Leeds - auto electrician?

[andys]

Don't suppose there is an oOple Auto Electrician that's local to Leeds on here is there?

I have a heater resistor that needs replacing on my Renault. I have bought the part and know what needs to be done.

I got a local auto electrician out - but he simply told me I was right - and needed a new resistor and tried to tell me the part was £80
It wasn't - it was only £20, so I had to pay him his £55 call out fee for his 10mins and brew I made him, and he told me it would be £85 to £95 to call back and fit the part when i pushed him for a price to get him to fit the part once I had it.

So - not entirely happy, £55 out of pocket to be told I was right about the fault.

Anyone help me out?

[bodgit]

Don't know which Renault you have but there are plenty of you tube clips that seem simple enough if you can have a go yourself.

[andys]

It's a 2007 Grand Scenic.
Getting to the resistor is very tricky - unless you have tiny hands - or I guess know what you are doing / have done it before
Hardest part is wiring / connecting the new one in as apparently the wire runs across the car under / behind all the dash.

[mark christopher]

???

your miffed you called an auto electrician out and he charged you £55 to diag a fault? we charge £86 for you to come to us!!

Autodata show a labour time of 3.5 hours for the heater module/resistor pack

you dont need an auto electrician to fit a part, you just need a technician that's prepared to do it

[andys]

Yep - I was a bit miffed as I'd already diagnosed the fault myself and he agreed on the phone that my problem was the resistor.
I asked him if he'd bring the part but he avoided committing - saying he wanted to have a look himself - fair enough. Thing is it took minutes to assess I was correct. Then he tried to tell me the £20 part was £80!
Also he 'reccomended' I replace the heater parts (another £200+) of parts which were functioning properly - just in case!

3.5 hour job - I can replace the part in 2mins flat. Only problem is wiring. If I spliced the new resistor into the wiring I could do it myself in 15mins - but I'd rather not do that.

I have no problem paying to get a job done - the car has cost me close to £2k recently with various garages - just don't like getting my shirt lifted and wondered if I could find somone on here I could trust to help

Mark - let me know who the 'us' is and then I know which company to avoid if I take the car to a garage.
My local renault dealer only charge £70 to diagnose a fault - and that is waivered if you have the work done.

[mark christopher]

Originally Posted by andys

Yep - I was a bit miffed as I'd already diagnosed the fault myself and he agreed on the phone that my problem was the resistor.
I asked him if he'd bring the part but he avoided committing - saying he wanted to have a look himself - fair enough. Thing is it took minutes to assess I was correct. Then he tried to tell me the £20 part was £80!
Also he 'reccomended' I replace the heater parts (another £200+) of parts which were functioning properly - just in case!

3.5 hour job - I can replace the part in 2mins flat. Only problem is wiring. If I spliced the new resistor into the wiring I could do it myself in 15mins - but I'd rather not do that.

I have no problem paying to get a job done - the car has cost me close to £2k recently with various garages - just don't like getting my shirt lifted and wondered if I could find somone on here I could trust to helc

Mark - let me know who the 'us' is and then I know which company to avoid if I take the car to a garage.
My local renault dealer only charge £70 to diagnose a fault - and that is waivered if you have the work done.

They carnt be making money then, 70 to diag, or waive that for the diag and charge 20 part plus 5 mins labour....only going on labour times from autodata,personally we dont touch french efforts

[Aire valley]

Originally Posted by mark christopher

They carnt be making money then, 70 to diag, or waive that for the diag and charge 20 part plus 5 mins labour....only going on labour times from autodata,personally we dont touch french efforts

Now I understand your avatar.! .....very appropriate .!

[andys]

Originally Posted by Aire valley

Now I understand your avatar.! .....very appropriate .!

Indeed

Anyone out there that's a little more helpful - it's a simple job for someone in the know.
If all else fails - i'll do it myself

[neallewis]

Originally Posted by andys

Indeed

Anyone out there that's a little more helpful - it's a simple job for someone in the know.
If all else fails - i'll do it myself

I'd do it yourself Andy. I don't trust any auto mechanic.

[jampat2004]

Andy I have done tons of these having worked at renault for 7 years, if u buy the correct genuine renault part it comes with heatshrink crimp tubes so that you cut the plug off the new resistor and attached to the old red and black wires on the old resistor, this part is ok to re use as it's only supply feed to resistor so doesnt get damaged.Next you should have a new resistor plug the modified ones come with thicker purple wires, u def need to change this connector as this ips where your problem lies , this part gets hot and burnt due to high resistance on the pins thus losing fan speeds one by one, again if u bought the correct gen renault repair part u get the shrink crimps to attach new connector and wiring.
The job can be done through the hole once u remove LCD panel trims it's tricky but I can do it this way in less than an hr, other way is to remove panels from under steering wheel and remove vent ducting u should then be able to get access to it.
Bit of a shit job to do for first time but not impossible, don't attempt to do if u not bought the correct renault repair part.
Hope this helps.
Jamie

[neallewis]

Oh yeah, i forgot Jamie was an ex renault mechanic ;-)

[andys]

Hi guys.

Just read your post Jamie - after doing pretty much what you said myself
I simply replaced the resistor pack by cutting the power feed (once i managed to get it out of the hole far enough) and used a junction box to connect the new resistor to the existing wire.

Wiring loom that plugs into the back of the resistor was all fine - apparently my car (2007) has the updated loom on it - so didn't need to replace anything other than the resistor.

All is now working fine

[jampat2004]

Cool glad u got it sorted pal

[andys]

Originally Posted by jampat2004

Cool glad u got it sorted pal

Cheers buddy - I was well pleased when it all worked again.
I dread to think what Renault would have charged to fix it!