We think our cars are expensive...

[MSS]

The Renault dci engine family is only used in the P-class Mercedes cars. The P-class resides at the lower end of a number of other Mercedes smaller class of cars.

Key: P = Peasant

[clf]

Originally Posted by MSS

The Renault dci engine family is only used in the P-class Mercedes cars. The P-class resides at the lower end of a number of other Mercedes smaller class of cars.

Key: P = Peasant

Earlier I suggested that a good sign for common issues, is when you go to a scrap yard for a part, only to find them all in a faulty state - perhaps I should have said to ask your valet if he noticed such an issue

[torque2me]

Originally Posted by Rich in Vancouver

The comments on Mercedes parts departments gave me a laugh. It brought up a memory from the 1980's when I worked at a small independent British Car shop. We usually only worked on Brit cars but did mechanical work for a body shop down the street. One day they had us working on a Merc, and I was sent to the dealer to pick up the parts. I remember walking in to the parts department in my greasy coveralls and the partsman, in his crisp white shop coat looked me up and down like I had come off the bottom of his shoe and asked (or stated) in his best German accent; You, are working on a Mercedes?

That one always makes me laugh when I think of it.

Yeah, I think Brit cars have always been a bit more oily but that's because we didn't have Uncle Sam's dollars to re-build industry after 1945 when all our tooling would have been worn out.

Kev

[SCP440]

How about this one, one of the Wifes friends has a 2018 Mini, it needed new rear brake pads as a warning a message came up on the dash. She rung the dealer and they had quoted about £200 plus the VAT as it would need new sensors. The worse part was she could drop it in and they would get it done by the end of the day so she would have to arrange a lift or wait.

She asked me if I could do it and of course I said yes. Mintex pads and a sensor were ordered from my local factor, this cost me £32 including the VAT and it took me about an hour.

OK they were not genuine BMW parts but considering they would have done it a lot quicker than me that is a crazy difference, as a bonus her friend not only paid for the parts but put an extra £50 in my hand.

The biggest problem I had was resetting the warning, there was several menu's I had to go through but eventually I did it.

[torque2me]

Originally Posted by SCP440

How about this one, one of the Wifes friends has a 2018 Mini, it needed new rear brake pads as a warning a message came up on the dash. She rung the dealer and they had quoted about £200 plus the VAT as it would need new sensors. The worse part was she could drop it in and they would get it done by the end of the day so she would have to arrange a lift or wait.

She asked me if I could do it and of course I said yes. Mintex pads and a sensor were ordered from my local factor, this cost me £32 including the VAT and it took me about an hour.

OK they were not genuine BMW parts but considering they would have done it a lot quicker than me that is a crazy difference, as a bonus her friend not only paid for the parts but put an extra £50 in my hand.

The biggest problem I had was resetting the warning, there was several menu's I had to go through but eventually I did it.

When I read the first sentence Steve, I thought 1 hr. labour = £100 + parts + tax.
So, for a franchised dealer that is not too bad. We have to remember it is no longer slave labour for dealer staff and the work forces of companies making parts.

Kev