Roger Clark Motorsport
06 November 2014 | 10:24 PM
#62
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From: Enginetuner.co.uk Plymouth Dyno Dynamics RR Engine machining and building EcuTek SimTek mapping
That's why I DIY, Imagine how much it costs for a full fluid change, brake pads front and rear then cambelt. 
I'm not questioning their charges, just not prepared to pay so much money for something so basic.
Last mechanic I spoke to to do the head gasket on my Rover wanted £800 which is what I paid for the car 4 yrs ago,
did it myself for £120 including all new belts, took me 8hrs going steady.
I'm not questioning their charges, just not prepared to pay so much money for something so basic.
Last mechanic I spoke to to do the head gasket on my Rover wanted £800 which is what I paid for the car 4 yrs ago,
did it myself for £120 including all new belts, took me 8hrs going steady.All they have to do is the easy bit. Pay us for it.
06 November 2014 | 10:43 PM
#64
Being fair here, we spend a great deal of time dealing with **** ups from chaps who thought they could "DIY". Some absolute howlers in fact. It's fine for the clever well equipped ones like your good self, but not for the guys who are strapped for ability or motivation. We have a fully equipped machine shop and workshop so we can deal with whatever gets thrown at us, and we've frequently got people right out of the crap they put themselves in.
All they have to do is the easy bit. Pay us for it.
All they have to do is the easy bit. Pay us for it.
If it's any consolation I would let you build me an engine if you were closer to me.
Edit to add; and I'd let Martyn map my car too, which IS a big compliment from me.
P.S, I'd still do the oil changes though.
Last edited by ditchmyster; 06 November 2014 at 10:54 PM.
06 November 2014 | 10:50 PM
#65
If you have a great reputation then you need to take your time and get it perfect, that's why some of us go to RCM. I can only speak of my experience and I am sure I get above normal tlc due to having a full build with them but the car is always turned out perfectly, the guys always take the time to explain what's been done and why.
I have done the cheaper route and paid the price to fix it!
06 November 2014 | 11:00 PM
#66
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From: behind the wheel
I can change oil myself but the cars there , it's on the ramp and saves me getting me hands dirty on my back on a Sunday morning in freezing cold. Also it,'ll get proper stamp in the book.
this thread has just got pathetic.
this thread has just got pathetic.
07 November 2014 | 12:11 AM
#67
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From: I'll check my gps
I have removed my undertray, and I never said 5 mins to change the oil, undoing 4 bolts, sump, gear box and 2 on the rear diff and an oil filter takes less than 10 mins, I then left the oil to drain and started on the hoses and rad bolts of which there are 2 then the 2 electrical connectors, unclip and remove the 2 small hoses from the header tank and top rad hose, i'd already tried to do the bottom hose as I was under the car anyway, and realised there was no way it was coming off the rad side with the clamp the way it was so out it had to come, that lot took me 20mins max and I was on my back, spent maybe 10 mins with ramps 2 jacks and axel stands.
So half an hour total, and like I said I wasn't in a rush, I had already primed the filter before I started and was topping it up along the way while it was sat in the box on my bench.
Then I cut the dodgy clamp off and went to my trooper to get a rad clamp off that maybe 5 mins, put the fresh clamp and bottom hose on the rad and had a *** and a few sips of beer
cleaned the various sump plugs up, went under the car with a rag and gave everything a wipe before putting engine and gearbox drain plugs back in. scrambled back out got the filter and fitted that, faffed about a bit getting the rad back in and bolted up on top, rubber locater came out at the bottom so had to lift it up a bit and fiddle with that, then hoses on and another smoke and sip maybe took an hour and a half to get to that stage, got my hose out put it on the diff oil bottle, put the bottom rear diff plug back in and filled the rear diff, bit tricky to get the last bit in and you need about 2 foot of hose to get the bottle up into the wheel arch to get the last 2/300 mil in, maybe 10mins to do that on my back with no fancy tools or pumps.
