Car repairs (or rip offs?)

Get your other quote. Employ someone in the trade who 'needs' the work. And tell the other lot what you think of them and their prices. You might mention you have made it public at the same time. See how that grabs them.

I always go to independent garages. I got stung once at Pentagon. Never ever agian.

Main dealers often charge £100 an hour labour and charge by the full hour. Independents charge far less, often around £30 in my experience, and some even charge to the minute. My local garage does this, so that's where I go.

£100 per hour?...nice work if you can get it, scandalous

£100 per hour. Tch. A mere bagatelle. Tried hiring a lawyer recently or a neuro-surgeon? Mind you. You would need the latter if you had.

I always go to Lake Garage and haven't ever felt ripped off.

Charly wrote:I must have been one of the unlucky ones Nicki, have you ever bought a car from there?

Yes, a little belter. We haven't got it now (was nicked).

So they saved you almost £400 then? Amazing.

depends what the problems are. The minor isues you described are reasonable wear and tear and should be picked up as part of the regular service and maintenance regime.

If you run a car of virtually any age, you need to pay for it's regular maintenance. The older the car, the more is likely to be worn, and the cost/benefit of replacing the car (with attendant depreciation) or carrying out expensive maintenance, but continue not to have to invest new capital into a wasting asset has to be properly assessed.

I run older cars and keep them well maintained - it's far cheaper that way.

Bit the clutch did not need replacing...

Depends on the make of clutch with the car. On the citreon C1 cars they are well known for clutches to wear out after a short time. Also very expensive to replace.

I was told by a car mechanic the make of clutch was the same on other cars that use them. I am afraid some car mechanics are not honest to what parts they are using.

Take it easy on the clutch Charly.

I had never had much wrong with a clutch until I had a Citreon C1. Then heard about other people who had the same problems with the same model. Never have another C1 again but did see a web site about problems with this make of car. That is why I got rid of it last year Charly.

Most cars I have had over the years have been very good on the clutches. My best car I have ever had mechanical wise was a LADA RIVA CAR. It did ok until someone ran into the back of the Lada near Hollingworth Lake. Also had a good car in the old SKODA FAVORIT which I had for nearly 9 years. Though jokes were made about Skoda and Lada I never had much problems with them.

My ex hubby drove a Lada Estate when the kids were small, we had friends living in Blackpool and stayed overnight. The next morning, someone had run into our Lada (little damage just a scuffed bumper) but a neighbour had seen who it was. He took us to the home of the culprit and we saw the car that had swiped us, it was mess, we left it at that as we chuckled our way back to our car, built like a tank they were!