Do mechanics significantly over charge for the time to change a part?

[oosik]

fried1765 - I did not. MasterCard was just GREAT in this "adventure". They held off paying this $115 bill until they received sufficient justification from the company. They never heard as much as a squeak. They did not pay this additional bill.

 

[metalbender]

Always a controversial subject. For those with mechanical ability, the flat rate system seems to be a rip. For those who went the much higher education route, don't have any mechanical skills, have higher paying jobs, it's just a fact of life. Did fourteen years hard time in a Ford dealership. As the saying goes, first you get good, then you get fast. No room for error. Comebacks are redone at the technichian's expense. Warranty repairs are done at a shorter time slot, effectively reducing the mechanic's pay by at least 25% Lots to expand on this topic.

 

[rScotty]

I was a mechanic and a shop owner for years. So I got to see both sides of this issue. Frankly, I think you got a fair estimate of they had done the work....An estimate really can't be any more exact than that. There are just too many unknowns. And far more importantly you got it fixed yourself. You may even gotten the diagnosis as a bonus. That's worth money too. As a shop owner, I always encouraged owners to do what maintenance they could, and ask questions. That's what an owner does, he oversees the work and talks to people.

Mechanical shops that charge fairly tend to have have way more business than they have mechanics or space. Jacking around with estimates vs the time actually spent on a job to do some sort of cheating simply isn't worth the time it would take to do it. It happens, but those places tend not to stay in business long term.

Traditionally, a mechanic gets paid 40 to 60% of the labor bill (shop foreman gets 60%). The remaining 50% gets put into wages for employees who are not generating money doing mechanical work....like bookkeeping and counter work. Parts markup pays for business overhead of rent, utilities, taxes, benefits...etc. Anything extra goes into tools and inventory.
rScotty

 

[tomplum]

Metalbender is spot on. In the grand scheme of things though, is it much different than the company you hire to put a deck on the back of your house? No one goes out there swinging a hammer thinking he'll do the job as cheaply as a guy that gets his own materials and does it himself. Same as twisting wrenches. Hopefully you get what you pay for which is the knowledge of the tech, roofer, contractor, plumber and the support that goes along with it. None of these businesses either cater to the DIY guy. I use what skills I have around the house too to stretch my income plus generally enjoy the project. And for those times that I don't enjoy the project, say ahh- should have earned enough to be able just to pay to have it done!Maybe that's what those extra years in college would have done for me....

 

[Diggin It]

I've had it go the opposite way. Quote/estimate according to the bean counter's charts. Agree, have the work done. When it came time to pay, 'it didn't take us that long, so your amount due is only this much'.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I've had it go the opposite way. Quote/estimate according to the bean counter's charts. Agree, have the work done. When it came time to pay, 'it didn't take us that long, so your amount due is only this much'.

Man, never had that happen to me. You better go by there occasionally and just give them a few dollars so they dont go out of business.

 

[RickB]

I've had it go the opposite way. Quote/estimate according to the bean counter's charts. Agree, have the work done. When it came time to pay, 'it didn't take us that long, so your amount due is only this much'.

I’ve supervised many jobs that went that way. I’d rather scare somebody away with an estimate than piss them off with an overrun.

2 keys to a successful shop/customer relationship are communication and understanding the difference between a quote and estimate. I rarely quote repairs.

 

[rScotty]

I've had it go the opposite way. Quote/estimate according to the bean counter's charts. Agree, have the work done. When it came time to pay, 'it didn't take us that long, so your amount due is only this much'.

Yes, that was a common conversation at my shop and I notice that it still is for the shops I have doing work for me. It makes sense that half the jobs are less and half more. The ones that save the customer money are also saving the shopowner time. So it's a win/win. Also it makes for a much more enjoyable conversation. Plus being far easier to explain to them when some other job runs over the estimate. Go with your gut feel. Most people can sense what's right.
rScotty

 

[ovrszd]

I’ve supervised many jobs that went that way. I’d rather scare somebody away with an estimate than piss them off with an overrun.

2 keys to a successful shop/customer relationship are communication and understanding the difference between a quote and estimate. I rarely quote repairs.

Very wise words here. My Son runs a two mechanic shop, he's one of them. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

 

[goeduck]

Traditionally, a mechanic gets paid 40 to 60% of the labor bill (shop foreman gets 60%). The remaining 50% gets put into wages for employees who are not generating money doing mechanical work....like bookkeeping and counter work. Parts markup pays for business overhead of rent, utilities, taxes, benefits...etc. Anything extra goes into tools and inventory.
rScotty

Exactly. Incentive is to keep the back of the house efficient so more of the 50% goes into profit. Same for parts markup, keep operating costs reasonable. None of us should want to take a vehicle to a shop that is not making a fair profit. If you do, you will be constantly going to a new shop.