Then same deal on coolant and gear box oil, slowly filling both took maybe half an hour. unclip crank sensor, bit fiddly but done it loads of times 2 long screw drivers does the job nicely, build pressure with a few 15 second cranks wait a min in between cranks (don't want to burn the starter out) re-connect crank sensor heaters on full bore and away she goes, Then back to the header tank check coolant level and top up, drop the back end, off the ramps and up the road 1 mile, turn around and come back switch of and check for leaks, cap off again check level and run engine till coolant is at normal temp with heaters on full bore. smoke drink beer and put tools away, pour used oil into empty containers, general tidy then go for a 5 min drive, jobs a good un.
I'm a pretty competent DIY mechanic having done all my servicing and repairs for 30yrs, engine build on my Type R, quite a few engine and gear box swaps and worked in the motor trade for over 20yrs as well as being in other engineering / servicing roles, so not a novice when it comes to twirling the spanners, I have also learned planing and methodology is the key to being quick without rushing.
So half an hour total, and like I said I wasn't in a rush, I had already primed the filter before I started and was topping it up along the way while it was sat in the box on my bench.
Then I cut the dodgy clamp off and went to my trooper to get a rad clamp off that maybe 5 mins, put the fresh clamp and bottom hose on the rad and had a *** and a few sips of beer
cleaned the various sump plugs up, went under the car with a rag and gave everything a wipe before putting engine and gearbox drain plugs back in. scrambled back out got the filter and fitted that, faffed about a bit getting the rad back in and bolted up on top, rubber locater came out at the bottom so had to lift it up a bit and fiddle with that, then hoses on and another smoke and sip maybe took an hour and a half to get to that stage, got my hose out put it on the diff oil bottle, put the bottom rear diff plug back in and filled the rear diff, bit tricky to get the last bit in and you need about 2 foot of hose to get the bottle up into the wheel arch to get the last 2/300 mil in, maybe 10mins to do that on my back with no fancy tools or pumps.Then same deal on coolant and gear box oil, slowly filling both took maybe half an hour. unclip crank sensor, bit fiddly but done it loads of times 2 long screw drivers does the job nicely, build pressure with a few 15 second cranks wait a min in between cranks (don't want to burn the starter out) re-connect crank sensor heaters on full bore and away she goes, Then back to the header tank check coolant level and top up, drop the back end, off the ramps and up the road 1 mile, turn around and come back switch of and check for leaks, cap off again check level and run engine till coolant is at normal temp with heaters on full bore. smoke drink beer and put tools away, pour used oil into empty containers, general tidy then go for a 5 min drive, jobs a good un.
I'm a pretty competent DIY mechanic having done all my servicing and repairs for 30yrs, engine build on my Type R, quite a few engine and gear box swaps and worked in the motor trade for over 20yrs as well as being in other engineering / servicing roles, so not a novice when it comes to twirling the spanners, I have also learned planing and methodology is the key to being quick without rushing.
07 November 2014 | 01:36 AM
#68
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From: welling,kent
my mechanic is £50 per hr but he must work quick and things must run smoothly for him because he charges about half the price of most other places i know. I bet the auto data says 6hrs for gearbox swap,he does it in 3hrs!
07 November 2014 | 01:38 AM
#69
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From: welling,kent
It's not necessarily the rate,its the amount of time charged sometimes.
my mechanic is £50 per hr but he must work quick and things must run smoothly for him because he charges about half the price of most other places i know. I bet the auto data says 6hrs for gearbox swap,he does it in 3hrs!
07 November 2014 | 01:42 AM
#70
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From: welling,kent
Depends on price of oil change. I got mobil 1 10w40 5ltr for £23 and K&N oil filter for £10 and done myself for free
07 November 2014 | 01:48 AM
#71
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From: welling,kent
Really not knocking what you do or the costs involved in setting up, maintaining and running premises, It's just with my engineering background changing oil and or engines isn't a big deal "For me". add to that the one time in 30yrs I let a garage do it for me because I could afford to pay, and didn't have the time they fcuked it up and cost me a fortune and when it went pop because they built an engine poorly after 2 attempts and had a bag of bolts left over, (I know this because when I took it out myself a good few were missing or not tightened up) they shrugged their shoulders and I was £9k light with a broken engine 1200 miles from home.
