Brownhills inability to think straight ...

[Sue and Rick]

I'd be amazed if they left the oil to drain for an hour, more like five minutes for the main gush then plug back in.
Sounds like needless upselling to me.

Some suck it out if there’s an undertray to remove

 

[dunnah01]

Some suck it out if there’s an undertray to remove

There's always an undertray to remove but I've yet to find a garage than can refit it properly

 

[dunnah01]

Some suck it out if there’s an undertray to remove

Smart car has no engine undertray bit also had no sump plug so had to be sucked out anyway - no way Jose so had to invest in a new sump with a drain plug fitted

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

Draining the oil on a 3.2 Ranger engine for more than 10 minutes can cause oil pump cavitation and total engine failure. It’s generally known in the trade that oil drainage should be no more than 5 minutes as lots of engines take those extra few seconds to prime again and therefore is best avoided

 

[JockandRita]

I had a very pleasant purchase off them regarding spares department.

I need some plastic panel clips for the Rapido and only available from a dealer.

They had them in stock and even sent a picture to confirm they were correct.
The lady was most helpful and they arrived two days later.

Cheaper than another deal by some margin as well

My comment re not wishing to give Broonfools the slightest bit of business, is based on a point of principal.

Cheers,

Jock.

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[MisterB]

Just to avoid confusion, I am only criticising Brownhills for their lack of recognition of the point I raised. I am not being critical of their hourly rate charges or their service. It's a business and they need to make a profit. We bought our motorhome from them 2 years ago and have been more than happy with it.
Their accessory prices are comparable with others in my opinion, though of course you could always find something cheaper if you looked hard enough

 

[Silver-Fox]

no but i have been following the thread on comformatic gear box issues, it appears that the clutch (and brake fluid) need changing every couple of years BUT is often missed by those carrying out the service (for various reasons inc not having the right equipment to recallibrate, no mention in the service book etc)

my vehicle was first registered in 2018 and hasnt had it done, so as a preventative measure i am having it done.

i did ask Brownhills if that was something they could do, the service desk asked the mechanic but they didnt even receive an answer !

I’d say that’s a good idea of yours.

 

[Silver-Fox]

I can't think of any oil change I've done where 5 mins wasn't long enough to drain the oil.

Exactly, I like the old oil to be hot as well so drains better

Maybe I’m just weird

 

[Silver-Fox]

But why such large discrepancies between Indy's and dealers?

Because the general public get conned into thinking the main dealer is superior to an Indy.

How often do you see on here “I’m buying my genuine oil/filter, cam belt etc” from the main dealer.
So they charge a premium.
Main dealers don’t produce these items they are just boxed with their name.

Smoke and mirrors springs to mind.
But each to their own

 

[Silver-Fox]

My comment re not wishing to give Broonfools the slightest bit of business, is based on a point of principal.

Cheers,

Jock.

I wasn’t criticising your post, it was just my experience

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[gus-lopez]

That's the problem with running a business...They have something called "Overheads".

& many are 'scams as well.
"business rates" ? A council shaft them as much as poss
"commercial" rubbish collection = another one. different type of rubbish is it?
Commercial "electric"· prices What is that all about? Do they get better electric. more volts ,brighter lights.? tools that work faster ? No just scamming again

same with water & others, etc
No all are scams

 

[The general]

Exactly, I like the old oil to be hot as well so drains better

Yes and any particulates are in the oil ?

 

[enark]

Yesterday I had my cam belt changed at Brownhills - cost £450.
I got a phone call part way through the 'job' (about 2 hours before I was notified it was complete), saying the mechanic had noticed a small oil leak, nothing of any concern and asked if I wanted a new oil change and filter. My first thought was, yes go ahead please as it's already being worked on, but I asked the price ...

Oil around £90 filter around £24 PLUS £90 labour ... I asked re labour charge and was told they charge an hour's labour as it takes an hour for the oil to drain ...

I couldn't work out why they wanted to charge me £90 for 'draining time' when it was stood there anyway while the cam belt was being changed, so I said no (I'm booking it in for other work soon, so will have it done then). I could understand being charged for the time it took to remove the filter and refill which may have been 20 mins or so, but to be told it was for draining down time seemed inappropriate.

When I went to collect my keys, two hours after the phone call, I discussed it very calmly with their service 'agent', with the discussion quite clearly being overheard by others, who could have intervened, but got a shrugged shoulder response.

I won't be using Brownhills again for any vehicle related issues!!!

Having just done an oil change, the quoted costs for oil and filter are about right - dont forget they also have to dispose of the old oil - at cost.

Just £90 for labour seems pretty good to me, as its not quite as easy as you think, lots of cleaning up when removing the old filter….

A Fiat professional garage would be charging you much more..

 

[MisterB]

Having just done an oil change, the quoted costs for oil and filter are about right - dont forget they also have to dispose of the old oil - at cost.

Just £90 for labour seems pretty good to me, as its not quite as easy as you think, lots of cleaning up when removing the old filter….

A Fiat professional garage would be charging you much more..

You're entitled to your opinion. I think that as the motorhome was stood there, to charge 2 hours labour on top of the labour charge of having the cam belt replaced at the same time was 'unnecessary' ...

 

[enark]

You're entitled to your opinion. I think that as the motorhome was stood there, to charge 2 hours labour on top of the labour charge of having the cam belt replaced at the same time was 'unnecessary' ...

Stood on their ramp, which costs….

Thought you said one hour labour, sorry

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[JockandRita]

Stood on their ramp, which costs….

