The owner said he won't risk to change my oil(bought from Repco) to ruin his $20,000 insurance bill etc, but last year I was at his place and did a service using my parts, I just don't know what's going on now?
for the same oil he charges $120 and I can buy it for $60 at Repco.
Is this the new excuse they find during covid?
Is there any Tassie dealer around Hobart accept customer parts that is trustworthy?
A nice excuse to gouge you. Plain and simple.
So what is it you do for a job so we can all sit around and find ways to reduce the cost or need of you and what you do complaining you're gouging people?
How dare a business try cover its costs!
The tears and tantrums when it goes wrong would put most mechanics off dealing with people who supply their own bits. Can't blame them either.
Seen it many times, part fails (water pump for example) and the customer is yelling and screaming at the mechanic who fitted the parts weeks or months ago they supplied to them.
The customers outrage they now need to pay for the job to be done again as their cheap ebay part failed even though they were warned or told to avoid and about previous unreliable issues with cheap parts.
They then go off in a huff after carrying on like a child at something they could have avoided or at least be covered by warranty if they weren't so cheap.
Everyone always thinks someone else's time is either free or worth less than their apparent inconvenience.
Only parts I supply to my mechanic are ones that are upgraded compared to what they can get themselves. Generally DBA rotors and upgraded pads plus Whiteline swaybars.
All were supplied in the original packaging and the mechanic had the right to refuse to fit them if they wanted to.
Happy for them to get the correct oils and filters but used to pay extra for full synthetic, before it became the norm.
Imagine going to a restaurant and bringing your own steak and asking the kitchen to cook it, and demanding a discount.
This is what you are doing.
Imagine going to a restaurant and bringing your own steak and asking the kitchen to cook it, and demanding a discount.
Except for this restaurant doesn't cook your food, but they buy takeaway in bulk and serve it to you at their place. At the customary 3000% markup.
Then cook your steak at home?
Exactly, and if you don't know how/don't want to, be prepared to pay for someone else to do it.
Nah mate, in this case the oil is the raw steak and the drain/fill process is the cooking.
It's absolutely the same thing, both only take a few minutes for a suitably skilled person, only the restaurant doesn't itemise the steak and labour separately.
I guess if the mechanic uses his own parts and puts in a wrong oil or makes a mistake and some external particles get into the oil and the engine is cooked, then how will anybody able to prove that it's because of the wrong workmanship?
I call BS to all the explanations (although I upvoted the mechanic explanation). There is no way to prove that a part caused a failure of another part and even if one can prove it, it will be a hard task to get any compensation from the said mechanic!
Unless there is a CSI: Mechanical investigation team that can do all this investigation that I'm not aware of!
Had it happen with a gearbox, wrong fluid was used in a CVT box, it made it about 500kms before it totally seized up and had to be towed.
Vehicle had only been serviced days before a long trip, almost always serviced at the same dealer.
Had it towed to a local dealer and had the fluid dropped and some taken to be checked (places that can do oil and fluid checks) and yeah all reports back to the other dealership from this dealership and the fluid analysis proved the wrong fluid used, gearbox replaced by dealership under their warranty due to incorrect items used.
It happens and it can be proven, same as if a part has failed, you can usually see how or why and then things get replaced under warranty.
Some dealers will fight more than others but this was a straight up F up they acknowledged.
My Skoda, even though I bought it used, is still under its original 5 year warranty.
One of the conditions of the warranty is, that scheduled services must be performed by an accredited mechanic and OEM parts must be used.
With all of my previous cars, I've always done my own servicing, so that was a bit of a spanner in my works.
So I sourced OEM part numbers for things like Oil Filter, Air Filter, Cabin Filter, Spark Plugs, etc, and found the parts online for good prices over a few months. After I'd received all of my parts, I tried to get a mobile mechanic to come to my place for two hours labour to install the parts.
The first guy I called said he would only do it if he goes to Repco and uses his account to buy the parts himself, and he only uses aftermarket parts. I don't think he understood my request, he said nobody had ever asked that before.
