Exorbitant auto repair costs!

[Camu Mahubah]

I have a sick attention to detail. Almost psychotic. I would have made a great mechanic. I would still make a great mechanic. I get wierd when I work on cars. I am a surgeon. I now have all these qualifications when all I wanna do is get my hands dirty and fix your problem. Alas the funny thing is my best teacher is an ex-con who can't keep his life together but can adjust the valves on a 1979 Supra and do a brake job correctly on an 02 Prizm and install a brand new radiator on a 1978 Grand Prix in one hour.

One night I went to his house on a day off. He bummed a cigarette. I started looking through his cubbards. He had nothing to eat. Wifey put all the stuff I wasn't eating in a brown paper bag and gave to him. I was ashamed. A starving artist. He said ---- on it and got a CDL. He still walks me through everything I do on my car. Now he is getting big bucks driving a truck. But I know there are dead Supras that could be twisting curves and spittin' ashphalt had he been respected. Instead they lie in the random fields and impound yards.

 

[Russell]

Engineers? explain?

 

[pacem]

Also, just because the dealership is getting $90/hour, doesn't mean the guy that does that work gets anything out of it... $12 bucks in my area. $15 maybe if experienced. The pay *is* low. The value in these $800 brake jobs is just not there.

 

[Kestas]

It's amazing how much you can save if you're willing to crawl under a car and get dirty.

Conversely, it's amazing how much people will pay so they don't have to get dirty or skin their knuckles.

 

[Kestas]

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Engineers? explain?

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As I mentioned in the UAW strike thread, many engineers are now forced to work unpaid overtime. Many of these engineers are envious of the UAW, because once overtime is factored in, some UAW workers earn more than engineers... rather insulting after all the effort put into a rigorous college curriculum!

 

[MrCritical]

At $75 hr, most of our techs get paid $20-$22 hr.

 

[cousincletus]

^^^ Maybe times have changed but when I was an auto mechanic I got half labor.

 

[cousincletus]

^^^ That's on flat rate by the book.

 

[gedcruise]

Any decent indie exaust shop can fab up a system from straight pipe, a piece of flex, and a muffler and resonator for well under $300.00.
The aftermarket exhaust systems you can buy will not last long, although they flange together in your driveway.
Incidentally, there are things called "jack stands", which allow you to work under your raised car safely.

 

[Spitty]

I do all the work on my cars and Truck myself, always have.
but the last truck I bought had an Invoice in the glove box from the last owner. The invoice is from Midas dated Jan 05
Remember this is for work on a Carburetter, Toyota 22R
Labour Parts
Remove and replace Distributor cap $41.90 $26.62
Remove and replace spark plugs $50.28 $17.64
Mega power fuel injec package $27.61 $32.34
Fuel Injec Revital (a necessary component) $32.34 $32.34

Sure glad I can do this work myself!!

 

[bdcardinal]

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^^^ Maybe times have changed but when I was an auto mechanic I got half labor.

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that time is way past. at my dealer lube techs get $17 an hour flat rate. line techs get from $20-30 an hour. the diesel tech gets about $35 an hour, and flags about 145 hours a pay period. we charge $98 and hour and are the cheapest dealer in town.

also there are a ton of special tools that a dealer is required to have. not only to we have the current ford scan tools IDS x2 and a PDS. but we also have 2 WDS (the old tool, 2 NGS, really old. and all of the 80s testers. we also have a mastertech for when non ford/lincoln/mercury/mazda cars come in as well as tech's personal tools.

 

[tom slick]

I was going to be a auto mechanic when I graduated from high school. I had trade school all lined up. I joined the USAF instead. after getting out of the AF I really didn't have much interest in being a auto mechanic because of the way that a modern service department is run.
I would still consider restoration and custom work, but I have zero interest in being a regular mechanic.

if you think about it almost all "trades" have been put down in the last 30 years with the big push for college educations and technology fields. being a carpenter or plumber (etc) used to be a very highly reguarded job. unfortunately nowadays they are the jobs people pick up after they have failed at others.

 

[alreadygone]

ANY of you without enough testicular fortitude to crawl under a well supported raised vehicle need to get a good enough job to afford those of us who do!

While my shop isn't particularly for sale,,,If you think it's all trips to the deposit window you shouldn't be apprehensive about paying a premium to get in on the goldmine! PM me!

Bob

 

[Virtuoso]

It's no wonder so many opt for a new vehicle rather than having their current one repaired when something "major" comes along.

But everyone has to eat, no?

 

[Big O Dave]

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Yep, mechanics were once respected, and have become a subclass.

Teachers, nurses and engineers are rapidly joining the ranks of the subclass as industry becomes increasingly aetheric.

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Impressive!

 

[JTK]

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..If you think it's all trips to the deposit window you shouldn't be apprehensive about paying a premium to get in on the goldmine! PM me!

Bob

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You're right Bob. Paying for any service isn't cheap. It's a shame your typical dealer relies so heavily on the service dept to generate revenue for the business. Even with labor rates the same, I'd rather pay a non-dealer shop; The guy that owns the place and turns the wrenches.

Joel

 

[JakeR22]

If you can't do it yourself, as the saying goes, "you gotta pay to play."

Learn to do it, swap out work, barter, beg, or just don't drive.

 

[Russell]

My son is a registered PE civil engineer for a consulting company. Their 'culture' is to work long days for no extra money. Every civil engineer I know seems to do the same!

 

[gedcruise]

So the previous owner was rather easily fleeced?
Nothing even moderately challenging on you list.
Some of the items seem like fluff, designed to snare the average owner.

 

[XS650]

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I do all the work on my cars and Truck myself, always have.
but the last truck I bought had an Invoice in the glove box from the last owner. The invoice is from Midas dated Jan 05
Remember this is for work on a Carburetter, Toyota 22R
Labour Parts
Remove and replace Distributor cap $41.90 $26.62
Remove and replace spark plugs $50.28 $17.64
Mega power fuel injec package $27.61 $32.34
Fuel Injec Revital (a necessary component) $32.34 $32.34

Sure glad I can do this work myself!!

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Well,they say that everything Midas touched turned to gold...There's your proof.