how much do you reckon?

My SV is due back from the garage today. I just decided to get them to fix the lot as it's a month since I passed my test and I've yet to really ride it other than to the garage.

To get it through its MOT it's having the following:

New front discs
New Horn
New rear pads
New battery
New front tyre
+ MOT

Predictions on the total cost? I've already replaced the snapped brake pedal and wing mirror at a total cost of about £90. I paid £500 for the bike (99 SVs with 27k). Have I still got a bargain?

Typically it's supposed to pish it down all weekend so I'm gonna be doing my first ever SV riding in pouring rain! Yes, I'll be careful...

[fizzwheel]

Did you not agree a price before they started work ?

I had new front disks, pads and a seal kit on my SV a while back with the labour it was around the £400 mark... so that plus you other stuff is going to be £500 - £550 at least.

No, I've never met a mechanic who was willing to give a definite price before he finished. I was told the discs will be about £120+vat and the tyre about £90+vat. The rest is unknown as I have no clue how much the labour charges will be.

I've been given estimates for individual bits of work on my car, eg; having the timing belt done but not for multiple small repairs.

I suppose I could have got a quote before I started but I was stuck because the bike has no MOT and as far as I'm aware you're only allowed to ride it to the garage for its MOT when it hasn't got one. As I wanted the mechanic to look over the bike and diagnose what would need doing to pass I was basically committed to the place that I chose. Also being new to biking I have no idea of the reputation of garages in Leeds. I decided that a place that does MOTs must be fairly honest but in all honesty as I just mentioned there are only about 4 motorbike garages in Leeds and this is the only one on my side of town.

[fizzwheel]

Place where I take my bike always give me an estimate of how much its going to cost before they start work. If they find more stuff wrong with the bike whislt they have got it apart they ring and get my approval before going ahead with the extra work.

Those prices for the disks and tyre sound about right though. Labour normall ranges from £25 through to £45 per hour in my experience.

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

Place where I take my bike always give me an estimate of how much its going to cost before they start work. If they find more stuff wrong with the bike whislt they have got it apart they ring and get my approval before going ahead with the extra work.

Yep, that's the system my lot operate. They also tend to "prepare you for the worst" and give rather generous quotes that assume the worst and then pleasently suprise you when part x doesn't need replacing or adjusting after all.