cygnusx1 Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 4 hours to bolt on a turbo-back stainless exhaust on my WRX!!! @$120/hour. I can't use the word I want to use right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I've got the plumber at my house. Let's just say you made out better than I did, but at least I can flush the toilet again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Globerunner513 Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 wow thats nuts. I know its a tight squeeze to get to the exhaust side of the turbo there, but geez 4 hours? but hey, gotta love the sound of a nice exhaust on that motor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zmanco Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Dave, curious why you paid them to do it instead of doing it yourself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eec564 Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I need a transmission service and an ABS code pulled on my van. It's hardly a 10 minute job, and the cheapest dealer I've found wants 70$ to do it. Unless anyone in the bay area knows someone with a DRB III scanner... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAG58 Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 At least your WRX doesn't have the three pointed star bolted on it somewhere. 1993 400E Cap/rotor/wires : $563... for parts only All MB's after 2000 have a special brake system which means only the dealer can change the pads (unless you can muster the absurd amount of cash for the tool) and they turn a change of pads into a grand plus. A long list of reasons why i'll never own a german car made after 1992 come hell or high water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 Dave, curious why you paid them to do it instead of doing it yourself? My stable is full, and it's COLD outside. She won't pass inspection so I borrowed my parents Accord while the WRX gets fixed. BUT the Accord promptly got nailed by someone's loose front wheel...and now needs to go to the body shop...I am in a corner, and the dealer has me by the bells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktm Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 4 hours to bolt on a turbo-back stainless exhaust on my WRX!!! @$120/hour. I can't use the word I want to use right now. It took me around 2 hours for my cat-back (HKS Hi-power) on my 2006 WRX. I did the work myself and ran into issues when installing the exhaust. I can't believe the shop rate though. Even here in So Cal they are modest enough to only charge $90/hour. MAG, the first time I ran into a torx bolt was on my old 2002 Audi S4. I took one look at that and started cursing in German. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrustnut Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Thats nothing... the last sheet metal repair I did (replaced rear bulkhead and horozontal stabilizer attach fitting) took 30 hours at 85.00 an hour- and don't forget an 850.00 service kit. Be glad you own a car and not an airplane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZR8ED Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Ya I know what you mean. I take my Z to the dealer, and they start to look at each other with a glazed look in their eye, which soon turns to fear, and they say "I dunno what the hell that even is. Your sure that it is a Nissan? Oh a Datsun. Never seen one before" I say this with tongue firmly planted in cheek. But i do get your point about dealers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted February 2, 2010 Author Share Posted February 2, 2010 They are in the business to make money but they don't need to rob people. That's what they do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlatBlack Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 I understand that those prices are incredibly high, but don't they carry more liability for their work, unlike the local joe-schmoe auto repair shop? I used to think local auto repair shops had standards and whatnot, but after working on cars for a while, I am amazed to see what these shops do to cars sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Juday Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 I understand that those prices are incredibly high, but don't they carry more liability for their work, ... Federal taxes, state taxes, local taxes, property taxes, licensing fees, EPA fees, workmans comp insurance, and let's not forget the BIG ONE (drum roll) liability insurance. My guess is that at $110.00 an hour they are making nothing on labor. Any profit at all is probably only in parts mark-up. Don't believe me? Open a business of your own and try to make a profit in this economy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Federal taxes, state taxes, local taxes, property taxes, licensing fees, EPA fees, workmans comp insurance, and let's not forget the BIG ONE (drum roll) liability insurance. My guess is that at $110.00 an hour they are making nothing on labor. Any profit at all is probably only in parts mark-up. Don't believe me? Open a business of your own and try to make a profit in this economy. Having worked in several dealerships as a mechanic it was always my understanding that the shop was the profitable part of the business. The car sales make relatively little, it's parts and service that pays the bills. That's not to say that you're wrong that it's hard to make money as a dealership, but I think the tough part about being a car dealer right now is selling cars in the first place. Turns out C4C DIDN'T jump start car sales... shocker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted February 2, 2010 Author Share Posted February 2, 2010 I can almost guarantee that I will need to bring the car back. I rarely use dealers or mechanics to work on my cars. When I do, it hurts financially, and I have had bad luck with the results. I have actually had better luck with small family owned garages. I agree, they are all struggling to stay in business even at $120/hr, which is why I think they resort to shady tactics when they can. I could have lived with a rusty pipe in my exhaust. Afterall times are tough. I would have continued to use it like that and pinched my pennies. However, Uncle Sam won't let me drive it like that, the CEL was on and it won't pass. So they can take a little but I can't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rturbo 930 Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 They are in the business to make money but they don't need to rob people. That's what they do.It's not called the stealership for nothin'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 I can’t help wondering…. 1. Dealers charge high prices, but given the various costs of doing business, they are not making much of a profit. 2. New cars are expensive, but even so, the margin is low; so neither dealer nor manufacturer is making much of a profit here either. 3. Taxes are high – on purchases, on income, on property and so forth – but governments at every level are running huge deficits. 4. Insurance costs are high, but insurance companies aren’t making much of a profit either (see their annual financial reports). 5. And to confirm that corporate profits are doing poorly, check the overall P/E on the stock market… in the US, and abroad. So if everything is expensive, but no one is making any money… where is all of the money going? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 A long list of reasons why i'll never own a german car made after 1992 come hell or high water. Don't exclude the E36 BMW chassis. Parts are pretty cheap and its the best chassis/car made in the 1990s. Amazingly capable on the race track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted February 2, 2010 Author Share Posted February 2, 2010 I can’t help wondering…. 1. Dealers charge high prices, but given the various costs of doing business, they are not making much of a profit. 2. New cars are expensive, but even so, the margin is low; so neither dealer nor manufacturer is making much of a profit here either. 3. Taxes are high – on purchases, on income, on property and so forth – but governments at every level are running huge deficits. 4. Insurance costs are high, but insurance companies aren’t making much of a profit either (see their annual financial reports). 5. And to confirm that corporate profits are doing poorly, check the overall P/E on the stock market… in the US, and abroad. So if everything is expensive, but no one is making any money… where is all of the money going? Lawyers, and brokers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAG58 Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Don't exclude the E36 BMW chassis. Parts are pretty cheap and its the best chassis/car made in the 1990s. Amazingly capable on the race track. The ABSOLUTE BEST? Doubt it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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