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

[two_bit_score]

I am a lucky one.
Found a small shop that lets me supply parts (from internet) and charges me their rates.
I insist on them adding a bit for my parts supply as they don't get that markup profit.
So far so good.
I walked away with a total front brake job @ (more or less) $200, that including new rotors, pads etc. can't complain here.
Wife had same work at the dealer an she paid close to $700.
Long live the small repair shop. (If U are lucky enough to find one) Hint, he is greasy, dirty coveralled !
Possibly only one is certified and others are apprentices, but who cares.
I always leave the mechanics a tip so now they even address me by name.
He is so busy that forget an appointment sooner than 10 days or so later.

Good luck on finding such a dedicated 'back yard' good ole fashioned repair shop.

Oh. yes I always pay them in cash! (no receipts)

You, Sir, are the ideal customer! :thumbsup:

 

[goeduck]

I walked away with a total front brake job @ (more or less) $200, that including new rotors, pads etc. can't complain here.
Wife had same work at the dealer an she paid close to $700.

Your parts were in the $200?

 

[MinnesotaEric]

$80 bucks an hour is cheap.

 

[Cat_Driver]

So my truck needed a master cylinder put on the clutch. I致e heard horror stories of bleeding a clutch so I decided to let a shop do it. The quoted 1.5 hours at $80 an hour. I did want to pay that so I did it myself. It took maybe an hour to put it on and that痴 with a lot of screwing around with the roll pin. They make a lot better tools than a punch and hammer that I had to do it. Next problem was bleeding it. Once I determined that pumping the clutch and or using the bleeder screw was hopeless and moved on to vacuum bleeding it went pretty easy. Knowing what I know now ( which the professional shop should already know ) and having the proper tools for the job ( which the professional shop should already have) I could easily install and bleed it in 30 minutes. Ok moving truck inside shop, installing cylinder, removing truck from shop, and writing up ticket maybe an hour. I remember thinking the same thing when I split my tractor. I don稚 remember what the shop manual said but given a few attempts I could do it in a day or so.

Why do people that egt qoted a price for anything from a business think that all businesses should price things at what people can do it at home?

First of all you are getting a quote from a "BUSINESS" not a mechanic. Included in your $80.00 an hour for 1.5 hours is the cost of the building, building maintanance, the electric bills, the cost of all the tools, the labor of " ALL THE EMPLOYEES" in that building, taxes, insurance, workers comp, adverting, the water bill, the toilet paper, computers, building furniture, loans, interest rates, consumables like rags, wd40, paper towels, disposable gloves, and on and on and on and on.

Let's look at it this way. To do the repairs you did in your driveway cost YOU the price of the house, the land, utilities, etc.

To make a steak in your house at $12.00 a pound that is less than $45.00 a pound at a high end steak house.But that steak cost you the the price of the meat, the vehicle to get that meat, the fuel to go to the store, your time, insurance on your vehicle, your house, the stove, the pots and pans, the cleaning supplies after you eat the steak, the dishes, the silverware, so you see it's people NEVER EVER compare apples to apples or calculate ALL the costs involved in everything that is done.

 

[Jstpssng]

Why do people that egt qoted a price for anything from a business think that all businesses should price things at what people can do it at home?

First of all you are getting a quote from a "BUSINESS" not a mechanic. Included in your $80.00 an hour for 1.5 hours is the cost of the building, building maintanance, the electric bills, the cost of all the tools, the labor of " ALL THE EMPLOYEES" in that building, taxes, insurance, workers comp, adverting, the water bill, the toilet paper, computers, building furniture, loans, interest rates, consumables like rags, wd40, paper towels, disposable gloves, and on and on and on and on.

Let's look at it this way. To do the repairs you did in your driveway cost YOU the price of the house, the land, utilities, etc.

To make a steak in your house at $12.00 a pound that is less than $45.00 a pound at a high end steak house.But that steak cost you the the price of the meat, the vehicle to get that meat, the fuel to go to the store, your time, insurance on your vehicle, your house, the stove, the pots and pans, the cleaning supplies after you eat the steak, the dishes, the silverware, so you see it's people NEVER EVER compare apples to apples or calculate ALL the costs involved in everything that is done.

Places are starting to charge for "consumables" such as paper towels, et.al. A couple of years ago my truck was long overdue for an oil change and I just hadn't had time so I had the local garage do it, not thinking that I had left my oil setting on the seat. When it came time to pay the bill I discovered they had used it so I apologized but the kid said he saw it so assumed that's what I wanted. The owner charged me accordingly, but said "that's like bringing your own eggs into a restaurant and asking them to cook them.

 

[K5lwq]

Why do people that egt qoted a price for anything from a business think that all businesses should price things at what people can do it at home?

