I will never understand why someone believing that someone else using their knowledge, skills, equipment, facility etc etc to solve a problem for them isn't worth anything.
Actually I think it may be the opposite. The two mechanics I deal with are always booked for weeks with long term customers. Very customer relationship based. No mass advertising or coupons, just strong word of mouth and generational business. I think they just spread those diagnostic costs across the repairs and have a very small percentage of customers that actually don't move forward with repairs.My 0.02 - when mechanics are booked for weeks in advance they are not likely to do any work for free.
Just replace the sensor if it's never been done on your 2006 (17 y.o.) car.
That's cheap! The Cummins stuff for the big trucks is $10k for the scanner and $500 a month to use it.To diagnose your car the mechanic has to use a $3,000 diagnostic tool,
My local guy charges a diag fee if I don’t have him do the actual repair. If he does the repair as well, he considers that part of what he was going to have to do anyways and does not “add” that to the total. Just a plain diag fee is 1 hour labor, or $65 in my case. If I’ve made the diagnosis and simply want him to change parts, I get charged book time for the R&R and any parts I supply are my responsibility if there’s any warranty issues. I’m good with all that.
Do YOU work for free??Wanted to get some opinions here to see if I'm crazy or not.
I have a 2006 Honda CRV and deal with an independent mechanic and have a backup for when the primary is booked up. Both of them are backed up for weeks.
It is a throwing a P0325 knock sensor code and I need it fixed before my kid takes it back to college with him. So I start calling around and every place I talk to wants $150-$200 in diagnostic fees to even look at it without any of that cost going towards the repair. While I appreciate that they spend time for diagnostics and many times the customer will choose not to get the repair done, an hour or more of labor seems excessive. I've been getting cars repaired for more than 30 years and have never paid for someone to just look at a car.
Is this the new normal or have I just been lucky for 30 years?
An hour of labor charge for diagnostics is normal.Wanted to get some opinions here to see if I'm crazy or not.
I have a 2006 Honda CRV and deal with an independent mechanic and have a backup for when the primary is booked up. Both of them are backed up for weeks.
It is a throwing a P0325 knock sensor code and I need it fixed before my kid takes it back to college with him. So I start calling around and every place I talk to wants $150-$200 in diagnostic fees to even look at it without any of that cost going towards the repair. While I appreciate that they spend time for diagnostics and many times the customer will choose not to get the repair done, an hour or more of labor seems excessive. I've been getting cars repaired for more than 30 years and have never paid for someone to just look at a car.
Is this the new normal or have I just been lucky for 30 years?