When the garage guy you phoned starts "Are you sitting down?"

[VectraMan]

I do everything myself these days, up to a point anyway. It's much more rewarding, kind of a hobby, means I don't have to arse about trying to get to garages in the week whilst working, and of course it's much cheaper. Having said that, I've just rebuilt my front calipers having had the same sort of issues OwlHoot was saying and screwed up bleeding the system so now it's full of air and I have no brakes.

Dealers are only worth it if you're obsessed with keeping the service history, and once a car gets to a certain age and mileage there's little point. Even on a new car you have to question whether the cost of the dealer service outweighs the amount you'd lose on resale through not having a service history.

[Bagpuss]

oil and filter service 347 - National Tyres and Autocare - Oil - Vehicle select
front brakes & caliper 849 - way too much, a lot of that is probably labour but still, max £300 at a garage IMHO, I would go to a tyre and exhaust place who will do it for a fixed price (if it really needs doing)

rear exhaust boxes 371 - A quick online search tells me these are from £50 each, so 271 to fit them is daylight robbery for a 15 minute job. Try some tyre and exahust places or buy then and get a garage to fit them for circa £50, all in all this should be no more than £175

NSF mirror cover 160, from a breakers in the right colour probably a tenner

sub total 1727

I'd say £500 all in is the maximum for these jobs, I'd get it done for £300 or less if it were my car

[DimPrawn]

oil and filter service 347 - National Tyres and Autocare - Oil - Vehicle select
front brakes & caliper 849 - way too much, a lot of that is probably labour but still, max £300 at a garage IMHO, I would go to a tyre and exhaust place who will do it for a fixed price (if it really needs doing)

rear exhaust boxes 371 - A quick online search tells me these are from £50 each, so 271 to fit them is daylight robbery for a 15 minute job. Try some tyre and exahust places or buy then and get a garage to fit them for circa £50, all in all this should be no more than £175

NSF mirror cover 160, from a breakers in the right colour probably a tenner

sub total 1727

I'd say £500 all in is the maximum for these jobs, I'd get it done for £300 or less if it were my car

Bagpuss is one the right track.

If your brakes are shot take it to a brake specialist, probably cheapest fix.

Exhaust, shop around local exhuast specialists and get cheapest quote.

Online breakers will post you any bits you need then get quotes to fit from cheap independent garages.


Once it is sorted, flog the bloody thing!


Don't buy tulipty British/Indian cars!

[OwlHoot]

Take it to another garage.

If that doesn't work, sell it and BUY A GERMAN CAR.

Costs just as much to fix, but makes you feel good about yourself.

Funny you should say that, because a friend phoned only today saying their car was for sale.

It's a 2004 Mercedes SLK 200, 1800cc with only 54K on the clock, and the "new" shape whatever that is, and they're asking £8000.

Sound like a good buy?

Apparently Jeremy Clarkson drives one, although his has a larger engine.

P.S. The only snag is that it's a two-seater, whereas I would prefer four. Also I'm not very keen on silver.

[AtW]

SLK is a girlie car.

HTH

[OwlHoot]

SLK is a girlie car.

HTH

By coincidence the seller is a girl. But I hope you won't be offended if I wait for a second opinion (which doesn't include a reply from you saying "I've thought about it some more, and it's still a girlie car" )

[AtW]

By coincidence the seller is a girl. But I hope you won't be offended if I wait for a second opinion

Here is the second opinion worth reading, posted by our own DimPrawn

HTH