Fair labor price to replace struts & shocks?

[mclasser]

2013 Pilot.

My mechanic quoted his labor costs for the following work. I'll supply all parts:

$350 - front struts, strut mounts + bearings
$180 - rear shocks
$530 total

Is this fair?

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Yes, about in line with my Indy for labor only.

The “is $530 fair?” Is the wrong question. The correct question is, “Is saving me the headache and heartache of doing this job myself worth $530?” And at this level, my body enthusiastically shouts “Yes! YES!!!! It’s a bargain!”

 

[slacktide_bitog]

I think it was $200 ish for two quick struts, so $350 seems fair when not using quick struts.

Honda used to make OEM quick struts for your Pilot, but they may have been discontinued

 

[Drew7a]

Mechanics got to eat. If you think it it too much than DIY. If you don't have the skill and don't want to do it then it is a bargain.

I am not expert just a hobbyist and I just put a set shocks in the rear and strut cartridges in the front on a car that has seen salt. Took me close to 4 hours, fighting the rusted bolts.

 

[IndyIan]

It sounds reasonable since they are taking apart the struts. Doing the rear shocks is probably not a bad job to do at home, if you want to try your hand at some mechanic stuff.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Mechanics got to eat. If you think it it too much than DIY. If you don't have the skill and don't want to do it then it is a bargain.

I am not expert just a hobbyist and I just put a set shocks in the rear and strut cartridges in the front on a car that has seen salt. Took me close to 4 hours, fighting the rusted bolts.

For some people Drew, it’s not even “not having the skill”. It’s not having the specialized tools, or the area, or the time to do some of the bigger projects.

I’ve done front end “puck” lifts in my garage since its partial disassembly and nothing crazy, but the drop shackles on my F150 went to the Indy since it required unbolting the leaf springs at both ends, the spring perches for a DS alignment shim, and dropping the fuel tank. Could I have done it? Sure. But the avoided headache was worth every penny, AND I kept money flowing into one of the better mechanics in my town/county.

 

[atikovi]

$350 - front struts, strut mounts + bearings
$180 - rear shocks
$530 total

Is this fair?

Labor on the pair of struts is 3 1/2 hours and on the shocks 1 hour. Seems high at least for the rear shocks. He's upping the labor to compensate for the lack of profit on the parts.

 

[ls1mike]

Does not seem out of line to me.

 

[D60]

Also, OP states "my mechanic", suggesting he's familiar with this guy (or girl).

If you have previous experience that this guy does good work and is conscientious, it's a bargain. Work ethic is falling all the time and I wouldn't trust many "mechanics" to rotate my tires.

 

[dubber09]

Look at it this way - what's his rate per hr? Is he providing warranty on his work?
You are providing rear shocks, are you providing assembled front struts or just shocks? Is alignment included, my guess is no?

 

[meep]

I think it’s a bargain. Especially at 350 for the front. Does that include an alignment? Is he using decent parts? I would expect a higher price tag.

 

[GSCJR]

Is he using decent parts?

Quote is for labour only.

 

[Dave9]

It's not outrageous at all. How long it actually takes, determines how fair.

I would time it, not to bust his balls or argue at all, but just to get an idea of what the hourly labor rate turns out to be. This can be a consideration point for future repairs if it seems high, but in this case, it does not seem excessive.

As others mentioned, you're going to pay a bit for anyone else to bother to do the work instead of DIY.

It does seem high to me within the context of not paying someone else to do work I could myself. I mean that if you are cost conscious, you really, really, REALLY have to start DIY repairs once a vehicle gets past a certain age.

 

[SNWMBL]

The one doing the work gets to set the pay, whether you think it’s fair or not is irrelevant.

 

[spasm3]

2013 Pilot.

My mechanic quoted his labor costs for the following work. I'll supply all parts:

$350 - front struts, strut mounts + bearings
$180 - rear shocks
$530 total

Is this fair?

If you are buying struts and he is compressing the springs and replacing the mounts and struts, thats a good price especially if it includes the alignment.

IF its quick struts its an ok price , again does it include alignment ?

 

[clinebarger]

Calls for 4.8 hours, 3.6 for the struts & 1.2 for the shocks which is around $110 an hour. Very fair in my opinion

 

[Number_35]

Labor on the pair of struts is 3 1/2 hours and on the shocks 1 hour. Seems high at least for the rear shocks. He's upping the labor to compensate for the lack of profit on the parts.

$100/hour for the front, and $180/hour for the rear. Either way, that's a fairly reasonable hourly rate compared to many shops in this day and age.

 

[atikovi]

$100/hour for the front, and $180/hour for the rear. Either way, that's a fairly reasonable hourly rate compared to many shops in this day and age.

That's not Canadian dollars. $180/hr is more than what Mercedes dealer charge around here.

 

[Nick1994]

That's not Canadian dollars. $180/hr is more than what Mercedes dealer charge around here.

$195 an hour at my Hyundai dealership

 

[The Critic]

That's not Canadian dollars. $180/hr is more than what Mercedes dealer charge around here.

$270/hr at my buddy’s MB dealer.