Dealer pricing - XC60 rear brake pads

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by redbuta

Interestingly local Kwik-fit refuses to do a quote stating the last XC90 they did they ended up having to pay Volvo a couple of hundreds to reset the e-handbrake...

So it seems rip-off everywhere...

I wouldn’t let Kwik Fit near a car. Another crowd of rip off merchants.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by redbuta

I'm in Newcastle upon Tyne by the way.

Yes inflation amongst other things, Technicians are in very short supply and so their wages have gone up 30% in the last 4 years to attract more from elsewhere . also I would ask for a FREE Brake fluid change, It will take them 10 minutes and a litre of fluid whilst all the wheels are off !

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by Clan

Yes inflation amongst other things, Technicians are in very short supply and so their wages have gone up 30% in the last 4 years to attract more from elsewhere . also I would ask for a FREE Brake fluid change, It will take them 10 minutes and a litre of fluid whilst all the wheels are off !

Lets be honest, dealership prices were always "inflated".

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Kev0607

Lets be honest, dealership prices were always "inflated".

They have to be due to the massive costs and overheads they have to pay the manufacturer let alone for the premises too...this goes for all Brands.

[Pidgeonpost]

Originally Posted by Clan

They have to be due to the massive costs and overheads they have to pay the manufacturer let alone for the premises too...this goes for all Brands.

I found the same with BMW. The 'free' coffee, 'free' wifi, and 'free' valet all have to be paid for somehow.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Pidgeonpost

I found the same with BMW. The 'free' coffee, 'free' wifi, and 'free' valet all have to be paid for somehow.

The list is endless , it would be interesting to know how much of a £1200 service is actually profit. maybe £400? £700? who knows ?

[Kugaman1]

I remember when my son was a mechanic at VW.

An annual service on a Golf was around £250.

Oil came out of a 1000ltr IBC at lets say £2.50 a litre - ( a 5 litre bottle of the same oil from TPS was £18), an oil filter was £4 at cost, a pollen filter £6 at cost.
Screenwash, a wash of the car, hoover……pennies.

He was paid £11 an hour at the time. The service was expected to take 40 mins max.

So, all in the cost was around £35 if I round it up.
Customer pays £250…..

Need I say more?

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by Kugaman1

I remember when my son was a mechanic at VW.

An annual service on a Golf was around £250.

Oil came out of a 1000ltr IBC at lets say £2.50 a litre - ( a 5 litre bottle of the same oil from TPS was £18), an oil filter was £4 at cost, a pollen filter £6 at cost.
Screenwash, a wash of the car, hoover……pennies.

He was paid £11 an hour at the time. The service was expected to take 40 mins max.

So, all in the cost was around £35 if I round it up.
Customer pays £250…..

Need I say more?

I am not sure you have included all costs. What about:-

Rent, heat, lighting, franchise fee, staff on reception, valeters cost, business rates, pension, employers ni, training levy, recruitment costs, cleaning, waste disposal, capital costs of refurbishment etc...

I am not convinced dealers are really making stacks of profit. In fact the consolidation of smaller dealers into the bigger chains suggests it is probably quite difficult to make a profit unless you have economies of scale.

[Kugaman1]

Originally Posted by Philip Fisher

I am not sure you have included all costs. What about:-

Rent, heat, lighting, franchise fee, staff on reception, valeters cost, business rates, pension, employers ni, training levy, recruitment costs, cleaning, waste disposal, capital costs of refurbishment etc...

I am not convinced dealers are really making stacks of profit. In fact the consolidation of smaller dealers into the bigger chains suggests it is probably quite difficult to make a profit unless you have economies of scale.

Yup, I fully understand all of the above but my point was that they charge 5x cost for a service. Let’s not forget the money from new car sales, used car sales ( current mark up on used cars is a disgrace btw) money from repairs, finance commission, etc….

Obviously if your with a less popular brand like maybe Renault say, profits aren’t so good but if your with a German brand or JLR, profits are embarrassingly high

[Carabind]

Originally Posted by techwatcher

I would do it myself if I could. Sadly I am not physically capable of doing this work.

Where abouts are you in greater Manchester? If you can throw a postcode or town out, and also your mileage, maybe one of us can point you towards a few more friendly indie who can check the pad wear . (I can see some one has already quoted a couple of Hyde and Stockport)

Imho, if car is still in warranty, I would get the main dealer to do it
Otherwise they will void the warranty if there are future problems with say the callipers or any associated brake parts, especially if non Volvo pads are visible

It is also sad fact that ignorant mechanics here can ruin the callipers by force winding them back rather than using a diagnostic tool to do this safely

Try and get your 2-3 nearby dealers to quote. They may well try and beat their competitors to get your business.

It is often the case that main dealers factor in the fact that the pads will wear out before the next service and will quote “due diligence “ in scaring 5he bejesus out of some poor punter by quoting for work that could safely be done in 9:months time .

Unfortunately across all brands , the rear pads can display high wear rates (compared to the front) a quirk of the electric handbrake and also some car manufacturers biasing greater us of rear brakes to help comfort

PS If pad wear indicators were fitted this would mitigate your situation but sadly I don’t think they are .