Was my mechanics charges fair? |
Yes, you should use him again |
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41% |
[ 13 ] |
Yes, but maybe shop around for better options |
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35% |
[ 11 ] |
No, it shouldn't cost you that much |
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16% |
[ 5 ] |
No, you were clearly overcharged |
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6% |
[ 2 ] |
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Total Votes : 31 |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22568 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 1:49 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: |
You obviously don't live in California. California has been going down the drain for many years now. It isn't remotely close to what it was when I grew up over the years. |
Has the State changed? Of course. Most places have.
GDP for state is up 50% since 2000 in constant dollars. That drain must be getting filled pretty fast from up top.
Move to Flint MI if you think you have it hard economically. _________________ .ssS! |
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SGKent Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007 Posts: 41031 Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 1:58 pm Post subject: |
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Abscate wrote: |
Quote: |
You obviously don't live in California. California has been going down the drain for many years now. It isn't remotely close to what it was when I grew up over the years. |
Has the State changed? Of course. Most places have.
GDP for state is up 50% since 2000 in constant dollars. That drain must be getting filled pretty fast from up top.
Move to Flint MI if you think you have it hard economically. |
about 1/8th of the USA lives here in California. We've crossed the USA about 10 times since 2000. Used to think there were better places to live but not since the whole USA went crazy. There is no place in this country that is exempt from the craziness and crowding. Calfornians have so much diversity here we tend to be more tolerant of it than places where it is newer. Visit a small city in Alabama like where my stepmom grew up and they have the same problems now that big cities do only they aren't accustomed to it. The small roads in Arkansas I grew up near are all subdivisions and elevated freeways now. Drive thru Atlanta or Charlotte at less than 80 MPH and see how many angry drivers will scream at you. It is all over. The small town my folks moved to in FL in the late 1970's is bumper to bumper on huge highways now.
Lunch is over, gotta run. _________________ “Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin |
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Manfreds78bay Samba Member
Joined: February 27, 2009 Posts: 754 Location: PNW
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 12:37 pm Post subject: |
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If you can even find a guy that is even half way good at customer service and he knows air cooled engines...you are lucky. All the VW mechanics I've run into chicago have no real interest in working on them and will over charge because they know you have no real choice if you aren't a mechanic.
I think the price for that work is fine...and think about it as an investment in building a good relationship with a Mechanic for a skill that is all but vanished.
My advice is to learn on to do a lot of this because if you go on any kind of a road trip and something goes wrong you are on your own unless you just call AAA and pay a ton for the tow home.
If you don't want to learn how to work on your own bus, you should just sell it. They need to constantly be worked on. _________________ 1978 2.0L FI Campmobile
1982 AMC Eagle SX4 4.2L FI |
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udidwht Samba Member
Joined: March 06, 2005 Posts: 3777 Location: Seattle, WA./ HB, Ca./ Shizuoka, Japan
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Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2015 1:27 am Post subject: Re: fair service price |
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deronmoped wrote: |
udidwht wrote: |
Abscate wrote: |
udidwht wrote: |
old DKP driver wrote: |
I don't believe you were at all overcharged for the jobs performed and, it's
really not important at this point for you to doubt that a good air-cooled
repair shop would rip you off since you are from another country and just purchased a Westy here in California.
ALL legitimate repair shops in our state are required by law to post the labor rate in the office and to also give you a written estimate BEFORE the
work is done.
Los Angeles has one of the highest labor rates in the country since expenses to run a shop cost quite a lot.
Quality parts versus Poor Quality parts are usually not used in a good shop as well.
The price you paid was MORE THAN FAIR |
It's also why so many companies have decided to leave California for states such as Texas, Nevada, Arizona, Tennessee etc...
California has been for quite sometime now considered a Hostile working environment towards employers. It's one of many reasons why in the end California will end up __it creek without any paddles.
As far as labor rates $80-90 per hour is more of a norm with most ACVW shops. |
Nice Fox News talking points, but devoid of content. Company migration accounts for 1-2% of job loss/growth across states, despite headlines and grandstanding to the contrary by politicians.
CA has quite a few oars in the water, as my client checks tell me.
