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View Full Version : What is the cost of beer token



bbuk2004
14-07-2012, 01:33 PM
I know reading The codes should be free and offering beer tokens should b a standard practice.

But how much should one b charging ? Fiver or a tenner is reasonable but any more than that for a 5 to ten minute plug in Job is to much I reckon.

I could buy a basic scanner for this price.

zollaf
14-07-2012, 02:07 PM
you could, but it would be a generic obd scanner, which is fine for obd codes, but not for anything else. this is where you need either vcds is a more expensive scanner, such as my snap on modis or a bosch kts, which will set you back £7000 or more.
as for cost, it depends if the person with vcds has come to you and needs fuel costs reimbusing as well as their time.
if you are not happy with it, you could always go to a main dealer or other vag specialist, or even buy vcds yourself and learn how to use it.

Eshrules
14-07-2012, 03:27 PM
When I used to help people out, I did it for free, if I got a beer or two as a thank you it was a bonus. I never travelled to them though.

I always refused payment in cash, mainly because the tax man screws me enough as it is without having an undeclared income.

Zol is also correct in saying a generic scanner isn't much use to you, you need vcds ideally.

posted using my phone that isn't an iPhone. Fancy that!

bbuk2004
14-07-2012, 05:59 PM
fair comment guys.

as for the vcds is it matter of buying the cable and download the ross software

adamss24
14-07-2012, 10:27 PM
When I used to help people out, I did it for free, if I got a beer or two as a thank you it was a bonus. I never travelled to them though.

I always refused payment in cash, mainly because the tax man screws me enough as it is without having an undeclared income.

Zol is also correct in saying a generic scanner isn't much use to you, you need vcds ideally.

posted using my phone that isn't an iPhone. Fancy that!
You're a bit too honest mate, do you think the taxman declares all his income ? Stop fouling yourself...

MFGF
14-07-2012, 11:06 PM
I'm with Esh. I scan and do mods for free. It's nice when people offer to part with money, but I see so many folks on here offering technical knowledge and advice for free, I feel it would be rude for me to ask for or accept payment. I see it as just helping out a friend.

MF.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

EssexGonzo
15-07-2012, 10:59 AM
From the offering perspective, I always view this from the perspective of "how much has this saved me vs the Audi dealer"? Normally quite a large number!

I will always offer and leave it to the recipient to accept or otherwise.

And how much is a token? I reckon a tenner, and sometimes more than one token should be offered.

I know you guys aren't necessarily doing it for the money but you are giving your time freely.....

Guest 2
15-07-2012, 12:16 PM
I don't accept anything but if the person is intent on giving me something I donate it to a local charity.

As Mark says - techs give up their time to provide free info on here so we can hardly gain some ££ when they're doing the hard work.

a8 tech
15-07-2012, 02:30 PM
I offer a service so you pay accordingly for the experience tooling and time taken

Sam
16-07-2012, 11:02 AM
I offer a service so you pay accordingly for the experience tooling and time taken

You're 100% qualified to do so.

We're just keyboard warriors with a computer and a search engine.

bbuk2004
24-07-2012, 11:23 PM
i now have vcds and i can do loads of stuff with it. definitly worth while investment for me as i have been priced up to £40 for beer tokens. as i have the kit i will do it for free and if any one wants to offer beer money i would take no more than £5. i personally don't see it as a major thing or time consuming unless its a difficult problem.
to me its all about helping each other for free and keeping costs down specially in this financial climte where we get robbed at the fuel pump, car parts and repair, etc etc.

lukejade
06-01-2013, 02:39 AM
Anyone not willing to part with £10-£20 for this service must either be skint or jewish(no offence)!! I recently enquired how much Audi would charge me to find out why my amber engine warning light was on and in 'limp mode' and they took great pleasure in telling me "that'll be £140.00" ........ beer tokens..... absolutely.... most of the people on here know more than your average 'just out of school' spotty teenage audi 'mechanic' anyway.

Eshrules
06-01-2013, 02:55 AM
Anyone not willing to part with £10-£20 for this service must either be skint or jewish(no offence)!! I recently enquired how much Audi would charge me to find out why my amber engine warning light was on and in 'limp mode' and they took great pleasure in telling me "that'll be £140.00" ........ beer tokens..... absolutely.... most of the people on here know more than your average 'just out of school' spotty teenage audi 'mechanic' anyway.

Racial slur - check (disclaiming with 'no offence' doesn't work)
General insult to Audi mechanics - check.

Just FYI - most Audi techs are trained by Audi - A8tech amongst others will attest to the training they undergo. Further, the quote you were given will (I assume) have been for a complete diagnostic procedure, not just a scan with VCDS.

