On this site, folks often express outrage at the prices charged by independent repair facilities and dealerships for repair work.
So let's try an exercise. For the purposes of this thread, put yourself in the shoes of a shop owner. With consideration given to your local area's labor rate, take a look at the scenarios below and post what YOU think is a reasonable charge for the work below. To make this easier, I have included the book time for any repairs.
Also, keep in mind that these are higher-end cars that recently came off of warranty - so you should approach this exercise with the expectation that the owners are looking for quality work that lasts.
Note: all 3 scenarios are from cars that were recently repaired by me.
Scenario #1 - 2010 Lexus RX350 with 70K miles:
Customer requested the following services:
- Engine Oil and Filter Replacement (using 0W-20, the vehicle calls for 6.3 quarts)
- Tire Rotation and Brake Inspection (customer stated that the brakes were noisy)
- Basic Vehicle Inspection
Customer was recommended and subsequently approved the following work:
- Replacement of Front Brake Pads and Rotors (Book Time is 2.0 hours)
Scenario #2 - 2007 Mercedes GL450 with 40K miles:
Customer requested the following services:
- Engine Oil and Filter Replacement (using 0W-40, the vehicle takes 9 quarts)
- Tire Rotation and Brake Inspection (customer stated that the brakes were noisy)
- Basic Vehicle Inspection
Customer was recommended and subsequently approved the following work:
- Replacement of the Rear Shock Absorbers (Book Time is 3.6 hours, vehicle does not have ADS)
Scenario #3 - 2008 Lexus ES350 with 50K miles:
Customer requested the following services:
- Engine Oil and Filter Replacement (using conventional 5W-30, the vehicle takes 6.3 quarts)
- Diagnosis of the Check Engine Light
Customer was recommended and subsequently approved the following work:
- Tire Rotation and Brake Inspection (to satisfy the manufacturer's recommended services at this mileage interval)
- Replacement of the Downstream Oxygen Sensor to resolve the current Check Engine Light (Book Time is 1.2 hours)
- Replacement of the Front Brake Pads and Rotors to resolve the brake vibration that was noticed during the road test (Book Time is 2.0 hours)
I look forward to reading the responses. Please provide some detail behind your responses (i.e. labor rate, approximate cost of parts, parts mark-up, etc).
Thanks!
So let's try an exercise. For the purposes of this thread, put yourself in the shoes of a shop owner. With consideration given to your local area's labor rate, take a look at the scenarios below and post what YOU think is a reasonable charge for the work below. To make this easier, I have included the book time for any repairs.
Also, keep in mind that these are higher-end cars that recently came off of warranty - so you should approach this exercise with the expectation that the owners are looking for quality work that lasts.
Note: all 3 scenarios are from cars that were recently repaired by me.
Scenario #1 - 2010 Lexus RX350 with 70K miles:
Customer requested the following services:
- Engine Oil and Filter Replacement (using 0W-20, the vehicle calls for 6.3 quarts)
- Tire Rotation and Brake Inspection (customer stated that the brakes were noisy)
- Basic Vehicle Inspection
Customer was recommended and subsequently approved the following work:
- Replacement of Front Brake Pads and Rotors (Book Time is 2.0 hours)
Scenario #2 - 2007 Mercedes GL450 with 40K miles:
Customer requested the following services:
- Engine Oil and Filter Replacement (using 0W-40, the vehicle takes 9 quarts)
- Tire Rotation and Brake Inspection (customer stated that the brakes were noisy)
- Basic Vehicle Inspection
Customer was recommended and subsequently approved the following work:
- Replacement of the Rear Shock Absorbers (Book Time is 3.6 hours, vehicle does not have ADS)
Scenario #3 - 2008 Lexus ES350 with 50K miles:
Customer requested the following services:
- Engine Oil and Filter Replacement (using conventional 5W-30, the vehicle takes 6.3 quarts)
- Diagnosis of the Check Engine Light
Customer was recommended and subsequently approved the following work:
- Tire Rotation and Brake Inspection (to satisfy the manufacturer's recommended services at this mileage interval)
- Replacement of the Downstream Oxygen Sensor to resolve the current Check Engine Light (Book Time is 1.2 hours)
- Replacement of the Front Brake Pads and Rotors to resolve the brake vibration that was noticed during the road test (Book Time is 2.0 hours)
I look forward to reading the responses. Please provide some detail behind your responses (i.e. labor rate, approximate cost of parts, parts mark-up, etc).
Thanks!
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