[chestnutree]

As some already know it went for a cam kit at Sandicliffe Ford yesterday. Went to pick it up at 4:30 as agreed (they've had it in since the night before) and they tell me it's not ready. They want it for a whole other day, expecting people to be ok with this.

Anyway thats not the main point i'm posting about. They ran it past me how they do this amazing "free" health check. And hey guess wot, they was £632 to do other repairs on it!!!! thats on top of the £325 for the cam belt!!!!!!!!! yea right we all just having money lying around in a credit crunch?

Thing is, None of it is that bad and shouldn't cost anywhere near that amount!!!!!!!!

For example, brake pads have a good 20% left, which for me is months worth, yet they want £180 to change these? The guy at my normal garage does a bril job and charges (parts + labour) £40 for this to be done. How can their price be justified?

The picked out a coolant leak which i'm already aware of. All i need is that metal clip replacing that holds the hose on the side of the engine as it's loosing tension. How much do these cost, £1? Well apparently not, Fraud want just over £99 to replace a £1 part??? i should be reporting them to trading standards! my garage has already inspected the leak and told me it's nothing more than the clip, the hose and everything is fine it's purely the clip.

They want £210 to repair a so called oil leak on the power steering pump. But apprently it's probably just "sweating" so this won't need doing.

Oil leak from gear box. £150. they trained the receptionist well aswel "o yea this is really bad this it needs doing right away" she says.

Anyway i told them to get lost basically. Getting coolant leak fixed at my normal place soon, already shown him a printout of their quote and he'll check everything for me. Basically he laughed at it. Recons some of it won't even need doing and pads will last until my MOT.

A friend even said they should be reported to trading standards for trying to rip people off like this?

[RED IMPACT]

LOL @ Ford! This recession is hitting companies hard - important thing to know is that you have some common sense and didnt stump up the money to get your car 'sorted'!

[Sex Kitten]

but what is worrying is that if you dont have that knowledge or a reliable garage to go to you could end up shelling out loads

[Mogsmex]

can I point it this is NOT Ford giving you the quote, it's a dealer which is a franchise using the Ford name

hence the reason all dealers give differant levels of service

[BenF]

can I ask which town/branch of Sandicliffe this is?

[chestnutree]

true, but it's still kinda the "main dealor" kinda thing aint it?

If i didn't have a little bit of knowledge or somewhere else to go, i still wouldn't have paid because along with the £325 for the cam belt, i don't have an overdraft big enough!lol. So i couldn't have paid it.

I just couldn't believe the prices....plus the fact the power steering pump might not even need doing?

My garage told me how a a lady took her mini back to the main dealor, to change a bulb, do something to the reg plates and sort a loose wire in the lights, they charged her £2,500?!!!

I don't know how they can get away with it?

So avoid Sandicliffe Ford stapleford!lol

can I ask which town/branch of Sandicliffe this is?

Stapleford, Nottingham

[pumapilot]

Hence why i'm making this list up, Fords dont fare well on the list:

http://www.pumapeople.com/forum/index.php?...mp;#entry811770

[e3silversurfer]

I think why ford and any other main dealers charge so much is because their facilities and staff are all "certified" and therefore this give's them the right to charge higher than any other garages.

[pumapilot]

Some of the garages on the list above use Ford certified staff - at a fraction on Ford prices

[chestnutree]

I think why ford and any other main dealers charge so much is because their facilities and staff are all "certified" and therefore this give's them the right to charge higher than any other garages.

From what i've heard though, even these people can make a bit of a bodge up?

[chestnutree]

Can anyone think y they have had it for 2 days when the initially said one? they didn't actually give me a reason.....

[OwenRW]

They probably don't have one of the parts they needed. I dropped mine off yesterday at Evans Halshaw in Altrincham and due to them not listening to what i said when i booked it in, (even after the discussion about them not doing a cam-belt kit for the the puma, they'd booked it in for the clutch to be replaced!?!?), they said they needed to keep it overnight as they didn't have the rocker cover gasket in stock.

So... i imagine it's something similar, just in your case they don't want to mention they screwed up

[Sex Kitten]

im still waiting for evans halshaw in altrincham to ring me to let me know my rear brake light bulb is in stock!!!!

ive rang 3 times and each time - umm no not in stock or i will get someone to ring you back - no calls yet!!!

