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Car is booked in, how much do you think I will be charged ? garage want £25 per hour.

A mechanic friend ( who has been a mechanic for over 30 years) cut the wires to my mass air flow sensor because they were torn, and he had to botch up the job, because

A. He says he doesn't know where each color goes and says they aren't matching up with diagram and says wrong amount of wires and wrong color ( was 6 wires. He's looped 2 only reconnecting 4 and says other 2 don't matter ? )

B. He ran out of wire


In my opinion he should have not begun the job if he's finding it too hard to finish. I have an MOT coming up and I need the problem with my MAF sorted asap as it could fail emissions or stall during the test cos of the faulty wiring.

I've already replaced the actual MAF sensor, my friend did diagnostics again and its still reading open circuit on MAF sensor/wiring


I went to a auto electrics garage today and booked my car in on Wednesday, he said despite me having my friend do diagnostics he will have to do his own diagnostics to know for sure what he is working with ( which is fair enough ) and he said £25 for diagnostics,then £25 per hour for him to look at and repair my car.



So if I put £200 aside, will that be enough to cover the job do you think ?

It's £25 diagnostics so 7 hours (£25 per hour) say in worst case scenario would be £200, is this about right, £200 or less to fix maf sensor wiring fault ?
(edited 8 years ago)
£25 an hour is a bargain if the guy is qualified ( ie not like your mate)

Main dealers charge 4 or 5 times that.
A qualified auto-electrician will have access to books or online info that will tell him what's what -or he should do.

I am surprised that the item doesn't have a plug based harness that could be bought as a spare part. Although fixing a cut one might be cheaper.

What on earth was your mate thinking to cut cables? Wire is easy to source, maybe using the net to ensure the correct colour code, or visit a scrap yard and buy the same part of the harness. I have restored old motorbikes and it is really important to use the correct gauge and colour of cable otherwise if a fault occurs, you are on your own
Reply 2
Original post by domonict
£25 an hour is a bargain if the guy is qualified ( ie not like your mate)

Main dealers charge 4 or 5 times that.
A qualified auto-electrician will have access to books or online info that will tell him what's what -or he should do.

I am surprised that the item doesn't have a plug based harness that could be bought as a spare part. Although fixing a cut one might be cheaper.

What on earth was your mate thinking to cut cables? Wire is easy to source, maybe using the net to ensure the correct colour code, or visit a scrap yard and buy the same part of the harness. I have restored old motorbikes and it is really important to use the correct gauge and colour of cable otherwise if a fault occurs, you are on your own


I'm aware £25 ph is cheap ( so long as he actually know's what he is doing which I think he will)

My friend cut the end of the maf wires off because they were torn, but then he ran out of wire and botched the job up and said he;'ll finish it when he got more wire. but then he says the colors on the diagram are completely different and the number of wires are wrong ( hence why he looped 2 and only connected 4 )
then he says it must be the wrong diagram and that he cannot find the diagram anywhere and says nothing is making sense with it?
( which really worried me because he is a certified master technician )


I got fed up of him messing me around, telling me to come back at stupid times such as midnight e.t.c. and he's already had months to fix it and I'm just fed up of him now

So that's why I went to a different garage instead, the man only looks about 30 but I hope he will be able to fix the problem. he says bring in car on Wednesday at 1 pm but any earlier would be great. said £25 for diagnostics and £25 after that per hour.
( didn't take any of my details or didn't book me in, just said come on Wednesday )

How many hours do you think it should take ?

do you think if I got there for 11 am that it will be ready to collect by say 5 pm ?

Just so I know how much money I should expect to pay when he request s the bill ?

Thank you
(edited 8 years ago)
no idea how long it might take, or how good the guy is.

You need to set a limit, as he could keep going at £25 an hour till xmas.

he should be able to diagnose and then estimate the time for the repair.

what car is it? ( just out of interest)
Reply 4
Original post by domonict
no idea how long it might take, or how good the guy is.

You need to set a limit, as he could keep going at £25 an hour till xmas.

he should be able to diagnose and then estimate the time for the repair.

what car is it? ( just out of interest)


Well my MOT expires on 17/10/2015.

I know it needs brake pads, shock absorbsers for front and brake discs, all of which I have in the rear of my car, all are used but in good condition, my friend gave them to me.

I want them put on next week and want to book my MOT next week. I don't want to be left without my car over the festive perios due to no MOT


2006 mk2 focus TDCI (diesel) 1.8, 5 dr
just typing "2006 mk2 focus TDCI (diesel) 1.8 map harness" into ebay gets several hits at £20-30.

I can't comment on anything else but although seemingly mystical, car electrics are not too bad.

i am assuming that you meant 17 DEC?
Reply 6
Original post by domonict
just typing "2006 mk2 focus TDCI (diesel) 1.8 map harness" into ebay gets several hits at £20-30.

I can't comment on anything else but although seemingly mystical, car electrics are not too bad.

i am assuming that you meant 17 DEC?


Thanks

But when I type that into Ebay UK, I cannot find any wiring looms , only plastic parts and the sensors themselves ?
Reply 7
call a mobile mechanic is cheap
Reply 8
Guy is a prat.
Why cut wires when you could just simply unplug the thing!

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