What Am I Paying For ???

[mat1]

Took the car into Indespension Bolton, this afternoon, to have the 12n+s changed for the 13 pin socket.
Was quoted £95 over the phone, which seemed about average.
Questioned the cost breakdown and was informed it was labour, a new socket and a total rewire with a 13 core cable.

Got back in time to find them just fitting the socket to its bracket.
Asked the fitter how the rewire went and he looked at me strange.
He hadn't rewired, or has he ever, he just wired the two cables into the new socket.
This i thought was the way in the first place to be honest.

Anyway.
When the bill was raised you can imagine the rest ..................

So PLEASE make sure you check what work is carried out !!!!!
Had the car been off the ramp and in the car park ready to go, i would have been none the wiser.

£57.95 in the end that was for a socket at £8.29 and 1 hr labour £40 + VAT

Mat

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi mat,
reminds me of a story my father told me 40years ago about a bloke that took his car into the garage because it would not start.
the mechanic took one look at it hit the starter motor with a hammer turned the key and it started first time "right that will be £50 please " the bloke said " thats ridiculous £50 for hitting it with a hammer" I want a itemised bill" so he got one."
1. Freeing starter motor with hammer £1.
2. Diagnosing fault £19.
3. Knowing where to hit the starter motor £30.
4. total £50.

so what are you paying for "PROFESSIONAL EXPERTEES" ok so the quote did not match the work carried out one allways has to be aware of this !! however I am not suppried the quick option was used, "basically a 1hour DIY job" because a complete rewire is quite complex dependant of the car model and the position of the plugs

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Mat and Colin,
There is a significant difference between Mats experiecne and Colins story.
Fundamentally its down to the contract that was struck before work was carried out.
In Mat's case adn based on the informatio supplied, it was a clear and unaltable tenat that the 13pin socket AND cable should be fitted. The company breeched their contractural obligation and committed a fraud by ommitting the 13 core cable. This shoudl have been reported to Trading Standards even though the ulimated bill was reduced.
In Colins Dad's story, the extent of the contract was to find out why and fix the reason for not starting. The Bloke must have either not had time or lacked the expertise to diagnose the problem thus he needed to hire "PROFESSIONAL EXPERTEES" It may seem daylight robbery but thats what comes from not setting out the detail in a contract.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi, quite true Prof but things do change during any task undertaken due to unforseen circumstances if a garage undertakes to say change the clutch for a price then finds the gearbox is suspect the contract agreed even written is then void unless the garage changes the clutch anyway ignores the gearbox problem "very bad practice" and does it for the price agreed"
verbal contracts are usualy open ended and I am supprised a divinutive quote was stated from the outset, mat's intervention while justified is rather obscure because the the difference between quote and end cost is so small ie £40 or 1hour extra labour without the cost of the cable or bracket "twin for single" the rewiring of the tow plugs completely is complex and could involve removal of rear valance, end tow bar fixings, boot components, and light clusters, and or new bus conectors the quote of £95 seems quite cheap to me so I am not suprised the simpler option was adopted.
last wednesday I had a tow bar and electrics fitted to the meriva at the local towbar specialist for £350 (vaxhall quote £500)he did it while I waited took him and his mate 3hrs to complete. beforehand I specified the bar I wanted (witter) the plugs I wanted (twin) and the position of all the gear and took along the stabiliser plate, old tow ball,bolts plugs, relays,ect off the megane, all went in the bin except the plate,this was sandblasted and repainted, the ammount of components that had to be removed from the rear end was unbelievable after the job was done and tested HE gave me the rear impact cushion that sat behind the rear valance incase the bar was ever removed. a truly profesonal job thats why the cost is so high.
I only mention this because he did mat's job in reverse wiring the plugs with 13 core wire direct to the bus plugs and splitting them at the socket ends.

 

[mat1]

My concern is that i was to be billed for work not done.
This certainly would have been the case had i not noticed.

There was certainly no conversation, to my knowledge, between the fitter and writer of the bill.
They were stood next to each other, the fitter still doing his work, when the bill writer asked me to settle up.

The point i wish to make is before you pay, make sure it is what you are paying for.

Mat

 

[Clive_374342604]

Does this mean that if you have the 2 - 7 pin sockets on your vehicle and you buy a new van with a single 13 pin plug you can then rewire both cables into the new 13 pin socket? It sounds easy but is it?
CliveS

 

[JohnGriffiths]

Yes it is! There's even a guide on how to do it on the home page of this very website.

 

[KeithJ]

Hi Clive

I did it and can confirm that it was easy - just a bit fiddly. I had to cut the rubber gasket that goes behind the socket slightly, to accommodate the two cables but the job was straight forward and took about an hour. Anybody who does it should make sure they torque up the towball properly afterwards - it takes about 200nm!!! You need to take the ball off to change the plate that holds the twin sockets for a single socket one.

 

[JohnGriffiths]

If you don't fancy taking the ball off though, the way the socket fits into the plate is the same for both 7 and 13 pin. Bit lazy I know but I just left the other plate hole empty.