Auto repair cost

[Narragansett]

On Sunday I had lunch with #2 son Dominic ( he is short fat one in picture ) at the Black Dog Tavern in Putnam, CT. Great place!

He is a master auto tech but currently a claims adjuster in CT for Progressive. We were talking a little shop, and some how we got on dealership service rates. He told me most dealerships are at 140.00 to 180.00 dollars per hour for labor. He said one BMW dealership in Hartford just raised their rates from 180/hour to 240.00/hour at one shot.

It looks like Dealerships are trying to keep their doors open on the backs of their service customers

EDIT: I Miss going to my son for the Dad discount. The last time he worked on my car, we did the rear brakes, trannny oil, coolant flush, cabin filter, exhaust coupling, wheel bearing, tire rotation, alignment and new serpentine belt. Oh, and oil. I knew I was losing him, so I jumped on getting it all done.

The last place he worked, went under. Young guy got sick so he decided to stop turning wrenches for a bit.

He went to New England Tech, and got an associates in advanced automotive, then he went another semester for high performance certification. Then he went for a BA in service management. # 2 in his class and graduated with honors. I am sure the right deal will come along. Progressive threw top money at him, and took him in the first interview.

As for the drain plug that Two Dogs mentioned, my son torques them all.

The pics of his tool box have over 80K in snap- on stuff. He has all the power tools, meters etc. Just got their best diagnostic tool. I am afraid what that cost.

He is looking for the right opportunity.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I just had a oil change don at a Boutique shop with $180 an Hr rates. The kid pumping gas at minimum wage could have done as well!

For some unknown reason my tires needed Schrader Valve maintenance kits (4) @ $5.40 each, which consisted of a new Schrader valve core. These are the same Schrader valve cores I bought for A/C repair at $2.00/20!

Ivan

 

[NYlakesider]

I just had a oil change don at a Boutique shop with $180 an Hr rates. The kid pumping gas at minimum wage could have done as well!

For some unknown reason my tires needed Schrader Valve maintenance kits (4) @ $5.40 each, which consisted of a new Schrader valve core. These are the same Schrader valve cores I bought for A/C repair at $2.00/20!

Ivan

Wow another quick way of separating people from a $20.00 bill or was that just for the kits and the instillation was extra!

What excuse did they give you for that? You said oil change, not dismounting a tire/s?-

 

[Protocall_Design]

It's like an oil change. With new oil, you need a new filter. With new air, you need a new valve...

 

[Rule3]

It's like an oil change. With new oil, you need a new filter. With new air, you need a new valve...

If you get nitrogen you need special Nitro valves!

 

[Truckman]

For some unknown reason my tires needed Schrader Valve maintenance kits (4) @ $5.40 each, which consisted of a new Schrader valve core.

I was in the tire and auto repair biz for 35 years before opening my gun store...I could usually fix a leaking valve core by tightening it back down with the core wrench I kept in my shirt pocket...I always recommended a new valve stem with a new tire because the rubber in a stem deteriorates just like the rubber in the tire...But a "schrader valve maintenance kit?"...That's just silly...They may as well pull the cores from discarded stems, stick 'em in a baggie and put a price tag on them......Ben

 

[Truckman]

If you get nitrogen you need special Nitro valves!

And remember never mix radial air with bias ply air, or put that cheap bias ply air in a radial tire...It makes them vibrate above 55 miles an hour......Ben

 

[Rich Richardson]

I was a service manager at Honda dealerships in NY for many years. Through the 70s, 80s and very early early 90s, we thrived on scheduled maintenance. Customers came in every 3,000 miles. The best money was at the 12,000 mile major service.

Fast forward to cars not requiring much for 100,000 miles and oil changes at 10,000 miles. Couple this with the dealership owner demanding, at the minimum, a 10% yearly increase in service sales and still maintain a high CSI.

Rock and hard place scenario.

Best career move I made was to open my own shops and leave the dealerships.

 

[twodog max]

I bought a new Toyota Tacoma last year that came with Toyota service for 2 years 25,000 miles. I took it in last Friday for the 10,000 mile service. Got home and noticed a puddle of oil under the truck. Put my 70 year old carcass under there and found that the oil drain plug was loose. It took between a half and quarter turn to tighten. At the rates that I am sure Toyota is charged for this they could at least hire a moron smart enough to tighten the drain plug.
Holiday weekend they have been closed but tomorrow morning I will be there first thing and I will not be in my party mood.