I'm guessing mechanic rates in LA are 125+ |
You obviously don't live in California. California has been going down the drain for many years now. It isn't remotely close to what it was when I grew up over the years. |
I grew up in San Diego, anytime I travel out of state, I'm always surprised on how well the other cities take care of their infrastructure. About the only thing that makes this place liveable, is the weather and location. |
Visit Seattle the roads are horrible. Visit BC up north and the roads are like velvet. _________________ 1972 Westy Hardtop/Type-4 2056cc
96mm Biral AA P/C's~7.8:1CR
Headflow Masters New AMC 42x36mm heads w/Porsche swivel adjusters
71mm Stroke
73 Web Cam w/Web solids
Dual 40mm IDF Webers - LM-2 - 47.5 idles/125 mains/190 air corr./F11 tubes/28mm Vents - Float height 10.45mm/Drop 32mm
Bosch SVDA w/Pertronix module (7.5 initial 28 total @ 3400rpm)
Bosch W8CC plugs
Pertronix Flamethrower 40K coil
S&S 4-1 w/Walker QP 17862
3 rib 002 Trans
185R14 Hankook tires |
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Tcash Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2011 Posts: 12844 Location: San Jose, California, USA
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Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2015 12:38 pm Post subject: Re: fair service price |
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udidwht wrote: |
deronmoped wrote: |
udidwht wrote: |
Abscate wrote: |
udidwht wrote: |
old DKP driver wrote: |
I don't believe you were at all overcharged for the jobs performed and, it's
really not important at this point for you to doubt that a good air-cooled
repair shop would rip you off since you are from another country and just purchased a Westy here in California.
ALL legitimate repair shops in our state are required by law to post the labor rate in the office and to also give you a written estimate BEFORE the
work is done.
Los Angeles has one of the highest labor rates in the country since expenses to run a shop cost quite a lot.
Quality parts versus Poor Quality parts are usually not used in a good shop as well.
The price you paid was MORE THAN FAIR |
It's also why so many companies have decided to leave California for states such as Texas, Nevada, Arizona, Tennessee etc...
California has been for quite sometime now considered a Hostile working environment towards employers. It's one of many reasons why in the end California will end up __it creek without any paddles.
As far as labor rates $80-90 per hour is more of a norm with most ACVW shops. |
Nice Fox News talking points, but devoid of content. Company migration accounts for 1-2% of job loss/growth across states, despite headlines and grandstanding to the contrary by politicians.
CA has quite a few oars in the water, as my client checks tell me.
I'm guessing mechanic rates in LA are 125+ |
You obviously don't live in California. California has been going down the drain for many years now. It isn't remotely close to what it was when I grew up over the years. |
I grew up in San Diego, anytime I travel out of state, I'm always surprised on how well the other cities take care of their infrastructure. About the only thing that makes this place livable, is the weather and location. |
Visit Seattle the roads are horrible. Visit BC up north and the roads are like velvet. |
Way Off Topic
Tcash |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22568 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2015 1:46 pm Post subject: |
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Wasn't the mechanic from BC? _________________ .ssS! |
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Pastelweis Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2010 Posts: 92 Location: Stockholm / Los Angeles
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 6:19 am Post subject: |
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SGKent wrote: |
not meaning disrespect, the question is a bit arrogant. If you had doubts about him you either should not have used him, or you should have spoken with him about what he charges before the work. We also have no clue what quality parts were put in, and you probably don't either. You can save labor cost next time by getting your own hands greasy. |
I have neither the space nor the knowledge to perform the work myself. |
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rugblaster Samba Member
Joined: March 31, 2016 Posts: 1163 Location: San Angelo, Texas
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 7:26 am Post subject: Re: Was my mechanics charges fair? |
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The repair order, such as it is, looks fair to me. I think someone would be crazy getting into a auto repair business these days. The customers come in pissed off to start with. No one likes to un-ass money for car repairs, it's just the way it is. After all, you could be out eating steaks and drinking beer with that money.
