Maybe the rest of the car is in a condition where the shop is afraid of “ever since you replaced my brakes…”
Small independent shop quoted outrageous brake repair price. Is this the norm?
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Oh I'm sure it's all been paid off for a while. He runs a couple cars at the local dirt tracks on the weekends.
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Yep that is the new norm unfortunately
Pads and shoes with a skim of both rotors and shoes should run around $200...
With an "IN" at a shop.
With an "IN" at a shop.
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I think something happened post Covid. During Covid I bought Bilstein B6 front and rear, for my wife’s GM SUV, then all GM OE for every other part other than Moog sway bar bushings. Local shop charged $400 labor to put it all in. This entire setup was $900 installed.
Just 3 mos ago same shop quoted $800 for front brakes pads/rotors and labor $145/hr.
Who knows, to me it sounds like dealer pricing but maybe dealer skyrocketed as well.
Brakes has always been a bang for buck for DIY.
Just 3 mos ago same shop quoted $800 for front brakes pads/rotors and labor $145/hr.
Who knows, to me it sounds like dealer pricing but maybe dealer skyrocketed as well.
Brakes has always been a bang for buck for DIY.
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I think so. Now I don’t feel as bad as Japanese indie was $125/hr and they are experts. Was surprised GM indie now $145/hr. There was a day that was a BMW M type labor rate (20 years ago).Yep that is the new norm unfortunately
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Pre pandemic the Toyo dealer here was $140 / hr. Last I was in a couple months ago it was $185/hr. I only go in for warranty and the free oil change, which I will stop once warranty is up in a year.
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From reading these postings I'm ashamed of the time it takes me to do a brake refresh. I recently did the rear brakes on my old BMW 323i with Zimmermann rotors and Pagid pads. I think I paid $110 for the parts. The labor took me all day long but that includes ultrasonic cleaning of all hardware, hub reconditioning, caliper and carrier refinishing, inspection and cleaning of the wheel speed and brake pad wear sensors, and finally a complete fluid flush of the system. Naturally the job wouldn't be complete without washing and waxing the wheels while they're off.
I guess if someone were to pay me for this service I'd need at least $500 in labor also. But I doubt anybody at a car garage is doing the same meticulous work that I do on my own car.
Is this 25 year old car worth this effort? Not to the guy at Firestone tire and lube but to me it is. Over time you learn why cars become low-value liabilities. It's because we allow them to be.
I guess if someone were to pay me for this service I'd need at least $500 in labor also. But I doubt anybody at a car garage is doing the same meticulous work that I do on my own car.
Is this 25 year old car worth this effort? Not to the guy at Firestone tire and lube but to me it is. Over time you learn why cars become low-value liabilities. It's because we allow them to be.
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In a retail scenario the mechanic gets at best 1/3 of the labor rate. So in your case, your "shop" would need $1500 labor absolute minimum, plus "shop fees" for all the cleaning supplies, etc. plus 3X markup on any parts you used. Your project above was $2500 at the shop - all in.
Its why we all DIY, but its a skill not many have.
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I would not do brakes for someone else. As it's a bang for buck DIY, it's also a b**** session for customers complaining about squeals and groans. Especially those who replace pads only (I do except for the BMW).
My friend's wife compained and made him take the Odyssey back 3X to the Honda dealer.
I told my friend you replaced pads only and this is bound to happen. He said I told my wife what you said and she said no way, she's an engineer and she knows. I said she must, given the number of brake jobs she's done herself.
She reminds me of Peele in this skit pretending to know the words--key being "pretending."
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I agree. I am very selective about what and for whom I render my talents. I can't afford the liability of dealing with a person who wants something of high value in exchange for very little outlay. I get a kick out of the neighbor who offers a $15 Chic-fil-A gift card in exchange for a timing belt job on their Ferrari 328.
People tend to not see the value of a skilled and talented mechanic. Just because I make it look easy doesn't mean I'll do it for free.
