Crap local Garage- Rip Off Merchants !

A cautionary tale,

I Bought V40 1996 estate.2.0i which Ran like a pig even after usual ‘cold’start should have passed.

Based on previous experience with same problem on other Volvos I Changed HT leads. From the Spec cards in HALFORDS……… and Routinely changed the plugs from the NGK BKR6EKUB on there to new NGK BKR6ETUC recommended by my local Auto factors.

Still running badly and at times lacking power I called several garages and opted for a local garage which does MOT’s Services and claims diagnostics and tuning.

The ‘Garage’- EUROSTAR , of TOOTING,LONDON , told me (at a cost of a £ 88 Diagnostic !) that he thought they were the wrong HT leads (no certainty there !) and that the BKR6ETUC plugs I had fitted to replace the BKR6EKUB on the car when I got it were the wrong plugs. He was very disgruntled at my informing him I could change the plugs and HT leads myself (rather than pay him the £75 +vat p/h), and handed me a piece of paper with NGK BCPR6ET written on it telling me these are the plugs I need.

I changed the HT leads but replaced the old BKR6EKUB plugs as they were visibly in reasonable condition. Problem Solved.

Luckily before I returned to the Autofactor shop to raise hell or bought the ‘Correct’plugs as per the Eurostar Garage Tooting I visited the NGK product website and did a cross reference check on all the plugs mentioned (including Eurostars erroneous type).

OK it confirmed that the BKR6ETUC is the correct Plug for the car model,/year/engine size and offered the BKR6EKUB as an alternative.

Incidently, on the NGK Web site it returns the following vehicles for the NGK BCPR6ET Spark Plug.

ALFA ROMEO33 1.706/90,CITROENAX 1.408/91 –> 05/,CITROENXM 3.0n/ , CITROENXM 3.0n/,FIATPUNTO 1 (94-->10/99) 1.403/94 –> 00,
FIATUNO 1.490 –>,MZ1000S 100004 –> Std Copper Core, SENATOR 3.0 –> 84

PEUGEOT405 1.901/90 –> 07/92,PEUGEOT605 3.009/90 –> 09/97

PEUGEOT605 3.009/90 –> 01/94,PORSCHE968 3.091 –> 96,RENAULTESPACE 3 / GRAND ESPACE 3.004/97 –> 09/98,RENAULTSAFRANE 3.092 –> 10/96

SKODAFAVORIT 1.393 –> 95,VAUXHALL/OPELCARLTON 3.0 –> 07/92

VAUXHALL/OPELSENATOR 3.0

NOT A MENTION OF THE VOLVO V40 2.0.i 1996…!!

If I can find out the correct stuff from the Net, Vardis etc how come the ‘professionals’ at Eurostar Tooting couldn’t get even close ?………….does this garage not have a clue or was it a surefire way of getting me back for more diagnostic charges ?