Daylight robbery

[SonyVaio]

Ok Yorki I retract the toys and prams remark - sorry.

Now what exactly did you say to the service desk manager on arrival at the dealership? Surely you talked about your problem and then asked as well as ascertained what the cost would be for Volvo to look at and extinguish your SRS light?

They have charged you pretty much the going rate for ANY diagnostic, yes it is expensive but that is the standard charge from pretty much every dealership. So at the end of the day you've not been ripped off.

Volvo have done exactly what you've asked as far as I can see? You asked them to look at the SRS and to extinguish the light. Unfortunately until Volvo have looked at the problem, obtained the code/codes and then looked into a resolution for the codes then they themselves are NOT going to know what is wrong either?? They then came back to you, told you they couldn't extinguish the light, offered you a resolution to the problem (new seats) and then charged you for the diagnostic??

I really DO NOT see where your gripe is (yes we ALL think Volvo's prices are over the top)? You asked to do a job and they not only did the job you asked but they done more on top too. I'd still say you got good service. It is NOT Volvo's fault you have the wrong seats in your car and thus they cannot extinguish the light? This unfortunately is between you and the previous owner - who you could still take to court as in the current condition it is not fit for purpose?

As already said you could have saved yourself the diagnostic fee if you had either gone to an Indy garage or even put a post up asking if any members in the Aberdeen area had VIDA/DICE and was willing to lend you hand.

Pop over to Overtons and get a new set of seats and then get a member with VIDA/DICE to reset the SRS light - job done. I've loaned my VIDA/DICE out just now to another member but if there is no one in your area and your willing to cover postage costs you too can borrow mine if will help? Although I wouldn't be able to send it up for a couple of weeks from now. The offer is there if you require it.

[Paddler Ed]

Originally Posted by yorkipud

(snip) apparently I can buy a Volvo VIDA 2012A DiCE Diagnostic tool for less than I was charged by the dealership, so why it should cost the dealership more than me joe public seems a little baffling, (snip)

Because there is a requirement for a main dealer to use new, genuine parts as opposed to cloned software and equipment from the Far East?

It's a bit like saying to your boss at work, it's OK if we use a copy of MS Office isn't it, it costs less than the genuine version, and I have the code for it.

Volvo Dealers have to buy from Volvo certain bits and pieces, and that's what you're paying for. In the same way that they won't fit pattern parts, or use second hand parts. If you want that option then go to the local specialist (and even then some won't use 2nd hand parts)

Have you informed your insurers that the SIPS bags (that would be part of the standard safety equipment in your car used whilst calculating the insurance group) are not functioning because someone swapped the seats?

By the sounds of it your car was a Police car (white T5 V70) and that was why it had a cloth interior which someone swapped for a more desirable leather one (which also hides it's Police background a bit more)

[gjd]

Hello

(snip) apparently I can buy a Volvo VIDA 2012A DiCE Diagnostic tool for less than I was charged by the dealership, so why it should cost the dealership more than me joe public seems a little baffling, (snip)

My V70 is a 2000 model, though a diesel. It has an engine management system that only "talks" to certain diagnostic readers (ME7?). I've tried every indy garage I can find, and only four (other than Volvo) have the gubbins to speak to the engine. One of them told me it costs him £11,000 a year in subscriptions to keep his diagnostic kit up to date.

Th Volvo Diagnostic System is, he told me, not a CD, but an online service. It connects to Head Office for the latest updates and so on.

All the Indy garages I've spoken to who have the right kit are barely a gnat's crochet cheaper than the Main Dealer. I guess the cost of the diagnostic equipment explains why!

When I took the car in to the Main Dealer for a diagnostic, they charged me around £60 for around 30 minutes' spent on the computer. It took that long!

I've also tried a local Bosch Autocentre when the alarm fault beacon flashed, and it took another half hour. They, too, charged me for the half hour's labour.

[yorkipud]

The car isn't ex police I have the history to back this up, alas no history of the seat swap.
As for the insurance the car will be sorted this week, mean time having no airbags isnt going to cause an accident or in the event of an accident injure any one but me, as I won't be carrying passengers, though I except the insurance would be only too happy to increase my payments.

we all agree that what I paid was the going rate and to an end they did or try'd to do what I asked (and what I didnt ask) my point was and is that its too much.... somewhere along the line someones having a laugh, whether it be the software writer the distributer or volvo them selves. even the dealership knows it and try to offset it with a crappy slip of headed paper telling me what I already knew.