The second guy I called was perfectly fine about it. He turned up, did the two hours labour, generated me an invoice that listed all of the tasks performed and the parts he used to complete the service.
So I was very happy with that, I got to use the parts I bought, and met the requirements of my car's warranty.
The message to OP: Keep calling around, you will likely find someone who will use your parts. In my experience, the "Mobile Mechanic" style guys are more likely, because they usually don't have a full workshop stocked with parts already.
I always supply OEM parts for the service which clearly show the part number and makers brand on them.
The oil I supply is in sealed containers and exceeds my vehicle's specifications.
None of this will void my warranty.
The only difference is the stealership misses out on price gouging me.
Next time bring your own mechanic too, that would save even more money.
Oh sure
OP, looks like you have your options now?
1) Find an "good" price mechanic to do the work (as rules about BYO part has changed).
2) Buy your parts (and additional gear to lift and get under the car safely, oil drain pans, funnel, etc…), and DIY the oil & filter change yourself :)
3) [New] Find a "friendly" mechanic, so you use their equipment, but you do the labor yourself? :D
One observation I make from the comments here and from my own experience, it appears the 80's and 90's days of "all mechanics being crooks" (thanks to A Current Affair hidden cameras - remember them?) don't seem to be in discussion as much these days - yes no doubt still many bad apples around (especially targeting women who are generally less motoring interest inclined). This dubious honour of charging a lot for very little actual work nowadays very much apply to the stealerships, which is why like many others once the car warranty ends (yes I know warranty is not affected if serviced by non-dealers as long as qualified mechanic), I immediately flick all servicing to my local mechanic that I not only trust but has proven he's reasonable when it comes to prices. Having run a business before and being conscious of the costs incurred just to keep his doors open, I have no qualms having him supply parts and putting his markup on it, as long as the overall price is reasonable. It's not always about the final pennies, but what you're really getting for your pound you expend, including building a relationship with your local mechanic.
Having said that, my local mechanic has no issues with me supplying oils and filters for the job - he simply notes on the invoice "customer-supplied" so I suppose that's his insurance should the part fail (which I don't think he will hesitate to subsequently charge his hours should his investigations for a failure is caused by a part I supplied, which is fair). I think mechanics also make a judgment whether the customer supplied parts are of quality - and they potentially make a judgment on the customer too ie. if the customer is a cheap ar$e supplying cheap parts, it's likely he will also not take responsibility down the line for not actually investing in his car with quality parts. My mechanic has no issue with me trying to save money (he refused to change my serpentine belt as per my Suzuki logbook once as he said his inspection showed it was still in mint condition ie. hardly any hairline cracks), but I think he won't be as cordial to me if I lobbed up with Woolies oil instead of Penrite etc.
Anyway I agree with another contributor here - keep looking, there will be a mechanic that will meet you halfway with these things, but as a consumer we need to step in their shoes too.
I would change the serpentine belt if the service manual said it needed to.
Not all wear is visible from the outside, the glass fibre tensile members fatigue over time caused by the run over of drive components. It's not only about looking for hairline cracks anymore.
Manufacturers don't just make up the service schedules, they are based years of experience and technical analysis.
It's just a belt and assume it's not a bit ticket item on your car. Maybe a cabin filter, yeah, you can delay that, but an aux belt, maybe not a great idea to go against what the manufacturer is saying.
Mate, a very helpful suggestion. I shall get the belt replaced next service which is coming up.
Sell your fancy car.
Get a cheap car.
DIY as much as you want. Solve it!
There is a nice fat profit margin on all parts and consumables used to service cars. At one service I was charged $90+GST+labour to change the air filter. It costs $35 delivered. You bet I'm changing it myself now.
The mechanic is upset you're denying them easy money and coming up with a ridiculous excuse. If you don't like it, find another mechanic or do the change yourself.
Can’t really complain about a business owner wanting to run their business their way so long as it complies with the law.
Bit like goingto a restaurant and saying cook with my ingredients and expecting to pay less..
