Technical Help - Dealer cost to change glow plugs

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Technical Help - Dealer cost to change glow plugs

8eaker

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Jun 4, 2009
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Hi all,
It appears one of my glow plugs has gone on my 59 plate 500.
Its been confirmed by the dealer and have ordered in the parts - i.e. glow plugs.
Firstly it seems odd that glow plugs have to be ordered in by a dealer - surely they would have some,
Secondly the cost - parts and labour :eek:

Has anyone had this done, or what would you expect to pay for all 4 glow plugs to be changed?
It may be the going rate, but a set of glows must be around £25 from a quick google. How much would you expect to pay a dealer to supply and fit.

I will reveal the quote after a few replies ;)

Thanks
 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Glow-Plug-for-Fiat-500-07-/380556379658?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Car+Make%3AFiat|Model%3A500&hash=item589aed860a

Just looked in the Haynes manual, and it shows a 4 spanner rating to change glow plugs, yet reading through it, looks easy enough. I suspect a good independent would do the job easily enough for a good price.

Don't forget, under block exemption rules, any vat registered independent can do the job. Don't pay dealership rates for either the plugs or the labour cost of fitting them. A quick search on ebay will reveal a set of four glow plugs can be had for as little as £25.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GLOW-PLUGS-NGK-ALFA-FIAT-AND-VAUXHALL-1300-MODELS-NGK-Y8003J-/350644468433?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Car+Make%3AFiat|Model%3A500&hash=item51a409fad1

I note further, your car is on a 59 plate? Out of warranty anyway, even more reason not to let the dealer do it!
 
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Yes. in the South East. Do you have a recommendation ;-)
Based on the comments above, does £250 sound excessive?????
Does to me!
Thats what I was quoted.

Have had an oil change @ £70.99 which seems ok for a dealer - spun the line of its special italian oil.
On the phone was told despite the fact the dash says "Check Glow plugs", they said they may have to run a £90 diagonstics as often its not the glow plugs at fault.
I questioned the quote and asked for a breakdown. Was told labour was £135 and the rest parts. So glowies cost £115 based on that.

They did confirm it was the glow plug causing the fault light (suprise!) and therefore diagnostics was not on the breakdown. No mention of Glow plug ECU(?) or controller change which I've seen mentioned elsewhere @ around £90 which would have made sense.

I presume if I went elsewhere, replacing the plugs would extingish the light on start-up? No reset procedure etc? Just to add, despite the extreme cold weather at the moment, it starts on the button. Only thing that seems wrong it the flashing coil and message to check glow plugs.

Either they are on a big stitch-up, haven't told me that some other component with the glowplugs needs changing that is being charged for or just can't add up!

Fortunately, I got an automated customer service call last night and selected 'Disatisfied'. Took over a week to get an appointment, then they wanted to keep it until Tuesday when the parts came in.

Oh, one other gem while I'm ranting. Phoned to ask for the car back, need it for work. Was taken in on Friday for oil and left overnight just in case sat morning delivery had the 'rare' glowplugs.
Said they will speak to engineer as he has already got all the plugs out. Will see if he can get it back on the road again.

Turn up to pay for oil and take home. A fresh layer of snow was on the bonnet with ice formed between bonnet and bumper suggesting bonnet hadn't been opened that day!

Think I had better check my oil is a little golden. Beginning to doubt it now! Done 150 miles since. Would oil still be golden colour?

Steaming now!
 
Did you actually shop around and get several quotes to do the job?

There is no way I would have let or be letting a Fiat dealer to that type of work for that price. They work at premium rates, covering their dealership overheads, but I guess you know that anyway.

Concerning the glow plugs themselves, I would have just been straight out and upfront and asked them for the part number applicable to your vehicle. They've nothing to hide, so providing you with a part number you can cross reference with an alternative make, shouldn't be a problem. I do this all the time. Incidentally, on my one and only and definitely last service with a Fiat dealer, all of the part numbers they use are listed on the service sheet. I noticed the dealer I used the last time charged me £9.98 for an oil filter. I plugged the part number into ebay and I've since bought a Fiat original, same part number for £5 including postage. Effectively, some dealers it would appear, are making double the price they pay for the parts.