It's ill thought statements like yours that get backs up - please be mindful of the tone/content of future posts.

lukejade
06-01-2013, 04:13 AM
Ok sorry, we'll say 'tight as assholes' shall we! uncheck!
The last service AT AUDI was performed by a spotty teenager who could barely have been out of school a year (My own experience) So YES it was an insult to that particular 'Audi mechanic' NOT ALL! uncheck!
Also whatever you 'assume' would have been overpriced anyway, my whole point was I'd have been ripped off by Audi today rather than paying 'beer tokens' to a fellow forum user! uncheck!
If my last post got YOUR back up then tough luck, If my last post got anyone elses back up then I apologise.
Please be mindful of the tone/content/patronising/head master'ish replies in future.
Thanks

P.S. I'm not on here for arguments with people like yourself, just sound advice from people who don't talk to me like they are my pompus grandad!

Brycie
06-01-2013, 04:40 AM
Please bear in mind that there are Audi Techs on here who are valued members & whose advice is very much valued by all the members on here & no doubt we have many, many Jewish members. So I believe Esh's comments to be quite justified & not at all out of order/patronising. I did however find your reply very amusing & I did actually chuckle at it, so fair play (sorry Esh).

Edit: Oh and p.s. I doubt beating the swear filter with a$$holes is going to help matters much lol.

adamss24
06-01-2013, 06:01 AM
I agree, £140 for a diagnostic is taking the mick ! 10-20 quid for a scan is more than enough, at the end of the day swapping parts is easy, diagnosing issues is the harder part and sadly VCDS readings are not clear all the time hence experience plays a big part ! Please don't get me started on the audi guided fault finding procedures ! Esh, i would say relax man, no need to watch with the whip ready, we are all adults- most older than yourselves !

a8 tech
06-01-2013, 10:51 AM
boring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Labour rates are set for various reasons one being the cost just to open the doors

Eshrules
06-01-2013, 11:07 AM
I'm a moderator, my job is to ensure forum rules are adhered to and insults kept to a minimum.

When racial slurs and unfounded general insults are made, it's my (or our, as a team for the pedants) job to ensure they are stopped.

Age is irrelevant in this context.

Warning given, lets use our age and maturity to move on now please gents.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Doctle Odd
06-01-2013, 11:12 AM
The local Audi dealer charges €80.00 to put out the service indicator, takes 30 seconds. It's double that for a diagnostic scan. I don't charge anyone for anything I do, I just do it for "the craic", I'm currently unemployed and I don't need the state on my back. A couple of members asked to get their car scanned but they never showed up. If you do stuff for free people seem to doubt your abilities and go to a main dealer instead. Cest ls Vie

lukejade
06-01-2013, 11:28 AM
Please bear in mind that there are Audi Techs on here who are valued members & whose advice is very much valued by all the members on here & no doubt we have many, many Jewish members. So I believe Esh's comments to be quite justified & not at all out of order/patronising. I did however find your reply very amusing & I did actually chuckle at it, so fair play (sorry Esh).

Edit: Oh and p.s. I doubt beating the swear filter with a$$holes is going to help matters much lol.


I've been browsing through these forums since October last year and is exactly why I made a beeline for A8 tech when my car went wrong, I don't know where you all work, what you do for a living, if you're Audi mechanics or not but what I have gathered is most of you REALLY do know what your talking about when it comes to the cars I love most! In my 36 years I have met a lot of jewish people, 3 of whom I still talk to regularly now, one of which is my brother in law, he calls himself tight! I think Eshrules's use of the race card was a bit OTT, but I suppose these days the race card is always quick to be played. Ok now I seem to have got the attention of everyone (not intended) Hello I'm Luke and thanks for any advice given up till now! It's very much appreciated, no hard feelings aye Esh?

bbuk2004
06-01-2013, 11:48 AM
since i had my vcds i have helped loads of people for free and some have even popped a tenner in my pocket even though i didnt want it.

this had led to increased people coming to me and usually leads to doing other work for them too.

helping some one to me is a good deed done for the day and obviously the advice we get on these forums is valuable and sames people money too

Col
06-01-2013, 01:17 PM
Karma

Karma karma karma a chameleon.

My views are, and having started the vagcom users thread;

The free bit was so as to not cause a conflict of interest with Stuart and this sites advertising revenue / sponsorship.

You are foolish not to accept a 'drink'.

If you are the one who goes along to get a scan done and don't offer a 'drink' then shame on you.

As for the size of the 'drink', a case of 20 is about £16 and will be about 1/3 of what you will pay at the cheapest place.

What you are really buying though with the 'case of 20' is convenience in not having to; book the car in, arrange a lift, dropping your car off, getting a lift to pick it up again and then of course the bill.

