Rear brake pipe rip off ?

buchanan · 18th May 2011, 13:47

Left car into garage this morning for Pre MOT check. They just rang to say that the nearside track rod end needs replaced, both lower wishbone bushes(split), Handbrake adjusted, and the BIG one the rear brake pipes badly corroded.
To do the rear brake pipes they said they need to remove the fuel tank,which would take 6 hours.
The bill for the whole lot is £590 including VAT.

Does it take 6 hours to remove the Fuel tank.

Zeb · 18th May 2011, 13:53

Can't see it taking that long myself...but they will be charging you the hours for making up the pipework and bending it to shape of course...but six hours? Surely that must be for all the work you mentioned?

navrac · 18th May 2011, 15:07

A friend of mine had both rear pipes redone last month for about £120 all in at our local garage. - I can't remember if that included the oil change too.

It's a popular garage as you can imagine. They do good work too!

RPWC · 18th May 2011, 15:13

It is a big job to remove the tank,but 6 hours? no can't be,I had to replace both front to back pipes on mine ,for the MOT,but even though it was a huge job to do,it didn't cost anywhere near that figure

buchanan · 18th May 2011, 15:13

No they told me 6 hours for the tank removal, seems thats the time Rover allowed.

steve 135+ · 18th May 2011, 16:01

First thing this garage is trying to make a fast buck, there is no need to remove the fuel tank, i changed my brake pipes sometime ago and did-not have to touch the tank.

To keep the costs down i made my own pipes up, invest in a flaring kit, this is a cheap one http://www.toolbox.co.uk/draper-3787...ign=GoogleBase or http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jack-Sealey-..._sim_sbs_diy_3 but will do the job, a roll of brake pipe is about £25, you can replace all the brake pipes for less than £80, that's if you can do the job yourself? Steve

madone · 18th May 2011, 16:10

I had all mine done last year with shiny copper pipe and they never touched the tank.

suffolk boy · 18th May 2011, 16:49

some one is talking out off their back side you dont need to remove the tank just lower it the pipes can be put in to place with the help off the inspection covers under the rear seat being removed or you can route them around the tank as long as they are neat and tidy and secure .i had mine done last year and x2 new drop links put on at the same time for £140

RPWC · 18th May 2011, 17:09

There was no mention of taking the tank off,or dropping it,when I had my brake pipes done in March. The garage I use,said it was a difficult job,but if the tank had been removed,I'm sure he would have told me.

buchanan · 18th May 2011, 17:18

I gave them the go ahead to do the work as MOT is tomorrow and they are very strict over here about brake pipes.
But i will get car looked at to see if the tank has been removed, they also are charging me for adjusting the hand brake,yet you need to slacken the handbrake cables to drop the tank,according to the Haynes Manual.

18th May 2011, 13:47	#1
buchanan Buchanan Rover 75 connoisseur se ctdi Auto Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Belfast Posts: 332 Thanks: 3 Thanked 30 Times in 18 Posts	Rear brake pipe rip off ? Left car into garage this morning for Pre MOT check. They just rang to say that the nearside track rod end needs replaced, both lower wishbone bushes(split), Handbrake adjusted, and the BIG one the rear brake pipes badly corroded. To do the rear brake pipes they said they need to remove the fuel tank,which would take 6 hours. The bill for the whole lot is £590 including VAT. Does it take 6 hours to remove the Fuel tank. Last edited by buchanan; 18th May 2011 at 15:14..

18th May 2011, 15:13	#4
RPWC This is my second home 75 model car Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 20,177 Thanks: 4,008 Thanked 5,083 Times in 3,114 Posts	It is a big job to remove the tank,but 6 hours? no can't be,I had to replace both front to back pipes on mine ,for the MOT,but even though it was a huge job to do,it didn't cost anywhere near that figure __________________ Cheers. Rich…

18th May 2011, 16:01	#6
steve 135+ Regular poster MG ZT 135+ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Bradford West Yorkshire Posts: 73 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	First thing this garage is trying to make a fast buck, there is no need to remove the fuel tank, i changed my brake pipes sometime ago and did-not have to touch the tank. To keep the costs down i made my own pipes up, invest in a flaring kit, this is a cheap one http://www.toolbox.co.uk/draper-3787...ign=GoogleBase or http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jack-Sealey-..._sim_sbs_diy_3 but will do the job, a roll of brake pipe is about £25, you can replace all the brake pipes for less than £80, that's if you can do the job yourself? Steve Last edited by steve 135+; 18th May 2011 at 16:07..

18th May 2011, 16:10	#7
madone Posted a thing or two none Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Durham Posts: 1,209 Thanks: 140 Thanked 31 Times in 22 Posts	I had all mine done last year with shiny copper pipe and they never touched the tank. __________________ Member 164

18th May 2011, 16:49	#8
suffolk boy This is my second home fiat panda Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: haverhill Posts: 6,720 Thanks: 96 Thanked 586 Times in 526 Posts	some one is talking out off their back side you dont need to remove the tank just lower it the pipes can be put in to place with the help off the inspection covers under the rear seat being removed or you can route them around the tank as long as they are neat and tidy and secure .i had mine done last year and x2 new drop links put on at the same time for £140 __________________ fiat panda 1.2 eco

18th May 2011, 13:53	#2
Zeb Banned MGZT V8 & ZTT 190+LPG Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 8,089 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Can't see it taking that long myself...but they will be charging you the hours for making up the pipework and bending it to shape of course...but six hours? Surely that must be for all the work you mentioned?

18th May 2011, 15:07	#3
navrac Loves to post Rover 75 Tourer Conn SE CDTI facelift Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Suffolk Posts: 387 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	A friend of mine had both rear pipes redone last month for about £120 all in at our local garage. - I can't remember if that included the oil change too. It's a popular garage as you can imagine. They do good work too!

18th May 2011, 17:09	#9
RPWC This is my second home 75 model car Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 20,177 Thanks: 4,008 Thanked 5,083 Times in 3,114 Posts	There was no mention of taking the tank off,or dropping it,when I had my brake pipes done in March. The garage I use,said it was a difficult job,but if the tank had been removed,I'm sure he would have told me. __________________ Cheers. Rich…

18th May 2011, 17:18	#10
buchanan Buchanan Rover 75 connoisseur se ctdi Auto Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Belfast Posts: 332 Thanks: 3 Thanked 30 Times in 18 Posts	I gave them the go ahead to do the work as MOT is tomorrow and they are very strict over here about brake pipes. But i will get car looked at to see if the tank has been removed, they also are charging me for adjusting the hand brake,yet you need to slacken the handbrake cables to drop the tank,according to the Haynes Manual.