I'm assuming reading from your post, you've given them the authority to pull out the old glow plugs and replace them?
 
I had put it in there for oil change and investigation into the glow plug light, so yes, I had given authority to do the work in stunned shock at the price.
Not sure I believe the old ones were removed as they knew at the time that the plugs weren't in stock and I said they could keep it until Saturday jsut in case the plugs came in.
Under normal circumstances, I have a friend that would do all this stuff for me, but he is unforntunately unavailable - hes a main dealer mechanic for another marquee.

Fully apprieciate dealers charge a fair premium which I was happy to pay on this occassion, but on my thinking, a £25 - £50 set of plugs on a relatively easy job, would have expected £200ish for oil change and plugs - not over £300!
What makes it worse, is I think they lied to me about putting it back together. Only the snow and ice situation on the bonnet to go by, but my wife saw it too and said there is no way that bonnet had been opened that day.

I know this is no real reason, but the dealer is the one I bought the car from when new and is less that 1 mile away from me, and had been reasonably satisfied previously. Any other issue was dealt with under warranty or just an oil change @ around £70.
 
Oil should still look clean. Who are you using?

I will check the oil colour today to check - sure its ok. Just makes you wonder.
Would rather not name and shame yet, as there maybe an explaination and feel I may do them an injustice as I'm steaming a bit currently.
If I still feel my suspicions are founded in a day or two, rest assured I will tell.
Due to my 'unsatisifed' answer to the automated call last night, I am expecting a call from a manager. Based on how that goes, I'll spill then (y)
Thanks again for all the answers here. These type of forums are worth their weight in gold!
 
I know this is no real reason, but the dealer is the one I bought the car from when new and is less that 1 mile away from me, and had been reasonably satisfied previously. Any other issue was dealt with under warranty or just an oil change @ around £70.

I fully understand your reasoning, especially when the Fiat dealer is so close to you, but this is the trouble when one becomes 'comfortable' taking their vehicle back to the same place. I show no such loyalty, I'm happy to shop around to get the best price on servicing or repair work, but only after I've done the best research I can. Taking the car to a garage 20 miles away, for me isn't an issue and indeed doing so previously has saved me an absolute bucket of cash and I've had good work done. Always get at least three quotes for any work that you know needs doing. Might seem a tad old fashioned, but why part with more of your hard earned cash than you need to? Hope you get it all sorted to your satisfaction, but do look elsewhere in the future.
 
Shopping around only helps if you don't just ask them for a price. You will always be disappointed if you just ask a fiat dealer for a price.
 
You've got me there Maxi, I'm not entirely sure what you're driving at?

You ask a garage what you want doing, oil change, filters or specify a particular type of service that you want or other type of work such as replacement of shocks for instance, and then ultimately, it comes down to the quote. How else are you supposed to do it? I don't see what the issue is with asking the Fiat dealer to give you a quote for doing whatever work you require doing. As I said earlier, I didn't 'phone the Fiat dealer, they 'phoned me and it was me that asked the price because they clearly had no intention of actually telling me, otherwise it would have been stated in the first 30 seconds of the call. As it was, when I did ask, it took them about a minute and a half to trump up their quote. I mean, really, what did they expect, I just pitch up with my car and they hand me the bill without any prior dialogue? Once they realised I'd actually bothered my backside to get a quote from elsewhere, they went on the defensive and immediately offered to drop their own quote significantly to 'price match'. What does that say about some main dealerships?
 
Ia it that hard? What incentive is there for a dealer to give you a good price if you dont illustrate that you actually intend on shopping about or know what a good/reasonable price is.
 
Oh, and there was me thinking it was just plain common and financial sense to spend a few minutes on the 'phone and shop around so one can actually compare quotes. But sadly, I guess some just don't either have the time or have too much money to care.
 
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