Mechanic in Cork

[giuanz]

Hi,

as soon as I bought my new toy I wanted to stay on the safe side so I had all the timing belts & filters & fluids changed.
I got most of the parts from Camskill - shipping was class! I ordered on thursday night and the parts were in Cork on Friday afternoon.



Can't complain about the job so far.
What do you think?

[CJ]

Looks reasonable. What grade of ATF was used? 26 euro won't get you 5 litres which is required for a *basic* oil change (more for a full flush and change). Did he change the ATF filter? If not, that should be done with the oil.

Get that leaking rad sorted soon too...

CJ

[Dragonheart]

Engine oil looks to be very cheap too does it? I usually spend E45 - E50 for 5L of 10W40. Just make sure the right stuff is put in and not some cheap unrecommended stuff.

[mcgon1979]

getting the fuel filter changed is great... It's not a nice job to do yourself... ask anyone...

[fatboyfat7]

Looks reasonable. What grade of ATF was used? 26 euro won't get you 5 litres which is required for a *basic* oil change (more for a full flush and change). Did he change the ATF filter? If not, that should be done with the oil.

Get that leaking rad sorted soon too...

CJ

When i did a full change on the auto box it didnt take near that. And i drained it out over night. Put in just under 4 and it still read too much...

[CJ]

When i did a full change on the auto box it didnt take near that. And i drained it out over night. Put in just under 4 and it still read too much...

Sounds to me that you didn't do a full change i.e disconnect the ATF cooler pipe, connect a line to a fresh container of ATF, another to an empty bucket, run the engine for a minute to pump out the ATF in the cooler pipe and torque convertor (can hold up to 2.5L of fluid). You can easily go through 8 litres for a full flush and change.

Remember to check when hot - cycle through the gear range and check the level with the engine running in neutral or park.

CJ

[Mustang]

Engine oil looks to be very cheap too does it? I usually spend E45 - E50 for 5L of 10W40. Just make sure the right stuff is put in and not some cheap unrecommended stuff.

No. A 4l drum of castrol GTX magnatec (which is probably at the top end of the semi synthetic range retails at ~€33 which would equate to about ~€37 retail for 4.5L. Sounds exactly right to me.

Assume you are using fully synth for €50 (otherwise I'd say you are being ripped off).
@Giuanz, did he quote you a labour rate. i.e €x per hour?
I generally use the same garage for most of the work on the fleet, but nearly everytime I go there it seems the labour rate has gone up. It was either 45 or 50 + vat the last time

[giuanz]

Hi, I've been in that garage 4 times now for 2 different cars.

Does not really seem to me to have a hourly rate but it seems to me that every "big job" by him takes 300€+VAT.

I've been there once more for my black beauty now, and I had:

- radiator leak fixed (it seems it was just some rubber joint or something)
- one steering rack boot replaced
- conversion back to kmph
- rear wheel bearing replaced

for 508€ excluding the rear wheel bearing, which I got shipped to him (from Steelroe, thanks!).
I think he's been honest not to order the bearing and ask me if I could provide one, since from his sources a bearing would have been 495€.

[steelroe]

€508 seems expensive to me for what you got done.

Rear Wheel bearing changa is a 1 hour job. The other items are minor.

[Mustang]

€508 seems expensive to me for what you got done.

Rear Wheel bearing changa is a 1 hour job. The other items are minor.

Actually now that you say it yes, €508 does seem very expensive for what was done. That said the original invoice posted above looks like good value to me.

[giuanz]

Whoops, I forgot to mention the wax oil (Schultz under sealer).

[Myfeckin FTO]

Holy F*ck - those labour rates are scary for the amount of work done.
Total of €600 in labour for your two trips within a week!
Seems quite expensive to me esp as he doesn't appear to even be a main dealer.

[giuanz]

Dunno where else to go. There is still stuff that I want to be fixed.

E.g. left door lock only opens with the car key (not with the remote) while somebody put a screwdriver in the right door lock and pushed the cylinder towards the inside so it only opens with the remote.

Here in Cork I find nowhere garages that are willing to work on those things. Mechs either tell me that they are too busy or tell that I'm better off going to the dealer and having all the locks replaced.

Don't mind spending more money - hey, it's about my awesome beautiful baby, and I want to keep it for several years - but I want to have the work done, and properly.

[steelroe]

Remember Kerry is just down the road from you and I will carry out any work needed and have an abundance of parts available.

[Mustang]

Holy F*ck - those labour rates are scary for the amount of work done.
Total of €600 in labour for your two trips within a week!
Seems quite expensive to me esp as he doesn't appear to even be a main dealer.

I completely disagree, €300 labour to replace a wheel bearing, steering rack gaitor, replace leaking cooling pipe and coolant, underseal the car plus the other bits and pieces is a very good price.
Most places would be quoting several hundred Euro just to carry out the underseal.
This is a big undertaking (assuming it is done right), blanking off paintwork, removing road grime and rust in advance, as with a lot of painting jobs most of work is in the prep.

[giuanz]

Rory, I think I'm going to pay you a visit very soon

[fatboyfat7]

Thats what I do, always feel better its there in opposed to somewhere else! Especially for the bigger jobs. There is however a garage just up the road from me in Douglas who's very good and very reasonably priced too. Its good for the minor things if Kerry seems to far for the amount of work needed.