VE Servicing Blues - Anyone had this experience

[justnuts]

Hi everyone. This is my first time on this site and I'm hoping to get some feedback on my service history.
I bought my 2006 VE Omega (stock standard) second hand from a Holden Stealer in April 2008 (18mths old with 37k on the clock).

Service history:-

12/12/08-45k service (still under new car warrenty)--49512k's--$ 680.50
28/07/09-60K service (still under new car warrenty)--59129k's--$ 405.30
17/02/10------5yr fixed price used car warrenty-------66463k's--$ 1423.95
20/08/10------5yr fixed price used car warrenty-------73551k's--$ 217.50
15/03/11------5yr fixed price used car warrenty-------80140k's--$ 517.95


total $ 3299.20

I just had the car part serviced yesterday which will be roughly $500 to $600. It's booked in again next week to machine the discs and have new pads fitted. Rough cost, another $900 (current k's on the clock - 90,200).
So for the 3 1/2 yrs I've owned the VE (53,000k's travelled), if I get the brakes done next week, I'll have spent $4800 - $4900 to keep the ' Great and Guaranteed Used Car ' on the road.

Anyone else had this sort of experience?

I'm looking at cancelling the used car warrenty and just service the car by the log book, whether I do that thru a Holden dealer or someone local I'm not sure.

Couple of questions. Anyone know of a good local mechanic in the Guildford, NSW area?
Also, How many times can the discs on a VE be machined. The fronts have already been machine once in the ridiculous $1423 service done 18mths ago. If I took it back next week I'm almost certain they'll say I need new rotors.

Anyway, If anyone has some feedback or comments or advice, I would really appreciate it.

By the way, I'm 53yrs old so my hooning days are long gone. I don't drive like a nanny, but I don't drive hard either especially with the brakes.

Cheers everyone and thanks.

 

[Woollie]

I'm not a qualified mechanic but I do know that you are being very ripped off here. Were most of these services just basic like oil & filter? If I were you I would just find a good local mechanic and get it serviced there. Those so called extended warranties are a load of crap anyway. Not everything is covered if something happens.

Do a google search for mechanics in Guildford and start ringing around for prices. Most of them have info in their system for what is required for each service interval.

 

[kuzman89]

Holy ****!! My 45k service cost me $180, 60k was abit more $220 but nothing like that. Definetly take it somewhere else.

 

[scottssv10]

yeah done by a hairy assed 16 year old apprentice...i just got mine serviced and the little prick left the sump plug half undone...thanks motors devonport..anothing winning holden dealership lol

 

[Ron Burgundy]

All right
I'll keep it simple

Extended dealership warranty is not worth paper it's written on ! It's a fact ! It's like the fact that the earth is round.
Everyone knows this including people who work for dealership. It's designed to rip you off with minimal to no benefit to customer.

Dealership servicing/repairs is always close to double in price of what you'd pay a good reputable local mechanic. This is a fact too !

Paying $900 for brake service is theft !

For that money you can buy brand new DBA discs, brand new pads, brake fluid flush and have change left from it !!!

An example....

I had my Mrs's front brakes done last week by my mechanic.
I supplied pads which I got cheap of e bay.

Total cost for 2x dics machining, labour, brake fluid flush $150
Even if they supplied pads it would be no more than 70-80 bucks on top of that !

My advice ..
Tell them to **** of an take your car elsewhere

That job should be no more than $500

My mechanic is in Cabramatta and has state of the art workshop.

PM me for details if interested !!!!

 

[Ron Burgundy]

ps. Unless you thrash the crap out of your car...there is no chance in hell that brake pads will wear out in 18 months !!!!

Discs can be machined more than once so you should be fine

My mechanic charges $20 per disc for machining and I believe around 80-90 for 1hr labour.

He's honest, efficient and flexible if you wanna supply parts etc.

In your case if your brakes really need work i.e. machining all discs, new pads and brake fluid the cost should be as follows:

$ 80 - disc machining
$ 160 approx for Bendix brake pads F&R
$ 20 approx for brake fluid
$ 180 approx for labour

Total= approx $440

You'd need to have rocks in your head to go back to the dealership !

 

[EraserHead]

Sorry Justnuts - I agree with everyone else - unfortunately you are being had.

Warranty extension all sounds great until you have to actually make a claim, then hear the excuses come out! ... oh that's wear and tear, abuse, that item not covered, etc. etc. Best one I heard of was a mate and his auto started shifting funny - Holden dealer says not covered by warranty claiming it was abuse - needs a changeover tranny and wallet flush - $1800 plus labour. I told him to see a mate who was an auto specialist - he replaced the modulator which was all the problem was - $70..!!

Definitely cheaper in the long run to simply get a good local mechanic you can trust to look after you.

Re the brakes - depends how much they have to skim off to get them flat - I would think twice would be OK - cost $20 per rotor. New rotors are not expensive anyway if they need replacing, same with pads. For 4 rotors machined and good quality pads you'd be looking at around $240 in parts. Lets say worst case 3 hours labour at dealer rates of $120 per hour and it still only comes to $600.... so they are having a lend of you I'm afraid...

I took wifes Astra to the dealer for a 60k service - needs front rotors and pads apparently - Stealer quoted $600+. Bought new rotors and pads for $160 and spent 90 minutes doing it myself. Local brake place said they'd do it for $300 - half the dealer price!!

 

[monkeywrench]

damm man,like Xonar said $440.00 for front and rears, is a good price,thats excactly what i charge hear at my workshop,so yeah my advice would be find a good mechanic,and steer clear of dealerships,god knows how many of my customers have come from dealerships after being rip a new one

 

[burleighboy86]

$1423.95?? I wasn't even remotely aware that a price like that could be associated with a Commodore service. I knew they were expensive, but that's just out of this world.

EDIT

It seems so blatant from Holden to charge so much for their servicing. My brother bought a Hilux a couple of years ago still under new car warranty, and Toyota only charged him a fixed rate price on every service he had, additional of course on repairs, but I think it was around $200 each time.

 

[RayLamp]

I recently had my front discs machined, new pads, service etc and i remember it being around the $200 mark. They checked the rear brakes etc and did a brake safety report/statement etc. Ive only done that once, and it was after 105,000km. I tow a boat a fair bit down some steep mountains so you'd think my brakes would have been up the preverbial creek. Mind you, my car is manual and I dont stomp on the brakes like a demon all the time.

Get your car serviced elsewhere