Help assistance needed

[bugsymike]

This "diagnostics needed" seems to be the latest "cash cow" which is something the ordinary everyday Joe public knows nothing about and therefore can't judge whether it's either needed or whether a relevant price is being charged. I don't disagree that, when relevant, a good starting point when a vehicle is presented with a problem would be to do a quick check for stored codes but honestly, how much time does that check take? minutes only! and the often "standard" charge bears little relationship to the cost charged. If further action is required as a result of reading the codes then that's another matter.

Dealers have been trying these tricks for years, over 15 years ago I took a customers Renault to the Dealer to read the error codes re an airbag issue, they said it would take an hour and included a "free safety check", an hour later after a "free grotty coffee" I was presented with a bill of nearly £100 and told a long list of things their "free safety check" had found! I asked them about the reason I had come in and they said there were several codes and that it was probably the BCM at a cost of around £280 odd, I asked if that would cure the problem? They said probably not as many other things could be causing it!!!!!
Happily they went bust a year later and I went to their auction to jump on their grave, richly deserved.
The cause of the error code was a loose wire under the passenger seat, a known common problem.

 

[The Panda Nut]

This "diagnostics needed" seems to be the latest "cash cow" which is something the ordinary everyday Joe public knows nothing about and therefore can't judge whether it's either needed or whether a relevant price is being charged. I don't disagree that, when relevant, a good starting point when a vehicle is presented with a problem would be to do a quick check for stored codes but honestly, how much time does that check take? minutes only! and the often "standard" charge bears little relationship to the cost charged. If further action is required as a result of reading the codes then that's another matter.

I dont know about Fiat technicans but, I can get up, collect lap top and charger, go to my workshop and get my MES case, walk down to my garage, open both locks, walk back to the house and get the car keys I forgot, go back unlock the car plug, in the laptop and MES start the computer log in, open MES and selct the menu and read the codes , unplu, lock up, put things away and have a cup of coffee in 10 minutes, so £100 for diagnistics is unjustifyable and totally unreasonable. You are generous calling this a cash cow. I think its extortion. As for my man suggesting its needed before changing the differential oil I have digested this and decided not to give them any more business. My local garage are clearly a better bet, so no more dealer servicing unless Im stuck.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Dealers have been trying these tricks for years, over 15 years ago I took a customers Renault to the Dealer to read the error codes re an airbag issue, they said it would take an hour and included a "free safety check", an hour later after a "free grotty coffee" I was presented with a bill of nearly £100 and told a long list of things their "free safety check" had found! I asked them about the reason I had come in and they said there were several codes and that it was probably the BCM at a cost of around £280 odd, I asked if that would cure the problem? They said probably not as many other things could be causing it!!!!!
Happily they went bust a year later and I went to their auction to jump on their grave, richly deserved.
The cause of the error code was a loose wire under the passenger seat, a known common problem

I must be lucky my dealer told me about the wire thing so I cut the offending connector out and soldered the wires as suggested by them. Never had the trouble again. There are some good ones, but it seems to vary with the people they employ from time to time. Im suspecting ignorance is at the root of a good number of the idiotic things that the receptionists say. As for the call centre booking places... words fail me.

 

[bugsymike]

I dont know about Fiat technicans but, I can get up, collect lap top and charger, go to my workshop and get my MES case, walk down to my garage, open both locks, walk back to the house and get the car keys I forgot, go back unlock the car plug, in the laptop and MES start the computer log in, open MES and selct the menu and read the codes , unplu, lock up, put things away and have a cup of coffee in 10 minutes, so £100 for diagnistics is unjustifyable and totally unreasonable. You are generous calling this a cash cow. I think its extortion. As for my man suggesting its needed before changing the differential oil I have digested this and decided not to give them any more business. My local garage are clearly a better bet, so no more dealer servicing unless Im stuck.

I agree re the diff diagnostics, however a friend has latest Snap on with all the online stuff etc. and the cost per year is a lot of money, so has to pay for it's self. Fortunately for me, when I retired I passed a lot of customers his way so if not in use I have access to the the Snap On and much more.
I am guessing the Dealers are charged a lot of money to hook up to Fiat UK etc. However only as good as the person doing the job regardless of price.
A friend has just had to have dealings with his Peugeot Dealer on his 72 plate van , £400 for a service, looked under his car a few days later as a large puddle of oil and nothing on the dipstick, he was about to do a French trip so could have totaled the engine!!!

 

[The Panda Nut]

I agree re the diff diagnostics, however a friend has latest Snap on with all the online stuff etc. and the cost per year is a lot of money, so has to pay for it's self. Fortunately for me, when I retired I passed a lot of customers his way so if not in use I have access to the the Snap On and much more.
I am guessing the Dealers are charged a lot of money to hook up to Fiat UK etc. However only as good as the person doing the job regardless of price.
A friend has just had to have dealings with his Peugeot Dealer on his 72 plate van , £400 for a service, looked under his car a few days later as a large puddle of oil and nothing on the dipstick, he was about to do a French trip so could have totaled the engine!!!

Yep, its easy to gripe, but its still unreasobable. My Mrs cut my hair to day. Shes been doing it for nearly 50 years. I was shocked to hear its around £20 a time these days. That puts things in perspective. Not so unreasonable when you think of it.

 

[bugsymike]

Yep, its easy to gripe, but its still unreasobable. My Mrs cut my hair to day. SHes been doing it for nearly 50 years. I was shocked to hear its around £20 a time these days. That puts things in perspective. Not so unreasonable when you think of it.

Especially as you have less hair now.
Before I went to college I had my haircut £00.10, then girlfriends etc. did it and next time it was £5.50 which was a shock. These days I give it a buzz over myself.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Yep, its easy to gripe, but its still unreasobable. My Mrs cut my hair to day. Shes been doing it for nearly 50 years. I was shocked to hear its around £20 a time these days. That puts things in perspective. Not so unreasonable when you think of it.

Yup, my Mrs does mine too - very much a pudding bowl job but looks quite neat enough for this old codger. I couldn't have told you what a haircut would cost these days.