STRANGE PRICING FOR SERVICE

[qship96]

Today,I went to get a few simple things done on the Q at the little local Japanese auto repair shop that I occasionally use for basic services.I was charged $15.00 labor to install my Redline oil/Infiniti filter-quite reasonable,especially since I can chat with tech during process and be sure all the bolts are replaced on engine sheild!

Here is where it gets strange! They charge $35.00 labor to replace Differential fluid {my redline} Seems like an easier job than the oil/filter/sheild process above to me,but whatever-got it done.

I had the 2 exhaust mounts and upper links in the same box with the motor oil & gear oil-tech asked if I wanted quote to install-I said sure,owner says $75.00 PER LINK,and $50 for exhaust mounts! I tried to explain that both should take less than 1 hour total,especially since car was already on the lift-no go,he wouldnt budge-nor would I

After oil/diff fluids were done-paid the $50.00 and drove to a little service station that I get fuel from {Sunoco} and had both links and exhaust mounts done for total of $80-which I thought was reasonable-it took them all of 65 minutes from on to off lift....including taking a few phone calls!

[ScottJackson]

That's kinda typical for shops. A lot of them lure people in with cheap oil change prices. The shop makes little or no money on the oil changes but the idea is to get people to come to that shop when they need repairs. Then the shop can start making money. Also, most shops charge higher rates for labor when you bring in your own parts. They make money on parts that they order in for the customer. They buy it at shop price, and put it on the bill for retail or so. It seems unfair, but that's how the shop basically pays for warranty work... meaning that if they install a new fuel pump and then it fails the next day, they aren't completely screwed out of having to do the job twice while only getting paid for it once. Generally, the part markup is all profit as the parts don't often fail too early like that. So the shop can advertise a lower hourly rate. So they often just have a policy of charging a higher rate when the customer brings in their own parts.

[Q45tech]

Most shops use Mitchel's or AllData to get published times so that they have published backup to be consistent.

A shop hour is not a real hour but 40 minutes of actual time.\Customer Pay is usually 1.5x warranty discount hours.

[Haitian_King]

I hope my shop doesn't do that to me. When I went to get my transmission fluid drained and pan dropped (the first time), I paid $183. Retail fro the filter kit was like $52 but the tech gave it to me for shop price.

[konatown]

Most shops use Mitchel's or AllData to get published times so that they have published backup to be consistent.

A shop hour is not a real hour but 40 minutes of actual time.\Customer Pay is usually 1.5x warranty discount hours.

Ah the wisdom of eternity. Absolutely correct (once again).