Average mark-up

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Aug 22, 2003
Messages
3,659
Location
lllinois
What is the average parts mark-up for service garages? Say, a wheel hub or tie rods, etc. 50% ? 100% 25 %?
 
So...$109 for labor and $250 for parts for one hub/bearing assembly repair on an 01 Buick Century is excessive.
 
A little off-topic, but I used to work at a major auto parts chain when I was going to school about 10 years ago. One of the local shops would buy a lot of reman'd parts from us: starters, alternators, etc. He'd charge the customer the full price for the part, including the core. Plus his markup was 25% as I recall.

Once a month, he'd come in with a truck bed full of cores and pocket the cash.

I'm sure it's prevalent, but I was shocked at the time.
 
Originally Posted By: salesrep
So...$109 for labor and $250 for parts for one hub/bearing assembly repair on an 01 Buick Century is excessive.


I changed the front hub bearing on my 2002 Century a few years ago.
If I remember correctly the Timkin bearing cost approx. $140 (at a discount supply house). No-name (Chinese) bearings could be bought for half that on e-bay.
The labor took me a couple of hours because I had never done it before and I was working off jackstands. A real mechanic with tools could do this in under an hour,IMO.
I think the $109 labor is OK but he overcharged $50 or so on the part.

In other words, if the guy used a qaulity bearing this should be a $300-$325 job....if he used a chinese bearing it should be $250 tops..
It's important to use a torque wrench....118 lbs. I think it was...
 
Originally Posted By: salesrep
What is the average parts mark-up for service garages?


The markup is somewhere between 'an adequate margin to remain in business' and 'what the market will bear'. There is no 'average'.
 
more to the point a quick google of "hub bearing assembly 01 buick century" 1st page results from rock auto to parts geek to timken runs $69 to $125 ( which is what he put in)
I recently switched mechanics ( several vehicles) just seemed like $250 was WAY over the top.
 
Paid 169 for a front wheel bearing through the shop I usually use a year ago April for my wifes 03 Impala. It [censored] out a year later! GM price $405 , a SKF from Napa $250. The difference between the 169 one and the SKF is like comparing a cadillac to a Yugo.
 
For better or worse at my indy shop For my 2002 F150 I was charged $346 for 1 front wheel bearing hub assembly & $170 labor plus $27 for shop supplies. I'm afraid over the years this shop has gotten as expensive as the dealer, if not more
shocked.gif
! Time to find a new indy or use the dealer whose been real good when servicing my wife's 2005 Explorer.

Whimsey
 
You can't use rockauto prices to gauge what a shop is actually buying the parts for.

Call a local NAPA or dealer and get the MSRP and then assume they are paying 20% less than that. There are a lot of mechanics that will only use OEM parts for certain repairs because the aftermarket stuff does not cut it.

Shops generally don't use the online parts places because they cant wait for the stuff to be shipped. They need parts right away or at the very longest overnight. Your car sitting on a rack is money they are not making.

And since when is profit a 4 letter word. Shops aren't charities, they need to pay their bills and buy food and see movies and buy clothes for their kids too.
 
No One said profit was a four letter word. If cost was 160-70 and he charged me 250, I am fine with that, but if his cost was 110-20 then to me, 250 would be over the top.
 
If that part breaks under warranty, how much will you pay him? Most mechanics I know double their cost so that if they have to replace it under warranty they aren't getting killed. They also will not let you bring in your own part. If you don't like it, turn your own wrenches or go somewhere else.

ref
 
A good local shop told me a MOPAR electric fan for my Jeep was $350. They were less at RockAuto. But I found a new MOPAR one on EBAY for $70 with shipping. I think the place is a Chrysler dealer. Maybe trying to clear out selected excess inventory.
 
generally at my dealership when i was glancing over prices most parts they do stock they mark up about 50%. They charged me when i worked there, cost +5%.

Somethings they make a murder on because they can or it just seems cheap. Like a brake bulb or fuse, should cost them about 15-50 cents, since its bulk boxes. I seen service invoices of $3 per item. But then again sometimes things dont get charged when its part of decent enough ticket.

Tires is where the dealership made a killing until you mention the word tirerack and then the mark up is about 10%.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
If it matters when I sell wholesale the average discount given to a shop is 20-25% off of MSRP.


Yes they get around 20% off what the average joe would pay...and still mark it up another 20%. So 40% of what they paid.
 
Quote:
And since when is profit a 4 letter word. Shops aren't charities, they need to pay their bills and buy food and see movies and buy clothes for their kids too.

yep and its a ton of money every month just to break even operating a service garage.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Shops generally don't use the online parts places because they cant wait for the stuff to be shipped. They need parts right away or at the very longest overnight. Your car sitting on a rack is money they are not making.


Another reason shops don't use online parts houses very often, is the lack of support in the event of a problem.




Originally Posted By: refaller
If that part breaks under warranty, how much will you pay him? Most mechanics I know double their cost so that if they have to replace it under warranty they aren't getting killed. They also will not let you bring in your own part. If you don't like it, turn your own wrenches or go somewhere else.

ref


Most shops around here (including the one I work at) belong to programs that the parts houses offer which protects them in the event of a parts failure. If a part fails within the prescribed warranty period, the part will be covered and they'll get reimbursed for the labor claim, or get paid a flat rate to replace said part...
 
I guess it depends on the market. A friend of mine works at shop on the better to do side of town. average part markup is 100-200% and they get all of their parts from AAP. labor is $75/hr
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom