Reasonable or rort? Opinions wanted.

[savage1987]

Dropped my diff parts off to a shop here in Townsville today.

I had been quoted "not much more than $440" for the job.



Having a look at the parts I dropped in, he revised his quote to "I can't quote this til it's finished, wouldn't be surprised if it ends up over $2000"



The only parts included in his cost is a kit of bearings and seals. Everything else I have provided.

VN 28spline BW w/snapped LH axle
spare LH axle
Harrop Truetrac centre
2nd hand set of 3.9s



His reasoning is that he wasn't aware of the ratio change. SURELY even with the small amount of machining required to get the 3.9 ring gear onto the Harrop centre is not worth an additional $1500 in cost?!!


Opinions wanted, particularly from people within the industry. Honestly I hadn't even expected to pay that price if the gears were completely rooted and he had to supply new ones!


Help, want this sorted out ASAP.
Sam

[1BEAST2NV]

one of the reasons I wont get work done unless I have a written quote...... cos of wAnkers like this who try to shaft u after they already gave a price.......

so if u supplied he parts etc.... and he only suplied bearing kit a seals......


I'd ask for a break down of the 1500 added cost......

[mechatron]

Rebuilding a diff with new bearings and seals should only cost around $500 to $700 if you have supplied everything else => true trac, gears, housing etc. As long as the parts supplied are in great to excellent condition. I would ask for a breakdown of costs as well

[savage1987]

Just rang Phil @ Final Drive in WA, he doesn't do the Borg Warners any more but gave me the number of a guy in Brisbane who he recommended.

I spoke to this guy (Ray @ Western Suburbs Differential & Gearbox Services) and he's quoted me $795 plus maybe another $100 in machining costs. I'm happy enough with that if it means I end up with a good diff out of it.

They both agreed that $2000 is far too much for that job.

I'll look into freight later, and I'll pick the parts up from the shop they're at now when I get a chance.

[Samurai Trader]

who are you using Champ.

recently got my diff fully rebuilt and swapped to a new 3.9 (in my vs ss)

Pinion was in pieces... towed in, drove out $1300

i have used my mate before- great quality, great service.

pm me if you dont want it on the forum. thanks

[RIDE:42]

I got a full new diff houseing gears lsd ratio change last week and it cost me a large coffee and i had to sit and wait for nearly 2 hours as well

[savage1987]

who are you using Champ.

recently got my diff fully rebuilt and swapped to a new 3.9 (in my vs ss)

Pinion was in pieces... towed in, drove out $1300

i have used my mate before- great quality, great service.

pm me if you dont want it on the forum. thanks
It was at Town Automatics, the bloke I found is Ray @ Western Suburbs Differential & Gearbox Services in Sumner Park, Brisbane. I'd be interested to get in touch with whoever you used as well if you don't mind sharing his details.

I got a full new diff houseing gears lsd ratio change last week and it cost me a large coffee and i had to sit and wait for nearly 2 hours as well
Not sure how this is relevant?

[Samurai Trader]

yeah mate. town autos.

sounds like he is covering his arse.. and telling you the most it could cost. i doubt it would end up costing that much.. but if you can get it cheaper you would be mad not too, we all know shit up here is more expensive.

maybe thats the premium you pay, i know that if i have issues, i can just drive it over and he will fix it locally. good luck either way. i might see you round town, if ya see a blown black vz clubsport sitting on showwheels yell out at me.

[OMR346]

Ray @ Western Suburbs has a very good reputation. He works on a lot of big dollar race cars and does a lot of big dollar builds.

[savage1987]

UPDATE


so I got a better reception from Brinks Performance (http://www.brinksperformance.com.au/workshop.htm) here in Townsville, decided I'm happy to take it to him and he actually wants the job so that's already a good start.


I stopped in to Town Automatics today, to pick up the parts that I had left in their care, only to discover them sitting out in the weather EXACTLY where the guy had me put them when I dropped them off.

My brand new Harrop Truetrac centre has rust on it.

I spoke to him (fairly politely, considering the circumstances), he flat out does not care, and sees nothing wrong with leaving thousands of dollars of (potential) customer-owned parts out in the rain for weeks on end.

I asked him would it really have been that difficult to bring it inside a workshop, he said "I sprayed it with WD40" as if that made it all OK somehow.



Seriously, where do I go from here, am I just being a bitch or is it reasonable for me to be a little bit ####ing angry that my $1300 BRAND NEW diff centre has rusted due to the laziness of SOMEONE WHO SHOULD KNOW BETTER? Frankly I'm disgusted with the service, especially given I was dealing directly with the manager the whole time, not just an errant staff member.

[JET-33]

sounds like a Grade A douche bag. would be good if there was an automotive ombudsman to deal with people like that.

[planetdavo]

Without TRULY knowing how that conversation went when he saw the parts and suggested (before starting, so you were free to walk away) it might reach over $2000, if would be risky of anyone to comment on this situation, other than to offer up prices and other options from their own experiences.
As for parts left out, well, refer to not knowing how that conversation (from both sides) went that day. No offence intended Sam, but there are usually two different versions of the same story in these sorts of situations.

[Black VU SS ute]

Wa diff centre in O'Conner did a great job on my diff and a mates who supplied a tru trak centre and 3.9 gear he bough from Summit racing, all up including the parts were just under the $1000 mark and the total cost was about $1300 with them suppling the bears and seals....

[savage1987]

Without TRULY knowing how that conversation went when he saw the parts and suggested (before starting, so you were free to walk away) it might reach over $2000, if would be risky of anyone to comment on this situation, other than to offer up prices and other options from their own experiences.
As for parts left out, well, refer to not knowing how that conversation (from both sides) went that day. No offence intended Sam, but there are usually two different versions of the same story in these sorts of situations.

Yes you are right.

The hard facts are that I was polite, had intended to use him to build the diff based on a couple of people's recommendations and he left my parts out in the rain for weeks after agreeing that I could keep them there until I gave him the go ahead for work (while saving 2grand and investigating what constituted reasonable pricing). I was polite again when I brought it up, even though I could pretty much taste my rage heartbeat, and he did not give a shit. At all. Makes me wonder would the part have gone in like that? Or worse? What if I'd given him a go ahead a week or two later, what would the condition have been like then? God knows what the finished product would have looked like on the inside.

[planetdavo]

The bit about leaving them out in the rain has me rather confused.
Were they left outside his front office door or something, where anybody walking in or out could see them (and maybe steal them)?

[savage1987]

The bit about leaving them out in the rain has me rather confused.
Were they left outside his front office door or something, where anybody walking in or out could see them (and maybe steal them)?

Yes, exactly that. They had a tarp half over them, (yes half), and the actual diff housing has rusted in places too. Awesome.

[Aussie_Devil14]

mate i had a similar problem with a company damaging my rims when they fitted tyres to them, my advice is go back to him and say if he isnt going to do something about it you are going to take it through the Department of Fair Trade or the Queensland Civil Adminstrative Tirbunal (google them for their phone numbers) sometimes just the threat of you doing that makes them get off their arse and fix what they screwed up, if they still refuse take it to Dep Fair Trade, they are good at getting results. btw fair trade costs nothing QCAT does cost a small amount

[fleety77]

Make sure you take loads of photos, try take photos of where he had left them and yep the accc.gov.au if he doesnt do you any justice. Good luck thats just terrible service.