By all means make a profit but you can't be serious!
Discussion
Car battery light flickered yestersay and was permanently on this morning on 40 mile drive to work. On arrival the dash lit up like a christmas tree and car conked out. AA got me to a dealer where diagnosis is car needs a new alternator. Its a Chrysler 300c. Cost will be.....wait for it.....£955.02, will be ready on Monday when part arrives! Blimey seems a lot to me.
Crikey! That's ridiculous, especially for a yank car which I'd always thought where easy to work on and used fairly standardised parts!
It seems you can get an alternator cheaper enough; Google Shopping so somebody is making a tidy profit as you say!
It seems you can get an alternator cheaper enough; Google Shopping so somebody is making a tidy profit as you say!
Thankyou4calling said:
Its in a Mercedes franchise dealer and they quoted £335 for the alternator and 4 hours labour. Said it usually takes longer. I know all businesses have overheads and I am kind of over a barrel but I honestly expected about £200. I suppose I am out of touch.
4 hours labour for an alternator?!I'm in the wrong business.
I would have to check it for myself before giving the go ahead if I wasn't going to change it myself.
A £5 multimeter across the terminals should be all you need.
How old is the car and how many miles?. 300c can't be that old, certainly not as old as the cars I have had to change alternators on. Then again maybe they don't make them like they used to.
A £5 multimeter across the terminals should be all you need.
How old is the car and how many miles?. 300c can't be that old, certainly not as old as the cars I have had to change alternators on. Then again maybe they don't make them like they used to.
Was at Merc today getting our Smart's keys recoded. Was quite amusing listening over the shoulder at a salesman chatting to a customer about the benefits of using merc over a 'F1 autocentre' for getting front discs and pads changed on a E220 or something. He reckoned an £80 cost and a hours labour from the other place would use cheapo discs and pads and wouldn't last 6months whereas if he went to merc, their £150 price would be better quality discs and pads, minimum 3 years good use and only half hour labour. There labour is £98 an hour!
Mused me today actually on what bargins you can grab at a merc dealership, a winter pack for instance consisting of a can of de-icer and 1litre screenwash in a clear bag - £15. The same can of de-icer and screenwash seperately underneath on the shelf, a Fiver each!
The best I saw was a battery, for a bargin £155!
Although the merc SLS for £189, 950 was awesome!
I enjoyed munching on the free biscuits and tea though. lol
Mused me today actually on what bargins you can grab at a merc dealership, a winter pack for instance consisting of a can of de-icer and 1litre screenwash in a clear bag - £15. The same can of de-icer and screenwash seperately underneath on the shelf, a Fiver each!
The best I saw was a battery, for a bargin £155!
Although the merc SLS for £189, 950 was awesome!

I enjoyed munching on the free biscuits and tea though. lol
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