David Jenkins
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| posted on 10/11/12 at 01:01 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
French electrics !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The famous one was illustrated on 5th Gear - changing the Renault Megane headlight bulb. It took a tame AA mechanic around 1 hour to replace one, as
it involved jacking up the car, removing a front wheel, then opening a panel in the wheel arch. Many garages quote a stupid price to change a bulb,
hoping that the customer will go somewhere else.
When Renault was asked why it was set up like this, they said that it was necessary to do it that way to achieve a 5-star NCAP rating. 5th Gear then
showed 2 presenters, one standing, one sitting on the front of a car with its bonnet open, and as they talked the one who was sitting reached behind
him and took out the bulb... on a VW Golf, also 5-star NCAP rated. He reckoned he could change the Golf's headlight bulb in a minute or two.
[Edited on 10/11/12 by David Jenkins]
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UncleFista
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| posted on 10/11/12 at 01:41 PM |
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Definitely worn teeth, all are worn but 2 teeth are more worn than others.
I've ground down the mating flange on a spare starter so it throws the gear out further and it's useable now 
I'll do the clutch and flywheel when I need to, it just seems a pity to change the whole thing when the clutch is fine.
I've seen a clutch change on another diesel 75 and found out you only need to drop the subframe down on one side, fiddly but less work.
Tony Bond / UncleFista
Love is like a snowmobile, speeding across the frozen tundra.
Which suddenly flips, pinning you underneath.
At night the ice-weasels come...
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MikeRJ
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| posted on 10/11/12 at 03:16 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Dusty
Dual mass flywheels is another although that also comes under 'Solutions for problems that don't exist'.
This is not correct, dual mass flywheels were developed to solve some very real problems that modern high performance 4 cylinder diesels have brought
with them. Manufacturers simply wouldn't fit such an expensive component if they didn't believe it was needed.
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britishtrident
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| posted on 10/11/12 at 04:36 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by UncleFista
Definitely worn teeth, all are worn but 2 teeth are more worn than others.
I've ground down the mating flange on a spare starter so it throws the gear out further and it's useable now
I'll do the clutch and flywheel when I need to, it just seems a pity to change the whole thing when the clutch is fine.
I've seen a clutch change on another diesel 75 and found out you only need to drop the subframe down on one side, fiddly but less work.
Some lengths of make stud bar make dropping frame easier also some M10 studding as guides pins to line up the engine and box.
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
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britishtrident
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| posted on 10/11/12 at 04:38 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by MikeRJ
quote:
Originally posted by Dusty
Dual mass flywheels is another although that also comes under 'Solutions for problems that don't exist'.
This is not correct, dual mass flywheels were developed to solve some very real problems that modern high performance 4 cylinder diesels have brought
with them. Manufacturers simply wouldn't fit such an expensive component if they didn't believe it was needed.
Trouble is they are also fitting them to petrol engines.
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
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Slimy38
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| posted on 10/11/12 at 05:30 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
Trouble is they are also fitting them to petrol engines.
Yep, mine has one. And it doesn't cause any issue to replace it with a single mass flywheel.
The biggest fiddle has got to be an OBDII scan. Anywhere between £40 and £60 to get the fault code scanned, even before they figure out the actual
fault causing the code. And with cars throwing more and more errors it makes that trip to the dealer far more common.
If more people knew they could buy fault scanners for roughly the same price as one scan, then use it on every car they own from then on, they'd
certainly start using it themselves. And in a lot of cases they can simply clear the code and not worry about it again.
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britishtrident
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| posted on 10/11/12 at 07:43 PM |
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The real ball breaker Airbag, SRS and ABS faults can't be read by normal code readers and these can be very difficult faults to pin down.
I spent a couple of weeks trying to pin down an SRS fault that turned out to a water logged side impact sensor.
There is no reason why a fault code reader can't built into the vehicle it would cost a couple of quid instead the EU demands tyre
pressure sensors that can only escalate the cost of motoring.
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
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Slimy38
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| posted on 10/11/12 at 08:32 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by britishtridentThere is no reason why a fault code reader can't built into the vehicle it would cost a
couple of quid instead the EU demands tyre pressure sensors that can only escalate the cost of motoring.
I quite liked the old Vauxhall systems. Their 'on board diagnostics' consisted of shorting out two pins on a connector under the
handbrake, and counting how many times a dashboard light flashed! It took a bit of time to get the longer codes out, but a code check cost the price
of one paper clip!
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olimarler
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| posted on 10/11/12 at 08:34 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by bi22le
quote:
Originally posted by PSpirine
None of the things mentioned make the manufacturer any money (have to defend ourselves there!) - the dealer does benefit in terms of labour time, but
they've been doing that forever - I can think of much higher "return" items than dual mass flywheels (e.g. ooo sir let us flush your
cooling system for £100).
OEM's make SFA on part sales (there's just no margin in it).
Coded parts are definitely my biggest bug-bear. I understand why they need to do it, but the prices are NOT justified (on average it's something
like £25 for a 5 minute plug-in job). Especially getting the code for your radio from a dealer, where they just look it up on a computer system for
£40!!!
I respect your position and industry knowledge but I would like to challange the "OEM's make SFA on part sales (there's just no
margin in it)" comment.
Give me one example of something that is the same cost to buy from a Stealer than it is to buy EXACTLY the same part from online. Dont use overheads
as an excuse. I could also walk into a shop and get EXACTLY the same part at a greatly reduced rate.
Wipers - Nope!
Batteries - Nope!
Oil Filters - Nope!
Engine parts - Nope!
bulbs - Nope!
Wheels - Nope!
Tires - Nope!
Brakes - Nope!
Every single item, service and part WILL cost you more at a stealer.
I don't want to start anything hear but I actually work for the manufacturer I the head office.
These parts are anything but the exact same as you could buy in an autos spares shop.
With the amount of research and testing that goes into these parts there of course will be an additional price involved in them.
Oil filters for example has a completely different filtration system in the filter. Along with different sealing on the filter. The pressure and flow
is designed exactly for that engine.
Wiper blades is a great example these are designed for the exact car and screen and speed. Yes they will be made by a recognised brand available else
ware but they will have a completely different design.
Brakes for example are continually tested by us and comparisons made. The tests we found that are brakes do stop better and have found to last much
much longer.
This may be different to other manufactures but I know for fact they are very different to one I work for.
Please don't ask me who I work for not place to say
I am the uk head of product training. So I speak a lot of time talking about this Area.
Cheers
Oli
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froggy
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| posted on 10/11/12 at 09:11 PM |
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I'd love to see how much Audi charge for a dipped beam bulb an an a5 as I've just done one and the bulb was £65 trade 
[IMG]http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r187/froggy_0[IMG]
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