DIY auto repair means not having to deal with obnoxious auto repair shop prices

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

If you did all that work at home in 2 hours without air tools or specialty tools, congratulations. you're Superman! And all those parts for $300?

I watched a YouTube video a while back where a pro at an independent shop started a 4-wheel brake job on a customer's Dodge (maybe a Durango?) at 4PM and finished at 5PM. While I don't remember everything he did, it was a very complete job -- not just new pads. I was very impressed with his time-saving tricks and the specialized tools he used. Probably would have taken the average home mechanic a full morning or afternoon. I say that because I've been there, done that!

On the other end of the spectrum, I've changed Girling pads with retainer pins on all 4 wheels in 45 minutes or less! Who remembers those?

I tell friends and family two things now since I can not do the work for them anymore:
#1 Try to find a small indy shop and get to know the owners. If a person can do that you can save lots of money and have piece of mind knowing who you dealing with and maybe can trust and pay decent (not highway robbery) prices for the work done. In all fairness the dealerships need that money to stay open , pay wages , insurance and all other sorts of overhead small shops can mostly avoid.
#2 Also ask them look at some YouTube videos of the job you will pay to have done so you can have some appreciation for the person doing that work and maybe realize why things cost so much. It can make them feel al lot better when they have to pull out the old check book.

 

[D60]

I'm about to install a cistern at my house.

I'm sure I could plumb it in and get it all working. I don't want to. I'd rather keep working in the shop and spend my time making money that way, than "saving" money doing it myself.

I'm going to pay a professional. I need this basically turn-key. I simply don't have time for anything else.

For some people the same principle applies to auto repair.

If I followed online directions, I could probably cook a near-gourmet meal that would be close to high restaurant quality. I don't want to. Same principle.

 

[Leo99]

Some jobs annoy me on certain vehicles. Serpentine belt on my old Corolla was easy. Very difficult on the old RAV4. Same with brake pads.

 

[Rand]

I used one like that to clean the rust from a shop vac that had been left with water in it that had been vacuumed. Did it in my Dad's garage while he was on vacation. When he got back he said "what happened in the garage, there is sand everywhere".

I think to to caliper brackets you need a sand blaster cabinet.

I was thinking outside.. I would never use that inside.

I saw some interesting pricing in RA. You could get their cheapest reman caliper with bracket for a lot less than a plain bracket. That cheap reman caliper might be junky but the bracket should be OK. Rather than spending the time to clean up an old rusty bracket you order the cheap reman caliper with bracket, return cheap reman caliper and old rusty bracket and you got a new bracket pretty cheap.

Not all brackets and calipers are interchangeable..

 

[clinebarger]

It's a very real scenario, probably the most common given the greed, "nature" of people who usually become mechs, and the flat rate system, that the wrencher does exactly the same as the inexperienced DIYer and just slaps cheap parts on without a care about specifications.

Your average mechanic working at a shop doesn't have a say on the quality of parts used, What is the "nature" of people who usually become mechanics exactly? And please add what honorable profession you're in?

 

[slo town]

it ended up being all brake pads, 2 calipers, 2 rotors and bleeding the brakes. Got $300 in parts and did it myself in under 2 hours. Most of the time was spent jacking the car up and looking for the right sockets. I am slow and I have zero power tools. There is no way that was $1000 in labor. I spent 30 mins per wheel (and did 3/4, the 4th one didn't need it but I think the caliper is sticking thus needs replacement). I think a well equipped shop with a rack and all the tools ready can do it spending 15 mins per wheel, someone who does it every day.
No broken/seized bolts, no rusty lines, nothing special at all.

Doing all four corners; including jacking up the vehicle, wheel removal, pulling calipers and caliper brackets in order to R&R the rotors, breaking hydraulic lines and R&R'ing two calipers, retracting pistons on calipers not being replaced, R&R'ing pads, plus bleeding the brakes, then reinstalling wheels and putting the vehicle back on the ground....in under two hours. Wow, you are fast.

Scott

 

[slo town]

What the industry has done a very poor job on is policing the sale of repairs and services that are not needed, or jobs that are done poorly. For this example - $1300 sounds fair IF they clean the hub, lube the pins, and check the runout. What percentage do that? Probably very few.

Maybe it's just me, but I consider thoroughly cleaning the hubs part of doing a quality brake job. In other words, standard procedure.

Scott

 

[VersatileGuy]

Your average mechanic working at a shop doesn't have a say on the quality of parts used, What is the "nature" of people who usually become mechanics exactly? And please add what honorable profession you're in?

The profit function motivates human behavior. Mechs just so happen to be a field that is particularly sensitive to both the number of transactions and the amount received. They deserve the same amount of contempt as doctors, lawyers, car salesmen, real estate agents, and dentists. Professions that thrive on the inflammatory damages of the customer.

For every Eric O. of South Main Auto, there's many more who are just diagnostic "abusers" who just do things for the money.

In fact, I actually do share the same amount of resentment towards mechanics as the OP, although my scenario is different. Trying to sell both an alternator and battery when only the battery was weak, and holding the car hostage was what motivated my to do some DIY work. Now, this guy was tasked to do body work due to insurance covering it, but even with that, he thought it was prime opporutnity to exploit a woman and ESOL customer by trying to extract a sale. That same alternator is still alive today, powering the car's 12V system for 17 years and 225k.

 

[mbres2000]

The profit function motivates human behavior. Mechs just so happen to be a field that is particularly sensitive to both the number of transactions and the amount received. They deserve the same amount of contempt as doctors, lawyers, car salesmen, real estate agents, and dentists. Professions that thrive on the inflammatory damages of the customer.

