Getting a part only fitted.

I've got a mews garage in Hove, who has fitted bits for me, like a fuel pump and a timing belt. First garage I've completely trusted in 50+ years of motoring, though you wouldn't think so from the state of the place ! Don't know if this is a general policy or just because I've had a bit of work done there from time to time. Perhaps you could have a weekend in Brighton.

Andy Cap

Do you have one of these nearby? -

Can't seem to find a list on there. I'd happily do it myself on a lift or even pit.

I have two that will do it:

One is a 'bloke in a shed down an alley'. £30ph, no hassles.

The other is a village garage in a barn with a penchant for classic cars - they race minis, and there's always somebody fiddling with a Morris Minor when I go. I suspect they're much more relaxed about customer parts, because you can't exactly call up Morris and get parts on account. Don't know the hourly rate but it's sub-£50ph (which is the going rate around here).

So any classic car places near you?

Theo

Wish there was. Of course the real problem is I've never really built up any sort of relationship with a small local garage as I tend to do most car stuff myself.

Its not so much about warranty as liability fitting non standard parts plus no profit on the parts.

Not sure just how a starter motor fits that argument? And on a car that age, fitting 'non standard' parts is a way of life. Also, given Rover no longer exists you couldn't fit 'genuine' new parts anyway.

I'm aware they'd not make the profit on the spares and would have been happy to pay a higher labour charge to compensate.

It may be a rule their liability insurance imposes on them. I'm not saying it is a sensible rule for cases such as yours. But a consumer can't be expected to know if a part is safe to fit; and I can see actuaries/lawyers wanting the chance to blame a supplier if a part turns out to be dodgy and causes you to meet a motorway bridge at 70 mph.

FWIW I wondered if it might be worth calling some mobile mechanics on the basis that you want *assistance* to swap the parts, if you think a younger body might do the job without a lift - with of course the benefit of your wiser head :)

Of course car makers have argued that for ages as regards using non maker's parts. Which frequently will include things like brake parts which do have a safety aspect. Not, of course, that they have an axe to grind.

However, most small garages are going to fit non maker's parts for service items - or indeed anything where they can get a better deal.

I'd imagine it's just their policy so they get the profit on the spares. Not blaming them for that, either.

It's more to do with the possibility of the part not fitting, and then tying up a bay until the customer is contacted, and the correct part sourced.

When this happens with something they have ordered from their preferred factor they can sort it quickly over the phone and get the correct part delivered usually within the hour.

Chris

So no different from using mine, then?

But in the case of a starter motor a half decent mechanic would know if it's going to fit by looking. That's if he wasn't happy with my receipt saying what it was bought as.

Yes, but a garage is not going to know that. If it didn't fit, they first have to contact you, then rely on you sorting out. I'm sure you would, but the average punter? It's simply not worth tying up a bay for a job of such low value.

He couldn't know by looking if the 'business' end would fit. The drive gear could well be different for example.

There is such a huge variety of parts fitted on the assembly line that often main dealers cannot identify the correct part. (This is particularly true of Peugeot, who apparently pick parts at random, and keep no records.)

Chris

Apart from anything else why would a punter buy a part that they couldn't fit. From their pov it looks like a problem not of their making.

He would only know its going to fit once the old unit is removed, its often not the starter motor thats the issue, its all the rest of the car you have to strip to get to it.

Qck example, to change the alternator belt on my van requires about 2 hours of stripping panels, wheels inner valance. Once your stripped down the v ehicles stuck on the ramps

OTOH, if the owner does the running around they don't have to. For instance, a part that isn't available from the usual factor (I can ring up Unipart and EuroCarParts just as well as they can). They don't have to do the phoning around, the staring at manufacturer parts lists, the 'we can get it from Japan in three weeks'. It isn't all on the computer.

If I turn up with a part, either it fits or it doesn't. Since it's my part, it's my risk if it doesn't. I'm happy to pay their lost profit on the part, and sign something to say I'll pay for them to put it back together if it doesn't fit. Sometimes it's still cheaper to pay that that it is to pay factor prices for bits.

Theo

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

IIRC you're somewhere in Tooting? This lot used to fit parts I'd bought elsewhere without complaining (but I did move away 15 years ago): Carpenter's garage 020 33756157

Heh heh - they were the first one I tried. I've used them before - old family type business. Then went through the yellow pages.

Only garage round here I've really had much to do with is the BMW/Merc specialists AMC in Garratt Lane, and they're very good for that. But they're generally too busy for this sort of job, even if they were willing to do it, as they do tend to stick to just the makes they say. I'd need to wait around to start the car for them so it could be driven on to the ramp. Good anti-theft feature, though.;-)

Was your approach 'I've got this part, will you fit it?', or 'I've got this classic motor and it needs a new thingy and, you know, they haven't been made in 30 years and parts are dead hard to find these days, so, to cut a long story short I was out in Obscuristan and I found one down the back of a yurt, he wouldn't sell but I managed to haggle him down to only three camels, well, I managed to get it through customs in one piece, you know, they search them for drugs these days and, like, I was wondering if perhaps you might be able to have a go, I've got the service manual and everything, and I know where to kick it when it doesn't start, how about it?'

Though I'm not sure which approach is the best ;)

Theo

Brilliant. ;-)

I have this mental picture of the receptionist I spoke to filing her nails while listening to it.