Which he is already paying for whilst the cambelt is being done, during which the oil would be draining away nicely.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[MisterB]

Which he is already paying for whilst the cambelt is being done, during which the oil would be draining away nicely.

Cheers,

Jock.

Exactly!!!!!

 

[enark]

Which he is already paying for whilst the cambelt is being done, during which the oil would be draining away nicely.

Cheers,

Jock.

Well if you run a business on that principle then thats great, but few do. Surely if a mechanic is doing the cab belt, another would be needed to do the oil change? And can a mechanic be reasonably expected to work on a vehicle whilst the oil is draining?

Anyway i actually dont really trust any garage to do an oil and filter change properly (or at all) hence why i do my own.

But if paying, i dont think, in this suggested case Brownhills are charging excessively, although perhaps how they hoodwinked the OP into an oil change in the first place was questionable? But the OP would have known if an oil change was due?

 

[swemmy666]

Yesterday I had my cam belt changed at Brownhills - cost £450.
I got a phone call part way through the 'job' (about 2 hours before I was notified it was complete), saying the mechanic had noticed a small oil leak, nothing of any concern and asked if I wanted a new oil change and filter. My first thought was, yes go ahead please as it's already being worked on, but I asked the price ...

Oil around £90 filter around £24 PLUS £90 labour ... I asked re labour charge and was told they charge an hour's labour as it takes an hour for the oil to drain ...

I couldn't work out why they wanted to charge me £90 for 'draining time' when it was stood there anyway while the cam belt was being changed, so I said no (I'm booking it in for other work soon, so will have it done then). I could understand being charged for the time it took to remove the filter and refill which may have been 20 mins or so, but to be told it was for draining down time seemed inappropriate.

When I went to collect my keys, two hours after the phone call, I discussed it very calmly with their service 'agent', with the discussion quite clearly being overheard by others, who could have intervened, but got a shrugged shoulder response.

I won't be using Brownhills again for any vehicle related issues!!!

You could have asked, while he is waiting for it to drain, could he pop around and cut the grass, being as you are paying for his time, you wouldn't want him working on someone else's vehicle for free

 

[JJ]

I did an oil change on our van yesterday in readiness for our big trip.

Oil - a little over 6 litres £34.00

Oil filter - genuine Borg & Beck £11.62

Getting out my tools for the job, doing the oil & filter change and putting my tools away, half an hour tops.

I know that they are a business and have to make a profit, but ......................

But but but...

How much is your hourly rate?


JJ

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[Two on Tour]

But but but...

How much is your hourly rate?


JJ

Mates rates now, and I'm a big mate of me.

 

[John Barrett]

When SAAB were still producing cars, I had the 2.2TDI engine in a 9-5. I wanted to do an oil change so went to SAAB for a new filter…….£70

No way, so noted that there were GM stamped on parts of the engine, so popped to Vauxhall and confirmed it was the same engine as used in their cars and a new oil filter……£12.

When I took out the old but original oil filter from the production line, it had exactly the same part number as my Vauxhall supplied one.

A £58 markup, now that’s just plain silly

Don't you mean 'theft'...?

 

[pelican]

You could have asked, while he is waiting for it to drain, could he pop around and cut the grass, being as you are paying for his time, you wouldn't want him working on someone else's vehicle for free

Brilliant!

 

[pelican]

I did an oil change on our van yesterday in readiness for our big trip.

Oil - a little over 6 litres £34.00

Oil filter - genuine Borg & Beck £11.62

Getting out my tools for the job, doing the oil & filter change and putting my tools away, half an hour tops.

I know that they are a business and have to make a profit, but ......................

Those parts sound very cheap, I think the price would put me off.

 

[Two on Tour]

Those parts sound very cheap, I think the price would put me off.

I was in the motor trade before I retired, and it depends on where you buy from, ..... pay more for the same things if it makes you feel more comfortable, but I prefer to get value for my hard-earned money.

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[enark]

Those parts sound very cheap, I think the price would put me off.

Yes i paid £80 for Selinia forward 0w-30 - 6litres, plus £30 for the filter

 

[gus-lopez]

Yes i paid £80 for Selinia forward 0w-30 - 6litres, plus £30 for the filter

I wouldn't expect to pay that amount in a garage let alone doing it myself every 15k kms. I'd be bankrupt

 

[JockandRita]

Providing the fluids, filters and other parts are OE Spec, I don't have a problem fitting non vehicle branded items, eg, Delphi, Ferodo, Brembo, LUK, FRAM, Gates, Coopers, Morris, Miller, etc, etc, as very few motor manufacturers (if any at all) manufacture their own parts and fluids anyway.
Would you buy Ad Blue or Screen Wash from your car manufacturer only? Probably not, so unless still under warranty, why buy overly inflated priced parts, when OE Spec parts are available elsewhere, and reasonably priced.

On the dealership side of things, I once had a Ford Sierra 2.3D, which had the same engine as the Peugeot 504. Ford wanted an unrealistic amount for the cold start wax stat mechanism and cable to the diesel pump, so I went to our local Peugeot agent with the part, told him it was off a 504, and paid less than half the price for it.
I had a similar situation when ISUZU Dealership refused to supply a part for my ISUZU Bighorn (Trooper import), so my neighbour across the road who had a Vauxhall Monterey, (same vehicle and year), gave me his VIN No and I got the very same part needed from Vauxhall. There's more than one way to skin a cat you know.

Cheers,

Jock.