Hard to find garages if you supply the parts

I purchased the Gates Timing belt component kit with water pump for $238 CAD all in for my 2003 TDI Mk4

( Gates # TCKWP321M )

The cost I paid online was about one third of the lowest parts cost quote I got from a local service station and about 65% of the price most local parts suppliers.

The problem I now face is no garage wants to do the work if I supply the same kit they would provide (for 2.5 to 3 X the cost). I know garages have to make money but this does not seem fair to gouge consumers on parts.

Any suggestions where I can take my car in the Ottawa area if I supply the kit?

How hard is it to do this myself at a DIY garage (I have the service manual) by a guy who has only messed with motorcycle engines at this level? Do I need any special tools?

Greg

it's not about gouging as such. It's about it being part of their income that they don't want to give up.

To do it correctly, you'd need the tool set and a VCDS to double check your timing. Corners can be but that's not recommended and you'd be taking a chance

Diesel2005Golf said:

I purchased the Gates Timing belt component kit with water pump for $238 CAD all in for my 2003 TDI Mk4

( Gates # TCKWP321M )

The cost I paid online was about one third of the lowest parts cost quote I got from a local service station and about 65% of the price most local parts suppliers.

The problem I now face is no garage wants to do the work if I supply the same kit they would provide (for 2.5 to 3 X the cost). I know garages have to make money but this does not seem fair to gouge consumers on parts.

Any suggestions where I can take my car in the Ottawa area if I supply the kit?

How hard is it to do this myself at a DIY garage (I have the service manual) by a guy who has only messed with motorcycle engines at this level? Do I need any special tools?

Greg

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I know of one recommended/reputable shop in Cobourg that will do this job with customer supplied parts. The last time I checked in early 2018, their labour only was $500+tax. If they provided the parts, it was $900+tax for the job. That's about the going rate I guess. Some members on this forum have driven to Cobourg to get this job done and have an excellent experience.

Let me know if you need further details. Good Luck.

Being in Ottawa I don't know any shops to recommend... Some here have mentioned ottostadt in the past. When I had my mk4 tdi, I had a local member here in the GTA do my timing belt in his garage which was awesome as I got to see how it's done, so if there is a member here in your area then maybe that could be an option

I've dealt with Ottostad in Gatineau and can recommend them. don't know how accessible they are now with all the flooding though!

Be careful with going with a board member or anyone that is not a professional shop. If things go bad due to installation, who will eat the cost of the repair? For this reason alone, I don't work on cars for people I don't know well.
As for shops not wanting to install your parts, can't really blame them, it's not only the lost revenue but liability too. They install your parts, the parts fail, who pays for the repairs? Finger pointing will start and the shop will look bad regardless who really is at fault.

It could be a liability issue. If they supply the parts, they have control over where they get them from, and may have recourse with their supplier if something goes wrong and a part fails. If you supply the parts and something fails, it could be a legal nightmare for a shop to resolve. There are a lot of counterfeit parts on the market and unless the shop uses a trusted supply chain, there is no guarantee that the parts you supply are not cheap parts in a box that looks like an original part. In order for the shop to stand behind their work, they have to have 100% control on the parts used.

It also depends on what parts are being installed. If you brought in a set of wiper blades, I'm sure they would have no issues charging you labour to replace those. But anything that can cause a catastrophic engine failure, like a failed tensioner or water pump, they are more likely to want to be cautious.

Shops like to supply parts for two reasons: They make money on the parts, and they don't want to guarantee a repair with parts they didn't supply. For something like a timing belt kit, they may not be gouging you: their cost from a local supplier may be a lot higher than you paid for parts online. And if you have a shop repair a car with your parts you're gambling a little: If the repair fails the shop probably won't cover what it takes to fix the car, they'll say the parts were faulty.

We sell parts to a lot of customers who have shops install them, but the shops know who we are and are OK with the customer buying directly from us. They don't tie up cash and if the repair gets canceled for whatever reason they're not stuck with the parts.

Not local to you,

I found a guy on Kijiji to do my TB and clutch on my brm jetta a couple years back... retired vw tech... worked out for me...

check kjijiji?

petee_c said:

Not local to you,

I found a guy on Kijiji to do my TB and clutch on my brm jetta a couple years back... retired vw tech... worked out for me...

check kjijiji?

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And if it didn't, what would have you've done?

im just outside Hamilton and do work like this for people
i am a red seal certified mechanic and do work out of my garage on the side on my days off
perhaps there is someone local to you doing similar things

amit9 said:

I know of one recommended/reputable shop in Cobourg that will do this job with customer supplied parts. The last time I checked in early 2018, their labour only was $500+tax. If they provided the parts, it was $900+tax for the job. That's about the going rate I guess. Some members on this forum have driven to Cobourg to get this job done and have an excellent experience.

Let me know if you need further details. Good Luck.

Click to expand...

Would you mind sharing the contact? Need TB and WP done. Thanks.

iam_immigrant said:

Would you mind sharing the contact? Need TB and WP done. Thanks.

Click to expand...

Tara Macintyre
Manager

Cobourg Quick Service
8 Strathy Road
Cobourg ON K9A 5J7
Office: 905.372.2215
Cell: 905.269.0799
Email: Tara.CQS@gmail.com

imo000 said:

And if it didn't, what would have you've done?

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This. A timing belt is not something to cheap out on. Timing belts, oil, tires, brakes. All too important to skimp out on