[g4rywh1te]

true, but it's still kinda the "main dealor" kinda thing aint it?

The Ford 'dealer' I go to is THE best garage I have ever been too and I can't praise them enough, for e.g. they remember all their customers by their first name, the service is fantastic and the staff are soooo friendly. I took my Puma last year to them and forgot to ask for a courtesy car for a couple of days. No problem said one of the sales guys, take mine. So I did and drove home in a brand new Fiesta ST! Btw, the dealer is a franchise from Ford and they are Cliff Dickinson & Son in Winsford, Cheshire.

[Campbellonie]

From what i've heard though, even these people can make a bit of a bodge up?

Lol they certainly can! I put my puma into a main dealor ford in scotland - will remain nameless in the interest of fairness - for a cam belt and although it took them 2 days also, this i didnt mind, when i picked it up and drove home my wee engine heomeraged oil all over the road - i nearly ran empty ( sometimes wish i had) apparently a cambelt pully bolt or whatever waxsnt put back on/sealed properly.

Give them some credit - they arrived 8am next morning - took it away and retunred it by lunchtime fixed and whole engine bay steam cleaned and car clearly valeted.

Whilst the puma was in I also had a health check and they attempted to sting me for new brakes/pads rear brake hoses and the best bit was £29 for pair of front wiper blades!!!!!!! ( bosch ( the best ) on ebay for £11 delivered)

It is their business after all and I guess that if they dont point out potential faults - were you to drive away and have an accident caused by one of these itmes and the garage had NOT reported it to you, you would prb want to sue them.

[BenF]

Stapleford, Nottingham

thanks - another one to avoid

[YOG]

im still waiting for evans halshaw in altrincham to ring me to let me know my rear brake light bulb is in stock!!!!

ive rang 3 times and each time - umm no not in stock or i will get someone to ring you back - no calls yet!!!

You can't mean the standard Brake/Tail 380 (21/5w) bulb?
If it is, pick one up from Halfords, even they will probably be cheaper!

Here's how to fit it yourself:
http://www.pumapeople.com/forum/index.php?...ticle&id=24

[chestnutree]

The Ford 'dealer' I go to is THE best garage I have ever been too and I can't praise them enough, for e.g. they remember all their customers by their first name, the service is fantastic and the staff are soooo friendly. I took my Puma last year to them and forgot to ask for a courtesy car for a couple of days. No problem said one of the sales guys, take mine. So I did and drove home in a brand new Fiesta ST! Btw, the dealer is a franchise from Ford and they are Cliff Dickinson & Son in Winsford, Cheshire.

Your lucky!!

Recieved a text to say the cam belt jobby is finished yay

Will pick her up after work. Just hope she drives home with all the oil i started the journey in after reading these,lol

[Sex Kitten]

You can't mean the standard Brake/Tail 380 (21/5w) bulb?
If it is, pick one up from Halfords, even they will probably be cheaper!

Here's how to fit it yourself:
http://www.pumapeople.com/forum/index.php?...ticle&id=24

ta - i asked them if i could fit it myself and they said it was a bit tricky........

it's this one im talking about

High Mounted Central Light Unit (tailgate third light)
501 (5w wedge base bulb).


Open boot lid.
Un-hook parcel tray.
Push in pin of parcel tray retainer on boot lid.
Remove 2 retainers on boot tail gate trim.
Remove screw from boot lid trim, I think 2 or 4 in all.
Remove trim (do not worry about loud breaking noise but be creaful not to damage them).
Unscrew bulb in 3rd brake light.
Replace bulbs.
Install in reverse order. Check light operates correctly.


doesnt sound too tricky - off to halfords i go

any ideas how much they are?

[YOG]

Halfords don't list them on the website, but they will have them in stock. This is when they look like:
http://www.consumabulbs.com/files/bdet.php...CFUYJ3wodc2l7mw

Now, you've got my interest in this, so I've just gone and taken mine apart!
Those instructions are a little confusing, so if you can wait to do it until the weekend, I'll take some pics and do a Wiki to make it easier, as it is a bit fiddly.

If you are going to do it, I would replace all 4 bulbs in there at the same time. The 501 (5w wedge base bulb) is the same as the side indicators and the front side-lights.

P.S. Might be able to do it tomorrow (Friday).

This post has been edited by YOG: 05 March 2009 - 04:34 PM