Overcharged for battery charge !! Eur 85

J

jrewing

Registered User
Messages
554

Battery died on the car last week when I was away. My neighbour tried unsuccessfully with jump leads, but in the end my wife had to call a garage, who sent out a truck (about 8 miles out of town).

They didn't tell her the price beforehand, and then he handed her a bill for Eur 85 for 10 minutes work!!! A friend recently had a similar problem sorted for a Eur 20 call-out.

Am I wrong in thinking this charge is WAY out of line !
 
10 minutes work, travel each way, having the equipment + expertise, opportunity cost of interrupting whatever they were doing to come out and restart you, plus VAT + overheads. €85 may be high, but it doesn't seem outrageous. €20 sounds rediculously low!
 
well really when you think of all the overheads for the service, travel, fuel, insurance, wages etc, how much do you think would be fair. after all it was a callout and these don't come cheap, i think 50e is average, then vat, i don't think you were overcharge by a whole lot, maybe a little.
you should always get an estimate.
 
This sort of thing has been brought up many times before on AAM; unless you ask the price beforehand and price around if needs be you really cannot complain afterwards. You got a service, in a hurry and the garage got you on your way.
 
You can buy a new battery in a moror factors for around 50euro for most small cars!
 
runner said:
You can buy a new battery in a moror factors for around 50euro for most small cars!
Click to expand...

Yup, you simply walk the 8 miles to town, carry the battery home and hey presto, you have saved €35......

85 seems about right. I would not like to have to pay it, but what ya gonna do. Isn't that about what you would be charged for any callout nowadays.
 
50 plus fitting plus travel, 85 seems ok to me.

Main dealer would have charged you more.
 
Frank said:
50 plus fitting plus travel, 85 seems ok to me.

Main dealer would have charged you more.
Click to expand...

I think the OP is saying they charged the battery...a sort of glorified jumpstart if I'm not mistaken? No battery was supplied.
 
A lot of people will charge a minimum call.

A mate is a sparks min callout is 100 quid even if he has to replace a light bulb.

You are paying for knowledge experience, having the right gear and quick turn around.
 
jrewing said:
Eur 85 for 10 minutes work!!!
Click to expand...
He must be some operator (and some driver!) if he can drive 8 miles out of town, charge the battery, and drive back another 8 miles, all in 10 minutes...
jrewing said:
A friend recently had a similar problem sorted for a Eur 20 call-out.
Click to expand...
Would you get a taxi to drive 16 miles round-trip for €20, let alone do some work? I don't think so.
jrewing said:
Am I wrong in thinking this charge is WAY out of line !
Click to expand...

Yes, imho.
 


Charge seems fine for every reason above! The question is what did your friend get for 20e , cant of been that similar !
 
monkeyboy said:
Charge seems fine for every reason above! The question is what did your friend get for 20e , cant of been that similar !
Click to expand...

99% of jump leads available are completely crap. the only ones worth buying are the heavy duty truck ones which cost 50-70 euros.
 
The garage man didn't come in a taxi where did you get €20? he paid €85. I drive 10 miles and back to work but I don't get paid for it. On the other hand why didn't he get his neighbour to push start the car while he was there, then drive to local motor factors buy a new battery and fit it himself because when a battery dies nowadays thats the end of it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register