Approx how long to change..

[DarrenM]

..nearside rear brake caliper, nearside & offside front brake hoses (4 in total) and an outer CV boot?

Just looked last night and my MOT runs out this week so had it "emergency" MOT'ed this morn and that is what it needs. Literally just picked up all the parts from GSF but have no way got time to do it myself this week.

The MOT station (whom im VERY reluctant to use) have quoted £272 labour, which, when i asked he said 4 hours work. (works out £68.00 p/hour) and surprise, surprise...can do it on friday when the MOT is due to expire.

Are they taking the mick coz they know my situ??

PS - they also quoted £235 on the above parts, which i've just picked up from GSF for £112.00

[sdk778]

..nearside rear brake caliper, nearside & offside front brake hoses (4 in total) and an outer CV boot?

Just looked last night and my MOT runs out this week so had it "emergency" MOT'ed this morn and that is what it needs. Literally just picked up all the parts from GSF but have no way got time to do it myself this week.

The MOT station (whom im VERY reluctant to use) have quoted £272 labour, which, when i asked he said 4 hours work. (works out £68.00 p/hour) and surprise, surprise...can do it on friday when the MOT is due to expire.

Are they taking the mick coz they know my situ??

PS - they also quoted £235 on the above parts, which i've just picked up from GSF for £112.00

£68 ph seems harsh, are they some uber special garage with a large breasted nubile 18 year old receptionist?

Time scale is near enough at four hours, we would quote around 2 and a bit for the flexi's and the caliper, allowing sufficient time for bleeding then. I guess 90 mins is about right ish for the CV boot.

Out of interest, which MOT station was this?

Pity I'm stacked out untill next tuesday or I'd do it for you, we charge £30 per hour, with no vat as yet due to still being under the threshold.

Hope you get sorted.

[DarrenM]

No,thats the thing,its only a raggy place local to me that could do MOT at short notice. I'll drop you a PM anyway. cheers

[Rusty]

• Brake pipes are 1 hour including a tea break
• Rear caliper is 30 mins
• CV boot is 1 hour
• Allow 30 mins to bleed through

So 3 hours ish, sounds like they've added in some contingency, understandable if they're not 100% on the job or it's an old car as things seize and snap and take time to sort. £50 p/h is more like it but if you're in a fix then you're over a barrel...

[QuattroFever]

£68 ph seems harsh, are they some uber special garage with a large breasted nubile 18 year old receptionist?

Time scale is near enough at four hours, we would quote around 2 and a bit for the flexi's and the caliper, allowing sufficient time for bleeding then. I guess 90 mins is about right ish for the CV boot.

Out of interest, which MOT station was this?

Pity I'm stacked out untill next tuesday or I'd do it for you, we charge £30 per hour, with no vat as yet due to still being under the threshold.

Hope you get sorted.

Lol @ nubile. Had to google that!
Thought it meant "black makeup and bendy legs"

[kenoid34]

If you use a plastic cone and plenty of grease to do the cv boot drop the time to no more than 30 mins i`d say

[spink]

If you use a plastic cone and plenty of grease to do the cv boot drop the time to no more than 30 mins i`d say

ditto,even without the cone its a piece of piss,just buzz the bolt onto the end of the driveshaft and the cv joint is off in seconds,cant believe they say 90 minutes.Absolute robbery

[dubmeister]

2 hrs @ £35 p/h + VAT + brake fluid.
£45 for the MOT.
£68 p/h dealer prices down this neck of the woods!!!!!
You boys living in the wrong country!!!

[martinws]

Shouldnt take very long if everything goes to plan. Brakes are ok as long as everything comes off as it should but as already stated, old cars take longer. I recently changed CV boots on my 89 coupe and it was mabye an hour to do both. Brakes on the other hand took ages as all bolts were seized on the front offside and i didnt have oxy/acet to get them heated up to come off. Taking the old parts off takes alot longer than putting new parts on.
I would think a garage would do it in about 3 hours with all the tools and car on a lift. £68p/h is real steep though.

[Ross]

I use Blakes over in Stroud, he did me a CV gaiter, fitted front goodridge hoses (old lines were siezed with rounded bolts) and made new hardlines, sanded down and greased fuel lines plus a couple of odds 'n sods to get through the MOT for £210. That included the MOT fee, parts except the goodridge hoses.

Rich is a good bloke, has an S2 coupe himself, knows a hell of a lot more mechanically than me but always asking my opinion and advice - most mechanics get upset at me if I try and give 'em tips on what to do with my car!

I think you're being fleeced.

[andy10v]

I would have said if the mechanic is familiar with the car and the procedures AND everything undoes as it should then two hours would do it, especially with a ramp and not crawling around under it, however if something is corroded up could easily double and more. Chasing seized brakes lines all the way up the car as each connection disintegrates is not fun. Removing corroded bolts just adds time to every job.

[DarrenM]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, this local MOT station can gel on. No wonder they could do my MOT at zero notice.