Let's see... Tens of thousands in tools, the shop and a combined bazillion years of experience and knowledge...
DIY auto repair means not having to deal with obnoxious auto repair shop prices
- Thread starter pacem
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@JeffKeryk Spot on! My father, and many mechanics have take out insurance on their tools. Once for insurance he had to provide an itemized estimate of replacement cost for every single tool in his box. That estimate came out to over $150k including the tool box and that was the stuff just inside his box.
I was told in the rust belt they just count on cutting drums off with a torch.
For that matter a lot of DIYers have a socket set but don't get into hot works, including O/A torches. But seeing some of the tricks rust belt guys have with a torch is pretty cool. Eric O has some neat tricks as an example.
Good point but those tool costs are tax deductible. IMO, Snap On gets to charge outrageous prices for their stuff knowing this bc they know most if not all of their customers are pros that can do this as part of doing business. I think, on top of deductible business costs, additional savings are due to depreciation deductions.
But but but.. I looked up the problem on the Youtubes and it said it should be a quick fix.
And and and, I found a deal online for the part, it will get here next month, so I don't understand why the mechanic charges so much.But but but.. I looked up the problem on the Youtubes and it said it should be a quick fix.
A new rotor and pad slap is something every home mechanic can do. Breaking the threads on the bleed screws and replacing calipers or the master cylinder is one level up in the risk category since you better be good at properly torquing the connections. Maybe have a gear head friend with you the first time you do it. 
Until the pistons don't push back. Or you're ill-prepared and didn't know they were wind back pistons. Or a rotor retention screw rounds out. Or a caliper mounting bolt strips (actually common on 2nd Gen Rams)A new rotor and pad slap is something every home mechanic can do. Breaking the threads on the bleed screws and replacing calipers or the master cylinder is one level up in the risk category since you better be good at properly torquing the connections. Maybe have a gear head friend with you the first time you do it.
Anyway I'm in favor of DIY but in a driveway on your knees small problems quickly become big problems.
You have to know your skill set and your tool collection. Balance that with time, energy and $$.
I do most of my own basic stuff but it is in a driveway sitting on my butt. Once it gets to the more major issues off to the shop it goes or if really time/weather pressed also. Save when I can, pay for the experience, speed, and warranty if not.
JHZR2
Staff member
It seems like a lot, but it really depends upon the parts.
Was this ata dealer using OEM parts? What is the quality of the replacement calipers? Yukon Denali brakes are pretty large. They aren’t cheap in their own right. Was the parts OP used Chinese junk or quality sourced?
Was this ata dealer using OEM parts? What is the quality of the replacement calipers? Yukon Denali brakes are pretty large. They aren’t cheap in their own right. Was the parts OP used Chinese junk or quality sourced?
And here is why the dealer is going to cost you more. I'm using my 2021 GMC Canyon as an example since I am in the market for new front rotors and pads.
RockAuto - Good Aftermarket Parts:
Same estimate at a local repair place. Parts are roughly $400 since they came from an auto parts distributor and the distributor and the mechanic mark up the parts. $150/hr for two hours and your at $700. Add tax and your at $743.75.
This is a loose example but you get the idea. Going to the dealer with OEM parts is going to cost you about 30-40% more than a local shop using good aftermarket parts.
RockAuto - Good Aftermarket Parts:
- Power Stop coated rotors. $53.79ea
- Power Stop Truck and Tow pads. $53.79
- Total shipped $180.76....and they show up in 3 business days
- GM Rotors. $102.99ea
- GM pads. $84.99
- Total shipped $290.97....and they show up in 9 business days.
- GM Rotors. $206.58ea
- GM Pads. $168.56
- Total MSRP: $581.76
Same estimate at a local repair place. Parts are roughly $400 since they came from an auto parts distributor and the distributor and the mechanic mark up the parts. $150/hr for two hours and your at $700. Add tax and your at $743.75.
This is a loose example but you get the idea. Going to the dealer with OEM parts is going to cost you about 30-40% more than a local shop using good aftermarket parts.
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BMW ABS DSC hydro: $4,200 (2016) at dealer
DIY: ~ $500 to include the tools, software, and materials
I had never removed an ABS pump before. It’s 8 years later and all is well.
There are folks who install hot water heaters. Run their own electrical. Build sheds. Build garages. Nothing is easy but nothing is impossible.
Maybe wealthy people don’t care as some have too much (really not being facetious), but at the same time they won’t know the satisfaction either of diy. Everyone is different.