If it's any consolation I would let you build me an engine if you were closer to me.
Edit to add; and I'd let Martyn map my car too, which IS a big compliment from me.
P.S, I'd still do the oil changes though.
Ps. Just for the record im not slating any businesses off here. we've all got to earn a living
07 November 2014 | 06:56 AM
#72
Just for you, weather was about 25 degrees, it's a bit colder now as it's been raining for 2 days so about 20 degrees, but my 5m x 7m workshop/ garage means it doesn't matter what the weather is going I have a nice bit of carpet underlay that I drive the car onto as well, and as for what I was wearing, a fetching set of black overalls that show off my manly physique.
weather was about 25 degrees, it's a bit colder now as it's been raining for 2 days so about 20 degrees, but my 5m x 7m workshop/ garage means it doesn't matter what the weather is going I have a nice bit of carpet underlay that I drive the car onto as well, and as for what I was wearing, a fetching set of black overalls that show off my manly physique.
07 November 2014 | 07:13 AM
#73
P.S, You'd need to pay me £100k per year to be a mechanic, I don't mind doing it for a bit of a challenge, enjoyment and some satisfaction from being able to do it, but no way would I get out of bed everyday and go to a workshop and work on all manner of piles of **** unless it was my own very successful business and all I did was ponce about telling folks what to do, 
it would have to have been handed down to me as well, I aint grovelling under cars for 20yrs to build a business up.
So my hats off to those that do, because it can be a real pain in the **** and a filthy horrible job sometimes, but it does appeal to the sadist scrooge in me once and a while.
it would have to have been handed down to me as well, I aint grovelling under cars for 20yrs to build a business up. So my hats off to those that do, because it can be a real pain in the **** and a filthy horrible job sometimes, but it does appeal to the sadist scrooge in me once and a while.
07 November 2014 | 07:19 PM
#74
Oil changes I do myself too. There is a good DIY guide on here that I followed. I spend probably about 45 mins changing the oil, but that's going at my own pace making sure I haven't done anything wrong.
The guide I followed was really useful, as it mentioned things like pre filling the filter, and disconnecting the crank sensor etc.
Any other jobs like cam belts and stuff I take to the garage - purely because I cannot do myself and wouldn't want to bodge it and have something fail.
PS - Torques Development in Lakeside are £80+vat an hour IIRC.. now that is expensive.
The guide I followed was really useful, as it mentioned things like pre filling the filter, and disconnecting the crank sensor etc.
Any other jobs like cam belts and stuff I take to the garage - purely because I cannot do myself and wouldn't want to bodge it and have something fail.
PS - Torques Development in Lakeside are £80+vat an hour IIRC.. now that is expensive.
Last edited by CutMasterT; 07 November 2014 at 07:21 PM.
07 November 2014 | 08:29 PM
#76
IIRC, he's based in King's Lynn.
Not sure what the maximum catchment area he's prepared to travel, but he came out to me once, in Leic., 77 miles away.
You're only an additional 30 miles away down the M11, so I'll wager he'd entertain it (?)...
Not sure what the maximum catchment area he's prepared to travel, but he came out to me once, in Leic., 77 miles away.
You're only an additional 30 miles away down the M11, so I'll wager he'd entertain it (?)...
Last edited by joz8968; 08 November 2014 at 12:51 PM.
07 November 2014 | 08:42 PM
#77
Unmapped 12.4s @ 105
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From: Newcastle. 330bhp-289lb/ft @ 1bar boost - 12.4s @ 105mph
Must admit, it is a while since I've paid labour charges. Like many, I service/maintain my car myself. At least then I know what is being fitted.
