To think this is a TOTAL rip-off?

[bronya]

Had some work done on our car, and they had to disconnect the battery. The radio came up with 'enter code' once it was all done, and nowhere in our paperwork (car was about third hand!) is there the radio manual. Asked at the Ford Garage - they quoted us £25 to get the radio out and get the code off the back. DH nearly fell for it until I said that was a ridiculous price and that he could jolly well do it himself!!!

Turns out you can get the key thingy to get the radio out for £1 - it took him ONE MINUTE to get the radio out. The code was written on the back. Now I appreciate that if you want them to do something it'll cost a bit more, but £25 for one minute's worth of work? Really?????

Oh! I have this problem! Where do you get the key from?

At least you have the code written on the back. Its worse if not. Luckily i have a lovely garage who did it for free but i wont be jump starting anyone again unless real problem. (Dh you hear that playing around with my car jump starting that car you play around with! Wait until it has wheels on and can go somewhere at least instead of im just checking engine is working)

We got the keys from Amazon - searched for 'Ford radio removal key' and chose the cheapest option that matched the model of our car!

DH found online that you can put the serial number (from the back/top of the radio) into a free app and it will give you the code, so if it's not written on the back you can still get it.

Just for future reference, there is a loooong running thread on moneysavingexpert that tells you the code for your make/model of car. I googled after replacing the battery and mine came up on there :)

You can make keys yourself using a wire coat hanger. There are people on ebay who give you the codes for 99p.

Ford are notorious for things like this.
We recently wanted to get a spare wheel for our fiesta (we just had this stupid puncture repair kit.) They quoted £220 for the job including what they described as "fitting."

The spare wheel kit comes without a tyre so that has to be bought separately and then fitted.

The kit costs £60 so the additional £160 was for a tyre and for it to be fitted onto the wheel.

I simply bought the kit and took it to a local tyre fitter who charged £40 for a tyre and fitting which took 5 mins. Total rip off- I hate Ford garages.

My DD posted a pound coin into our (Ford) car radio a year or so ago and now we can only listen to CDs up to track 6. For those of you who have removed your radio is it worth me doing so to try and remove the pound or is it all sealed in?

You can get the keys for most cars for a couple of quid on ebay as well as Amazon.

Our car failed its MOT earlier this year. The Ford garage quoted us £1500 to replace the faulty part. A local independent looked at it and said that Ford were going to order two parts: one to replace the actual faulty bit and another, hugely expensive, one to replace another part 'just in case' The indy fixed it for us for £300.

It is a sealed unit but you could get it out and try and shake the coin out the cd slot.

I did same as Blair!! Didn't cost me a penny and the lovely Mse peeps gave me the code :) £25 is a rip off YANBU

What's the point in having a code if it's so easy to crack.

What is the point of a security code if it is on the back of the unit?

My nice independent garage will MOT, service and fit two new tyres for less than the Ford garage charge with no tyres.

They are ridiculously over priced.

The code shouldn't be on the back. If if is then a previous owner must have written it there.

All dealership garages are hugely overpriced. My lock just broke and the previous owner managed to get the remote locking to need reprogramming and I was told only BMW could do this (which I never worried about until I was locked out)

Once the AA broke into it for me I googled how to reprogramme and it's as simple as... Put key in ignition and turn off to on 5 times, hold lock button and press unlock three times. hop on one leg ten times and do a circle but doing it myself saved me £110!

Mcbear i love the hopping part!

I always buy my tyres on the internet these days. mytyre.com

You just put in your registration, chose winter, summer or all season and a list comes up with every tyre that will fit your car wheels.

and yes... what someone said upthread... you can get the radio out by making the tool from a wire coathanger. It looks like very slim forceps.