That’s a Napa part number for those rotors and they retail for $119 each.
Please lie to me and tell me this is a fair price...
- Thread starter JeffKeryk
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Parts are marked up as expected and the labor rate is in line for the area, possibly even lower than the market.
That's not the point. The point is IMO, he got shafted. What kind of diff service did he get for 149.50 labor and only 3 pints of oil? Most MH diffs hold at least 8 if not 16 or more pints of oil. Was that to replace an oil seal? Only grease seals are listed, which would go along with the front brake job. The bill is very sloppily written, poorly explained (may have been verbally explained). What was the 32.99 "sealer" for?
Looks like the shop uses a parts matrix. Not uncommon.
Why would anyone waive the diag fee - that was time spent to discover the issue. Repair is a separate operation. The tech would not get paid for their time spent on diag if the fee was waived.
No one got shafted. This is a repair estimate.
Anyway, 4.5 hr for rear pads, rotors and calipers is not out-of-line. Parts mark-up is quite typical of the higher-end independent shops that use a parts matrix.
Example: https://www.ratchetandwrench.com/articles/3533-building-a-parts-matrix
People get ticked at me for saying this, but dealerships are often cheaper than the better independent shops simply due to the lower parts mark-up.
Example: https://www.ratchetandwrench.com/articles/3533-building-a-parts-matrix
People get ticked at me for saying this, but dealerships are often cheaper than the better independent shops simply due to the lower parts mark-up.
I am pretty sure you are correct.
Somebody did. The person who is paying. Don't ask.
We are not talking about computer diagnostics for a intermittent or complex problem here, its a leaking brake. A few min job a best unless you are lazy or incompetent.
In this area for simple diagnostics the fee is most of the time waived if the customer has the work done, the mechanic has work he may not have had that day.
Come on too strong with diagnostic fees and you will get a bad rep for being a clip joint right quick. You should charge for a time consuming and difficult diagnostic session but not for a leaking water pump, brake line/cylinder, collapsed strut or shock, etc. Common sense.
https://autoshopinvoice.com/blog/auto-shop-invoice-basics-to-diagnostic-fee-or-not-to-diagnostic-fee
They waived the brake inspection; the final price was $1,843.
My brother owned and operated Comprehensive Mechanics in Santa Cruz. He charged 1 hour diagnoses that was generally waived if the customer had the work done. Greg died in 1994 of cancer at 44. He left me his hand tools. I have maybe $20K of Snap On tools; a big SO roll away and his SO smaller box.
I do a heck of an oil change...
My brother owned and operated Comprehensive Mechanics in Santa Cruz. He charged 1 hour diagnoses that was generally waived if the customer had the work done. Greg died in 1994 of cancer at 44. He left me his hand tools. I have maybe $20K of Snap On tools; a big SO roll away and his SO smaller box.
I do a heck of an oil change...
Did they have to pull the axles and press the rotors off the hubs?
Dunno. I believe the answer is yes. Others more knowledgeable than me can chime in...
It doesn't seem excessive for an auto repair shop in Felton. It's certainly not a good deal, they are charging full list but that is an expensive area to live/do business. You can look at NAPA auto parts website for Ernie's and see their online pricing. examples rotors are $145, calipers $37 as retail, list is always higher.
I would like to offer a heart felt thanks for all the beautiful lies. I feel better now that it's done...
You guys ROCK!
You guys ROCK!
The “few minutes” spent is the tech working for free if he/she is flat rate. I can agree that a diagnostic charge should sometimes be reduced for something extremely simple (perhaps 1/2 hr instead of the normal 1hr), but it is industry standard that diagnostic time is something that a technician needs to be compensated for.
Parts- They paid less than $30 for the pads and are attempting to charge you $85. The Brake Shoes are $25 and they are trying to charge you $77
The rotors are less than $100 their price.. Permatex is $8 and they are asking $33
IMHO they are double dipping too hard. I can understand the labor but with their parts discount that is way overboard.
Too greedy.
