Cost of repair work query

I would expect an independent to quote 400 - 500 for the whole lot inclusive, using pattern parts.

Both these jobs are the same as the ZX. About an hour and a half for the brake shoes, an extra half hour for the handbrake cables. £200 could be about right if they want to replace the drums as well and charge a horrendous labour rate.

Find someone else who does the bits.

You want a little set of chisels and punches. I removed the hub nut notch with a little set of gedore chisels and a lump hammer. Pretty easy when you've got a chisel small enough to fit in the gap. The hub nut should be replaced with a new one and notched again to stop it coming undone.

David Hearn (David Hearn ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Why on earth would you take that to a main dealer? Of course the figures seem high - dealer labour rates are ridiculously high, unlike the quality of work.

Find a local independent Citroen & Peugeot specialist (plenty about), pay less than half the labour cost, less for the parts, and get much better work.

So £200 all in? Peugeot originally thought I wanted cylinders done too

- but these were done at the last shoe change by Nationwide (eughh! see old posting for that experience!) The price they quoted was, AFAIK, for just the shoes.

Yeah, the problem I had was my chisels were too wide to fit in, so whilst I had a go at it, I couldn't get it clear, and it's still well and truly notched in there, so I had no issue with leaving it be and keep driving with it.

If I was to get someone to do the handbrake cable, is it worth me doing the shoes myself, or is there sufficient duplication in the work that actually, it probably won't add too much to the cost to get the shoes done too? If it's still worth doing, I'll probably get some more chisels more suitable to doing the job.

Incidentally, is there any way to know which shoes are fitted without removing it all? I ask because Peugeot asked whether it was Bosch or Girling - they can find out from the chassis number. I'd need to get the right shoes before starting the job!

Thanks

I was more there for a ball park, upper figure. For example, a couple of years ago I was stung for a bill of about £460 from Nationwide Autocentres, which when I got a quote from the Peugeot dealer, was for £400. I got a price match on it, but certainly didn't want to go back (not to mention later found front calliper mounting had been stripped and a slightly oversized bolt used instead, which couldn't be tightened to correct torque!)

Anyone know of one close to Guildford? I've not seen any in my travels which clearly advertise themselves as Peugeot specialist. Ideally not far away, or not far from a station.

There's a very local (small) garage that I've been using recently (haven't yet asked for prices for this work) which have been good - particularly for emergency turn up in the morning, get fixed by evening work (eg. stripped calliper and gearbox oil - see later), but their hourly rates are a bit higher than the one I used to use - but so far I've not had to send any work back to them (eg. loose front bushes after replacement - twice, and gearbox losing all oil after said front bush replacement).

Thanks

David Hearn (David Hearn ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Not offhand, but I can certainly recommend these guys in Wokingham.

Well David ,if i was well i would do your car for you at half that price if you got the parts,and i do it round your home so you could see what i was doing,(fitting new parts,) Chris addlestone.

You have to removed the hub to change the shoes? That's going to make a simple job a less of a simple job. CV joints can be a little time consuming but the price sounds high to me. I do the work myself so always spit my coffee out when I hear what some people end-up paying.

If you use a decent breaker bar & a 3' extension then you just undo the nut, the noth shears off.

Where abouts are you?

Try

Guildford, Surrey.