You do actually, pay for the labor! People do that with fish.
This illustrates perfectly that the OP just needs to find a business that offers the service he desires. The market will provide if it is profitable.
Find that absolute BS that the owner will not use his oil he supplied because of “ruining” his insurance bill.Never heard so much crap in my life.I have an independent garage I use for in between services sometimes,I supply the oil filter & sometimes the oil.They have no issues with that @ all.Seems he just just does not want to lose the profit margin.
They're free to pick and choose their customer as much as you're welcome to pick and choose a repairer. I've been thrown out by a rather famous independent VW repairer down in Canberra for supplying too many parts because "there's no money in this job". I've had another independent Porsche repairer in Sydney being very selective with his answers "we'll only fit genuine or OEM" then when I quizzed him on OEM, "which OEM?", gave him the brand then got asked "which variety?" Just say there's no money in this job and I'll find someone else, simples.
There are 2 issues here (I've worked in the industry).
1// You're denying them the ability to mark up items/make larger profit.
This is pretty shitty for a consumer, but he as a business wants to make money. If your mechanic came back at you and said, I'd be happy to install the part but I want to make money, can I mark up other aspects of the bill, would you be okay with that? (Imagine they are honest about it).
2// As the item was purchased by you, he would not be able to warrant the item should there be a failure.
There are many people who'll buy an item online and ask a mechanic to fit it only for the item to be unsuitable or even fake. Not saying this is the case but the mechanic when performing work has to give a guarantee. If he can't validate where the part was sourced from, he won't be able to warrant his work.
The mechanic I used to go to used to accept customer supplied parts and consumables but a while back they stopped accepting parts (citing issues if the supplied part is defective which I thought could happen from time to time) then after a little while stopped accepting consumables as well (ie fluids like engine oil, transmission oil, brake fluid etc). This I thought was more a profit making exercise. How are you likely to have mechanical issues resulting from using a sealed bottle of engine oil from reputable brands?
Didn't bother arguing or anything and just went elsewhere and they are happy to accept customer supplied parts and consumables. Servicing my car costing 130ish including the cost of engine oil I buy myself for minor service instead of 300+ from previous mechanic that stopped accepting customer supplied parts and 600ish from official dealers.
I refuse to pay ridiculously marked up price on engine oil when I can buy at half price or less from supercheap auto when they are on sale.
Yeah but I don’t get why they don’t use the spark plug I bought from Australian resellers for like 30% of the price on sale
I've mentioned as per the above comment. Hope that helps?
Go somewhere that WILL fit your parts…..simple
I wouldn't go to a cafe and tell them to use my coffee beans, or ask a hairdresser to use my own scissors. I think OP is unreasonable.
Okay
This analogy keeps on popping up here, it's is pretty weak analogy. I feel a restaurant provides goods (food) whereby a mechanic provides a service.
Here is one of my own.
My kitchen faucet is faulty, it's old and rusted. I pick up a one from Bunnings and call my local plumber. He comes round and won't fit my faucet as the quality isn't that great, (it's Bunnings after all). He offers to fit a nice Grohe/Hansgrohe/KWC/etc instead.
What do I do,
a) fit my Bunnings one, it is watermarked approved
b) fit this nice one, yeah it's $600 vs $60 but as he said, the Bunnings one is crap!
Both analogies are crap and don't contribute anything.
Just find a mechanic that meets your needs, the market will provide if profitable.
BTW, scissors in a hairdresser. We are talking about providing parts, not providing tools.
I don't know what you had in mind, do you expect the hairdresser to somehow fit the scissors to their customer, walking out with a pair of scissors jammed up their nose?
…….unless your name is Edward
I think you just need to shop around for a mechanic that is willing to use your parts.
Only a few months ago I bought a part that I was going to fit myself but Due to my mechanical ineptitude I had to find a mechanic to do it for me. He asked me if the part is suitable for the car and then fitted for me on the spot.
Although I can understand why mechanics may not want to use parts if customers have located the cheapest crappiest part off eBay.
Is he the only mechanic in your town?