Pete Fenlon Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 I sent the bumpers and overriders door handles and headlamp rims for re chroming. It was late last year when I sent the stuff, I called them just before Christmas to ask if the bits were ready, but having staff problems they were going to take more time. I thought the costs would be around the £500 mark. I got a call today from a very nice lady, telling me the parts were now ready and would cost me £35 to transport, after I had paid for the chroming cost which was, £1,541.00 I have queried their charge and await info from them, I should have asked for a quote! But having had work done by them in the past, my estimate was way adrift.......................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AB|W Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 Pete, Nice to hear your still doing charitable donations. Ouch. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtuckunder Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 if they haven't got a big deposit tell them you don't want them at that price, and then keep a google and ebay search running for when they come up for sale. apart from door handles which are nla, the rest is all available new from canleys for £850 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Fenlon Posted February 19, 2019 Author Share Posted February 19, 2019 On 2/18/2019 at 5:15 PM, oldtuckunder said: if they haven't got a big deposit tell them you don't want them at that price, and then keep a google and ebay search running for when they come up for sale. apart from door handles which are nla, the rest is all available new from canleys for £850 I didnt hand over a deposit. I did send them an E mail complaining about their charges. I had a phone call from the firm from a bloke who told me that they only do correct work, using copper nickel and then chrome, he explained that their materials had increased in price dramatically Nevertheless, they said they would in this case reduce the cost by £530. Quite a difference. I do have the problem that I still think a pound is worth 20 shillings, must try harder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRooster Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 Need a couple of smallish bits chromed for the Beamer, anyone recommend a supplier? As for bumpers I bought new ones in S/S cheaper than having the old ones chromed. RR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtuckunder Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 (edited) 39 minutes ago, Pete Fenlon said: Nevertheless, they said they would in this case reduce the cost by £530. in this case i think i'd call that a result (if only a draw), and they will be way better than repro or nos. Edited February 19, 2019 by oldtuckunder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 I agree with Alan..... though I feel your pain Pete! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesA Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 Pete, disappointing to see the behaviour of Porsche main dealers filtering down to local, independent suppliers. Some years ago before I had found a reliable independent garage to look after my Boxster, I needed 2 plastic inserts to be installed just behind the rear door pillar - they simply snap in. Opening quote was £1200! We are talking something body coloured and about 2" x 5". After lots of b******x (including some nonsense about making up enough paint respray the entire car) we settled at something less than £100. More recently, having exhausted the original service booklet I requested anther to continue the record. Rather than congratulate me as a loyal, long term owner they wanted £54! I should have learnt by now. Porsche - never create some goodwill when you can screw the owner! Miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 4 hours ago, MilesA said: Porsche - never create some goodwill when you can screw the owner! Audi / VW and BMW not much better..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtuckunder Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 6 hours ago, MilesA said: Porsche - never create some goodwill when you can screw the owner! one could argue that owning/buying a porsche probably indicates an sm inclination, so maybe the dealers are trying to add to the experience by adding a bit of bd for you, i understand that to indulge you need a safe word like maybe SOLD ALAN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Fenlon Posted February 21, 2019 Author Share Posted February 21, 2019 On 2/19/2019 at 8:28 PM, oldtuckunder said: in this case i think i'd call that a result (if only a draw), and they will be way better than repro or nos. Yes I agree Alan,I hope that when the parts land they will be worth he expense. Some sad tales there regarding car dealers, all true, I would mention my experience of buying a Citroen XM estate car years ago, by far the worst car I ever bought but the sorry tale would take too long............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 No need to buy a Porsche to get screwed. My Citroen C5 (2011) lost the little plastic surround to the drivers door lock. It's about 1x2" and is purely trim with no operational function at all. Goodness knows how it fell off, the car opens and locks via the fob. Anyway, a new part would cost £303, as it is only supplied as part of a complete door lock kit. So the car thrives and survives without it. John PS I have enquired of various breakers but either C5s don't get broken, or else they can't be arsed to supply a part that in all concience they couldn't charge more than a quid for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamish Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 Gone are the days where you could climb around a scrap yard to get the bits you need or want. The way the cars were stacked and balanced I’m not surprised in this day and age (H&S). But I did have many a happy hour in my local yard keeping my cars on the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bumblebee Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 It is obscene some prices they charge Audi A3 with xenon lamps. front bulb supplied and fitted.... 