full service quote

Post by **dirtyroger** » 14 Mar 2008, 12:22

Just had a full service quote from Graham Batt in Bristol for £240-280. Is this a reasonable price. My van has no service history so i thinks it would be worth getting it proffesionaly done.

Anyone know any good garages in the britol area?

thanks

Post by **Ian Hulley** » 14 Mar 2008, 13:40

Guess it depends on the garage's definition of a 'Full Service' I paid £120 15 years ago for a 'Full Service' at a Ford main agent to keep up a full service history ... they didn't even change the oil filter ! Seek clarity.

I'm sure someone local will be along to recommend someone in your area

Ian.

Post by **Laurie** » 14 Mar 2008, 14:41

Find out if he has an hourly rate and work out the hours.

The book time should be around 3.5 hours but may go up if he removes rear drums, etc.

Some people think that a full service is little more than oil and filter change but I think you'll find that Graham Batt has been around a long time and will know what the full service entails.

I have a mate in Nottingham who openly advertises his labout rate at £40 per hour. People puff and blow, but someone charging a decent rate for doing something properly is a hell of a lot better than someone charging a low rate and taking twice the time to do a job, because they don't know what they're doing. Needless to say, my Nottingham mate spends a lot of time rectifying other people's work.

Post by **ding-dang-dhu** » 14 Mar 2008, 15:33

6 Months ago I was £250 for full service and that inc the rear brake cylinder that needed doing oh and VAT.

Post by **kevtherev** » 14 Mar 2008, 18:10

just what would be in this "Full service"

Post by **lloyd** » 14 Mar 2008, 18:25

Maybe some fine mechanic here could put together a "Full Service List" of what all should be check and changed on our vans.

Things like: Change all fluids (coolant, engine oil, gear oil, brake fluid, etc); check, adjust and lube hinges, throttle cable, wiper arm pivot points, and all pivot points and latches; etc.

Do any of the manuals have a 5k, 10k, 20k, 50k service schedule for bricks?

I'm getting my Bently out and looking now.

Post by **Simon Baxter** » 14 Mar 2008, 19:30

£120 plus VAT.
Air, Oil, Fuel, Spark plugs, lights, levels, tyres, brakes pulled down, full mashings.
All bits on the shelf, done hundreds...

Post by **jamesc76** » 14 Mar 2008, 19:30

lloyd wrote:Maybe some fine mechanic here could put together a "Full Service List" of what all should be check and changed on our vans.

Things like: Change all fluids (coolant, engine oil, gear oil, brake fluid, etc); check, adjust and lube hinges, throttle cable, wiper arm pivot points, and all pivot points and latches; etc.

Do any of the manuals have a 5k, 10k, 20k, 50k service schedule for bricks?

I'm getting my Bently out and looking now.

im a mechanic my idea of a full service is;

oil and filter changed
fuel filter changed
air filter changed
check the lights
lube hinges and locks
look over brakes

you might be suprised but thats it!! Brake fluid should be changed every 2 years so not really a service item but usually done all together, if his price includes taking drums off etc then not a bad price, if all those items are changed should take approx 3 hours (in the book not that long in real life) so 3 hours @ £40 is £120 before you do anything!!

Post by **..lee..** » 14 Mar 2008, 19:32

a service can be anything from an overpriced oil and filter change to a whole days work.

our traditional "full" service takes about 3 hours on an average car the same standard on a t25 may take 3.5 poss 3.75hrs.

my mate is a local vw specialist and he books all day for his full monty service. he even removes the pads and shoes and cleans and copper greases everything all nut and bolts wire brushed and greased.

how he makes a profit i`ll never know.

remember in the motor trade its not where you take the car that dictates the standard of work its who actually does the work and the time they are allowed to do it.

most garages regard our vans as old sheds so it pays to go to someone who will actually have some pride in looking after what you have.

lee.

.

Post by **lloyd** » 14 Mar 2008, 20:23

Sorry, Bentley manual is in storage shed.

So brake fluid change every 2 years. I assume coolant too. At least I do brake fluid and coolant every couple of years.

BMW has a service schedule ... or at least used to .. based on miles/years.. oil change every 5k, air filter 10k, spark plugs, coolant, brake fluid 20k, transmission and differential oil 50k, etc. as well as all fulcrum points and slides cleaned and lubricated; brake clean & lube, shift linkage, suspension bushing check, clean and lube aerial, etc.

Post by **Nicola&Tony** » 14 Mar 2008, 20:36

lloyd wrote:Maybe some fine mechanic here could put together a "Full Service List" of what all should be check and changed on our vans.

Do any of the manuals have a 5k, 10k, 20k, 50k service schedule for bricks?

Haynes manual provides the detail for:

* Weekly checks (250 miles)
* Intermediate service (5k miles / 6 months, but Wiki on here recommends an oil and filter change more frequently than this for older engines)
* Regular service (10k miles / 12 months)
* Extended service (20k miles / 24 months)
* Long term service (30k miles / 36 months)

It'd be interesting to know if the Bentley manual differs from Haynes in any of the detail, but I guess it'll be largely the same sort of stuff?

Tony

Post by **Laurie** » 14 Mar 2008, 23:35

Don't bloody ask me. All I remember is that in the dealership I worked in, there was a foolscap sheet of items to check. Right down to the door lights. Wiper spindles which were getting sticky could add an hour to the job. track rod end boots etc.
However, that was when VWs actually had to work for a living and had the proper service intervals. A 3000 service was 20 minutes plus oil and grease and sump kit.

Post by **tosh** » 15 Mar 2008, 02:41

I'd find a mechanic that knows t25's, even if you have to travel a bit.

Least they'll do a good tune and fix/advise anything that shouts out at them. (if you know what i mean)

Post by **Smiler** » 15 Mar 2008, 07:51

I hope i`m not speaking out of turn here but myself I would be enquiring if any of the guys off this excellent site could fit in the service at the techy weekend

Getting these guys who are passionate and expertly knowledgable about these vehicles to do it while you watch and learn would, in my humble opinion, be a much better choice.

And........£280 spent on fuel, a good weekend and beer supplies for the workers would be money well spent

Post by **_wendy_** » 15 Mar 2008, 08:33

we had ours done when MOT was due as the people we used do a free MOT with full service. couldnt fault them. heres their checklist:

http://www.kam-servicing.com/schedule.htm