Who knows about car repair prices?

[Bloodwych]

My cars due a MOT and had to get the exhaust fixed fast, as I'd forgot about the renewal date. It's a 1998 Honda Civic VTI (yes quite old, but I hate wasting money on new cars) and the join where the rear silencer meets the middle pipe had collapsed.

I went along to an exhaust "specialist" that had been advised by many people who I work with, but I've come back feeling ripped off. I'm thinking of doing something about it if people agree the cost is not genuine, even going as far as reporting the company if they won't reply to my cost query.

Whilst in the garage, I queried why it cost so much and said the rear silencer can't be more than £50, but he came back with "it's a VTI, specialist parts" crap. Not sounding right, I reluctantly paid the bill as I need this car and, as I said above, friends had recommended the garage.

Once I got home, I went online, something I should have done first. The cost ex VAT:

For a rear silencer is £29.66.
Springs come to around £12 and a gasket £2.50.

These are the only parts listed on the exhaust "specialist's" invoice. Ordering online, I would have paid £61.88 for the parts, including VAT and £10 delivery.

On my invoice, it lists a rear silencer for £104.62, which is my main concern, and £24.34 for the other parts EXT VAT! Inclusive it totals £128.96 and even stranger, no labor is listed on the invoice?

Now, unless I'm paying £70+ labor costs for a 30min job then something just isn't right. Can anyone offer an opinion as to whether that's a fair price for a rear silencer change? If it isn't, I'm going to war....

Thanks for your help.

[Harrison]

Average garage labour prices these days are about £70 per hour, so very expensive, and why many people do as much work as they can themselves on their cars.

Also that price for the rear box sounds about right from a main highstreet garage. The price you found online sounds really good as I would have expected around £60 at least for the part at cost price.

I don't think you got ripped off. That is just how much the normal garages charge.

A full system (front and rear exhaust sections from the manifold back) cost my Dad over £200 for his Pug 206 recently at Halfords so the price you were charged is about right.

The best way to save money, as you discovered, is to find out exactly what parts you will need, order them online at cost prices, and then if you can't fit them yourself take the parts along and get a garage to fit them.

[Bloodwych]

Thanks for your opinion Harrison.

Yes, parts online can be cheap. I would have gone this route if I wasn't so stupid and let my MOT renewal date slip my mind (been very busy recently), so I had to get it sorted fast. I got the prices from here if you're interested:

http://www.onlineautomotive.co.uk/

I would get into fitting the parts myself (especially easy stuff like an exhaust), but don't really have the space outside or tools to go to work at the moment. I definitely will in the future though.

It still seems a little steep to me. Your dad for the full exhaust is getting a LOT more kit for his £200. I'm getting a rear silencer box and a little gasket, and paying well over half the price he did for the full kit. Usually the front section and (if present and in need of replacing) catalytic converters are the most expensive parts.

Thanks for your opinion though, it makes me feel a little better. Just wish I knew someone who owns a garage.

[Harrison]

It definitely wouldn't have included the CAT. That would have added a few hundred to the price for sure. It was just the mid and back boxes he had replaced.

[Bloodwych]

Woops, sorry - I didn't read that bit correctly, you said from the manifold back. I guess the price I ended up with does sound right for a mainstream store then.

The cat for my Honda is only £70 on that online store.

I'm opening an exhaust "quick fit" business. Are you with me?

[Harrison]

It definitely seems that being a mechanic is the best way to legally rip people off!