Car work - price check

airborne said:
You could also try Alan Edward's Motors in Kenilworth, everyone i've asked raves about them, old school type workshop and maybe closer for you:
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The problem I've found with places like this, is I went there years ago and there was an issue with suspension (different car). So they had to get a tow truck to take my car to Montagu Gardens to the suspension place. Whereas the bigger places you can drop your car off and they handle everything in house or have contacts close by who can do the job.
 
saor said:
The problem I've found with places like this, is I went there years ago and there was an issue with suspension (different car). So they had to get a tow truck to take my car to Montagu Gardens to the suspension place. Whereas the bigger places you can drop your car off and they handle everything in house or have contacts close by who can do the job.
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Ah yes I remember you mentioned that before but I wouldn't let that put you off using them, especially if their work was otherwise good. That is not a common occurrence, that's a once in a blue moon kind of thing.

Just ask them for a quote for a oil change + the other work and see what they come up with, they are just up the road from Goldwagen.
The cambelt you have to do at the service interval but why the brakes and clutch now at only 80k km?
Is there something you need to tell us about your driving technique :)
 
Offhand the labour time isn't bad. Parts prices meh... oils and additives meh pricing (don't think the motorfactors will be much cheaper unless there are specials -- some dealerships are cheaper when buying entire service kits). Brake discs can be found cheaper for generics.

Would I do an engine flush? Considering service intervals are somewhat ambitious for modern cars, I would say yes... dump it in to a warm engine and run for 10-15 minutes then immediately dump out the old oil. Collect the old oil and find a service centre/parts seller/municipal drop-off that will take it (see rose foundation) -- not the drain. Think of the children...

Might as well do a brake flush while doing clutch and brakes. It should be done at least every few years, and if you live in a humid environment more regularly. The old school way of pumping the pedal is a quick way of ruining a friendship/relationship, nevermind the time and effort: get a pressure bleeder.

Doing the gearbox oil change is a good idea (considering the timing belt service). The sealed for life oil thing is BS. Check for fine forbidden glitter.

Thing is, unless you are prepared to spend a weekend to do the work yourself (a clutch job in a front wheel drive is never fun) and have a lot of tools (torque wrenches are a must for modern cars, then there are the more special tools like E-torx, triple squares, and security torx -- German cars...). Taking an engine timing system apart and correctly putting back together generally should also be done with special tools (especially if variable valve timing is involved)... the old school way was simply mark everything up with a marker pen and swop (should work but not perfect). A clutch alignment tool is also a good idea unless you want to spend another hour getting the things aligned and longer to get the gearbox back. Also, a good scan tool is advised (or notebook with software and dongle)... the cheap OBD-II things do basic DTCs and maybe a service reset but are generally basic. A good trolley jack and tripod stands very much also needed for diy, with tyres under the car cabin at all times for safety.
 
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saor said:
Probably a lack thereof.
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Only really robot racing will prematurely wear out the clutch/brakes, the clutch should last min 150,000km, I've seen vehicles that have made it to 300,000km on the original clutch.
What issue are you having with the clutch that it needs replacing?
 
I would normally phone specialist for quotes on the non normal service stuff and compare it to the service Center's prices and decide if it is worth the hassle of going to multiple places (assuming the car is drivable which sounds like yours is).

So in your case I would contact a clutch place, a brake place and suspension etc.

Not that I was intentionally negotiating but when I tell them not to do certain things they sometimes drop their price after asking why I don't want to do this things.
 
A3@MBB said:
Cambelt replacement is usually km or time dependent. If the Up is from 2015, its been due for a while now and driving on borrowed time. Waterpump replacement is excessive, if no issues with it, don't replace it.

Agree on the clutch and brakes, seems abnormal considering the distance driven.
Could be driving style that caused the excessive wear.
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I don't trust vw waterpumps since I had an issue with the one on the passat, so now i replace them whenever I dot he cambelt service just for peace of mind.
airborne said:
Only really robot racing will prematurely wear out the clutch/brakes, the clutch should last min 150,000km, I've seen vehicles that have made it to 300,000km on the original clutch.
What issue are you having with the clutch that it needs replacing?
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My wife's Up is also a 2015 model and while she used to be hard on clutches this car is on 180k km and the clutch is still fine. So I'm sure that mechanic just wants to make a few extra bucks.
 
Damn! This much for the humble VW Up? I’m not knowledgeable enough to say whether this is excessive or not. But R34k plus :crying:
 
airborne said:
Only really robot racing will prematurely wear out the clutch/brakes, the clutch should last min 150,000km, I've seen vehicles that have made it to 300,000km on the original clutch.
What issue are you having with the clutch that it needs replacing?
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Sorry couldn't reply last night mom made me clean my room.

I asked them to check the clutch for two reasons:
1.) If I'm idling in neutral with the clutch out, there's a loud clicking sound; pushing the clutch in makes the sound goes away.
2.) I was stuck in traffic on a steep hill two weeks ago and rode the clutch a bit too much - there was a burning smell in the car all the way home. Could've sworn the car jumped out of gear on the way home as well. I realise riding it like that once off is probably not enough to warrant a full replace, but then maybe I've got a bad habit of doing it too often that's added up.

The brakes this was on their notes:
FRONT BRAKES 40 % MAKING NOISE
REAR BRAKES 50 %
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saor said:
Sorry couldn't reply last night mom made me clean my room.