The rotors are less than $100 their price.. Permatex is $8 and they are asking $33
IMHO they are double dipping too hard. I can understand the labor but with their parts discount that is way overboard.
Too greedy.
Having a greedy attitude will put you out of business faster than anything, we are not talking about someone that comes in for a diagnosis and leaves, that certainly has to be charged and rightfully so but someone who has the work performed is another story.
Customer comes in for grinding brakes, you suspect the pads and rotors are shot, you check it out by removing the front wheels and you see the brakes need replacement, the customer agrees to do the work.
You are already into the job just doing the diagnosing why would you charge a diagnostic fee other than greed? This is how the customer will see that charge and you will without a doubt loose that customer and get a bad online review.
If you spend an hour diagnosing a problem with a scan tool and find it was just a bad connection at the MAF that is a 10 min repair of course you charge a diagnostic fee. Like I said its just common sense.
All of it, boy.
If they brought the RV into the shop there's a chance they had to move two or more other vehicles to clear up bays to work on this. This could be reflected in the "diagnostic fee." Imagine if you get a tree through your roof in a storm, and a roofer's working on your neighbor's house. He can drop what he's doing to fix your emergency but still has to tear down his scaffolding mid-job. This may be what's going on here.
And they got it in same day, sounds like.
So under the old formula, quick, cheap, and competent-- pick two-- sounds like they scuttled the cheap.
And they got it in same day, sounds like.
So under the old formula, quick, cheap, and competent-- pick two-- sounds like they scuttled the cheap.
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Look at it this way, it’s hard work, it’s a big vehicle...not like you’re rolling in there in a Toyota Corolla.
I had a plumber change me $500 bucks for two compression fittings and about a half a foot of copper line And a faucet. House call, rental property. Nothing I could do. The faucet was leaking. The guy was there less than an hour. I’ve also had a plumber charge me $350 bucks for a $20 dollar valve that he had to sweat in. He was there 10 minutes. I had an HVAC guy charge me $750 for a recover drier and recharge on my house central ac. It took him 45 minutes and he happily said to me...whoever installed this system probably did it on a late Friday afternoon. All the welds are junk, there is no warranty if this thing leaks out tomorrow. Which was his way of saying...it’s Friday afternoon, I did a terrible job and I’m not coming back, what are you going to do about it?
So, for all the reputation mechanics get as being thieves...they are small potatoes compared to some other trades. They really are. And they’re small postage’s compared to the people selling your house (when they walk away with 20 grand after you busted your butt the whole time), or the guys doing your mortgage and burying $2,000 worth of hidden fees in there (what’s an extra 2 grand, give or take?? I swear one guy told me that). Or the lawyer who charges you $250 an hour just to hear your story, as you go through that divorce or try to protect yourself from someone trying to sue you. Mechanics are the least of my worries.
I had a plumber change me $500 bucks for two compression fittings and about a half a foot of copper line And a faucet. House call, rental property. Nothing I could do. The faucet was leaking. The guy was there less than an hour. I’ve also had a plumber charge me $350 bucks for a $20 dollar valve that he had to sweat in. He was there 10 minutes. I had an HVAC guy charge me $750 for a recover drier and recharge on my house central ac. It took him 45 minutes and he happily said to me...whoever installed this system probably did it on a late Friday afternoon. All the welds are junk, there is no warranty if this thing leaks out tomorrow. Which was his way of saying...it’s Friday afternoon, I did a terrible job and I’m not coming back, what are you going to do about it?
So, for all the reputation mechanics get as being thieves...they are small potatoes compared to some other trades. They really are. And they’re small postage’s compared to the people selling your house (when they walk away with 20 grand after you busted your butt the whole time), or the guys doing your mortgage and burying $2,000 worth of hidden fees in there (what’s an extra 2 grand, give or take?? I swear one guy told me that). Or the lawyer who charges you $250 an hour just to hear your story, as you go through that divorce or try to protect yourself from someone trying to sue you. Mechanics are the least of my worries.
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