 

[Rich Richardson]

I bought a new Toyota Tacoma last year that came with Toyota service for 2 years 25,000 miles. I took it in last Friday for the 10,000 mile service. Got home and noticed a puddle of oil under the truck. Put my 70 year old carcass under there and found that the oil drain plug was loose. It took between a half and quarter turn to tighten. At the rates that I am sure Toyota is charged for this they could at least hire a moron smart enough to tighten the drain plug.
Holiday weekend they have been closed but tomorrow morning I will be there first thing and I will not be in my party mood.

I hired a Honda trained tech and soon after, he did an oil change for a customer. Next day the customer came in with an oil leak. Gave it back to the tech and turns out he didn’t fully tighten the drain plug. Fired him on the spot. A week later the union rep and him came in to discuss his dismissal. I said if I can’t trust you to do an oil change, I won’t risk my customers’ lives on a brake job you perform. He stayed fired.

 

[Breakaway500]

Supply and demand. Good professional techs make great money and IF they are really good, they often open their own shops. Makes for a tight high quality Pro-tech job market.

Same with most any profession. Ive seen a lot in my 50+ year career in the vehicle repair world. Glad Im not just starting out!

Todays cars really require some incredible skills to diagnose/repair.

Wait till there are NO mechanics/technicians etc left to work on anything.
Not like you can just pop new ones out of a Pez dispenser!

Then what will someone pay for service. Ah...well..just toss it and buy another won't be coming to the car industry any time soon,although China is working on that. Transportation pods. All automated.But now I digress..

Prices are just insane. Everything cost more.

Maybe artificial intelligence will take up the slack.

Gort! Fix saucer!

 

[mtgianni]

Dealerships base their rates on what they can charge the manufacturer for warranty work. That is the core of their business.

 

[fiasconva]

The thing that irritates me the most is that most of the dealerships don't need to gouge their customers. I see the service bays full and cars all over the lots waiting to be serviced. They have plenty of business! I can't help but wonder how many of those customers feel ripped off and do not frequent that dealership again.

 

[Gamecock]

Whah!

Get a boat, and see what heck looks like.

Break Out Another Thousand.

 

[ezb57]

Its all part of "greedflation".

 

[meaneyedcatz]

If the dealer principal does not charge $200.00 an hour how can he afford his third vacation home and boat?

 

[Geeorge]

I used to be a pro wrench myself and still stay up on stuff and , still have all my tools. With the way youtube videos guide you thru jobs its easier than ever to do repairs if you have any motivation. One thing no one on Youtube has tackled is replacing an alternator on 2012 fiat 500. The stuff you have to remove to get the alternator out is stupid. You have to pull two studs out of the block that keep you from removing a bracket to get the alternator out. And the studs can only be turned about 1/10 of a turn with a stud puller and then it has to be repositioned and done again. Needless to say the studs aren't necessary and bolts went back in their places. Here is my old tool box and the car that I have been working on since 1981, it's finished and then it isn't on it's 4th engine, none were worn out just need to go faster

 

[SMSgt]

I can't find a mechanic that can fix a clock that is five minutes off.

 

[snowman]

I used to be a pro wrench myself and still stay up on stuff and , still have all my tools. With the way youtube videos guide you thru jobs its easier than ever to do repairs if you have any motivation.... Here is my old tool box and the car that I have been working on since 1981, it's finished and then it isn't on it's 4th engine, none were worn out just need to go faster

I've saved a sizable amount of money using YouTube auto repair videos, and can confirm that they make many jobs a lot easier.

Re: the Dart. That is a nice one! Care to tell us which engine you ended up installing in it? I'm also wondering if you had to shorten the rear axle to get the those wider tires inside the fenders. I wouldn't mind having a Dart of that vintage in restomod form; but alas, available funds won't permit it.

Thanks for sharing the picture, sir!
Andy

 

[BC38]

Yeah, talk about vehicle related prices going up...
I had to buy a new battery for my quad yesterday.
$100 bill - before taxes or core charge! $130 total cost.
The last one I bought just 2-1/2 years ago was $60 out the door.
6%-8% inflation my... FOOT!