Servicing

[wannab-x]

Good evening, folks. I need to get my TZS serviced, and so asked PTS Developments in Wokingham for a quote to do the bits I'm looking for, which broke down as follows:

:- Major service (incl filters, plugs etc) - £185
:- Cam Belt change - £142
:- LHM flush & refill - £53
:- Auto box oil change - £42

(Prices are as I remember them, all my own words not theirs!).

First thing - do these prices sound reasonable? PTS seem to have a good reputation, but spending £440 on servicing a car I believe will be worth less than that is a big thing to do, and I don't want to rush into something silly, however I'm going to be dragging a caravan at least 1000 miles to & thru Wales, so I can see the sense in the work above. (I also have some genuine Citroen brake pads I'd like to fit, as they'd probably help with the stopping of 2 tonnes of metal, plastic & wood... )

Second thing - does anyone know of anyone (BXClub forum members included...) who might be able to do the above for less? I don't want to penny-pinch, but my budget for servicing work has decreased since I've spent the last month driving up & down to Yorkshire to see my dad in hospital, only for him to die on me just after I got home (!), plus I need to get the caravan serviced, and I'm not a millionaire!!

Thirdly, no, selling the BX and the caravan & buying something sensible, or going on holiday somewhere else, are not options!!

Thanks for your help.

Andrew

[mnde]

Hi there,

If I were you I'd be minimising the job-list by doing some things myself!

Filters: air filter's easy enough, so's the fuel filter. I haven't ever done an oil-and-filter change because I don't have ramps etc., so I normally leave that to the garage...

Plugs/HT leads/distributor cap & rotor arm: easy peasy to buy the bits and fit them yourself.

LHM flush and refill: a bit fiddly and messy, but it's something I've done successfully in the past. Just remember to clean the filters with white spirit & dry with compressed air (a footpump will do!) and also clean out the tank with white spirit and dry thoroughly. The only bit that scares me is brake bleeding because of the danger of snapping bleed nipples...

If you can do all that, that leaves the oil and filter change, the cambelt and the auto box fluid change, plus the brake bleeding if you didn't feel brave, or don't have the facilities - which should work out as somewhat less than £440 . Yes the prices sound reasonable, because it's the labour charges that are the killer. My garage charges £48.50 per hour plus VAT.

EDIT: Also, if you're having the cambelt done, it makes sense to replace the water pump at the same time (if it hasn't been done already in the past), because that's a "cambelt off" job in itself. Especially as you're about to tow a caravan over 1000 miles. A new water pump would be peace of mind as it's a crucial part of the cooling system

Regards,

Mark.

[DavidRutherford]

:- Major service (incl filters, plugs etc) - £185

That is rather expensive. Given that it's £5 of oil, £5 of oil filter, £2 of fuel filter, £8 of air filter £6 of plugs, and maybe a few other odds and sods, that's a hell of a lot of labour for what should be under an hour's work.

:- Cam Belt change - £142

Reasonable, if a little on the high side. £120 for a Diesel belt change is sensible, so I'd expect a petrol one to be a little cheaper as they are definitely easier.

:- LHM flush & refill - £53 :- Auto box oil change - £42

Reasonable.

Just for reference... where are you? and how soon do you need this work done?

[mat_fenwick]

:- Major service (incl filters, plugs etc) - £185

That is rather expensive. Given that it's £5 of oil, £5 of oil filter, £2 of fuel filter, £8 of air filter £6 of plugs, and maybe a few other odds and sods, that's a hell of a lot of labour for what should be under an hour's work.

Don't forget the things like checking brake pads etc that are on the service schedule - still sounds a little pricey though...

As Mark suggests, I would do as much yourself as possible. When I change the oil and filter I simply put the car on high, and undo the sump plug (WITHOUT putting my head under!!!) I feel that I am not under undue risk by doing this however Citroens CAN drop unexpectedly so it would be safer to do using axle stands to support the car. I put a wheel under the subframe just in case, as I have no hardstanding to work on.

