70K mile service - what should I get done?

petekav · Post by **petekav** » December 14th, 2005, 12:19 pm

$1025!!!

My wallet is empty!

But they did stick a Zoom-Zoom sticker on the inside of my windscreen to remind me when my next service is due!!! Thanks Mazda.

They ordered the wrong CV, so I'll have to go back in January.

jschrauwen · Post by **jschrauwen** » December 14th, 2005, 7:12 pm

petekav wrote:$1025!!!

And they didn't even do all of the work and the price doesn't include the CV that needs to be replaced. OMG, I'm afraid to ask what the shop's hourly rate is. In my area it can vary from about $50cdn to $70cdn per hour. In my books, that seems to be about 300 to 400 too much.

petekav · Post by **petekav** » December 15th, 2005, 10:09 am

jschrauwen wrote:
petekav wrote:$1025!!!
And they didn't even do all of the work and the price doesn't include the CV that needs to be replaced. OMG, I'm afraid to ask what the shop's hourly rate is. In my area it can vary from about $50cdn to $70cdn per hour. In my books, that seems to be about 300 to 400 too much.

Over half the money went on labo(u)r...
Another factor of rip-off Ireland. I should just be thankful that I didn't get it done at a Mazda dealer in Dublin; that would've cost even more.

Rates here are typically €85+ph ($120CDN)...
BTW, I will accept donations!

petekav · Post by **petekav** » December 15th, 2005, 12:43 pm

BTW, forgot to mention the real heart stopping part.

Just before I took the car to the garage I smelled a bad smell, and sure enough there was steam coming from under the bonnet. GULP!

Temperature was normal (according to the gauge), so I turned the engine off and let it cool down.
No oil in water, and vice-versa, so I was pretty confident it wasn't the head gasket. PHEW!

Turned out that the twelve-year-old seal on the coolant filler cap had finally given up. Talk about lucky timing! The Mazda garage ordered one in and I was back on the road.

However, everytime I am stuck in traffic now, and the engine gets hot, I smell the smell again. Luckily it is just the remains of the coolat which welded itself into the hot engine.