Sounds like we need some kind of watchdog entity to set pay scales for every profession, as well as profits allowed for every company. And we could all wear the same uniforms and caps to work! Of course, we would all drive the same type of car--an EV, of course--and buy them at the same set price.

 

[D60]

The profit function motivates human behavior. Mechs just so happen to be a field that is particularly sensitive to both the number of transactions and the amount received. They deserve the same amount of contempt as doctors, lawyers, car salesmen, real estate agents, and dentists. Professions that thrive on the inflammatory damages of the customer.

For every Eric O. of South Main Auto, there's many more who are just diagnostic "abusers" who just do things for the money.

In fact, I actually do share the same amount of resentment towards mechanics as the OP, although my scenario is different. Trying to sell both an alternator and battery when only the battery was weak, and holding the car hostage was what motivated my to do some DIY work. Now, this guy was tasked to do body work due to insurance covering it, but even with that, he thought it was prime opporutnity to exploit a woman and ESOL customer by trying to extract a sale. That same alternator is still alive today, powering the car's 12V system for 17 years and 225k.

You had a bad experience. We all do.

Before I did my own work I thought mechanics were greedy, and certainly some are. But I also understand wanting to avoid comebacks, and increasingly low quality parts make the tech look incompetent when they did nothing wrong

I still have plenty of customers who think pad slapping is a "brake job." True, in many cases it works but it simply is not best practice. And turning rotors is rarely cost effective these days.

I also do new slider pins and boots on EVERY brake job. It's not greed. How am I to know that a 15-year-old rubber accordion boot won't tear two weeks later and hang a caliper? Not replacing that little stuff is penny foolish.

I also do the hose if I'm replacing a caliper. Cheap insurance and the system is already open at that point. Not greed, just good sense.

If you found a bad shop, tell everyone in the area who will listen. Word of mouth is huge.

 

[jeepman3071]

Do you know all the overhead and nuances of being in business? You should double down on what it takes to run businesses before you use the word "exploit. Normal brake jobs are running $500/$700.00 per axle (at least). Throwing in the additional parts you mentioned doesn't equal-"exploit"-IMHO.
15 minutes a wheel-give me a break. (LOL)

Your post borders on hilarious or naive-I'm not sure which.

+1

People don't understand that the price they are paying is for the service of having someone else do it for them, not how much the parts cost. They are paying for the overhead of the shop, paying employees, insurance, etc. Not to mention the shop usually has to offer a warranty on parts and their labor, and ordering parts takes time. Nobody works for free.

I get this a lot with my small engine side business. People see that I added labor to change a fuel filter, and say "well I can buy a fuel filter for $5 on Amazon". Sure, you can, but then you have to install it, you have to order it, and if the Chinese crappy part fails you have to return it and deal with buying another one.

 

[KrisZ]

I wonder how people that criticize the compensation of others view their own.

 

[jeepman3071]

I wonder how people that criticize the compensation of others view their own.

Exactly how you suspect, usually they believe they should be the highest paid for their work.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I tell people if they don't like the work they are getting go get $100K worth of tools and hundreds of years of experience and do it yourself.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I wonder how people that criticize the compensation of others view their own.

Spot on. I don't work for free and don't expect others to do so.

 

[CKN]

+1

People don't understand that the price they are paying is for the service of having someone else do it for them, not how much the parts cost. They are paying for the overhead of the shop, paying employees, insurance, etc. Not to mention the shop usually has to offer a warranty on parts and their labor, and ordering parts takes time. Nobody works for free.

I get this a lot with my small engine side business. People see that I added labor to change a fuel filter, and say "well I can buy a fuel filter for $5 on Amazon". Sure, you can, but then you have to install it, you have to order it, and if the Chinese crappy part fails you have to return it and deal with buying another one.

Nice Post!

 

[IndyIan]

I can understand why shops charge what they charge, and no one should work at a frenzied pace all day everyday, as they get burnt out, injured, take some shortcuts, and make mistakes. Going to a garage makes owning a pointlessly complex vehicle quite expensive as it ages though...
I just learn to do stuff myself, and usually its fine, as part swapping isn't too difficult on my Focus, and I've decided to keep atleast one simple car for as long as I can. It's kind of hobby that pays very well, and it lets me keep my old car on the road with a couple small jobs and some bigger projects maybe once or twice a year. Looking at my screen time shows that I definitely have time to spare for it!
Having a parts car is very handy as well, as I don't even have to go to the store, and some doodads are probably not available easily.

 

[D60]

I'm still waiting for OP to reappear and explain EXACTLY what he did in two hours for $300. And EXACTLY what the $1300 quote encompassed. I still maintain it's not clear from the first post -- we're left to make assumptions.

Funny how sometimes they just wander away like Towelie.....

 

[Exhaustgases]

One thing not even mentioned here, that is especially true for a licensed business (automotive shop), and especially when it comes to the most important system on a vehicle, is the huge liability involved. They do have to have insurance coverage for such.
To the OP if you have a job, maybe you are charging your employer way too much for what you do, and since you would like the auto shop to cut their cost to you, then do the same for your employer. Is that logical?

 

[thastinger]

I do all of my own work that I want to do, brake jobs are low hanging fruit but I just had a shop put struts on the front of one of our vehicles and I did the rear shocks. I can't balance tires but my local walmart has lifetime rotate and balance for 12 bucks a tire and I don't have to buy the tires from them.
The local indy doesn't need my business, they are a week out to do a state safety inspection. Didn't used to be that way, but the present delay is causing me to do things myself that I would probably pay them to do.