DIY: ~ $500 to include the tools, software, and materials
I had never removed an ABS pump before. It’s 8 years later and all is well.
There are folks who install hot water heaters. Run their own electrical. Build sheds. Build garages. Nothing is easy but nothing is impossible.
Maybe wealthy people don’t care as some have too much (really not being facetious), but at the same time they won’t know the satisfaction either of diy. Everyone is different.
Some DIY know what they are doing however it’s a massive red flag on buying any used car . People take tons of short cut and using improper tools damaging vehicles trying to maintain them.
The scariest is teenage drivers (almost always male) with bolt-on aftermarket everything like headlights, taillights, CHMSL, light bar etc. They buy the cheapest components that "look cool" and install with a Great Neck socket set from the dollar store.
There have been several posts in the last few months where BITOGers add up the cost of parts, then get mad the shop didn’t do the work at cost, and in this case state the shop is exploiting customers. Rent/mortgage, insurance, payroll, taxes, utilities, equipment, consumables, shop needs a new boiler or roof, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc. All this BEFORE the owner gets paid a nickel.
As a business owner, sometimes I charge $60 for a material that cost me $5, not because I’m a shyster, but because the $55 is for my knowledge and skill (I don’t have a separate labor charge). Some procedures I make a lot of profit compared to the cost of the materials and for some procedures I make much less profit compared to the cost of materials. Some things I charge more for because I don’t like doing them and the higher price is what it’s worth to me to do it.
I have no idea what other offices in my area charge for any given procedure because it’s not relevant to me. My costs and OH are specific to my particular business and I charge what I charge to cover my OH and make the living I want to make. If someone doesn’t like it, well, they called me and made an appointment, and I didn’t beg them to pick my practice. Everyone knows what the cost will be before the cost is incurred. If they want cheaper they are free to go somewhere cheaper.
My real point is, if all you did was look at the cost of materials for what I was doing, it would give you a very skewed idea of the actual cost to me to do a particular procedure. At the end of the day, I don’t feel bad at all that I made a healthy profit and that profit is how I feed my family and send my kids to college. In the end, I think I’m worth every penny.
As a business owner, sometimes I charge $60 for a material that cost me $5, not because I’m a shyster, but because the $55 is for my knowledge and skill (I don’t have a separate labor charge). Some procedures I make a lot of profit compared to the cost of the materials and for some procedures I make much less profit compared to the cost of materials. Some things I charge more for because I don’t like doing them and the higher price is what it’s worth to me to do it.
I have no idea what other offices in my area charge for any given procedure because it’s not relevant to me. My costs and OH are specific to my particular business and I charge what I charge to cover my OH and make the living I want to make. If someone doesn’t like it, well, they called me and made an appointment, and I didn’t beg them to pick my practice. Everyone knows what the cost will be before the cost is incurred. If they want cheaper they are free to go somewhere cheaper.
My real point is, if all you did was look at the cost of materials for what I was doing, it would give you a very skewed idea of the actual cost to me to do a particular procedure. At the end of the day, I don’t feel bad at all that I made a healthy profit and that profit is how I feed my family and send my kids to college. In the end, I think I’m worth every penny.
Agreed. Sometimes the additional cost is just because I took the time to acquire it, I fronted the $ (even if just for a day) and I know WHAT to choose.
DIY Joe might look at quick struts and wonder why my parts are so much more expensive. Beyond standard markup, there are some products I just won't use like no-name/house brand quick struts or ignition coils etc
Often it is, before youtube and BITOG I was pretty much only taking my cars to the shop, but now, I always check out what needs to be done. If its pretty simple then I just do it myself, and I tackle some tougher stuff if I have time.But but but.. I looked up the problem on the Youtubes and it said it should be a quick fix.
I find its kind of fun anyways, put on some classic rock radio and fix my old ford...
How was it so easy? Are you not in the rust belt?
I did about a dozen brake jobs and it still takes me a couple hours per axle.
Half the time spent cleaning rust.
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2011 Enclave, the rear brakes were shot at 33k. Back then (about 2014 we couldn’t get the rotors off and were in a hurry). Firestone did rear pads and rotors for $280, which imho is cheap considering rotors. The rotors were in fact cheap and began turning orange in a week, and they lost the rubber plug for the adjuster screw. Been DIY since but the $280 was reasonable. It was something like $99 per axle plus extra for rotors. That’s likely cheap nowadays…
Ps I use genuine GM as they are baked in nitrogen and remain rust free for quite a while. Not as long as zinc coated Germans, but pretty long more than a year…
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