540 quid! I bought the bulb for 90 quid, that was shocking enough, and fitted it myself. I do question however the design principles used when you have to remove the entire front bumper to change a bulb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 I Still some around here where you can “pick your own”. Though one now requires you to wear toecapped footwear, high vis and to sign in and out. Fine with me. Have had a couple of scary near-misses with tall stacks in the past...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 1 minute ago, Bumblebee said: It is obscene some prices they charge Audi A3 with xenon lamps. front bulb supplied and fitted.... 540 quid! I bought the bulb for 90 quid, that was shocking enough, and fitted it myself. I do question however the design principles used when you have to remove the entire front bumper to change a bulb The Audi price for a headlight unit for my old A8 was a little over £ 1,200 + VAT. Bulbs (conventional) not included. I bought good used for £ 40 which was more in keeping with the £600 paid for the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattius Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 My megane sport was like that, the manual when you look up changing a headlight bulb actually starts with "remove the wheel", removing the bumper was easier than contorting your arm into the hatch. BMW seem to have a thing of saying "is there anything we can do on the price" whenever my car needs work, my answer is always "so your overcharging me in the first place" its quite fun to watch them squirm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MennoR Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 Friend of mine used to be a director at Renault Holland. He told me that the factory in France is pretty 'lose' when it comes to setting prices for parts in various countries. E.g.: those plastic hub caps costed next to nothing here in Holland. In France however, they cost an arm and a leg. Reason: most Dutch cars are on alloys... and in France, most cars were (are?) on steel rims, needing those caps! Talking about Porsche prices... a colleague has two older Porsches. Both bought at an indy about 10 yrs ago. The hassle and the money it took to get them 'on board' at the main dealer again! It took him nearly 9000 euros before they were 'roadworthy again' (Main dealer's text...). He hardly uses the cars: less than 5k kms/year a piece. Both are serviced every year at the dealer's. Last autumn he had to fork out 3200 euros for one and 4800 euros for the other; just for annual inspection, oil change etc. For the stamp in the booklet... When I suggest that he can have them serviced for less than 40% of the dealer's price, he always answers: "...the cars' value will go down without the stamps in the booklet?" My return: "Are you planning to sell them?" You can guess the answer: "No." I rest my case... Menno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AB|W Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 Shouldn't there be some sort of legislation on headlamp "replaceability" in car design? Every Autumn I am shocked by the number of cars with one headlight out. Ok sometimes the driver might not be aware but how often is the sheer scale of the task, and the associated price, a delaying factor in road safety. In the old days if I noticed a headlamp bulb was out I would pull over near a street light and fit a replacement before continuing my journey, now an impossible task. I wonder why many continental countries still insist on carrying replacement bulbs, do people carry replacement HID's or whatever? Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 20 minutes ago, AB|W said: Shouldn't there be some sort of legislation on headlamp "replaceability" in car design? You'd think it would be smart, but then so would requiring at least a space-saver spare wheel be....... Doesn't seem to get considered. Mind you, changing the headlight bulb in a Spit IV or GT6 3 is a pretty irritating process involving the removal of the cowl first. Chris has modded a pair of bowls to give access from behind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MennoR Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 6 hours ago, Nick Jones said: Chris has modded a pair of bowls to give access from behind. As a former Spit owner, I can say that I applaud that! One of the best ideas. (Perhaps next to the two triangled canvas bags I once saw above the wheel arches/in the cavity between wheel arch and bonnet. There's enough place to store much-needed car parts to overcome a break-down of the car). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesA Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 On 2/23/2019 at 8:44 AM, Bumblebee said: I do question however the design principles used when you have to remove the entire front bumper to change a bulb I don't believe that modern car designers have any idea or care about servicing needs. Changing the battery on my daughter's Kuga ended up taking over an hour as it is lodged under the windscreen area with the air filter system needing to be removed before it can be extracted (an alternative method involves removing the windscreen wipers!). There different headed sets of screws holding all the air filter gubbins together too - 1 identical set would have been fine as they were all pretty much the same size. At least eBay makes up for the loss of scrapers and factors - not as much fun of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 Not much fun doing a battery swap on a Stag either....... But for sure the newer stuff is MUCH worse than the old. Some even need the ECU telling after a bulb swap so it'll turn the failed circuit back on..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MennoR Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 ... or getting an alarming message that your need to check your tyres (deflated) after changing the wheels from 'winter' to 'summer'. There's also the use of bizarrely slotted/profiled bolt-heads! Menno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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