Reasonable or extortion!

[MWCLS]

Thanks Skd884!

 

[KennyN]

GP MODULE £265.00.

Thats a hell of a price for a relay , the genuine one for my CLS was only £120.

FWIW i very much doubt your guy is paying those prices.

When its all said and done you have a car repaired with genuine parts which will give you piece of mind regarding their longevity.

Kenny

 

[ray_hennig]

My only concern about what you've described is the "paid in cash" aspect. Why is that cheaper than paying by cheque or card? Does he intend to fiddle the VAT? Will you get an official invoice? If not, I'd consult a recommended independent expert. I'm sure many on here would recommend someone.

Good luck.

RayH

 

[BlackC55]

Why dont you ask him for a breakdown of costs? You may find that most of it is parts cost and that actually the labour isnt so bad.
Natacha

Just seen your above post - Thats why then. The parts are expensive, ouch!

 

[MWCLS]

Thanks guys, I new S Class parts wouldn't be cheap. All said and done it's peace of mind and reliability and I have no problems paying for the work done using oem parts with this particular independent who I do trust.

I will receive a fully itemized bill with breakdown for all the costs as I have done so on the past. It makes no odds to me paying cash, debit or credit card.

Cash seems to be the preferred option so I'm happy to go with that given the discount.

Thanks again to all those who contributed very much appreciated and you with your input have put me back in the real world running a S Class. It's going to be fun!...

 

[renault12ts]

You could have got a horn on Ebay for a tenner.

 

[zipdip]

Well sometimes the size of the bill does shock you,but ok so the parts are £1000,that is still over 7 hours to fit glowplugs,boot lock, water pump and a horn seems a little excessive,but hey you are keeping the car for a few years,maybe the next owner will be impressed with how much you have spent on it just two weeks ago,I got caught out,a Citroen DS5 needed two rear parking sensors,yes fit them please,now given that most sensors I have had fitted on various cars over the years have been in the £20-£35 each bracket,the Citroen ones were £75 each plus a hours labour plus vat,it happens

 

[renault12ts]

Thanks guys, I new S Class parts wouldn't be cheap. All said and done it's peace of mind and reliability and I have no problems paying for the work done using oem parts with this particular independent who I do trust.

I will receive a fully itemized bill with breakdown for all the costs as I have done so on the past. It makes no odds to me paying cash, debit or credit card.

Cash seems to be the preferred option so I'm happy to go with that given the discount.

Thanks again to all those who contributed very much appreciated and you with your input have put me back in the real world running a S Class. It's going to be fun!...

It's nothing to do with the S Class...that engine is common across MB...the injectors would cost the same for an E Class.

 

[MWCLS]

Thanks, yes I have owned a E320cdi s211 class I'm aware. The injectors are fine... touch wood!

 

[MWCLS]

Yes I could have bought the lot on eBay.. the point is reliability not second guessing a used part. How long will it last. False economy imo.

 

[renault12ts]

You' have to go through a lot of Ebay horns before it became uneconomic.

 

[MWCLS]

Do you change horns weekly?

 

[KeithJG]

Although the injectors may be the same i do understand that they may be a different price for an S Class compared to an E Class or even a C Class?

In the late `60`s one of my friends worked for BMC in the stores and he knew part numbers like some do phone numbers and a rear light lens for a Triumph part number was half the price than it was for the Rover part number but the actual part was identical.

If you can afford the car then you can afford to run it!

Manufacturers think if you buy a more expensive motor then they will charge you more for maintenance as you have the money to run it?

 

[markjay]

Although the injectors may be the same i do understand that they may be a different price for an S Class compared to an E Class or even a C Class?

In the late `60`s one of my friends worked for BMC in the stores and he knew part numbers like some do phone numbers and a rear light lens for a Triumph part number was half the price than it was for the Rover part number but the actual part was identical.

If you can afford the car then you can afford to run it!

Manufacturers think if you buy a more expensive motor then they will charge you more for maintenance as you have the money to run it?

This is not my experience with MB. When the same part is used across different models, it will still have the same part number, and the same price.

 

[markjay]

Alsi, what you are suggesting is possible when a spare part is sold under different brand names, e.g. VW-Audi-Seat-Skoda, or Fiat-Lancia-Alfa-Romeo, and usually also marketed through different distribution channels.

But in the case of MB they only have a very narrow brand tier at the bottom (Smart) and a very narrow one at the top (Maybach), but the vast majority of their cars carry the same MB brand name.

 

[chrisk2010]

I think you have made the right choice; classic car owners spend a lot of time and money trying to find original parts (like Bruce and his petrol can). Who doesn't want original parts on their car if they can afford it?

You could by a Chinese parts off eBay but you roll the dice on how long will it last? Plus you wait for the delivery and when it arrives will it fit? Like my experience with the doors locks on my golf. When they arrived the required some modding (what should have taken an hour took half a day) and the quality was pants, by the end of it I wished to god I'd brought original.

It has only caught the OP off guard because it's all been diagnosed and being done in one hit, hence the bill. If it was broken down throughout the year I don't think anyone would bat an eyelid.

Yeah you could buy a £10 horn but what if it corrodes, breaks, or causes another battery drain then that £10 will cost £300 anyway. I know the odds are slim but they higher than a quality part.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

£60k saloon cars still have £60k car running costs respective of age, it’s just that the person that originally paid that sort of money for the car got three years free of worry with the warranty.

Great cars though and I’m sure it’ll be money well spent.

 

[dreadlockdw]

£60k saloon cars still have £60k car running costs respective of age, it’s just that the person that originally paid that sort of money for the car got three years free of worry with the warranty.

Great cars though and I’m sure it’ll be money well spent.

Agree with everything you say here. I'd just point out that the original owner would have paid for the 3 years of worry-free motoring with at least £30 k of depreciation....

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Agree with everything you say here. I'd just point out that the original owner would have paid for the 3 years of worry-free motoring with at least £30 k of depreciation....

That’s really the point I was trying to make with regards these cars - they cost a few quid to run whenever you buy them in their lifecycle.

 

[renault12ts]

Do you change horns weekly?

Nope...but I have found that a £10 horn lasts as long as a £139 horn.