Half the time, the customer has had his dick flippers on the car first and wants you to repair something they have tried to fix. Other times, they bring their own parts in and want you to install them at a cut rate. It's like going to Denny's with some raw eggs and a few slices of bacon and wanting them to discount the cost of a Grand Slam.
If you want to be in the auto repair business, get a body shop. At least that way you only have to deal with a damn insurance company, the customer just wants their car back. _________________ '69 Karmy, '69 Camper, Meyers clone, '65 drag bug, 10.78 @ 128 (sold it) '51 Dodge farm truck,
'09 MB E350 '18 MB E400, '65 Plymouth Valiant convertible and a '19 Ford F250 King Ranch (nicer, but dirty, farm truck)
VWoA factory trained line tech 75 till 90 or so
ASE Master Certification
VWoA Assoc. of Quality Technicians inductee (One of 25 in the five state southwest region)
La Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin (San Angelo Chapter)
TCU ......GO FROGS!!!!!! |
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skills@eurocarsplus Samba Peckerhead
Joined: January 01, 2007 Posts: 16803 Location: sticksville, ct.
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 8:03 am Post subject: Re: Was my mechanics charges fair? |
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rugblaster wrote: |
The repair order, such as it is, looks fair to me. I think someone would be crazy getting into a auto repair business these days. The customers come in pissed off to start with. No one likes to un-ass money for car repairs, it's just the way it is. After all, you could be out eating steaks and drinking beer with that money.
Half the time, the customer has had his dick flippers on the car first and wants you to repair something they have tried to fix. Other times, they bring their own parts in and want you to install them at a cut rate. It's like going to Denny's with some raw eggs and a few slices of bacon and wanting them to discount the cost of a Grand Slam.
If you want to be in the auto repair business, get a body shop. At least that way you only have to deal with a damn insurance company, the customer just wants their car back. |
1000% true...but body work sucks too....and dealing with the insurance company sucks ass even more....so much so that when a client has one of those extended warranty deals, my labor rate doubles, as that is the only way to get them to pay the "normal" rate....
example:
if my rate is 105/hr they will only want to pay 45-50/hr.....fuck you if you think I am going to take a 50+/- dollar an hour bath to work on someone's shitbox....insurance companies think a shop is a fuckin flea market.
I love my job I love my job I love my job I love my job I love my job
in all the years I have been in this biz, it has become hard to get people to maintain anything....the "pride in ownership" generation is aging fast, and the millennial generation just doesn't want to repair anything, and wants to bitch about how they are getting hosed....
if I could turn back the hands of time, I would have done HVAC....no one likes to sweat or freeze, and they have to fix it....I have customers that won't fix a CEL until it's time for emissions....so they run around with it on for 2 years, or until they need to renew the registration....it's stupid.... _________________
gprudenciop wrote: |
my reason for switching to subaru is my german car was turning chinese so i said fuck it and went japanese....... |
Jake Raby wrote: |
Thanks for the correction. I used to be a nice guy, then I ruined it by exposing myself to the public. |
Brian wrote: |
Also the fact that people are agreeing with Skills, it's a turn of events for samba history |
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static Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2002 Posts: 1830 Location: The High Desert
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 8:29 am Post subject: Re: Was my mechanics charges fair? |
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Yes, those prices are fair and normal. I suspect that my local shop would charge a bit more.
California shop labor is usually over $100/hr.
Parts bought through a shop are at full list price, not at CIP1 prices.
You did fine. |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12815 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 8:41 am Post subject: Re: Was my mechanics charges fair? |
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The OP was REAL concerned about it since it took them two years to respond to their own poll. Do they even know if the shop in question is still in business? _________________ Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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hidude208 Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2015 Posts: 15 Location: Boise Idaho
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 9:17 am Post subject: Re: Was my mechanics charges fair? |
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TDCTDI wrote: |
The OP was REAL concerned about it since it took them two years to respond to their own poll. Do they even know if the shop in question is still in business? |
I noticed that too...this thread is 3 pages of _________________ 1969er, nothing finer
http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-37955.htm
SGKent wrote: |
it is called rust. You either cut pieces off a donor or make the parts. Welcome to owning a VW |
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wcfvw69 Samba Purist
Joined: June 10, 2004 Posts: 13383 Location: Arizona
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 9:41 am Post subject: Re: Was my mechanics charges fair? |
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Nah, this thread just reinforces that folks better have either the skills to work on their own bus or... have deep pockets to pay shops too at current shop labor rates. _________________ Contact me at [email protected]
Follow me on instagram @sparxwerksllc
Decades of VW and VW parts restoration experience.
