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Technical Extortionate pricing

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Technical Extortionate pricing

derbyshire gp

derbyshire gp

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Jan 29, 2011
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Location
Derbyshire
As title
Recently had my annual service but decided to have an MOT at same time:)
Main dealer (but not fiat) Im on a service plan (started it out on another make of car so just kept it going for convienience)
got a call that the car needs £700 of urgent work doing :mad:
so when i went to pick up checking the list
1 new front brake pads 85-95% worn £70 :bang:
2 front brake discs scored lipped 25% worn £203 :bang:
3 cam belt 5 years or 60k miles £286
4 accesory belt worn £85
5 rear drums stripping and cleaning £58

But hey still got a pass with one advisory front pads worn............

now im no mechanic but i can change pads (which i have bought but havent got round to fitting prior to service/MOT but will be done on day off next week) but if discs are scored and lipped but only 25% worn do they warrant changing? I appreciate brakes are a must do on a safety scale but seriously £203 for discs that cost £18 each and i could fit myself.
And over £300 to replace both belts i can get a local garage to do it cheaper
 
I know potential day light robbery
just imagine if it was someone with little knowledge or elderly,
like your 80 year grandparent they would just pay it. :eek:
 
It's not Just Fiat,
I had a Ford main dealer quote 3 hours labour for a sump change on a Focus (about 14 bolts you don't even need to take the exhaust off). Turns out they were charging labour time for the 2 hours it took for the sealant to set before they put fresh oil in. And they wanted another 1/2h to change the oil filter at the same time and a stupid amount for the sump.


Robert G8RPI.
 
Hi all. I agree with all that's said but now getting on, with a bad heart and duff "footballers" knees and having very little in choice of garages,I cannot do my own repairs .So I get ripped off. Trouble is I can still remember when spuds were 1 old penny a pound.Ahh
 
portland_bill said:
It'll be woven by hand with platinum and gold threads, then encrusted with diamonds.
Click to expand...

If only I could spell "Swornoffski"....


O.P. - fit new discs and pads = less than £100

rear brakes, = £5 for a can of Brake Cleaner;)

supply the belt, and let them fit it when the cam belts off.

or - just go somewhere else.

TBH - they keep in business by having "trade accounts" where the driver isn't footing the bill..so they can charge "creatively":rolleyes:

Charlie
 
varesecrazy said:
O.P. - fit new discs and pads = less than £100




Charlie
Click to expand...

So is it recomended to change the disc as well then?.
Its 5 years old in july, but have only done 31k! so pads did well but discs are not wearing quite so well.
I can get discs for around £30 new for a pair decent quality comline,so i think i will replace them myself as i plan to keep the car for several years to come yet
 
Last edited:
derbyshire gp said:
So is it recomended to change the disc as well then?.
Its 5 years old in july, but have only done 31k! so pads did well but discs are not wearing quite so well.
I can get discs for around £30 new for a pair decent quality comline,so i think i will replace them myself as i plan to keep the car for several years to come yet
Click to expand...

entirely your call, ;)
I'd see how worn they ACTUALLY are,
either with a measurement of the disc thickness, or just an appraisal of the lip

if the disc is still flat and true, and wont's be under thickness in 10, 000 miles , then just new pads is fine.
 
varesecrazy said:
entirely your call, ;)
I'd see how worn they ACTUALLY are,
either with a measurement of the disc thickness, or just an appraisal of the lip

if the disc is still flat and true, and wont's be under thickness in 10, 000 miles , then just new pads is fine.
Click to expand...

They will be replaced with the pads no doubt best in long run
 
Success :D
For less than the cost of pads alone (in my opening post)
I have replaced both pads and discs with new ones plus purchase of a haynes manual (gosh they are cheaply produced now or what pages are tissue thin paper and cover is paper thin they used to be hard back and weighed about 3x as much gosh showing my age now) and brake cleaner/copper grease (y)
Followed andy monty's guide in the grande punto section and voila done.
Good job i still have all my tools and impact driver and wd40 from years back tho:)

Well worth the effort and self satisfaction that i havent shelled out £270 to get it done
 
Last edited:
Hello everyone, I find this forum really good.
I am a Punto Posting noob, so please be kind.

