Expensive Nissan service
Submitted: Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 13:49
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Ted G
Just got the Nissan Pulsar 2005 model serviced at the local Nissan dealer in Southern
Sydney, cost $2,625.95. This was for a 120,00 klm service that the car had only 65,00 klm on the clock and serviced by the dealer since new according to the book.
$932.76 to replace the lower control arms as the bushes had worn and Nissan don't supply bushes ,only new arms, we were told by the service manager that this was normal for that milage.
Just out of extended warrenty.
The service Manager said because I had approved the cost by a telephone call from the service advisor that he would not do any thing about the cost.
Lesson learnt.
This is the last time I will have it serviced at this dealer and the last Nissan that I will buy.
Be this a warning to check the costs in detail before saying yes to have any work carried out.
Regards
Ted G
Reply By: Life Member - esarby (NSW) - Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 15:14
Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 15:14
I had my Jeeps first service done (1200 Kms) Service $260.00, Labor $300.00, 2 hours work, how many people worked on the vehicle?
Shop supplies $36.00, Octane Boost $12.50, ( Octane Boost in a CRD), 9 Lts oil $117.00. Bug wash and unit service $16.00. When I questioned this , they said, this is normal for the service required. I don't mind paying for Service but I said, I thought it was over the top. Staff involved, Receptionist, Service Advisor, Workshop Foreman, Machanics (?) Road Tester, then Receptionist who gave me the account and swiped my card. The Service Advisor told me that they would give me a discount off my next service. They lost me. Jeep now serviced elsewhere at half the cost.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Ted G - Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 15:20
Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 15:20
The Service Manager said that the charge out cost of the labour over $140 per hour because they have to pay their mechanics a high wage?
figure.
Regards
Ted G
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Steve D1 - Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 15:46
Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 15:46
1st year apprentices are on a grand a week now. Didn't you hear... TiC
Steve
FollowupID:
753048
Follow Up By: Life Member - esarby (NSW) - Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 19:08
Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 19:08
On the question of Octane Boost. What is the Octane of Diesel. and why does it need a boost?
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Follow Up By: Member - Carlin - Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 22:33
Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 22:33
Diesel doesn't have an octane rating.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Ross M - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 23:01
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 23:01
Life Member - esarby,
Diesel has a CETANE rating and is nothing the same as petrol OCTANE or anti knock quality. If they put in OCTANE BOOST they put in the wrong stuff.
If they added CETANE BOOST then why, because they don't need it.
Did you see the empty bottle and how can they prove it was added?
A complete and unprincipled ripoff. Ask for your money back for that.
Also ask what oil they use. I bet 9L of it doesn't cost $117 retail, they get it trade.
Another ripoff.
What is unit service?
2 hours to do a 1200km service unheard of. Did they disassemble half your truck and then put it back together just for the fun of it or for them to get confidence and experience. It seems they need it.
At 1200km it is a first service and they are generally free or so called. You paid for it when you purchased the vehicle. All other stealerships/dearerships work this way.
If you find an honest car dealership post their name on the
forum, I don't know of any in 4+ decades of motoring.
FollowupID:
753240
Reply By: Member - DAZA (QLD) - Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 16:51
Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 16:51
Our Nissan dealer charged $280.00 for a 10k service.
That covered full service oil & filters ect and rotated the tyres.
They drop us off at the RSL and pick us up after a phone call.
A lone car is available if we give them a weeks notice.
Cheers
AnswerID:
477770
Reply By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 16:51
Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 16:51
My other half, Janet has a few year old Corolla. I change the oil and filter every 10,000ks, drop the 3 litres of auto fluid it allows to drain and re top once a year, keep an eye on the tyres and fliuds, shine a torch on the brake pads from time to time and wash it every few weeks... Let the yearly inspection tell you whats wrong.. When i had my diesel Patrol in for a major service (every 40,000k) it was only around $1000 2 years back.. Nissan service is over the top, and many parts are replaced when not really necessary. Have a look at a Toyoya service book, most things are check and replace if not serviceable, Nissan is always replace regardless.... That $2600 sounds heavy to me for a small car.. Michael
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 16:52
Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 16:52
Did you get to see your old control arms.. ??? Michael
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Follow Up By: Ted G - Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 19:29
Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 19:29
No I was told that they had been thrown out, but I also suspect that they would have had an old set lying around if anyone asked to see them.