Karma.

As the scanner peep, accept the gratuities.

As the scanned, think about how much more you are saving as described above and make sure you have the case of 20 !


Do it or I will call the Karma Police !

adamss24
06-01-2013, 06:49 PM
^^Well put Colin !

Doctle Odd
07-01-2013, 12:07 AM
“Your corn is ripe today; mine will be so tomorrow. 'Tis profitable for us both, that I should labour with you today, and that you should aid me tomorrow. I have no kindness for you, and know you have as little for me. I will not, therefore, take any pains upon your account; and should I labour with you upon my own account, in expectation of a return, I know I should be disappointed, and that I should in vain depend upon your gratitude. Here then I leave you to labour alone; You treat me in the same manner. The seasons change; and both of us lose our harvests for want of mutual confidence and security.”
― David Hume (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/45726.David_Hume)

lukejade
07-01-2013, 12:34 AM
“Your corn is ripe today; mine will be so tomorrow. 'Tis profitable for us both, that I should labour with you today, and that you should aid me tomorrow. I have no kindness for you, and know you have as little for me. I will not, therefore, take any pains upon your account; and should I labour with you upon my own account, in expectation of a return, I know I should be disappointed, and that I should in vain depend upon your gratitude. Here then I leave you to labour alone; You treat me in the same manner. The seasons change; and both of us lose our harvests for want of mutual confidence and security.”
― David Hume (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/45726.David_Hume)

Coincidently that's exactly what I was thinking!

Col
07-01-2013, 01:20 AM
If your going to talk crap then much better to use the "Catchphrase" method of ballcack and say what you actually see instead of confusing parables. This isn't an RE class but an internet forum mainly concerned with keeping German cars on the road and extolling their virtues.

For example;

I see me needing someones help, they help me, I reward them for doing so. That is the right and proper thing to do. Not doing so would be taking the urine.

And / or

I'm approached by someone needing my help to save them a lot of time and money, I help them, they don't reward me, I think they are a **** (because they are) and never help them again.

[edit] You used to be able to say **** (male chicken) all day long on here. What happened ?

Doctle Odd
07-01-2013, 01:35 AM
It's from a treatise on human nature, available from your local library. fewer people do anything without expecting something in return and because of this society is poorer. I am aware this is a forum for VAG cars however I have been involved in discussions about cigarettes, skimmed milk, national service and counterfeit products in the last month. I don't understand why you're not allowed to say rooster?

Col
07-01-2013, 06:49 PM
Where was the sarcasm smiley, there should be one, I would have used it.

Doctle Odd
07-01-2013, 06:53 PM
Hope you're not offended mate, what I like about this site is that by and large the members are smart and have a good sense of humour.
Where was the sarcasm smiley, there should be one, I would have used it.

Sam
08-01-2013, 10:20 AM
Hope you're not offended mate, what I like about this site is that by and large the members are smart and have a good sense of humour.

They are?!

Guest 2
08-01-2013, 10:32 AM
They are?!

I'm definitely not! :D

Doctle Odd
08-01-2013, 10:45 AM
I dunno mate stupid people don't tend to be helpful.

Whippy53
10-05-2013, 12:00 PM
I would always insist on some form of compensation for time and effort offered if only for the fact that I hate freeloaders and would feel myself unable to ask a repeat favour should the need / desire occur.

MarkTM
27-06-2013, 09:42 PM
Lol interesting reading

Well I got my VCDS today and did my first scan but nothing too scarey.

In between school run/shoppping and the weather (Well it is Glasto & Wimbledon so what did we expect?) I popped around and saw some neighbours with a S6/Yeti/Passat and Superb and told them about VCDS. Not one had heard of it and all excepted my offer of a free scan when the sun's shining

But then I'm completely mad and it's nice to be able to help, I've also no probs with them asking for future scans either but would prefer they joined their forums.

Doctle Odd
27-06-2013, 09:45 PM
Go back and tell them you can remotely make their car implode/combust/not start unless you get 50 quid off each of them :)

MarkTM
27-06-2013, 09:47 PM
^^^ Why would I want to damage lesser vehicles? :biglaugh:

Doctle Odd
27-06-2013, 11:14 PM
50.00 a pop!
^^^ Why would I want to damage lesser vehicles? :biglaugh:

MarkTM
22-07-2013, 10:21 PM
Div, IMO it's not supposed to, it's supposed to make things easier (and cheaper for the user too given Audi charge £50+ per scan).

For me it was great insurance as bought a car with absolutely no service history, so was pleased that my initial scan only showed my xenon headlight leveling motors weren't working....although they passed MOT in the fixed position :)

Perhaps a read through other posts in the VCDS section or start a new thread?