I am not a mechanic but have done plenty on my land rover defender and freelander, so can generally get by. ( starter motor x 2, alternator x3, water pump, clutch fork, cross rod, track rods, shocks, springs, heater, electric windows motors, exhaust etc..)

I have similar issue with Fiat here in France. My wife took the 2014 Punto 1.2 8v for a 400 euro oil change ( sorry "service"), and was told we would need an additional EUR 956 of work before the Controle Technique ( MOT ).
This was front brakes 450 EUR, wipers 56 EUR exhaust 450 EUR. I did the pads and discs this weekend (bought online for 85 EUR), and the wipers (Bosch Aero Twin) 21 EUR the pair.
I was going to attack the exhaust this weekend coming and about to order the bits.
A glance under the car ( I have access to a pit ) has shown that the outside of the silencer is coming off, but the exhaust is not blowing yet, and the main pipe from the cat to the back box is in pretty good nick.
I could not see and joints in the original exhaust from the back box all the way forwards, so would I be right in thinking that the OEM unit is a one piece, and that to fit a new back box ( Walker 23290 / Bosal 148-109 / other recommendations accepted ).
I just need to grind thru the stock pipe somewhere about 1m10 from the end, take off the old silencer, clean the pipe up a bit with a file / emery paper, then past and clamp the Walker exhaust back on, and hang it back up.
Or am I missing something here ?
Previously on my landies when I have changed exhausts, I have changed sections between the joints, so am not in the habit of grinding off OEM parts.
Thanks for any advice.
 
PauloDucato said:
Hello everyone, I find this forum really good.
I am a Punto Posting noob, so please be kind.

I am not a mechanic but have done plenty on my land rover defender and freelander, so can generally get by. ( starter motor x 2, alternator x3, water pump, clutch fork, cross rod, track rods, shocks, springs, heater, electric windows motors, exhaust etc..)

I have similar issue with Fiat here in France. My wife took the 2014 Punto 1.2 8v for a 400 euro oil change ( sorry "service"), and was told we would need an additional EUR 956 of work before the Controle Technique ( MOT ).
This was front brakes 450 EUR, wipers 56 EUR exhaust 450 EUR. I did the pads and discs this weekend (bought online for 85 EUR), and the wipers (Bosch Aero Twin) 21 EUR the pair.
I was going to attack the exhaust this weekend coming and about to order the bits.
A glance under the car ( I have access to a pit ) has shown that the outside of the silencer is coming off, but the exhaust is not blowing yet, and the main pipe from the cat to the back box is in pretty good nick.
I could not see and joints in the original exhaust from the back box all the way forwards, so would I be right in thinking that the OEM unit is a one piece, and that to fit a new back box ( Walker 23290 / Bosal 148-109 / other recommendations accepted ).
I just need to grind thru the stock pipe somewhere about 1m10 from the end, take off the old silencer, clean the pipe up a bit with a file / emery paper, then past and clamp the Walker exhaust back on, and hang it back up.
Or am I missing something here ?
Previously on my landies when I have changed exhausts, I have changed sections between the joints, so am not in the habit of grinding off OEM parts.
Thanks for any advice.
Click to expand...

yep the exhaust issues sound familiar mine a 2012 was bad when i bought it 3 years ago peeling is worse but only a tiny blow on it just makes an advisory for MOT (as did my previous 2007 grande )
You are correct in that yes factory is 1 peice but you can buy the back box and hack it in:slayer:
Or better still replace with s/s custom made
 
Thanks for your reply derbyshire GP.

Do you have any suggestions for SS exhaust suppliers?
I am not looking to spend a fortune and I am not after performance gains or a fruity sound, just something MOT compliant, that wont rust thru after 4 years.

But if the price means having to sell my other kidney, then I'll go for the Walker 23290 and grind-paste-clamp it in.


Many thanks
 
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