Regards
Ted G
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Reply By: Rockape - Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 19:37
Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 19:37
ted,
I could show you an email about a Nissan bus that had heaps of problems. I can't do that due to the original emails swearing.
I don't and won't use dealers to do service work.
i have a 1999 Hyundai XL that is not serviced by anyone other than myself. Total problems so far with this vehicle. 1 intake air temp sensor.
I just recently had new tyres fitted and they told me the rear shocks were u/s and the disc brakes needed attention. I took it back 2 weeks later and told them to do a wheel alignment again and don't worry about the other things that they perceived were wrong.
I do all the work on my Troopcarrier myself as i do not trust anyone. I must have a complex head disorder.
RA
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Follow Up By: mikehzz - Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 20:57
Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 20:57
I fixed mine with a new complex head gasket :-)
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Reply By: Robin Miller - Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 20:59
Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 20:59
Sad story Ted - 3 or 4 of those would be the value of the car.
I promised to take my GU patrol in for a service at 100,000 but got cold feet.
Definately was going to take it in at 200,000 but was to busy.
Promise I will take it in @ 300,000 though .
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Follow Up By: Rockape - Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 21:43
Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 21:43
No you won't HA HA HA
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Reply By: Member - OnYaBike - Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 22:10
Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 22:10
I always go to the guy who runs the business himself, by himself. You talk to the guy beforehand so he knows anything you want checked out, and if anything is not right you can come back and talk to the one who did the job.
I hate
places where you can't get past the receptionist, and you are paying top tradesman's hourly rate for the apprentice to do the job, with possibly little supervision.
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Reply By: SDG - Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 22:17
Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 22:17
Took the forks off my bike emptied the fork oil, looked at the seals and thought I could not be bothered putting the new ones in that I had bought, so I contated the local bike joint. He qouted me $200.00. I reminded him I had all the parts here, and he said correct, that price was just labour.
An hour later I had the old seals out, forks cleaned, refilled and ready to go back on the bike.
Took me an hour in the back yard. Would have taken the mechanic less with proper
tools for the job.
And he wanted $200.00. For what? An hours work?
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477810
Reply By: Bravo Man - Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 23:48
Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 at 23:48
While I was in
Broome I took my Bravo to Beaurepaires for a wheel alignment.
After 1/2 an hour the boss came out and said he couldn't adjust the camber on one side because he didn't have shims to fit,
I told him to use any shims as they looked like the shims that most cars have.
He said they had special shims so they could only adjust the toe-in.
When the job was finished he gave me the computer read out from the wheel aligner.
Now I used to do wheel alignments in my younger days and they needed to take shims out not put new ones in.
When I told him this he said he couldn't adjust it so I said I couldn't pay and just walked out. He didn't say anything because he knew he was wrong.
I think they just do the toe out on all their wheel alignments because it can be a hard and time consuming job sometimes to change the shims.
Most people wouldn't know the difference so they get away with it.
I suppose its like all tradesmen,you just want an honest one.
Regards Peter
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Reply By: Axle - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 21:54
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 21:54
G/Day Ted,.. Normal Wear my arse!,..My daughter has had three Pulsars, she does a lot of running around and i don't think lower control arm bushes have been replaced on any of them within 250,000ks,..Just Nissan dealership crap. Bursons would have those bushes, and plenty of mechanics around to fit them.
Chin up mate don't give the pulsars away mate, best small car ever built they where
the bench mark of the small cars and hatches ever built.
Cheers Axle.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Ross M - Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 23:13
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 23:13
For a 65,000km Pulsar to need new lower arms it would have to have done those km on the
Gibb River Road when the grader hasn't been along for a while.
Absolutely unheard of.
People go to wreckers and buy used replacements for their vehicles and they have done 150,000km and are resold for reuse.
Park outside the dealership with a sign warning others, "BEWARE LOWER CONTROL ARM RIPOFF"
After a while you might be considered for a cash adjustment.
Service = $400 possibly
Overpriced lower arms $ 923.76 40 mins to fit both.
Looks like they just doubled your bill cos they can.
You price the replacement arms, better still, ask a auto supplier/ Repco/Bursons if the bushes are available for your vehicle. If they are you have the dealer on a thick slice of toast and still in the toaster.
AnswerID:
477900