Cambelt over due

[JamesS]

I think the advantage of going to a main dealer in my eyes is purely down to the fact that if they properly shag your engine or cock up your timing you can get it fixed entirely at their costs. God knows I don't trust their technical knowledge.

Going to an independent is a bit of an unknown entity and if they balls it up and refuse to pay you've got a fight on your hands.

I would say the complete opposite. Everyone has seen the lengths that dealers will go to to get out of repairing things, changing things or doing anything else that ultimately ends up costing them money.

If they screwed something up, I would say they're far less likely to just own up and fix it.

An independent / specialist is someone who is likely to be in business not because people feel they have to go to them (as they do with a dealer), but because people choose to go to them, most likely because of their reputation / word of mouth. If they screw something up, they'll more likely be willing to fix it because they know bad worth of mouth is more likely to affect their business.

Just my 2p.

Either way, there's no way I'd go to a dealer for this work.

 

[Chrisgti6]

you say it like going to renault is a good thing. PMSL. I can't tell you how often I've fixed main dealer mistakes

You won't need the VVT pulley changing. Even if you did, it's £99, so I'm still cheaper

I never said anything that made it sound like going to Renault was a good idea.

He asked if £600 was a good price from a Renault dealership, I said it was. I merely answered the guys question with my opinion.

I'm not disputing the fact you have corrected dealer mistakes, but at the same time you can't tar all dealers with the same brush. The best thing for the OP to do is get a few quotes from the garages he wishes to use and then make a decision, whilst at the same time listening to advice from the forum to help with that decision.

All that said, personally I would take it somewhere like 519, or Diamond motors rather than let Renault anywhere near it!

 

[ricks-197sport]

I mite aswell get the dephaser pully done while the cambelts off. Cars done 48k and is 6 years old. Im used to subaru's so not that clued up on these types of engines. I am getting the cambelt tensioner and pullys done and the alternator belt and tensioner and the dephaser fitted and a service for £600.
Thats a good price mate, if you was abit nearer to me i would have got you to do it.

 

[Robo_#1]

I would say the complete opposite. Everyone has seen the lengths that dealers will go to to get out of repairing things, changing things or doing anything else that ultimately ends up costing them money.

If they screwed something up, I would say they're far less likely to just own up and fix it.

An independent / specialist is someone who is likely to be in business not because people feel they have to go to them (as they do with a dealer), but because people choose to go to them, most likely because of their reputation / word of mouth. If they screw something up, they'll more likely be willing to fix it because they know bad worth of mouth is more likely to affect their business.

Just my 2p.

Either way, there's no way I'd go to a dealer for this work.

Good point, obviously I'm only going from personal experience of the local dealers around me, but in the past their technical knowledge and in particular their customer service have been ****, which drove me away. The one thing I've never had an issue with is Warranty, they fixed EVERYTHING I complained about on my car without fail, I had 11 different things replaced in the first year of ownership, including Recaro seat bases, a new rear window due to heater element and a new key because sometimes it was a it 'iffy' when you wanted to unlock it. With that all considered I'd trust them to right their wrongs, but its probably all swings and roundabouts I suppose...

 

[ricks-197sport]

I no the garage ive booked it into is good, its a family run renault garage so not a main dealer but there renault specialists. Where very good on the phone, i am waiting for a price from shropshire automotive but i think they will be expensive. They do alot of work on high performance cars and mapping. If they are cheaper i mite just go there.

 

[sideways danny]

Which stealers was this Si?


I think the advantage of going to a main dealer in my eyes is purely down to the fact that if they properly shag your engine or cock up your timing you can get it fixed entirely at their costs. God knows I don't trust their technical knowledge.

Going to an independent is a bit of an unknown entity and if they balls it up and refuse to pay you've got a fight on your hands.

Well this is more clearcut than you think. I use genuine parts, so if these fail, the car goes to Renault and they fix it. If I balls it up, I fix it. This is why we as traders have to make margins on parts etc, to cover any eventuality of warranty repairs, which is exactly why I won't fit parts a customer supplies.

 

[Robo_#1]

Well this is more clearcut than you think. I use genuine parts, so if these fail, the car goes to Renault and they fix it. If I balls it up, I fix it. This is why we as traders have to make margins on parts etc, to cover any eventuality of warranty repairs, which is exactly why I won't fit parts a customer supplies.

Fair enough, my comments weren't really directed at you, as you don't really fit the "unknown entity" most other independents do. You put your work on here, facebook etc. so you're very transparent, and by all accounts very capable.


I was more so referring to an unknown or back street garage. Which, again from personal experience, have been hit and miss.

 

[deadmau5]

How long does the job take approximately Danny?

 

[sideways danny]

How long does the job take approximately Danny?

best part of a day for cambelt and service.

 

[gaz]

I no the garage ive booked it into is good, its a family run renault garage so not a main dealer but there renault specialists. Where very good on the phone, i am waiting for a price from shropshire automotive but i think they will be expensive. They do alot of work on high performance cars and mapping. If they are cheaper i mite just go there.

get to birchdown, sooooo much experience with renaultsports.

Www.birchdown.co.uk