I agree with you 100%, it's not worth the risk to help people out. There was a thread on this board about how much help is expected when a neighbor asks you to help them. The general idea was that the request for help actually meant "do it for me". I'm more than happy to sit around and drink beer while my buddy gets greasy but when the brake dust is flying I'm watching from across the street.
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My buddy moved into a house that had a Bend Pak lift--gold mine! He started to do car maintenance for coworkers for dirt cheap--you get the parts online, I'll do the job for you. He sold himself too short, maybe $60 for a brake job. He stopped, it got out of hand, even people coming in with their 535i's and FCP parts. He ended up saying no, then dismantling the lift and getting cash for it. I'd love to have a lift, likely never will.....
This only goes to support the initial shop complained about in Post #1: if you work too cheap and/or virtually for free as your buddy was (I'm going to classify $60 for a brake job as "virtually free"), people will abuse it.
They don't mean to -- it's simply good practice to pay the least you can for a product or service if all other things are (more-or-less) equal.
Based on the free market, if shops price themselves out of the market and business drops, there will be a correction.
So, it once again returns to do-it-yourself if you think the cost of skilled labor is too high. People could also make different decisions every, oh, say, four years, but we don't dare discuss that here. It's nice to think greed is the only thing driving labor prices, but I've had to increase my charges because everyone else is charging me more: electrical, gas, insurance, shipping, shop supplies and, yes, even groceries (a mekanik's gotta eat) just to name a few.
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If you're in the business, I don't disagree. There are legit costs and it's extremely competitive. As a general rule, one expects and indie to be cheaper than the dealer. I have said it many times, indies are like having one's cake and eating it too.
My LS430 for example. Timing belt $1800 at the dealer. Indie charged me $950.
It's a win-win--I got a superior job and paid less, the shop builds its reputation and gets my repeat business. but admittedly, if they charged $1800, now I get a superior job, but don't save, and I may not go for that....
I just did rotors, calipers, pads, and brake hoses for my daughter's 2014 Kia Rio and it was about $450 total in parts, and I have about 5 hours of DIY labor in all of it. I understand why shops charge a lot because there are a ton of callbacks on brake work. If I were a mechanic I'd take the Les Schwabb stance of not touching it unless I was swapping out everything new.
This. Plus I tell people if the pistons push back hard new calipers are going to add significant cost. And if I'm doing calipers it really only makes sense to replace the hoses, too
Either DIY, or find a less expensive quote elsewhere, or pay the first guy to do it seem to be the only choices in town.
Pick one and get em fixed and working properly!
Pick one and get em fixed and working properly!
I had some front diff work done on an old toyota which included installing new seals on both sides of the carrier- I supplied all oem parts. Diff leaked, guess who pulled the diff and did the job properly- one seal was NOT installed. In this era of tarded mechanics and high rates- if I'm capable- I'll be doing the job instead of wasting time and money.
High prices? Like the post above if they can find a good tech it will cost. Then the rent on the shop and overhead the list goes on and on.
I say for ones that don't like the high prices to first go rent a shop building with insurance and all the other overhead, then buy the expensive tools and such off a truck. Then pull your car in and do it yourself. That is the first job in your new business. Now to full fill your lease obligations just get more work and if you don't want to turn expensive wrenches everyday, start hiring mechanics. Oh yeah there are not many around. Its called putting yourself in the other guys shoes. Paying 4 grand for a brake job is easier than doing what I said above.
I say for ones that don't like the high prices to first go rent a shop building with insurance and all the other overhead, then buy the expensive tools and such off a truck. Then pull your car in and do it yourself. That is the first job in your new business. Now to full fill your lease obligations just get more work and if you don't want to turn expensive wrenches everyday, start hiring mechanics. Oh yeah there are not many around. Its called putting yourself in the other guys shoes. Paying 4 grand for a brake job is easier than doing what I said above.
