ARGH! Horrific servicing bill
Discussion
So my car went in to Sinclaires for an A service on Friday and it needs the following work done:
Service + Oil change
New clutch
New driveshaft oil seal
Gear box oil
Fix coolant leak
Two new toe-links
One new ball joint
Two front discs
Front brake pad buffer pads
Suspension Geometry Setup
Wiper blade
Fix slack travel in accellerator pedal
Guess how much all of the above is shaping up to be!
At least it'll be a much better car when I get it back... not perfect though because fiscal pressures meant I had to ask them not replace the rest of the ball joints which are perished but don't have play in them yet (this was only done 2 years ago), or replace the exhaust flexi pipe which has perished and started blowing.
Service + Oil change
New clutch
New driveshaft oil seal
Gear box oil
Fix coolant leak
Two new toe-links
One new ball joint
Two front discs
Front brake pad buffer pads
Suspension Geometry Setup
Wiper blade
Fix slack travel in accellerator pedal
Guess how much all of the above is shaping up to be!
At least it'll be a much better car when I get it back... not perfect though because fiscal pressures meant I had to ask them not replace the rest of the ball joints which are perished but don't have play in them yet (this was only done 2 years ago), or replace the exhaust flexi pipe which has perished and started blowing.
How many miles do you do???
Im thinking not much change from 1500 crinklies?
Gonna take mine in start of October for some pre winter TLC, at 9000 miles I hope my repair inventory is not longer than my mods wishlist
Out of interest how many miles did you get out of the clutch and was the accelerator play a new problem ofr since new as i have noticed the same with mine
Im thinking not much change from 1500 crinklies?
Gonna take mine in start of October for some pre winter TLC, at 9000 miles I hope my repair inventory is not longer than my mods wishlist
Out of interest how many miles did you get out of the clutch and was the accelerator play a new problem ofr since new as i have noticed the same with mine
Stuart, you're closer with your guess but a bit high.
I do about 10,000 miles a year and it's my only car. Unfortunately I've never had a budget for upgrades as it all gets spent on maintenance.
The clutch started slipping if I used more than half throttle in third fourth or fifth gear after only 28k miles, which is earlier than normal. I don't do traffic light grand prix, but I can't be sure what the previous owner was like in the first four thousand miles of the car's life.
My accellerator pedal has always had at least 1cm of travel before doing anything which makes fine control of the throttle more of a mash and hope affair which I'm now fed up with.
I do about 10,000 miles a year and it's my only car. Unfortunately I've never had a budget for upgrades as it all gets spent on maintenance.
The clutch started slipping if I used more than half throttle in third fourth or fifth gear after only 28k miles, which is earlier than normal. I don't do traffic light grand prix, but I can't be sure what the previous owner was like in the first four thousand miles of the car's life.
My accellerator pedal has always had at least 1cm of travel before doing anything which makes fine control of the throttle more of a mash and hope affair which I'm now fed up with.
Gah your car has been a bit of a nightmare. Do the various bits really perish that quick if they are properly covered by their rubber gators etc?
Guessing about a grand for that lot, maybe a little more. The brake discs and clutch will definitely push it up. Couldn't the discs just be skimmed or are they really worn?
Dan: Yeah, bit of a nightmare... by the end of the week I will have spent more than £2700 on servicing so far in 2003 The balljoints were all replaced in May 2002 but the rubber gators have already perished!
The front discs are both 1mm below minimum thickness which is surprising seeing as the car is only about 15% way through it's second set of pads - are the Lotus discs made of chocolate?
The current estimate on the bill is about £1200 - even though I supplied my own Mobil-1. Double your guess, Ted.
The balljoints were all replaced in May 2002 but the rubber gators have already perished! The front discs are both 1mm below minimum thickness which is surprising seeing as the car is only about 15% way through it's second set of pads - are the Lotus discs made of chocolate?
The current estimate on the bill is about £1200 - even though I supplied my own Mobil-1. Double your guess, Ted.
OK have now got the S1 manual - thank you B&C if I was closer to you you would have my busines!
Any one know if the S2 manual is available ?
Things like disks and pads are an easy fix and I would do a service more often myself
Things like a cluch is a bigish job but sure I would spend more TLC than a dealer on the same job so end up with a better fix.
Just taking the standard service to keep up value and peace of mind for the next partner for AO51
Any one know if the S2 manual is available ?
Things like disks and pads are an easy fix and I would do a service more often myself
Things like a cluch is a bigish job but sure I would spend more TLC than a dealer on the same job so end up with a better fix.
Just taking the standard service to keep up value and peace of mind for the next partner for AO51
Remind me not to buy your car Clanger
Bonce get EBC disks as mentioned above they are better. Also get the uprated clutch.
I really feel you bought that car at just the wrong time in its life when everything started to go wrong. Bit worrying about the perished gators though in such a short time. I keep mine garaged do probably ok for me, but that sounds really bad they should go so quick if they were properly fitted etc. (not dissing who ever fitted them, just conjecture).
Geos pricey too at 120 quid or so. Still made my car drive like a dream when it was done.
Yep, EBC disks an uprated clutch are both being fitted. I bought the car a couple of years ago with only 4000 miles on the clock and after a huge initial bill sorting things out 'cos it had hardly been used, maintenance costs were low, until this year when everything's started going wrong! If only I'd sold it in January...
Anyway, like you say the perished gators are a bit of a bugger, especially as -- like you -- I keep my car safely tucked up in a garage every night. I guess it's cos I use the car in all weather, the salt on the roads probably speeds up the decay.
Anyway, like you say the perished gators are a bit of a bugger, especially as -- like you -- I keep my car safely tucked up in a garage every night. I guess it's cos I use the car in all weather, the salt on the roads probably speeds up the decay.
Bonce said:
Dan: Yeah, bit of a nightmare... by the end of the week I will have spent more than £2700 on servicing so far in 2003
The front discs are both 1mm below minimum thickness which is surprising seeing as the car is only about 15% way through it's second set of pads - are the Lotus discs made of chocolate?
The current estimate on the bill is about £1200 - even though I supplied my own Mobil-1. Double your guess, Ted.
Bloody hell I said I have some mobil 1 you could have...would have saved you £25
D.
My last B service, at Hethel, was £1500.
I was not amused. After three years of life (garaged), 15,000 miles, and not many of them on a track, I was not amused.
One of the reasons I don't drive a 355, or a 911, is the supposed cost of an Elise (yes, the car itself is a big part too). Service bills like this tend to suggest I'd fare nearly as well with something a bit more exotic.
I was not amused. After three years of life (garaged), 15,000 miles, and not many of them on a track, I was not amused.
One of the reasons I don't drive a 355, or a 911, is the supposed cost of an Elise (yes, the car itself is a big part too). Service bills like this tend to suggest I'd fare nearly as well with something a bit more exotic.
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