C5ALIVE Forum
C5Alive General Category => C5 Chatroom => Topic started by: radiomarty on 07, June, 2010 - 13:03:10
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Having just been stung for £700 to get my 5 year old Vectra through a service and MOT i'm thinking that running a C5 really is a cheap option for getting from A to B. I could have brought a dam good one for that money - shame i live just too far from work. :o
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Yes, but the difference is that your modern car will get you there, and not just 5 miles way either, in safety and comfort.
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£700??? :o
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..not wanting to make you feel any worse Marty, but we only paid £230 to buy Jordan's Citroen AX ...
What was wrong with the Vectra to push the cost so high ?
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Front - discs and pads u/s (car was shaking) £126.98
One front spring broken (two replaced) £293.62 !!!- (going to query this bit)
Service (main dealer) £89.89+ Oil £25
MOT £40
VAT £93.71
total = £669.20 -
Next time I will be doing it myself !!!!!! Had to get it through the MOT as I had left it to the last moment and needed the car.
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Half the cost problem was going to the main dealer. Replacing two front springs will probably be two hours labour plus parts, and don't even think about just replacing one unless you have no respect for human life..
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It is the norm to replace suspension springs in a pair, even if only one has failed. This is the same for shock absorbers aswell so not to unsettle the suspension ride or height etc.
Retro Andy.
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Absolutely, and the effects on brake balance by just replacing one side have had fatal results in the past, but now ABS would probablay cope with it.
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Have to say that after reading the breakdown of fees, it naturally makes sense now, as £700 for a service would just be crazy. Having said that, no doubt all the parts which required replacing come with a 12 month guarantee including labour, so if they fail within that time, you'll be able to take it back and have it fixed for free?
Even so, it's money you could probably ill afford to spend. At least you have a working car though.
I took our Corsa in for a service Monday, and they broke ours! Aparently they tried to perform a 'Flash Update' on the car's computer, then afterwards it wouldn't start as the engine management system wouldn't work. Courtesy car for me then!! All fixed now though.
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Yes - now that I have come out of shock I feel a little better !! and the fact at 5 years old it's done 149,000 its not so bad ! - Suppose I have just been spoilt because being a former Vauxhall employee I used to get my parts / servicing at cost. I knew about changing the springs in pairs but was questioning the cost but I still think it makes a C5 economical transport and also at 25 years old very cheap classic car ownership. :) :) :)
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Wow! 149,000 miles on the clock. No wonder it needed a little bit done. Blimey if I did that many miles I think I'd need a bit doing too! Our Corsa's only done 89,000 and that's had everything done to it apart from a new engine, but that's next I expect, hence why we're trying to sell it.
Cars eh?
Let's hope Sir Clive and his research team are progressing well with their latest development. Does anyone know anything about this other than what they've read in the Telegraph?
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149000 is n ot much these days, although the only Vauxhall I have ever owned, back in the 80's, a Mk1 Astra 1300 Estate, was jiggered by 50000 even though carefuly driven and meticulously serviced(new engine, driveshshafts,struts, by then-never again!!). My Renault Espace 2.0 petrol had done 450000miles on the original engine(not even using oil) and gearbox, but was on its second clutch,when I sold it .My Mazda Premacy diesel blew its head gasket and hence its radiator at 228000 , the clutch was nearly due for replacement, and there was rust in the wheelarches so I sold it for scrap as it was just too young to qualify for the scrappage trade-in allowance.
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I can remember when all company cars were sold off at 60k because that was considered to be the end of their economical life :o.
Nowadays everyone expects a minimum of 100k , so things have improved. I'm surprised your Mazda died at such a relatively low mileage I thought they were supposed to go on pretty much forever.
Isn't there an American car that has 100k service intervals ? I'm sure I saw it featured on an episode of Top Gear once :-\.