WINGNUT Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Sell your labour dont give it away! Its the reason mechanics are poorly paid really! have sold ourselves short over the years by either as you say Norm doing it for free or " call it a tenner " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistonbroke Posted April 9, 2013 Author Share Posted April 9, 2013 Some of the bulbs on my Alfa 156 are a right pig to change. Man pride and sheer tightness still prevents me from going to halfords to get it done, but I wouldn't change the bulb for someone else for the price halfords charge. There are often some very good deals in halfords, especially if you reserve on-line then go in and collect. I recently bought a top of the range rear sprocket for my mountain bike. List price was £85, halfords were doing it for half price (£42.50) , or a bundle deal where if I also got a can of GT85 it was £38!! Ben afaik Halfords wont change bulbs on a car like yours its to much for them They can afford to reduce the price by 50% and still make a thumping profit , its called a loss leader . Comet PLC did it when i worked for them so did Curries so does every furniture shop in the country , Tesco's - Asda buy 2 for £3 save 50p , you name it Bogof offers is the same scam anywhere , nobody gives you owt for nowt , its called buisiness , if the market can stand it charge it , the poor sods will moan but they can afford it . we are here to please you is b*****k , we are here to make money for the shareholders and in turn our own bonus's and pension scemes , thats the only thing that matters . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Wingnut, Understand and agree. However, I'll always try and help someone out if they're in the sticky stuff. Last one was a local chap who's wife thought all the warning lights on her 12 year old, 180 mile Espace were "pretty". Head gasket had blown. He got a quote for 1200€ to fix it and couldn't afford it. I did it. When I needed help with some tiling he quoted me his tiling rate at £25 per square metre. Last time he gets anything from me. But it's all my fault, I can't help it. We met someone at a bar. They popped round a week or so later. Then about a month after that they knock on the door and ask if we have anyone in the gite. Then ask if they can stay for a few weeks as they've been thrown out of their rented house. I said it was OK. That was 7 months ago and they're still here! They're due to leave at the end of this month. They've been paying a small rent but that's not the point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEN99W Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 I dont see what's fair about selling a tuppenny halfpenny bulb set for £16 or 1 bulb for £9.99 , I dont see whats fair about B7Q selling screws , nuts bolts etc. at over inflated prices , just because its all under one roof ? At one time they were cheap , but then they had competition from the small traders who couldnt compete on price because of the power of bulk buying , just like others giants , as soon as they had gobbled up the small traders and forced them onto the dole Q ( thats the Q in B& Q BTW ) up went there prices to the inflationary level they are now . Sorry but every time I walk into these places I feel like I'm being mugged Actually that reminds me of the time I went in there for some stainless penny washers to refresh those on my flared wings. They certainly didn't cost a penny. They were so expensive that it would have been cheaper for me to drill pound coins to use as washers. I very nearly did this as a sort of protest until I found what I needed online for a fraction of the halfords price. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SootySport Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Actually that reminds me of the time I went in there for some stainless penny washers to refresh those on my flared wings. They certainly didn't cost a penny. They were so expensive that it would have been cheaper for me to drill pound coins to use as washers. I very nearly did this as a sort of protest until I found what I needed online for a fraction of the halfords price. Ben You haven't found a decent fastener shop, have you? My local one sells stainless screws , washers, nuts & bolts for pennies. Today I bought 4x 5mm.x 40mm button hex screws and 4 washers for £1.20. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WINGNUT Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Wingnut, Understand and agree. However, I'll always try and help someone out if they're in the sticky stuff. Last one was a local chap who's wife thought all the warning lights on her 12 year old, 180 mile Espace were "pretty". Head gasket had blown. He got a quote for 1200€ to fix it and couldn't afford it. I did it. When I needed help with some tiling he quoted me his tiling rate at £25 per square metre. Last time he gets anything from me. But it's all my fault, I can't help it. We met someone at a bar. They popped round a week or so later. Then about a month after that they knock on the door and ask if we have anyone in the gite. Then ask if they can stay for a few weeks as they've been thrown out of their rented house. I said it was OK. That was 7 months ago and they're still here! They're due to leave at the end of this month. They've been paying a small rent but that's not the point. I'm all for helping people where you can Norm? But as you just said you got shafted! A very good friend of mine who has retried now had his own garage. We had an identical conversation as this, his friend is a decorator and he said "if he wants his car doing I charge him, and if I want the living room decorating he charges me. That way nobody falls out with anyone and we are all happy" I agree with this, obviously nobody was ripping anyone off but each man sold his labour! My parents and sisters cars are fixed free but anyone else would pay! Not silly amounts but at the end of the day I have spent years training and learning a skill/trade to just let people abuse it, which like you pointed out Norm that will when opportunity arises! