will want you to come back don't forget.
That's about all I can think of so far. Cars are such a pain.
Mine is like that and I've never had trouble, he's always been v fair. It's out of the way as well, so many would miss it. I steer clear of the dealer, they're trouble.
Mind you I often just do my *vacant pretty boy* impression and get my wheel changed for free, or whatever -- I don't think I've ever done it myself or had to pay. Although this probably wouldn't work for longer jobs methinks.
I always ask how much he reckons it'll be beforehand too [given that it's a straightforward new starter motor job -- can't you just whack them with a hammer sometimes?] and he usually rings if anything unforeseen comes up. You know roughly what's fair, you can say thanks and go to another one if you're not happy -- things are usually expensive whoever does them though, sadly.
As with most things, just don't look like a clueless victim. And a decent mechanic will want you to come back don't forget.
That's about all I can think of so far. Cars are such a pain.
You may also want to save a shed load of money by going to your local scrap merchant. AS you car is fairly old and common there will probably be a few write offs at the scrap dealer that you can salvage parts off, also useful if you have a lil knock and break a light fitting etc... worth a try before shedding lots of £££'s for a new one.
i agree entirely with tvd.
i was in a similar position to jb when i first got my car, but have since happened upon a decent local garage recommended by colleagues at work.
i have no doubt they wouldn't rip me off, seeing as i take it there for services and what-not.
i was in a similar position to jb when i first got my car, but have since happened upon a decent local garage recommended by colleagues at work.
i have no doubt they wouldn't rip me off, seeing as i take it there for services and what-not.
It will probably cost you around £100 if you get a new part, fitted at a more 'commercial' garage like Kwik-Fit or even at the dealership.
As your car is fairly old, you're better off picking up a new starter motor from a scrappy (better to buy it yourself than that let the garage get it for you - they will probably add a markup onto it) and then either see if you can get a friend to fit it (or just do it yourself with the aid of a haynes manual - it's hardly like you're considering rebuilding the engine) or see if you can find a decent back street garage to fit it for you.
Re finding a garage, I can't agree enough that finding a good garage is down to word of mouth. See where your friends go.
As your car is fairly old, you're better off picking up a new starter motor from a scrappy (better to buy it yourself than that let the garage get it for you - they will probably add a markup onto it) and then either see if you can get a friend to fit it (or just do it yourself with the aid of a haynes manual - it's hardly like you're considering rebuilding the engine) or see if you can find a decent back street garage to fit it for you.
Re finding a garage, I can't agree enough that finding a good garage is down to word of mouth. See where your friends go.
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Dr Lobster*
- Posts: 2107
- Joined: Sat 30 Aug, 2003 20.14
£327 quid seems awfully steep for a new starter motor + fitting, even at £60 an hour labour charge! did you get a breakdown of the price?johnnyboy wrote:Thanks for all your suggestions, guys.
Unfortunately, it cost me #327 to get the little bastard back on the road, but I am again mobile!
Surfing around on the net, you can pick a one up for well under £50 and the most expensive one I could find was about £100.
Upload service: http://www.metropol247.co.uk/uploadservice
Indeed, you almost certainly could have got a better deal than that. With the greatest of respect, was spending a third of the value of your car on a start motor really worth it at this stage in it's life when you could easily have a raft of other problems just around the corner?. If it really did need that much spending on it, you might have been better off scrapping it for parts and buying something else.£327 quid seems awfully steep for a new starter motor + fitting, even at £60 an hour labour charge! did you get a breakdown of the price?
It was not just the starter motor, unfortunately.
There was also the electrical control unit that had to be replaced, together with the ignition barrel.
I got quotes from 4 places and that was the cheapest. All 4 of them agreed on the amount of work necessary.
I do feel pigsick about paying that much for work on the car, but what was I to do? One place quoted just under £500!
There was also the electrical control unit that had to be replaced, together with the ignition barrel.
I got quotes from 4 places and that was the cheapest. All 4 of them agreed on the amount of work necessary.
I do feel pigsick about paying that much for work on the car, but what was I to do? One place quoted just under £500!
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MrTomServo
- Posts: 161
- Joined: Mon 11 Aug, 2003 14.15
- Location: California
Alignment Pads - £77did you get a breakdown of the price?
Muffler Bearings - £121
Jupiter Rings - £120
Starter Motor - £3
Ignition Barrel - £1.50
Electrical Control Unit - £4.50
And in the words of every Brooklyn-accented mechanic around the world: "there's your problem."
