Vehicle main dealer rip off- Again.

[Saint-Just]

I think they are too clever for their own good, they rely on look up tables and not actual measurements

Understood, thank you.

[eldrich]

I was more shocked by 1 hours labour for a few turns of a 10 mm spanner.

Hmmm, maybe not a few turns, in a Volvo V40 the change the main battery will take you around an hour and involves removing a number of pipes and things in the way to get at it. To change the stop start battery I was told involves taking the front bumper off.

Modern engine bays are a nightmare to work in nowadays,

[Chris_in_the_UK]

How does the charging system 'hammer' the battery? Doesn't it just present a voltage (14V or so) as a simple alternator would? My battery lasted ~15 years w/o anything so complcated.

https://www.bannerbatterien.com/en-g...stop-batteries

[blackal]

https://www.bannerbatterien.com/en-g...stop-batteries

You obv know where in that page the link or info is - can you quote the text or narrow it down (unless in my skim - I missed it)

ta

[Chris_in_the_UK]

You obv know where in that page the link or info is - can you quote the text or narrow it down (unless in my skim - I missed it)

ta

Link?

Info is on the page.

[Jimmcb]

I know we have had many examples of car main dealer rips offs in the past but here is my latest one, my car, a VW Passat start / stop needed a new battery, prices seemed al over the place but found a decent branded one at a local motor factors at £121 + VAT , 4 year warranty, slightly better spec than the OEM one in the car, took me 5 minutes to fit, just out of curiosity I phoned my local VAG garage to get a quote, there are two battery options sir, a economy one that has a 1 year warrenty £196 + VAT or there is the premium battery that has a 2 year warrenty for £396 + VAT and fitting for either of those is 1 hour labour @ £150 per hour. Quite scandelous in my opinion., I know the coffee and huge glass windows don't pay for themselves at a main dealer but bloody hell thats taking the piss.

You got a bargain Jase at £121 for an AGM (stop/start) battery.

Jim

[blackal]

Link?

Info is on the page.

Okay, I did say 'or info' with the admission that I might have missed it, but okay - if you can't copy/paste the relevant part...................

[Chris_in_the_UK]

Okay, I did say 'or info' with the admission that I might have missed it, but okay - if you can't copy/paste the relevant part...................

Sorry, but if you can't be bothered to read it and do some delving yourself............

[Franky Four Fingers]

Whether we like it or not its here to stay, i can only imagine whats around the corner.
Replace a door latch…nope needs coding.
Done 4 wheel alignment and thats it…nope! if your cars got adaptive cruise you need to reset and calibrate ADAS.
Fitted a new oxygen/exhaust sensor……engine ecu has no know.
Battery monitoring is just the tip of the iceberg

[Dave+63]

Whether we like it or not its here to stay, i can only imagine whats around the corner.
Replace a door latch…nope needs coding.
Done 4 wheel alignment and thats it…nope! if your cars got adaptive cruise you need to reset and calibrate ADAS.
Fitted a new oxygen/exhaust sensor……engine ecu has no know.
Battery monitoring is just the tip of the iceberg

That E280 on SC is looking more tempting by the minute.

[Franky Four Fingers]

That E280 on SC is looking more tempting by the minute.

I saw that yesterday…how can that be under 3k First thing that entered my mind “thats mental cheap”

[JasonM]

You got a bargain Jase at £121 for an AGM (stop/start) battery.

Jim

It was plus VAT but yes, it was a good deal, just shows what a low overhead independent can do.

[noTAGlove]

I saw that yesterday…how can that be under 3k First thing that entered my mind “thats mental cheap”

Because of the potential for big bills, or nothing if you are lucky. It’s a gamble at that age as the £3k spent on it in 18 months testifies.

[Dave+63]

I saw that yesterday…how can that be under 3k First thing that entered my mind “thats mental cheap”

It’s a lot of car for the money and I do miss mine but bought a similar age CLS350 last year so not really in the market at the moment. That said, it’s do much more practical than my old bus.

[Dave+63]

Because of the potential for big bills, or nothing if you are lucky. It’s a gamble at that age as the £3k spent on it in 18 months testifies.

The only costly bits are the rear self levelling suspension components (compressor and air bags) because they can’t be replaced by an independent (or so my guy told me).

Other than that, just about everything else is the same as most other cars. I certainly didn’t consider mine expensive to own over the eight years I had it.

[bubi]

When I get a warning light I just buy a new car

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[reggie747]

The only costly bits are the rear self levelling suspension components (compressor and air bags)

Says it's had the bags done which as you say, is a plus 👍

[SimonH]

That E280 on SC is looking more tempting by the minute.

Feeling quite pleased with myself with my bangernomics 2008 CTR, just passed its MOT today...I was a bit concerned as there is a small blow in the exhaust but the tester managed to get it through the emissions test so good to go for another year, £3k well spent! Practical, a hoot to drive, ULEZ compliant and it's a Honda, what's not to like!

[Jubal]

There is right to repair- it’s been in place since 1998. Vehicles electrical systems are now optimised to give the best charging rate any any given time which means that loads are constantly monitored and charged rates adjusted by that. If you had a situation where a customer could simply click a button and say that a battery had been done when it hadn’t ( people do silly things ) then the dealers would chasing their tales constantly. Dealers however need to charge a decent rate and stick by their own job times. They charge it would seem an hour to do any basic operation now which tbh I don’t generally charge for. If someone rang up today I’d get them to pop in to read the faults FOC and then rebook- dealers want an hour minimum for this which is a piss take


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So, they’re protecting us from ourselves? How kindly of the lovely dealer/manufacturer!

I maintain it’s a nonsense. I can completely screw up my PC, hifi, microwave, TV, phone, whatever. In business you can make catastrophic changes to your IT or production systems if you don’t know what you’re doing. But no one will get you out of the crap for free so you don’t fiddle if you don’t know what you’re doing.

[mikeveal]

Well I think the VW quote for changing the battery was quite good. You should see what Tesla charge!