The cost of getting something done is unbelievable

[junkyardjeff]

I was going to get lazy and have new shocks installed on my 89 crown vic beater but could not believe what a couple shops wanted to install them,the first shop I contacted quoted me 250.00 which I thought was a little too high untill I got the quote from the second shop which was 450.00.  I will buy another car before spending 450.00 for a set of regular shocks that I can purchase for less then a hundred so it looks like I will be installing them myself,I never had much done except for exhaust and was shocked at what shops charge now.

[wvcab]

wait until you start changing them, then you will know why they want so much.


the upper nuts are a bugger. spray them down a couple days before you attempt to remove them.

the passenger side isn't to bad, but the driver side is living 7734. you can see the nut from the wheel well, but you cant get a wrench on it because of fuel lines... the cut out in the cross member is too close to the body to work a wrench if you got large hands. Most guys on the crown vic boards, locate where the nuts are from inside the trunk area, and use a hole saw to drill a 1.5 " hole above the nut, then use a socket from inside the trunk to loosen the nuts, and to retighten the new shock, then seal a piece of steel/alum over the hole when finished.

[Danimal]

wait until you start changing them, then you will know why they want so much.


the upper nuts are a bugger. spray them down a couple days before you attempt to remove them.

the passenger side isn't to bad, but the driver side is living 7734. you can see the nut from the wheel well, but you cant get a wrench on it because of fuel lines... the cut out in the cross member is too close to the body to work a wrench if you got large hands. Most guys on the crown vic boards, locate where the nuts are from inside the trunk area, and use a hole saw to drill a 1.5 " hole above the nut, then use a socket from inside the trunk to loosen the nuts, and to retighten the new shock, then seal a piece of steel/alum over the hole when finished.

That's probably the $250 technique!! For $450, they don't drill holes in your car that they won't tell you about later.

[junkyardjeff]

I was figuring they would use a hot wrench and do it in about a 1/2 hour and make killer money.

[OldSub]

I quite paying shops for labor when I realized I'd paid half the price of a new lift on one problem that was really just time. Plus, they did fix something that needed fixing, but didn't resolve the complaint I had with the car.

I'd rather buy more tools and have something to show when I'm done.

I say this as my wife's '09 is at the dealer getting fixed.  It doesn't count, I even even bought the extended warranty to avoid ever having to work on it.  

I just can't stomach the local labor charges!

[enjenjo]

I can remember changing engines for $150 plus parts, and making money at it.

[phat46]

In about 1967 i remember my dad needing a second car for us kids to go to school in. He found a '55 Ford near home for $50 with a shot engine. He got it to a local junkyard where they sold and installed a Y block in it for $100. I thought that was  a lot of money then, I was 14.  

[Crosley.In.AZ]

I can remember changing engines for $150 plus parts, and making money at it.

yeah , but paper and pencils have been invented since then to write out a larger bill

[OldSub]

I'm contemplating replacing the 350/700r4 in my '91 K2500 with the 454/400 from my wrecked '89 K3500.  Since neither the radiator or exhaust from the K3500 are usuable my estimate for this swap is an easy $1000 and I fear the total cost will be closer to $2000.

Not sure its worth it for a truck that might only be worth $2000.

[chopped]

I know a repair shop owner that couldn't drive a nail if his life depended on it. I trade carpenter work all the time.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

the R&R rates were increased at my shop this past year.. More stuff to remove to get the trans out.

Seems what we work on is  a large percentage of 4x4 vehicles , diesels and gasoline.

The diesel over drive trans with a triple disc lock up converter is over  4k  $$ plus install with oil  16 - 20 quarts.  Many folks want  the syn oils now

[Uncle Bob]

I thought I'd throw a few things out to think about.  Not related to whether the original topic item was realistic or not, just shop rates in general.

I don't get the sense there are a lot of folks here who've run their own business, so it's understandable most might not think about these sort of things that are outside their interest.

When I had my shop we charged the same rates as those around us in similar businesses.  We used Mitchell flat rate times for those situations where appropriate (some will criticize flat rate times too, but that's another discussion).  We ran a pretty tight ship and did a monthly profit and loss (P&L) that we updated weekly.  For every dollar I charged 45 cents went to employee costs, that's not just the paychecks, but also the FICA (SSI and Medicare), other employment taxes, unemployment tax, State disability, and the benefits costs.  Employee cost is the single largest cost item to a business, by far. The rest of the expenses went to cover stuff like rent, taxes, regulation compliance costs, insurance, utilities, supplies, taxes, regulation compliance costs, equipment maintenance and repair, taxes, regulation compliance costs, and so on.  Whatever was left over, which for most well run businesses amounts to around 10% (+/- 5%) was for me to decide whether to pay myself or invest in growing the business, hopefully both.  At the time, here in the Peoples Republic of Wa. we had a combination of 28 state and federal agencies that administered 48 sets of regulations we had to contend with.  Admittedly hardly any but the biggest of businesses could operate under that load of meddling, but you learn to react to the ones enforced the most, and pass on the ones you can.  I could go on and on, but I think you get the point.  It's not reasonable to compare a regulated business that operates openly and as legally as they can to a back yard operation...........there really is no comparison.

I don't intend to get political here other than to point out the reality that all the goodies promised by your friendly politician that they try to convince folks are paid for by others (which, unfortunately, they're all too successful at), have to be paid for.  There's no free lunch, or medical, or time off for your parakeets hemrhoidectomy...............it's got to be paid for somehow.  It's just buried in that tired nostrum: "cost of doing business".

[Mikej]

Well put, Bob. I have a small business. No employees. Can't afford the cost or hassles involved. ( boss is abit of a butt  :oops: ) I charge more than I would like but new inspection laws and license fee in the last two years are a killer. Back for schooling. High inspection fees as the state tries to add more income. The county tried but We defeated it for now. Hopefully I will be retired before the state mandates it. Most of our service calls run $100 dollars. 25 years ago $25.
 When I worked for Massey 25 years ago flat rates were timed by tearing something down and putting it back together and then timing it the second time. So to beat flat rate you had to do the same repairs regularly. Or just do a bad job.

[papastoyss]

Well put , the average person has no idea of the taxes & fees stuck onto small business.Just last week I sent the local city & county $600. in gross reciept taxes. We have to collect 9.25 % sales tax on our work, have to listen to people grip about the tax amt. &the state pays us nothing for our trouble. I'm 63, three more yrs & i'm going to the house.I have a "low overhead" shop out behind my home,  the deer & squirrels don't give a flip what I do.

[junkyardjeff]

I know all about the costs the buiseness owners have but 450 for 4 gas shocks is a little too much knowing that I can get them for about 20 each.