I didn't get to speak to the service manager or technician until I'd paid up only a receptionist (I use the word 'only' not in a patronizing way... just incase there are any receptionist reading) I did stand out side the garage doors for 10mins whilst 5 technicians walk passed without offering any help or direction, I had to go into the showroom before someone would even speak to me. maybe they were just trying to save me money though perhaps I would have been charged for been given directions to the reception.
well you live and learn and I've learnt quite a bit this weekend, thanks for all the help and good advise. cheers Neil

[Diesel-do-nicely]

Originally Posted by yorkipud

To clear up a few points:
this is the second Volvo that I have owned and whilst I know my way round a socket set, I don't profess to be an authority on Volvo's nor their interiors. when I decided to buy the car it had seats in it that where of a grey colour and matched the rest of the cabin, however the SRS light was on, and upon enquiring as to why the owner thought this was illuminated his responce was to inform me that he believed it to be a broken wire under the seat as this is usually the case I took it to be a easy fix (hindsight is a wonderful thing) and as the price was right proceeded to buy the car. since buying my Volvo I have had quite a few things to iron out. including replacing the airbox, airflow meter, exhaust, tyres, battery, brakes, headlights and giving it a full service, I then set too and try'd to sort the SRS light starting under the seat where upon I discovered that none of the wiring was connected to the seats or was ever likely to, this is when it became apparent that the seats didn't belong and were in fact from an 850, since then I have been trying to sort the problem short of getting new seats, with the kind help of a friend I thought that the problem had been sorted and so was taking the car to the dealership to extinguish the said light, now again I'm no expert but I do have a OBD reader and so know how long it takes to plug in and read the codes I'm not a qualified Volvo technician but suggest about 5-10 mins should cover it. apparently I can buy a Volvo VIDA 2012A DiCE Diagnostic tool for less than I was charged by the dealership, so why it should cost the dealership more than me joe public seems a little baffling, little need of a pot there then other than some greedy sods pension pot.
next the 'free' health check (see below hopefully) NO checks on suspension, exhausts or the like here just a cursory glance around the car and a nosey in my boot, so no dangers saving my life spotted here then, the tyre pressures that they registered were nothing like the actual pressures so they wern't checked! and why top up the washer bottle that they claim to be lacking 500ml and not the oil that they reported to be also down? but at the end of the day I didn't ask for this and think it should be offerd rather than just done. I view it as purely an attempt to try and justify the time my car was out of my sight, had they done or attempted to do what I took the car in for, came back to me after the 10mins and charged me £40 say, I'd have been disappointed not to have got the light put out, but I wouldn't have felt like I'd just been mugged in the process. whilst I appreciate that we all have our own views, I for one think that anyone who believes that £105 for nothing is either good value for money or justified is off their heads, and I say nothing as thats what it was, they didn't fix anything nor tell me anything I didn't know. as for cherlish remarks about throwing toys out of prams these are neither call for or indeed correct, Im just a hard working guy trying to keep a potentialy great car out of the scrap yard.

Are we to assume from the above post that you asked a dealer to swich off a srs light with the front seat airbag/ pre tensioners disconected ?
If the light botheres you why not take the cluster out and remove the bulb.

[yorkipud]

I have my MOT coming up and as far as I know it will fail if the SRS light is on if I was to take out the bulb, again it will fail... I am led to believe that for the MOT the light should be lit prior to starting and then extinguish after starting, I am also now informed that If the srs light is on or that any of the system is tampered with/ removed/ disconnect you should contact your insurance and inform them as it will affect your policy. so no its not that the light bothered me just have to keep on the right side of the law.

[volvo145]

Have you talked to thee manager of the complex Raymond Donald yet ?
Forget about the service manager as he is as much use as chocolate in the sahara desert imo.Ask any local garage that has to deal there.

[DeejayP999]

I'm another one in the “No sympathy” camp. Sorry.

It's amazing how many people have no idea how much it costs to run a business nowadays.

The last time I was self-employed (17 years ago) a single unit shop or industrial unit had basic overheads (rent, rates etc etc) approaching £20,000 a year. And that's before you put staff and machinery/stock into it.

So I doubt that many viable businesses are going to have running costs of much less than £100ph (tried calling a plumber lately?), let alone a multi-million £ business like a Volvo dealership.

[heyskull]

I run my own business and Deejay comment is so true.
No one realises how much it costs to run a business.
I have spent in the last year over £7,000 on software updates and nearly £60,000 in machinery! Not mentioning rent, rates, elctricity, vehicles and employees wages it is no wonder I am running a 12 year old Volvo.

I know we would all like it cheaper but as a customer of mine has literally just found out, opting for a cheaper fix has cost them twice than what it would have done using correct materials!
............... And it's my fault!!!!!!!

SC

[TurnipSpeed]

Hey, let's all feel sympathy for Volvo , who'se only interest is in selling overpriced new cars to new customers.
Some of us wouldn't buy a new car if we could , because it's a waste of money( my opinion obviously!)
Trouble is, you can't guarantee having a good job done even if you do use the best tradesmen , but you pays yer money and takes yer choice.