Saddened at Indie Price 3.5 hours labour Thermostat.

[Markedes]

Having now owned our first ever Mercedes for just over 3 months, I have found this site invaluable.

During the cold weather the temp gauge has sat at 60 and following the forum, bought a new thermostat from MB £35.60 that I intend fitting tomorrow.

I rang the indie garage down the road from me out of curiosity to see what they would fit the part for me and nearly choked when they told me that it would normally be 3 and a half hours labour but as a new customer they would do it for £185 plus Vat. Hence I will not and never be a new customer to them.

Quite happy to name them if asked.

Do you think this is correct ???????????.

 

[LTD]

Ask your main dealer to quote for the same job and then have another think ......

The Indy I use was £52 + VAT p/h IIRC so that price is pretty fair if the timescale is right. Your Indy may offer repeat business discounts but not be the best at communication.

 

[flango]

Just over £52 per hour, not the cheapest but not extortionate either

 

[markjay]

Some time ago I asked my under-the-railway-arches indie garage - comprising of two middle-aged chaps in dirty overalls - to quote for fitting new lower wishbones (which I had bought off eBay for £15 each) to my Vauxhall. I was quoted £100 per side...

 

[Markedes]

From the posts on here regarding the job the forum states an average time to do the job within an hour.

Who is right. One quote was 30 minute job.

 

[LTD]

Have you considered asking them why the job is quoted so long if you have comparisons ?

 

[Markedes]

Markjay... Your point being please.

Price does not come into it. The job does not take over 3hrs or does it or are the people exaggerating on how long it take them ?

 

[Markedes]

LTD, it was a quick phone call, nothing else. I based the times on this forum as there are many posts on this subject, as stated new to the Mercedes and now learning fast.

If that is what they charge then so be it, but a tad over the top and doing me a favour and me supplying the parts and coolant.

 

[Sp!ke]

Not sure of your particular motor but 30 minutes would cover the job if I did it on all the mercs I've had in my ownership. W201, W123, W124 - not looked at how hard it would be on my R129 though.

3.5 hours does sound somewhat high even if doing a full coolant flush although there may or may not be reason for this extra time on your particular car.

 

[renault12ts]

Mine was done for nothing...when the guy was fitting my front springs. He quoted for the springs and did not charge any more when I asked him to fit the stat...you is bein'robbed.

 

[kusanku]

I had the thermostat replaced on my e-class a couple of weeks ago at my local indie. £96.40 total for parts, labour and VAT. Can't believe it's a bigger job on a c-class, so £185 + VAT seems very poor value to me.

I would be interested to see how much the main dealer quote you.

 

[eGuru]

I had the thermostat replaced on my S class 3 weeks ago, was charged 1 hour labour and included coolant flush. Hope this helps.

 

[lancebond]

mine was replaced, cost me £168 although that included a new fuel filter as well.
i haven't used him since, as i now go to the staithes in dunston.

 

[markjay]

Markjay... Your point being please.

Price does not come into it. The job does not take over 3hrs or does it or are the people exaggerating on how long it take them ?

My point is that we naturally expect indies to be cheaper than main dealers, though bizarrely some are not... makes you wonder how they survive commercially? They do seem to attract customers, which I find odd.

 

[Markedes]

My car is a C Class 270cdi sports pack estate 2004 Facelift. So not difficult.

Skinned knuckles tomorrow here i come. Will have to update on exact time as a newbie following the forum on how to change the thermostat.

Regards.

 

[markjay]

Good luck!

And take some photos...

 

[grober]

It really depends what's involved. In these situations sometimes the customer and garage are thinking about the job in different ways. The customer is thinking "absolute bare minimum job -- parts supplied " - the garage is thinking "draining cooling system, new antifreeze /coolant to be on the safe side + new hoses/clips + thermostat part + courtesy car for the day VAT @ 20% which they don't see of course----- or they could simply be rip off merchants of course.

 

[219]

I've got mine to do on the W126 (ironically) once this cold weather passes and I can work outside again . This is because the heater is at best lukewarm ( the fact that the engine temp takes ages to reach 80 deg leads me to suspect a sticking 'stat ) ; I have previously dismantled and checked the duovalve , flushed and changed coolant 18 months ago - had an inferno of heat from the heater during the flushing process , which then reverted to lukewarm after I put £40 of antifreeze in . Only thing I didn't do then was change the 'stat - so worth trying this time round . System was carefully and exhaustively bled as I initially suspected an air lock , but now convinced it can only be the thermostat .

New thermostat from Euro Car Parts was just over £15 ( MB wanted £35 !! ) , the one hose which looks suspect and has a slight leak was £11 , two 4L bottles of Halfords 'advanced' coolant concentrate , which is MB approved ( cooling system capacity in excess of 12L , so 6+ Litres of concentrate needed for 50:50 mix at about £20 per bottle , plus two part flush at something like £10

I expect the job to take me two or three hours by the time I drain system , remove old thermostat ( which is slightly awkward to get to on the 500 as it goes into the side of the water pump , with the alternator directly in front of it - I have a small 1/4" drive socket set which , fitted with a deep socket , does fit onto the three bolt heads , but one of them does need to be done by sense of touch as it can't be seen - otherwise I'd have to remove the alternator , which is a PITA with various belts needing to be done ) .

Given that I'm looking at £65 or so of parts/materials , plus a fair chunk of labour - a couple of hundred would not seem unreasonable for the job . Still , I prefer to do it myself as then I'll know it has been done properly .

 

[kurtdaley]

I've got mine to do on the W126 (ironically) once this cold weather passes and I can work outside again . This is because the heater is at best lukewarm ( the fact that the engine temp takes ages to reach 80 deg leads me to suspect a sticking 'stat ) ; I have previously dismantled and checked the duovalve , flushed and changed coolant 18 months ago - had an inferno of heat from the heater during the flushing process , which then reverted to lukewarm after I put £40 of antifreeze in . Only thing I didn't do then was change the 'stat - so worth trying this time round . System was carefully and exhaustively bled as I initially suspected an air lock , but now convinced it can only be the thermostat .

New thermostat from Euro Car Parts was just over £15 ( MB wanted £35 !! ) , the one hose which looks suspect and has a slight leak was £11 , two 4L bottles of Halfords 'advanced' coolant concentrate , which is MB approved ( cooling system capacity in excess of 12L , so 6+ Litres of concentrate needed for 50:50 mix at about £20 per bottle , plus two part flush at something like £10

I expect the job to take me two or three hours by the time I drain system , remove old thermostat ( which is slightly awkward to get to on the 500 as it goes into the side of the water pump , with the alternator directly in front of it - I have a small 1/4" drive socket set which , fitted with a deep socket , does fit onto the three bolt heads , but one of them does need to be done by sense of touch as it can't be seen - otherwise I'd have to remove the alternator , which is a PITA with various belts needing to be done ) .

Given that I'm looking at £65 or so of parts/materials , plus a fair chunk of labour - a couple of hundred would not seem unreasonable for the job . Still , I prefer to do it myself as then I'll know it has been done properly .

My temperature gauge seems to be the same in this cold weather, takes ages to get warm and whereas before the temp would sit at 80, now it sits at about 60.
Seems to be using a lot more fuel as well, any ideas on this guys?
Seem to be getting 25mpg whereas before it was over 30mpg.
Sorry to hijack the thread.

 

[Ade B]

When I changed mine on the CE, I managed to shear a bolt within 2 mins of starting which turned a simple quick job into a relatively expensive one..

Perhaps it takes 2 hours to get the acres of plastic off the top of the engine and put it all back again afterwards..


Ade