this cant be right

[mater]

my car went for a service today to the main renault dealer, when they changed the brake fluid they broke the bleeding nipple off the brake calliper, when my wife went to get the car back they told her what had happened and said they would not charge her any labour on fixing this but would have to pay for the part. £200 for the part, when i phoned them and shouted a bit they said i could have the part for £100 and that was the best they could do as the part they broke was seized and they could not get it off without breaking it, you could not make it up

 

[Deluks]

Serves ya right for buying a Frenchy

 

[ChrisJ78]

Take it the car isn't under warranty. Was it a whole new caliper? A bleed nipple should surely cost about £10 not £100. I'm sure one on my old Mercedes was a few quid, and then I had about 4 hours labour all in cost £135 I think. Granted that wasn't a stealer but the part was genuine.

 

[kirkgas]

if the part was seized and had to be broken off they should have phoned you and given you the choice to sanction and pay for the work or take the car away, they didn't phone, you don't pay, unless you gave them carte blanche (french eh ) to "repair as required"
phone them and ask for head office phone number and chase it via them, also ask them how many parts do they usually break of their cars while servicing them

 

[mater]

they have told me you cant buy just the bleeding nipple it comes with the calliper

 

[JohnD]

I don't suppose they will be trying to fit a new nipple, but a new or exchange wheel cylinder or caliper.

the labour of winding the broken nipple out would be uneconomic.

 

[Norcon]

If it was seized then its easily enough wrung.
Would have thought though a good mechanic could have used a stud remover and a blast of oxy/acety.

 

[mater]

good point there , they even had the cheek to try and charge £35 for the brake fluid

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Serves you right for going to a main dealer!

 

[Stivino]

they have told me you cant buy just the bleeding nipple it comes with the calliper

That's not true, you can get a single nipple, most places have a box of assorted nipples, readily available from most motor factors.
https://www.europaspares.com/BRAKE_...S/BLEED_NIPPLES___METRIC___IMPERIAL_4991.html

 

[tim west]

they have told me you cant buy just the bleeding nipple it comes with the calliper

I can understand you being upset but is there any need for swearing

 

[cmother1]

Avoid main dealers like the plague. I've never dealt with one that wasn't a complete robber and there's nothing special about the work they do - just the opposite in cases like yours.

 

[timbo46]

Threaten to sue them through the small claims court, it costs you little or nothing, and shows them that you won't back down. Surrely they could have repaired the original part if they could have been bothered? I had an espace a few years ago and stopped taking it to the main dealer for service as each time they would "find" something to replace.

 

[WDIK]

I don't suppose they will be trying to fit a new nipple, but a new or exchange wheel cylinder or caliper.

the labour of winding the broken nipple out would be uneconomic.

further more, the labour time involved in removing the caliper, getting it in a vice.
then getting the sheared remains of the nipple out, only to find the thread corroded and of no use.
so they could fit a helicoil, all this time and effort, "some london garages charge up to £180 per hour"

and they offered you a new caliper for £100 ?

 

[JohnD]

might be reasonable, depends what the car is.