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 I agree with the "both pay". I had a friend near where we lived in the Peak Park. He wanted me to build an MGA he'd bought in boxes. He said he would do all the work on my house. I built his car but every time I needed something doing he was too busy, or it was above his skill (he was a bobby!) and I ended up having to get someone in to do it. One time he got me someone to fit new gutters which had to be in wood (Peak Park). He did come down on the last day to help and then asked if he was getting paid when we paid Andy. I wish I had a tape recorder to record HM's words. I never knew she had so many swear words in her vocabulary. It actually got far worse than that but that's another story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Sooty, I had a friend who had a fastener business in Sheffield Boxes of UNF and Metric nuts, screws and bolts for a few quid. Unfortunately he died a relatively young man a few years ago. I've still got stock but it's beginning to run out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistonbroke Posted April 9, 2013 Author Share Posted April 9, 2013 You haven't found a decent fastener shop, have you? My local one sells stainless screws , washers, nuts & bolts for pennies. Today I bought 4x 5mm.x 40mm button hex screws and 4 washers for £1.20.Brabbin & Rudd Wigan sell mild steel or stainless at proper prices Try any decent timber yard. I still come over fient when i think about the price of No 8 woodscrews at B&Q , I can buy a box of 200 for the same price they would charge for a pack of 10 screws Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 I keep telling folk to get their oil fittings from a hydraulic repairer. A fraction of the prices charged for "Motorsport" bling connectors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dombanks Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 its all well and good saying go to this that or the other shop and i whole heartedly agree that you can get better service better price etc. but youcant beat the fact that halfords and b&Q are open when you need them. if you work a normal 9-5 mon-fri you just cant get to alot of these shops. then factor in hastle of finding/going/parking etc and suddenly the 5 min stop in halfords on the way home becomes more attractive. i would rather support the little guy but its give and take. the give for me i i will make an effort to go the take is i expect them to open more. i would dearly love to carry on going to the beer shop i used to use but its a 50mile round trip over the runcorn bridge. often this has roadworks on it so can take over 40 mins each way and they only open till 12 on a sat. so now i order online and have it delivered to work as Royal mail are the biggest shower of S*** going. (if they went out of business i really wouldnt be sad) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SootySport Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 I guess I'm lucky then, There is a small light industrial estate within 400 metres. of me, Elec. wholesaler, plumbing merchant, fastener supplier, woodyard, MOT workshop and a few other useful merchants all together within walking distance, most open Saturday am. The wife and child goes to the glitzy shopping malls like Lakeside and Westfield but my shopping heaven is just round the corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darve Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 I guess I'm lucky then, There is a small light industrial estate within 400 metres. of me, Elec. wholesaler, plumbing merchant, fastener supplier, woodyard, MOT workshop and a few other useful merchants all together within walking distance, most open Saturday am. The wife and child goes to the glitzy shopping malls like Lakeside and Westfield but my shopping heaven is just round the corner. he also doesn't mind when you say "I'll just have five of those please" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User0083 Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Mrs C took her car to main dealer for a £280 service... As she did every year pre mot. I saw little spots of fresh oile... Moved her car, next morning few more spots. Stuck head under, sump nut was leaking. Looked at rest of the "service" spark plugs not changed, air filter not changed... List goes on and ONLY work I could see was oil filter/oil and I wasn't 100% that had been done well! So not to upset main dealer or get ripped off she goes to halfrauds service centre. Oil and oil filter change, new sump it/washer... Which I had obtained for her. Well apparently "Common fault with these car this, it's not the sump nut, it's tea bagging" hmmm... Slapping your balls in a pass out drink guys face??? "It's where the manifold hits the sump and causes it to turn to a tea bag. You need a new sump. Inc VAT and labour it'll be £800... Oh you can't drive it away as the whole sump may drop off." Has anyone else heard of this? Especially when manifold does not even pass by on the same side as the ONLY oil on the sump? Well I took a day off work and drove the car off, found a hourly hire workshop and change it all in under an hour and spent a total of £80... Inc garage hire. Yes I spent £60 in petrol going to my wife and back.... But halfrauds do have some good products, but proceed with caution! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WINGNUT Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 What car does Mrs C drive??? Manifold hitting sump?? exhaust or inlet?? what the devil are they on about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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