Contentious post about certain dealer prices (1 Viewer)

Jaws

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I have just had a mail from a certain company offering various services.. all of which are presented as bargains ( of course ) when in reality they are anything but

Taking two items randomly ( actually, the two that stood out like a sore thumb )

100 w solar panel installed.. Looking at the kit on offer it is pretty much the bottom of the range available.. total cost of parts approx £118.. and that is retail.. Fitted price £500 all but a few p.

Gas pressure check
A 10 to 15 minute job depending on regulator location, £35.00 and quite possibly done by someone who does not hold a current certificate of competence from Gas Safe for work on an LPG system

Reason for suspecting this is the cost of the Gas Safe course, and the fact it has to be updated regularly.. ( Darrell did the LPG related exams last year so we know exactly what the costs involved are )

Of course I can be well out of order on this....


Whilst I appreciate most if not all dealers have a staff and showroom to support, many prices quoted by many firms are damned expensive..

We are very fortunate on Fun as the most well known dealers on here use quality parts and of course labour.. ( No names no pack drill and all that, but I recently had cause to look at a van that had been fitted with a solar kit by a dealer on here, and the parts used were well up the scale in the quality stakes, plus the fitting was superb... this post is not meant to be in any way aimed at anyone associated or known on this 'ere forum )

It seems to me that as soon as the words 'Motor Home' are involved prices become the territory of the fisherman.. they get bigger with each telling !!
 

Popeye

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I've had exactly the same mail today John, no names no pack-drill. I noticed it arrived in my Junk inbox though, so my smart desk-top has a very fine filter.

So fine in fact that it has even started binning one or two of Old Mo's Jokes.
 

Judge Mental

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Rip off Britain tucked up from the cradle to the grave..literally! Taking libertys a way of life. opted out of UK market for anything to do with bikes and motorhomes 25 years ago

recent sink repair. quotes from 350 +VAT to 80

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Geo

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Tis the power of the Interweb
It has made everyone a consumer watchdog, myself included, I can compare every single item I want or need across the whole planet in minuets, its then just a matter of urgency V cost, I then shop accordingly.
At the Lincoln Finale I had a shopping list of five or six needs, I bought none from the show,.
One trader asked to knock three pounds off a seventy pound item declined the sale as is her right butI know for a fact she had at least a twenty pound mark up
I later bought that item for fifty two pounds
I bough the rest of my stuff from interweb retailers and fleabay, including delivery with an average saving of 25% except for my LED bulbs where I saved 90% but had to wait five days for them, sometimes its a no brainer
Geo
 

hilldweller

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an average saving of 25% except for my LED bulbs where I saved 90%
Geo

I saw some LED strip on show, £5.95 per metre. I have a 5m roll off ebay, £5.90 delivered ( from memory ).

That is just one example.

There are some clueless people out there.
 

Geo

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Same thing Brian a trader had GU10 led replacements @£9 each
I bough 10 for £9.97 delivered I could not see any physical difference under close scrutiny between them, some might say his may have a quality advantage over mine but not 10 times worth and I doubt any
Geo

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D

Deleted member 29692

Deleted User
100 w solar panel installed.. Looking at the kit on offer it is pretty much the bottom of the range available.. total cost of parts approx £118.. and that is retail.. Fitted price £500 all but a few p.

Gas pressure check
A 10 to 15 minute job depending on regulator location, £35.00 and quite possibly done by someone who does not hold a current certificate of competence from Gas Safe for work on an LPG system

Reason for suspecting this is the cost of the Gas Safe course, and the fact it has to be updated regularly.. ( Darrell did the LPG related exams last year so we know exactly what the costs involved are )

Of course I can be well out of order on this....

The solar panel one I can't comment on but, as we've established numerous times before, caravans including motor caravans are not subject to the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998 (GSIUR) unless they for hire, permanently sited or used for other business purposes. This means you do not need to be Gas Safe registered or qualified to work on them.

It might not be right, you might not agree with it (not sure I do actually!) but that is what the law says.

I think I posted the relevant regs last time but can't find them now so here's an HSE article on the subject:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/internalops/ocs/400-499/440_34.htm

If you do want to be registered to work on vehicles falling into any of the above categories or on statics you need the specific ACS qualification for appliances in leisure vehicles in addition to CCLP1. Not in any way a requirement for privately owned caravans though.

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Jaws

Jaws

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As you rightly say Nic.. and also as you rightly say it is not really right !
I did not say it was illegal, I merely intimated that I would prefer someone qualified to test such things for the average user
OK, we know it is a straight forward test and the chances are high all will be well.. but that still does not make £35 a reasonable costing ! ( in fact if anything it makes it even worse !!!! )
 
D

Deleted member 29692

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As you rightly say Nic.. and also as you rightly say it is not really right !
I did not say it was illegal, I merely intimated that I would prefer someone qualified to test such things for the average user
OK, we know it is a straight forward test and the chances are high all will be well.. but that still does not make £35 a reasonable costing ! ( in fact if anything it makes it even worse !!!! )

It depends how it's being carried out. If someone is coming out to you especially to do the test then you will be paying for at least an hour of time in which case £35 seems cheap. If you take the van somewhere and it's part of other work being carried out like a hab check or something then I agree it seems a lot just for a drop test!
 
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Jaws

Jaws

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Noooo.. this is not a call out situation but a visit to the dealer situation

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Terry

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Can't remember ;)
If you pressure test the gas system it takes about 3 / 4 mins ;)
terry
 
D

Deleted member 29692

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Noooo.. this is not a call out situation but a visit to the dealer situation

I suppose any dealer or workshop will have some kind of minimum charge policy so if that was the only reason you were visiting then I suppose you have to expect to be charged for an hours labour but again if they are doing other work at the same time it seems excessive.
 

Teuchter

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Rolex............ reassuringly expensive

Definitely!!! - mine cost $10 (about £3) in Singapore more than 10 years ago and is still going strong!!

Admittedly some of the gold has worn off but that's what gold does isn't it!

It only looses about 30 seconds a week - but that's what good watches do isn't it!

It sometimes mists up in humid conditions but always dries out again when less humid - that's cos it's a good quality watch!! isn't it!!

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TheBig1

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thats the difference between rolex and bolex
 

GWAYGWAY

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New van price problem? Go to a show and old stock van X, offered £60000 discounted £8000 showed my interest said I would be at next show to see them. Go to that show and saw it.
The price gone up by £5000 and the advert had it now with an added pack price £4000 which was included new discounted price £68000 which is the full retail price but still show discounted price as £3000 off but the pack added. So I tackled theMD and he said it was the offer I was given would be the price I would pay ie £60000. I was a bit miffed but will probably take them up provided they do not try and add the pack on again. Smoke and mirrors . BUT I CAN ADD UP. and am not daft.
 
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Jaws

Jaws

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I won't get into bed for anything less than £250 an hour ;)
Some CC sites charge that for a place to park your bed for a night !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :rofl:

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Popeye

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Definitely!!! - mine cost $10 (about £3) in Singapore more than 10 years ago and is still going strong!!

Admittedly some of the gold has worn off but that's what gold does isn't it!

..........£3, Jeez I've been ripped off again, I bought matching His 'n' Hers Rolex, genuine imitation in Turkey and the robbing git charged me the equivalent of around £12....

......we're easy Targets us soft in the 'ead Motorhomers.
 

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