The Samba member since 2004.
**Now rebuilding throttle bodies for VW's and Porsche's**
**Restored German Bosch distributors for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored German Pierburg fuel pumps for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche fuel pumps or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche distributors or I can restore yours** |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22568 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 11:48 am Post subject: Re: Was my mechanics charges fair? |
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wcfvw69 wrote: |
Nah, this thread just reinforces that folks better have either the skills to work on their own bus or... have deep pockets to pay shops too at current shop labor rates. |
Hey - no advertising for skills on the Samba - he is already too busy...
I think one would have to be insane to open a shop today. I will say I am guilty of bringing my parts to my local guy when I want a job done to my spec, but I always offer to pay his markup on my parts.
Quote: |
if my rate is 105/hr they will only want to pay 45-50/hr.....fuck you if you think I am going to take a 50+/- dollar an hour bath to work on someone's shitbox....insurance companies think a shop is a fuckin flea market. |
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? at $50 bucks an hour you lose money. Why does an insurance company think your costs drop for an insurance job? _________________ .ssS! |
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rugblaster Samba Member
Joined: March 31, 2016 Posts: 1163 Location: San Angelo, Texas
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 12:29 pm Post subject: Re: Was my mechanics charges fair? |
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Skills is speaking of the warranty labor rate these assholes pay. At the dealership I worked at they had a warranty labor rate VW would pay. Of course it was a flat rate hour schedule less than regular customers paid. In that case, I always found a few more issues to pad the warranty claim. Fight fire with fire. _________________ '69 Karmy, '69 Camper, Meyers clone, '65 drag bug, 10.78 @ 128 (sold it) '51 Dodge farm truck,
'09 MB E350 '18 MB E400, '65 Plymouth Valiant convertible and a '19 Ford F250 King Ranch (nicer, but dirty, farm truck)
VWoA factory trained line tech 75 till 90 or so
ASE Master Certification
VWoA Assoc. of Quality Technicians inductee (One of 25 in the five state southwest region)
La Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin (San Angelo Chapter)
TCU ......GO FROGS!!!!!! |
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skills@eurocarsplus Samba Peckerhead
Joined: January 01, 2007 Posts: 16803 Location: sticksville, ct.
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 12:45 pm Post subject: Re: Was my mechanics charges fair? |
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rugblaster wrote: |
Skills is speaking of the warranty labor rate these assholes pay. At the dealership I worked at they had a warranty labor rate VW would pay. Of course it was a flat rate hour schedule less than regular customers paid. In that case, I always found a few more issues to pad the warranty claim. Fight fire with fire. |
yes, but an insurance claim is even worse....for those who don't know...
say book time at a dealer is 1.8 for "customer pay" meaning you, the customer pay that rate. if the guy does it in .5, he banked 1.3 hours in his pay. if he took 2.0, he worked .2 for free...
that same operation under factory warranty will only pay .5. the tech still looses his ass because the car is parked 3 miles away, he needs to get the RO, some dickbag wants to talk to him for 15 minutes oh, and they cant find the key...etc etc....
insurance companies are just plain evil....look at your health insurance....say a filling is 225 "customer pay" but the ins. co will only pay 90....same deal. it's sad, really _________________
gprudenciop wrote: |
my reason for switching to subaru is my german car was turning chinese so i said fuck it and went japanese....... |
Jake Raby wrote: |
Thanks for the correction. I used to be a nice guy, then I ruined it by exposing myself to the public. |
Brian wrote: |
Also the fact that people are agreeing with Skills, it's a turn of events for samba history |
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Manfred58sc Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2009 Posts: 3374
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 8:15 pm Post subject: Re: Was my mechanics charges fair? |
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About right for a major metropolitan market, shop rates vary from area to area, As long as the job was done correctly, drive and enjoy. _________________ Fat chick owner/operator |
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notchboy Samba Member
Joined: April 27, 2002 Posts: 22416 Location: Escondido CA
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 9:36 pm Post subject: Re: Was my mechanics charges fair? |
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skills@eurocarsplus wrote: |
rugblaster wrote: |
The repair order, such as it is, looks fair to me. I think someone would be crazy getting into a auto repair business these days. The customers come in pissed off to start with. No one likes to un-ass money for car repairs, it's just the way it is. After all, you could be out eating steaks and drinking beer with that money.
