72'000 miles service

Dear all,

I just took my 145 2.0 Cloverleaf for its 72'000 miles service at the CP garage in Dundee, Scotland. My alfa was due for its timing belt change, and as it turned out, for some brake disk change as well.

I have been charged what is a lot of money for me, but considering what I have been reading about alfas/service/belts/etc, it seems all in all rather fair. I would very much like to know what you think ? Thanks !

Here are the details:

Labour (exc. VAT) 200 £

Parts (excl. VAT):

Timing belt: 102.93 £
Variator: 86.88 £
Balance belt: 39.00 £
Balance tensioner: 36.12 £

Oils, filters, motor flush, all together: 58.98 £

Brake disc rear: 24.00 £
Brake disc front: 40.00 £
Brake pad rear: 25.00 £

I should also add that the manager of the garage has been extremely obliging. For some very silly reasons (down to DVLA being very slow with the paper work), I have been unable to drive my car (i.e unable to get insured) until now, so the guy offered to pick it up my with his truck. Humiliating for me , but very helpful nonetheless.

Yeah, that seems fair to me.
With Alfas half the battle is finding a decent garage

what jim said...

Sounds pretty good to me too.

Very reasonable prices. I expect my 147's forthcoming pit stop will cost a lot more than that.

I hope I get away with that on the next service on my 147!

Discs & pads all round, full timing belt job AND a service for what, £600? I think I might offer the bloke a blo . . . no maybe not, but I would pay the bill quick and get out before he finds the mistake!

Hold on! If you cannot drive it why does it need a service?

Paulus

> I would pay the bill quick and get out before he finds the mistake

Good point...I think they forgot to charge me for some bulbs

> Hold on! If you cannot drive it why does it need a service?

An Alfa always needs servicing

The story is that: I bought this car about three weeks ago. We thought it would be clever to put it under my partner's name, for insurance purposes. But after browsing the web a bit, we realised it would be better under my name alone. But we had to wait for DVLA to send us the Registration Certificate to pass on the ownership to me. Only then could I get the insurance I wanted (and pay the road tax...).

The other isssue is that I had to swap my foreign driving licence for a UK one. That is straightforward...Except that DVLA sent me my new shiny licence...without my name on it. Blank. An interesting printing mistake.

Anyway, all the paperwork has gone through now, so I was allowed to drive my baby from the garage back home, hurray.

CP have a pretty good reputation, sounds like it's deserved.