I use to have my car, a Nissan Micra serviced at Nissan dealership but I thought this year I try an independent garage thinking it would be cheaper so I decide to have it service and MOT to "BAT Motorsport" in Liverpool. However they said it failed its MOT because the break pad need replacing, they also claim my brake pipe is leaking. When I ask them to give me the quote of repair the proprietor, Dave, would not give me a figure but said it wont cost much to do. I start to have suspicion and ask can I take my car away which he refuse. Foolishly I gave him the benefit of the doubt and let him do the repair. Anyway when I got the bill it was a whopping £538!!!!
I doubt the dealership would charge that amount and would advise on cost unlike those cowboys at BAT Motorsport, Liverpool.
I would advise people who want their car service to ask around first. I have been stunged and learnt the hard way.

mad i would of done it 4 £60

do you want some more salt to rub into his wound??!!!

gutted for you by the way!

Gutted.

I didnt know BAT Motorsport did MOTs etc...
If I was back home and not at Uni, Id ask Bob Wilson who owns Hooton Park to have a word with Dave Burns. Theyre good friends.

He may need the money though to try and get his Corsa Rally car reliable...weve competed against it twice and on both occassions it Retired.

Well he risk not getting future business from the university as I am a staff member so in the long run he is going to lose out. Now I am worry about reliability of his repairs since his Corsa retired twice in races.
Regardless weather his repairs did or did not cost that much he could have at least give me the price first and ask if I want to go ahead. The dealership does that and I am sure reputable garages do too, not so BAT Motorsport. Dave shouldnt really tell me it doesnt cost much and then sneak me the big bill afterward. I am a service engineer myself and I am bound by work ethic not to carry out work until the customer knows the price and accept the costs and If it doesnt cost much to repair it really didnt cost much.

They refused to give you your car back?

fook that! Burn the fookin place down

They ARE obliged to give you a price upfront on request and cannot refuse to give you your car back!! Sorry for what has happened to you, i was a self employed mechanic, and i did MOT`s also, and would NEVER do work on a customers car without a price for them!!!
I would certainly question this and take it further, maybe to trading standards etc!
Sorry also, BUT you should have refused to pay on the grounds you were told it wouldnt be much!!!
Please take it further my friend, gives hard working independent traders a bad name!!

The moment someone refuses to let you have your car back, is the moment you call in the plod and refuse to allow the scammers carry out any work on your vehicle.

Bang out of order, and I agree with Hoseman, take it further, trading standards will be very interested in their business practices im sure of it!!

I agree with Hoseman too

How can they justify that much on such a small amount of work?

Id get trading standards involved mate, i wouldnt be having that.

get trading standards on to them

i wouldnt have that as been said, get trading standards involved mate.

Tbh I would'nt have paid it; they have no right to charge that amount, there is a law against extortion.

They also have no legal right to withold your car as security against payment, unless they hold a consumer credit license (no chance), so I would have telephoned the police, drove the car away and told them to see me in court if they want the money.

They could have even taken the parts off, id rather have got a tow on my breakdown than pay £500 for a job that should have cost less than £100!

Or that I would have settled out of court had they been reasonable with the costs!!

Thats a pisstake that matey.

Have you checked to see if the works been carried out???

Also did you get a invoice for the work carried out.

As said trading standards would look into this for you and i'd consider seeking legal advice.