Screen wash and servicing

[crr003]

Why do some garages charge you for a splash of screen wash? Even when the container is full.
It annoys me. It's petty. If the garage is that desperate for a quid, build it into something else.

[Big Err]

I've mentioned this before with garages and was told that it's added as a standard item on a service bill regardless if you're screenwash is empty or full! I made a saving of about a £1 by enquiring...

[ScoobyChris]

When I had my Skoda the dealers used to pour as much of the screen wash concentrate as they could get into the washer bottle and then give me the remainder. Makes your eyes water the first time you use the washers!

I assumed it was a VAG thing as no other marque's dealers have done it....

Chris

[jont]

Yup, had the same thing with SWMBOs Astra. Have argued it at previous services and been given containers of additional screenwash. One service they seemed to drain the reservoir and replace it all (I'd filled it up 5 minutes before taking it into the garage for the service).

As Big Err said, I think most garages have a standard service bill that may or may not correspond to the work they actually do.

[Red Herring]

My wife bought her Skoda new and decided to try and make the effort to keep a service record. It went into the dealer for the first 10,000 mile service which was supposed to have been free and she was hit with a bill for £200 plus. They told her that had changed the brake pads and also charged her for the oil and filter (it was only the service labour that was free). Given that none of our cars have ever needed pads in under 30,000 miles I went in and queried this to be told it was "routine". Needless to say the car has never been near a garage since and 100,000 miles later I have replaced the pads and discs only once. I still do her oil and filter every 10,000 at a cost of approximately £40 each time and touch wood, that's it.
Even my BMW330 never goes near a dealer. Routine servicing is really easy and even faults are fairly straightforward provided you know one end of a spanner from the other. There is so much advice readily available on the net from various forums (BMWland is particularly good). I did the discs and pads on the BMW last week, cost of parts £250, and the dealer quoted my £180 to fit them (I asked when I collected them). It took me less than an hour to do both sides.
Unfortunately the down side was I spotted both outer knuckle joints on the wishbones had some play in them....£207 per side to replace the wishbones...oh well!

[fungus]

The dealer I bought my Seat Ibiza from always gave me any unused screen wash. Unfortunately the branch I bought it from has been sold, and their other branch is too far away.

I am currently using an independant garage locally who are very good. They even repaired the rear screen wash free of charge, when the tube that goes to the jet, became detached in the recent cold weather. This was done while the car was in for its MOT.

Last Tuesday I finished my first lesson and was on my way to the second, when I noticed the glow plug light flashing. When I arrived at my next pupils house, I explained the situation, and that I would have to have the car checked. I then remembered that this had happened before and the dealer told me to check the brake lights before I took it for fault diagnosis, as a faulty brake light switch can set the warning light off. On that occasion it was a sensor on the engine. This time however it was a faulty brake light switch, a common fault on Ibizas .

The time was 10.30 and I had to collect a pupil for his test at 2.15. Fortunately this pupil had his own car, and was happy to take the test in that.

When I got home I phoned the garage and told them the problem. This was about 11.10. They phoned me back five minutes later and said to bring the car down, the switch would be in later that afternoon. At 1.45 I had a phone call from the garage. My car was ready. Total cost of the repair £34.50. Pupil took his test in my car, and passed.

Nigel ADI
IAM trainee observer

[jasonh]

My garage are like that; I've lost count of the freebies where they've fixed something minor.

I ask for no screenwash at service and they skip it and don't bill me for it. My service and MOT is usually about £70 or something ridiculously cheap like that and they've never done me wrong yet.

[jbsportstech]

The vw dealer I take the passat to seem to change anything if you state you have had a warning light or fault they just change the parts. If the car was actually mine and out of warrenty I would be pissed at the cost! Since its fleet I let the get on with it. I have ot say I am not that impressed with them at all, and the exeter dealer only have 3 dr 1 or 2 2dr polo to lend you and they are on about 6 months notice! Taunton dealer are better but my experience of VAG is they just replace things rather than trace the fault.

Vospers Ford seem good reasonable pricing for teh focus even a major only came to about £300 quid and minor around £160. They even fixed the relay free of charge which didnt work when I got the car so the wipers would stop mid screen a common fault on focus's . I have heard some rigth horror stories with some ford dealer though.

[MikeA]

Its not just the "screenwash", it is also the "Brake cleaner" at £3.50 a time ( + VAT). What is that about?

That is at Ford, Renault and independent repair shops.

And that is on top of the £40-£50 ph for labour.

[Rabiedmushroom]

Its not just the "screenwash", it is also the "Brake cleaner" at £3.50 a time ( + VAT). What is that about?

Brake cleaner is a spray on chemical that does exactly that! So for instance if the garage pulls your rear drums off, or changes the shoes/pads, they'd squrt some on to get rid of the build up of brake dust first. You can buy it in aerosol form from Halfords - its brilliant for us who service their classic cars at home

[jbsportstech]

Its not just the "screenwash", it is also the "Brake cleaner" at £3.50 a time ( + VAT). What is that about?

Brake cleaner is a spray on chemical that does exactly that! So for instance if the garage pulls your rear drums off, or changes the shoes/pads, they'd squrt some on to get rid of the build up of brake dust first. You can buy it in aerosol form from Halfords - its brilliant for us who service their classic cars at home

Yes suzie is right ,,, on a service they will some of a can to clean your brakes out but if you have ever changed your own disc and pads like me (i assume suzie has) then you can easliy use a can cleaning you brake parts (Caliper/drum) and new discs normally come with a coating to stop them rusting in damp warehouses and you must clean that off before fitting and using the them as it does not aid braking. I used nearly two cans while doing 4 discs and pads on my car, 300mm and 280mm discs is quite a surface area.

[ScoobyChris]

I used nearly two cans while doing 4 discs and pads on my car, 300mm and 280mm discs is quite a surface area.

Why would you use it on new discs and pads? Whenever new discs go on, I've just wiped them off with kitchen paper before fitting

Chris

[jont]

I used nearly two cans while doing 4 discs and pads on my car, 300mm and 280mm discs is quite a surface area.

Why would you use it on new discs and pads? Whenever new discs go on, I've just wiped them off with kitchen paper before fitting

I generally use meths as a degreaser on discs - but yes, I agree there's no need for masses of brake cleaner spray. And if your disks need cleaning at a service, use the brakes a bit more! I find mine tend to self clean...

[jbsportstech]

Didn't have any meths to hand plus I got the cleaner free from a mechanic friend of mine. In a garage scenario I would imagine they dont have meths either hence my post.

[Renny]

Brake Cleaner is a very useful degreasant to have around. I use it to remove adhesive residue from labels, clean greasy fingerprints from glass and also to remove oil/grease from brake components.

On the subject of screenwash, the Skoda dealer I use gives you the balance of the 1L bottle of additive. I do find the VW Group screen wash particularly effective and it has a pleasant odour.