Half the time, the customer has had his dick flippers on the car first and wants you to repair something they have tried to fix. Other times, they bring their own parts in and want you to install them at a cut rate. It's like going to Denny's with some raw eggs and a few slices of bacon and wanting them to discount the cost of a Grand Slam.
If you want to be in the auto repair business, get a body shop. At least that way you only have to deal with a damn insurance company, the customer just wants their car back. |
1000% true...but body work sucks too....and dealing with the insurance company sucks ass even more....so much so that when a client has one of those extended warranty deals, my labor rate doubles, as that is the only way to get them to pay the "normal" rate....
example:
if my rate is 105/hr they will only want to pay 45-50/hr.....fuck you if you think I am going to take a 50+/- dollar an hour bath to work on someone's shitbox....insurance companies think a shop is a fuckin flea market.
I love my job I love my job I love my job I love my job I love my job
in all the years I have been in this biz, it has become hard to get people to maintain anything....the "pride in ownership" generation is aging fast, and the millennial generation just doesn't want to repair anything, and wants to bitch about how they are getting hosed....
if I could turn back the hands of time, I would have done HVAC....no one likes to sweat or freeze, and they have to fix it....I have customers that won't fix a CEL until it's time for emissions....so they run around with it on for 2 years, or until they need to renew the registration....it's stupid.... |
Automotive Claims for any adjuster is like being sent to Siberia to guard a grain silo. Only Newbies and or idiots get to be in Auto Claims. There are so many claims for so little $ its mind boggling. If you catch a claim when they are "slow" then maybe, maybe you get a fair shake. If they are busy? F - that you are screwed and get tossed into the meat grinder. Truth. _________________
t3kg wrote: |
OK, this thread is over. You win. |
Jason "notchboy" Weigel
1964 1500 S
1964 T34 S Convertible
1977 Westfalia Camper pop-top |
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Hoody Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2007 Posts: 1948
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Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 10:12 pm Post subject: Re: Was my mechanics charges fair? |
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My engine builders rate is up to 39 bucks go 45 bucks an hour. He has no overhead. His work is beyond reproach. He is the best of the best and as anal
as Raby. He does mechanical repairs at the same price. The body shop I deal with charges 75 an hour to blast the metal. And they are way above the cutting edge. Without question the best of the best. Their metal work is world class. I think their rate for metal work is 60-70. These gentleman only do things the correct way. I never question my bill. Because they are the VERY BEST in the business. Which is why there is a couple million dollars in classic cars waiting to get in line. Fortunately for me I forged a very strong friendship many years ago. The bottom line is that if you shop around you will most likely be disappointed. If I still lived in NE and Skills quoted me a price...I would thank him for taking on the project.....and never bitch about the cost. Every time you bitch the cost skyrockets. Most guys will just want to get paid for what they have done and get rid of you as fast as they can. The guys that are experts have a VERY long waiting list. There are probably 5 guys in the country that really know these motors. There is ONE head builder. Quality work comes at a price. There are VERY few mechanics that will even consider playing with these engines. Fewer still are the ones that know what their doing. So I guess what I am saying is if your lucky enough to find a mechanic who knows what he's doing with these antiques....Pay them and say "Thank you!" There are fewer
And fewer of them anywhere. It behooves anyone with a type 4 motor to find some one that can work on them. I am lucky to know GURUS. The bottom
Line is when your presented the bill. Pay it, say thank you, and if your not happy seek guidance elsewhere. Just my 75 cents.
T |
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