My local Merc dealer is charging GBP 420 incl 17.5% tax for fixing a differential leak on a 1993 190E.
Parts are trivial, it's the labour of just over 3 h (@ GBP 92 + tax).
What do you guys reckon?
Thanks for any comments.
DAS
For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling
Wow... that is really expensive... Ouch!!
How bad is it ?
cheers
You are completely barking. Have you got a big sign on your head saying "mug me"?
Why on earth are you going to a main dealer with an old car? There are plenty of very good 'local' garages that charge half that rate.
Sorry I forgot - it's your dosh #8-)
This is the reason one takes an out-of-warranty car to an independent shop. This job doesn't require sophisticated computers etc., it's much more muscle than intellect and so doesn't require the dealer's (expensive) expertise, IMHO.
It may interest you that this labor rate, in $, is about what we're charged in Northern California, but we pay 7.75% Calif. sales tax only on the parts, not on the labor component.
Apparently I could probably go on for some months yet before any damage (at present low mileage) but I felt that, as I was there, I would get on with it.
DAS
I must be! :-))) It did occur to me on the way home...
I saw the leak with the car on the ramp.
It was very convenient as I had other, smaller jobs to do there. I had a "safety check" done (Free!) and this was identified.
Saves me some to-ing and fro-ing. I do have a fairly local indy workshop but I have mixed feelings about him. Whenever I do the annual roadworthiness test ('MoT test') there I get charged the statutory fee plus some labour without anything else being done, apparently. Merc charges only the statutory fee or does it for nowt' with a service, though about 40 pounds off a service or other larger repair job is not that much in comparison with a cheaper indy job.
Maybe time to look for another garage.
DAS
For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling
In general I agree with you and I agree about there being little specialised expertise (dismantle, insert seal, reassemble) but it was convenient...
Probably I should have just done the small jobs and gone to an independent for another quote (as it was not critical) but I was feeling lazy (and barking?)
In Europe the idea is that VAT (value-added tax) is charged across the board for labour and goods. There are different exceptions in each country and VAT is levied at different rates.
DAS
For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling
I ran over a stupid feed bag some idiot farmer let fly out of a truck. It wrapped around the axles and diff and within 10 miles I smelled diff fluid obviously cooking. A local mechianc got it all off but it leaked fluid after that. A lot. The pinion seal was toast.
He replaced it for $50.
Where is it leaking from?
Looking at the rear axle from behind, just to the left of the centre of the axle.
DAS
For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling
Differential or axle (halfshaft).
Got a pic? Just hold a camer under there and shoot without aiming. Eventually you'll get a decent pic.
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