Car dealership is a crook.

[tjkubota93]

Are you saying mechanics are getting 2/3 of what the customer is getting billed, as in paid for $40, and charging $60. That makes alot of sense to me. Something has to pay for the shop. If they don't like it they can work at home or their own shop.

I wonder if mechanics have higher rate of going on own, then other trades? Lots of small garages. Though not everyone has the brains or balls to go on their own.


Dealer was to pay for supplies, building, and make money. Profit is not a crime.

I was (am) a master mechanic. Did time as an instructor and a service engineer. One thing I noticed, all the good guys end up getting better jobs in a different industry or going into business themselves. There are some exceptions like dealers that are actually a good place to work, but usually the good guys move on to greener pastures. Then your left with idiots, cons, rum dumbs and dope heads.

 

[kenmac]

That's not how it works. I was a mechanic working for flat rate (flat rape) pay. You flag 60 hrs, you get paid 60. Flag 20 get 20. Whether you worked 40 or 90. There are too many variables in each job for it to be fair if you ask me. The mechanic gets $25/hr or so. Shop charges around $100/hr or so. That's lotsa $ to made. Wrong? Unfair? I guess not, but the ONLY person making money at a dealer is the owner or a high level manager paid for the performance of the underlings.

Well, the dealer pays for the diagnostic equip computer, etc, air compressor. lights, lift, heat,building,tire machines, front end alignment machine, service writer, etc, etc,. They should make plenty to cover over head which is a lot ! the mechanic buys tools, and ? the ones I know live well

 

[Coyote machine]

IIRC, the car did NOT come with a certified car warranty, merely a 30 day warranty, covering the vehicle for 30 DAYS for the included coverage, stated in the warranty inclusion/exclusion lists, nothing more or less. Days or miles whichever line is crossed first ends the coverage.

Two years doesn't come into play, it's not relevant, it's NOT the warranty offered and does not apply.
It may be a warranty offered on other cars, but NOT the OP's cousin's car.
Void, null, NOT, does NOT apply, etc. 'till the end of time. Not purchased, not bought, offered maybe, but not exercised by the buyer....

 

[Zerk]

No, if mechanics punch time card 40 hrs which at a $75. shop rate should earn the shop $3000,
but shop actually bills customers 60 hours at $75. or $4500.
Mechanic takes home 40 hrs of his pay scale. (not 60)

The end result is is a form of padding the bill.

%'s may vary but the over billing is a common practice created by fees and flat rates etc.
Then changing lots of parts (which carry profit) helps and naturally a new part won't come back to bite you.
A common argument is that if they don't install that part (s) then they won't warranty the job.

The owner of the shop is not evil for wanting to make money. Plus running a business costs money. So many people think what is charged, is what the owner makes.

People have no clue what over head is.

 

[Zerk]

I was (am) a master mechanic. Did time as an instructor and a service engineer. One thing I noticed, all the good guys end up getting better jobs in a different industry or going into business themselves. There are some exceptions like dealers that are actually a good place to work, but usually the good guys move on to greener pastures. Then your left with idiots, cons, rum dumbs and dope heads.

Mechanics want to make so much money, and shop can only charge so much, or lose customers. So it doesn't surprise me, people either just change jobs hoping for the best, or start their own.


I was at a small shop few weeks ago. He was asking about becoming fleet mechanic. I gathered he was tired of working late. But he did take care of me.

 

[Sigarms]

This is true in many things, but with dealing with a woman about cars, it may be even more true. She may not be explaing things correctly, not on purpose, but she picks up on different details.

I may bust on the woman's due dillegence thoughout this whole ordeal of hers, but I honestly don't think it's just because she's a woman and the subject is cars.

 

[aczlan]

I may bust on the woman's due dillegence thoughout this whole ordeal of hers, but I honestly don't think it's just because she's a woman and the subject is cars.

I think part of the problem, maybe how the shop treats a woman bringing a car in.
I know that my sisters have had issues with shops that have flat out lied them or told them a partial truth just because they were a woman. In one case, she specifically asked what codes are being thrown as she was having a loss of power issue that appear to be related to the VVT or VTEC solenoid not working properly. They told her that there was only one unrelated code that was being thrown but when she got in the car, there was a list of codes on the passenger's seat with six or eight codes on it several of which were error codes for the VVT / VTEC.

Aaron Z

 

[Sigarms]

I know that my sisters have had issues with shops that have flat out lied them or told them a partial truth just because they were a woman.

My line of thinking is if someone is going to lie, they're liars, and the people's sex they're talking to isn't going to really matter (liar is a liar they tend not to discriminate). I do however understand that people may underestimate a woman's technical ability, but that can be a very dangerous mistake if you're running a business IMO.

That said, perhaps that's why "used car salesmen" have such a bad rap, because people expect them to lie to make a sale.

Although I don't normally deal with end users in my line of work, when I do get involved with end users, if dealing with a woman, I treat them with just as much respect, if not even more, because they are a woman. I've found that's actually good for business, as if your household is anything like mine, if you tick my wife off, you're done for no matter what I say as "head of the household" LOL

 

[outinthetalgrass]

After reading this thread, and as someone that has rebuilt/restored and destroyed more Jeep products than I like to admit from Kaiser, Willies, AMC, and Chrysler. I am surprised that nowhere anyone has mentioned that the common beliefs is the JEEP name stands for Just Empty Every Pocket. Now that the attempt at humor is done, back to the regular scheduled discussion.

 

[Coyote machine]

After reading this thread, and as someone that has rebuilt/restored and destroyed more Jeep products than I like to admit from Kaiser, Willies, AMC, and Chrysler. I am surprised that nowhere anyone has mentioned that the common beliefs is the JEEP name stands for Just Empty Every Pocket. Now that the attempt at humor is done, back to the regular scheduled discussion.

Does calling a Chrysler product named Jeep a shitbox count? Guess you missed that one! My first 'car' was a 55 Willy's F head. 3 on the floor, virtually no brakes to speak of, and highway with pedal jammed to floor top speed of about 50-52 MPH. I got passed by old ladies in horse and buggies going uphill! :laughing: Couldn't really tell, the needle bounced like a pole dancer. Then around '85, a used Jeep, ( I called it a CHEAP!) Scrambler, made by AMC Corp, later to become Chrysler or part of Chrysler, or some such smerger...
The Scrambler was a true unadulterated POS. I could not believe how anyone could actually make such junk and then sell it as some icon of American culture and ruggedness, etc. WOW! Never again will I ever own something so poorly made by choosing to buy garbage.
Nuff said....