[MULLEY]

I'd agree with the guys on here, i've now changed the air filter, oil & oil filter on 4 cars in the last 3mths. Average cost for the parts works out at about £23, so i would recommend you do those yourself & save a packet of cash.

If there's things you cant do yourself, then its the garage i'm afraid, but shop around for some quotes, someone might be able to do the cambelt & tensioners a fair bit cheaper than u've been quoted.

Not sure where david gets his prices from, but let me know where i can get 5 litres of semi-synthetic & a fuel filter for those prices please .

I get my stuff from GSF, not sure if there is one local to you?

Have a look on e-bay for stuff as well, i got a bosch cambelt including postage for £5, local motor factors wanted over £20!!!! Dont forget to make sure you get the tensioner done as well......

Good luck, & remember, if i can do it, so can you....

[wannab-x]

Thanks for all the suggestions, gentlemen (and those of other persuasions). Sadly, my enthusiasm for car-based tinkering is exceeded only by my cack-handedness, so I'm not sure I'd like to rely on my own handiwork while towing up (or down) any of those nice steep Welsh hills.

Mr Rutherford, I'm based around Windsor (but can travel!), and I'm looking to get the work on the car done in the next month or so.

[MULLEY]

Cant really go wrong with the oil & the filters, we can talk you through it if u get stuck....

[DavidRutherford]

Not sure where david gets his prices from, but let me know where i can get 5 litres of semi-synthetic & a fuel filter for those prices please

Semi synthetic? No need in an XU. Mineral oil is just fine as long as you change it every 5k miles. I buy my oil by the drumload, and it works out at about 80p/litre. Even semi-synth would only be about £1 a litre, hence the "£5 worth"

Likewise the oil filter. Buy it at halfrauds and it'll be £8. Buy it at a local motor factor and it's £4.

Granted, these are "trade" prices, but given that a garage will definitely have paid less than a tenner for the oil and filter, it's a bit much to charge you a small fortune for the 5-10 minutes work that it is (amongst the other work needed for a service) to change them.

[MULLEY]

Bring your drum to stratford & i'll fill up at 80p a litre

[wannab-x]

It's possible (and I'll only allow possible) that I could do the oil/filter change - I'd be okay with the filters (I think), but the oil change may be interesting.


I'd be interested in getting/helping someone from the forum to do the work & paying a fair price - anyone out there?

[MULLEY]

What day r u going to stratford? if i'm there i'll show you how to do the work for free.

Just bring the oil filter & the oil, the air filter & dont forget the copper sump plug washer (they're about 50p).

Need a container to collect the oil from the sump, i use one of those plastic trays from work, & a couple of pop bottles so that the used oil can be emptied into them.

Have you got a trolly jack & axle stands & an oil filter wrench? If not i'm sure i can bring mine down unless someone already has them in their boot anyway?

We'll get it sorted for you & you'll learn something in the process as well, so that next time it needs doing, you'll have the confidence to do it yourself.

Hope this helps in some way

Not sure if anyone else can help with doing some of the other work? This is all i'm capable of...

[wannab-x]

Hi Mulley. That'd be great - when is Stratford?

Perhaps someone else would like to show me how to do the cambelt, LHM change & so on, as a learning exercise for next time....

[wannab-x]

Think I'm going to get the car booked in & all the work done at once. Will do a little more shopping around (my usual place wouldn't touch the cambelt swap, and couldn't even look at the car until 24th September!) but may go with PTS - it's going in there for the pads tomorrow, and will probably book it in for the works next week, unless something better/cheaper comes along.

Mulley - thanks for the offer. I've only just realised how little time I've got before we're supposed to go away, so probably need to use the weekends for other things at the moment, particularly if I'd need to get the other work done anyway. Sounds arse about face, I know, but convenience is God right now!

I'll let you know how it all goes...

[MULLEY]

Righto, hopefully you can get the work done at a cheaper rate....

[MULLEY]

Bump, any news?