Stitched up?

Changing rear springs is often a really simple, quick job, just lower the suspension arm, pull the old one out and pop the new one in. (some cars are more complex, but most modern cars are easy) Front springs usually involve dismantling the drive shaft, brakes, ball joints before removing the suspension strut, then to change the spring you have to have several special tools including spring compressors (usually a hydraulic press arrangement these days) and then rebuild it all. The complication and skill needed is far higher at the front than the back.

On most cars, for both front springs I would charge a minimum of two hours for labour plus the parts. For rears an hour maximum for both. In a garage with several mechanics rears might be changed by 'the boy' , but fronts by a more experienced mechanic.

Rear springs are very easy, undo a bolt, srop the arm carefuly, remove &= =

replace, refit arm, Fronts involves breaking apart ball joints, drive =

shafts etc.

vely).

Even the £120 bill sounds cheap to me, considering what is involved in a front spring job on a modern car.

On Thu, 02 May 2013 00:53:15 +0100, Lobster panted, in an erotic manner:

Is this for a pair of fronts?!!?

If so, please tell me where the garage is. I'll get my own done there next time.

On Thu, 02 May 2013 11:03:05 +0100, Davey panted, in an erotic manner:

Well, quite! We didn't have to split the balljoint when I did them on the Berlingo, but it was a wiggle to get the strut out without doing so.

Many thanks for the replies - that's really good to know. I like the garage and really didn't want to end up going elsewhere, so am relieved they were playing it straight.

(Gotta wonder though - why don't they explain this stuff to their punters? In my case, it was only 10 days between having my rear and front springs changed. Do they just assume that anyone who's less than happy with their bill is always going to kick off, rather than just grump off and decide never to return?)

No. To them, what they quoted and charged were the correct prices, so they had no idea you would have any problem with them. Especially as they were very good prices.

Yes, but my point was they didn't quote for the second job (I didn't ask); but as I did as ask for a quote first time, i think they might have maybe forewarned me of the substantial difference in cost for what to the layman was a repeat of is the same job...

Rather than depending on the psychic abilities of the garage, I think you would be better off simply asking for a quote if you want one.

Whoosh...

So you think that the garage should have:

- recalled that you had previously asked for a quote; and

- chosen not to aske for a quote this time

And deduced that, really, you wanted them to give you a quote?

David Taylor put finger to keyboard:

They could have mentioned that it would be more expensive than the previous job due to the added complexity.