Last time I paid for an oil change, I was charged for a Genuine oil filter. Did the next change myself and found out a blueprint filter had been fitted.
It's going to be due a cambelt change next year, that's beyond the realms of my can be arsed to do and possibly my capabilities, so I'll pay for that.
07 November 2014 | 09:24 PM
#78
I did one the other day and three of the cam belt cover bolts were seized and span the captive nuts. Not the easiest things to get out when that happens.
07 November 2014 | 09:47 PM
#79
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From: welling,kent
Maybe leave it to someone else if you can't use the correct size spanner hahaha
07 November 2014 | 09:58 PM
#80
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From: london
Cheers mate think ill give him a call
07 November 2014 | 11:12 PM
#81
£50 an hour isn't overly bad when you consider the over heads, cost of building, electricity, rates, wages etc etc. But the amount of time it actually takes to do the job is a great factor.
At the end of the day if you don't want to pay the going rate then do the job yourself, which is easy enough when it comes the a simple service but when it's something more complicated you need to consider the cost of the tools to do the job.
I've done everything on my car except build the engine(engine tuner) and map it (JGM) because somethings just need a professional
At the end of the day if you don't want to pay the going rate then do the job yourself, which is easy enough when it comes the a simple service but when it's something more complicated you need to consider the cost of the tools to do the job.
I've done everything on my car except build the engine(engine tuner) and map it (JGM) because somethings just need a professional
07 November 2014 | 11:48 PM
#82
Normal Main dealer rate £70+vat phr, Book in via me £45+vat phr
08 November 2014 | 09:25 AM
#83
No doubt RCM are reading this thread or at least some of their employees are, so completely out of interest.....
How come Advanced Automotive can sell some of your parts cheaper than you can ???
How come Advanced Automotive can sell some of your parts cheaper than you can ???
08 November 2014 | 09:39 AM
#84
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From: Enginetuner.co.uk Plymouth Dyno Dynamics RR Engine machining and building EcuTek SimTek mapping
Re oil changes, in your large, carpeted well lit and no doubt heated garage an oil change would be a nice distraction from the perils of the "X" Factor!
08 November 2014 | 09:56 AM
#85
08 November 2014 | 10:01 AM
#86
At that point we had a look in the fuse box of my car and borrowed the one from the horn. When I got home I sourced one from E-bay for £6 or £7.
I see this in a positive way for RCM and prehaps it gives a small insight into why their charges are high.
Trev
08 November 2014 | 10:07 AM
#87
Yeah I really don't do "reality" tv, no heating or carpet in the garage as the temps here rarely drop below 15 degrees and when they do it's only for a couple of weeks a year, where my place is up in the hills near the sea, I get a nice mediterranean breeze,so it's always 10/15 degrees warmer than the valley in winter and cooler in the summer, evidenced by my artichokes in the front garden which only me and my neighbour can grow.
08 November 2014 | 10:13 AM
#88
me too im not too far from leicester and he has travelled to me several times
08 November 2014 | 10:21 AM
#89
last year I was having my car mapped at RCM when a 25amp relay went on my water/meth system. They didn't have one in stock at the time but were prepared to let me have one from a customers car to help out, the cost would be just over £50 to replace the oem part to the customers car, like for like.
At that point we had a look in the fuse box of my car and borrowed the one from the horn. When I got home I sourced one from E-bay for £6 or £7.
I see this in a positive way for RCM and prehaps it gives a small insight into why their charges are high.
Trev
At that point we had a look in the fuse box of my car and borrowed the one from the horn. When I got home I sourced one from E-bay for £6 or £7.
I see this in a positive way for RCM and prehaps it gives a small insight into why their charges are high.
Trev
I'm talking about identical parts though fella.
For instance.........
http://www.rogerclarkmotorsport.co.u...?productID=286
£596 including vat plus delivery.
http://www.advancedautomotives.com/r...eza-1741-p.asp
£455 all in delivered.
It's the same product unless I'm missing something.....