First of all you are getting a quote from a "BUSINESS" not a mechanic. Included in your $80.00 an hour for 1.5 hours is the cost of the building, building maintanance, the electric bills, the cost of all the tools, the labor of " ALL THE EMPLOYEES" in that building, taxes, insurance, workers comp, adverting, the water bill, the toilet paper, computers, building furniture, loans, interest rates, consumables like rags, wd40, paper towels, disposable gloves, and on and on and on and on.

Let's look at it this way. To do the repairs you did in your driveway cost YOU the price of the house, the land, utilities, etc.

To make a steak in your house at $12.00 a pound that is less than $45.00 a pound at a high end steak house.But that steak cost you the the price of the meat, the vehicle to get that meat, the fuel to go to the store, your time, insurance on your vehicle, your house, the stove, the pots and pans, the cleaning supplies after you eat the steak, the dishes, the silverware, so you see it's people NEVER EVER compare apples to apples or calculate ALL the costs involved in everything that is done.

The reality is they did not have to stop working to answer the phone 6 times during the repair. Then stop twice to check the parts being delivered for the other jobs going on at the same time. Only to discover the parts store sent the wrong part. Or deal with the 3 people that walk up telling you about some drivability problem they are having and want to know what it could be so their Brother-in-law can fix it for them.

Oh yes, and they did not have to stop what they were doing and quote the R&R of a clutch master cylinder to someone so they can decide to do the job themselves. :confused3:

 

[rScotty]

What I'm hearing in this thread is that some folks are lucky enough to have good mechanical shops and others not.

You got to wonder why there's a difference. Now that I'm no longer directly involved in running a shop I have the luxury of looking back on the mistakes and non-mistakes that I made.

We've all heard that competition is good, but I never spent any time or energy on competition. Sometimes I'd hear from mechanics about some other shop - particularly when they had to go somewhere for parts or something. Or from customers. But it just never really interested me enough to really look into how the other shops were running their business. That was probably a lost opportunity to get to know other people in the business.

rScotty

 

[ddbackhoe]

What I'm hearing in this thread is that some folks are lucky enough to have good mechanical shops and others not.

You got to wonder why there's a difference. Now that I'm no longer directly involved in running a shop I have the luxury of looking back on the mistakes and non-mistakes that I made.

We've all heard that competition is good, but I never spent any time or energy on competition. Sometimes I'd hear from mechanics about some other shop - particularly when they had to go somewhere for parts or something. Or from customers. But it just never really interested me enough to really look into how the other shops were running their business. That was probably a lost opportunity to get to know other people in the business.

rScotty

Count me as a lucky one then. The equipment shop we use is a little different. He does all the road service, his wife and daughter run the shop at home. Not that either could not do road service, he says it just takes too much time getting someone else to believe it. If I tote stuff to them and wait for a pick up call its usually cheap (50/hour). Road service this week is usually 75, road service today is 110, after hours is whatever mood he is in
Now, in all fairness, I have made parts runs for them and brought refreshments. Once or twice, we have sat and had a meal together and once or twice she’s been mad at both of us for not taking the shortest route home. I couldnt replace them if I wanted to.

 

[Sono]

The mechanics don't set the price ( I have friends that are Master Mechanics / Bodymen ) There is a manual that is set by the Gods... It shows every job imaginable and they have set hours/prices/labor...ect? If a job is listed at 3 hours and it only takes an hour to do, that vehicle will sit on the lift or wherever for 2 hours before, during or after the job until that mark is met. Not all shops do it that way but I guarantee you the Stealerships do ! Most of the cost involved is based on the experience of the guys doing the work ( intern or master mechanic ) a typical small shop basically a few dollars and hour or by the job, a master mechanic will charge by the hour or charge several times more because they have the proper tools and those cost $$$. I worked as a mechanic for a short while and its amazing how wide the range is on repairs. I do most repairs myself but big jobs I leave to the pros with the proper tools.

 

[PILOON]

Your parts were in the $200?

Yep, 2 disks and 4 pads!
On line and rec'd 24 hrs later via UPS, not first time I used that source either.

So far rear shocks are holding up nicely, (same vendor as brakes).
Had a mishap involving much of my front end plastics and that was very labor challenging as it was a first time for them.
(Lots of fasteners were damaged or badly rusted)
I assisted as I could and got away with 2 hrs labor

Another time I had my car towed to them as I had horrible noises emitting from drive train and I suspected shot Ujoint in driveshaft.
Now U know what damage can occur if you drop a shaft while drving. (AWD Kia Serento)
It turned out that splashed water had totally frozen around the shaft and it was literally 'frozen' to the under side.
They put aside the long 'ice cube' to show me.
That was a NO CHARGE event! (but a healthy gratuity)