I asked them to check the clutch for two reasons:
1.) If I'm idling in neutral with the clutch out, there's a loud clicking sound; pushing the clutch in makes the sound goes away.
2.) I was stuck in traffic on a steep hill two weeks ago and rode the clutch a bit too much - there was a burning smell in the car all the way home. Could've sworn the car jumped out of gear on the way home as well. I realise riding it like that once off is probably not enough to warrant a full replace, but then maybe I've got a bad habit of doing it too often that's added up.

The brakes this was on their notes:
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When we bought my wife's car, I bought my sister an Up as well, their registration numbers actually just differ by one number. Both cars did that, VW replaced the clutch on the blue car and it still made that sound.

That was when the cars were new, our car is on 180k, my sister's car is around 200k km, both cars still does that, and neither has had any clutch issues. On number 2 I wouldn't even worry too much, I'm sure you you still have a long life left on the clutch, just don't ride it like that in future.

Also if that is the life left on the pads you also don't need to replace that yet. On all my cars I've always had noisy brake pads.
 
saor said:
Sorry couldn't reply last night mom made me clean my room.

I asked them to check the clutch for two reasons:
1.) If I'm idling in neutral with the clutch out, there's a loud clicking sound; pushing the clutch in makes the sound goes away.
2.) I was stuck in traffic on a steep hill two weeks ago and rode the clutch a bit too much - there was a burning smell in the car all the way home. Could've sworn the car jumped out of gear on the way home as well. I realise riding it like that once off is probably not enough to warrant a full replace, but then maybe I've got a bad habit of doing it too often that's added up.

The brakes this was on their notes:
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release bearing gone, part of the clutch kit, my Getz made that squeaky noise quite a while back, and its from using the clutch too much and not the handbrake to hold the car, bad technique, but natural. yes you do need to do clutch, whole kit and all the other stuff, balancing/skimming ect so it lasts.

rest of the stuff, sure you could save a few thousands getting the parts and just asking them to fit it, if the car is fully drivable, if it isnt, well thats the garage taking you for a ride in the up!

never visit a mechanic, especially a franchise or big mechanic when your car is busy dying, if they see your car squeaking and rattling and big smoke, that's when they start adding unnecessary things to the bill and tripling the labor charges.
 
saor said:
Sorry couldn't reply last night mom made me clean my room.

I asked them to check the clutch for two reasons:
1.) If I'm idling in neutral with the clutch out, there's a loud clicking sound; pushing the clutch in makes the sound goes away.
2.) I was stuck in traffic on a steep hill two weeks ago and rode the clutch a bit too much - there was a burning smell in the car all the way home. Could've sworn the car jumped out of gear on the way home as well. I realise riding it like that once off is probably not enough to warrant a full replace, but then maybe I've got a bad habit of doing it too often that's added up.

The brakes this was on their notes:
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I have no idea why people ride the clutch on up uphill when you have brakes in a car - it was the 1st thing my driving instructor told me never to do if I wanted to look after my car. I have uber drivers who do this and I start feeling seasick wth the rocking motion.
 
Prices is a bit high but not extreme. I think these guys do see how far they can push things. I mean there is no way an UP uses 5L oil. Clutch replace price also looks more like a bigger car quote than an UP.
I think its more of a case of all these things at once. You probably don't drive that much so not so regular services. Otherwise most of these things would be one at a time per service and then costs would have been split over a longer period.
But now it will be like new again with probably just regular services the next few years.

Wife's VW had a 21k and 15k repair the last year or two. She complained. Told her if she buys the same car now her instalment will be R12k a month. Suddenly those repair costs sound cheap.
 
Tim_vb said:
I have no idea why people ride the clutch on up uphill when you have brakes in a car - it was the 1st thing my driving instructor told me never to do if I wanted to look after my car. I have uber drivers who do this and I start feeling seasick wth the rocking motion.
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Send him to me for lessons. Car stays dead still with my clutch control technique.
 
PaulKempTheSecond said:
Id argue that it’s a rattle from the 3 cylinder motor and nothing to worry about.
Skip the clutch and brakes and get the cambelt done(age).
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Could be, depressing the clutch points to a worn thrust bearing, but it could be a completely random engine rattle that is evident at idle with the gearbox in neutral with no load on the engine and the car is stationary.
 
saor said:
Send him to me for lessons. Car stays dead still with my clutch control technique.
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It's not good for the car to ride the clutch like that, when stationary keep your foot on the brakes or use your handbrake.
 
Problem is that they are nailing you on everything, which is a problem, they are nailing you on parts, additives and pretty much everything, they were already going to make a decent profit but they are going on an overkill to get the whole rent for the month on you.

Firstly I would eat my hat if an UP takes 5l of oil, I drive a 1.4l and the most it takes is 3.6l or so, your car is a 1.0l 3 cylinder.

The oil flush, unless your car was not serviced for a long time and the oil turned into a thick gunk, you don't need a flush.

You also don't need an aircon treatment, but it's your choice.

Yes new brake discs need to be cleaned, they are oily, but it's just a few squirts of brake cleaner, you are paying for a brake cleaner for the whole workshop, basically all the cleaners/ additives you buy are for the whole workshop and other cars, not just yours.

I can go on but I am sure you get the picture, they are treating your car like a barn find that is being restored.
 
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