almost got ripped off by Honda

[sawguy21]

Can you buy that same part for the shop's cost? There is also a cost to deliver. I have no problem with the people that serve me making a a fair profit, they have to earn a living too. I just don't feel I should support them all by myself.
Regarding your mechanic, most shops won't let the customer supply the parts. Sales are an important part of their income.

[thecfarm]

Sawguy,I betcha the garage can get the part even cheaper than I can.  : The parts store does not charge the garage for deliver in my area. The mechanic that I have,just calls up the parts store and they deliver the parts to his place. With a "his" cost and another price that a bigger garage would charge.

[uler3161]

Something else that gets me. Garages call up the local parts store for a part,the local part store delivers it to the garage for a list price of $250,the actual price is $150. They charge the customer $250. There is a $100 profit right there. I am lucky. I have a guy that works on my car,he just charges labor.

Had that tried on me once. Was getting new tires on my pickup. They tried to tell me the wheel bearings were starting to go bad (at only about 60k mostly highway miles ?!?). $350/side just for the parts. I told them I'd wait. Got home and checked Napa (which was where they get their parts). $250/side. The NAPA store is only about 2 blocks away. Jacked the truck up myself and didn't feel any slop. I still haven't replaced the bearings. That was about 80k miles ago. Needless to say, this place doesn't ever have much business when I drive by.

[grweldon]

Regarding high parts/labor costs, it KILLS me to have to pay what places are charging for repairs these days.  As far as Honda, I own a 2006 Acura TL and my last car was a 2003 TL.  It has a 3.2L V6.  I know many V6 cars use timing belts, probably because the tensioner system is cheaper and easier to manufacture, but for cryin' out loud!  Cram a V6 into the engine compartment sideways and then try to change the timing belt!  Yeah, it can be done but it's very painful (literally).  If they really wanted to live up to the "premium" brand name, why wouldn't they use timing chains instead of belts and eliminate such a costly maintenance item?

When I changed the belt in my 03 TL, the Acura dealer wanted $1800 and the local service place wanted $1200.  I just couldn't pay it so I did it myself.  The water pump is driven by the timing belt so I changed it as well because I NEVER want to be in the timing belt cover again.

OEM parts cost me around $230 and it took me about ten hours to complete the process in my cramped garage with nothing more to work with except a socket set and screwdrivers.  It was a... well... the name we call a female dog who has had puppies that starts with a "B"!

Here I am, 3 years later, the 06 TL has 136K miles and it's time to do it again.  My back hurts that much more since I did it the first time and I KNOW what I'm getting in to and I STILL don't want to do it.  I'm still a tightwad and I suspect that I won't have the ability to pay somebody to do it.  You just KNOW that rates have done nothing but go UP!

[rbhunter]

One mechanic was working on his own vehicle so I asked him. He hymed and hawed around and then finally told me to check the fuel pump safety switch. It had went off so I reset and started. Could tell by his demeanor that it was purposely done. Never had a problem before that with it and not again for another 100,000 miles.

Driving home last Christmas from Kansas to Missouri on I 70 my ranger lost all power. It was cold out just above 0 degrees. I called AAA and had it towed back to the dealership. I received a call the next morning to come pick it up and the bill was like 30 dollars. I asked them what was wrong and they said it was the fuel safety switch got disconnected. My son was sleeping in passenger seat and kicked it when he moved his feet.

[bill m]

I don't know how or when the flat rate books came about but they seam to benefit the dealer and not the consumer. If a certain task takes 4 hours according to the book and the mechanic does it in 2 you still pay for 4. If there are complications and it takes 6 you pay for 6. Not fair if you ask me but most of the time we don't have choice. That's why I only take my vehicles to a dealer for warrantee work.

[Don_Papenburg]

When I run a service station we got flat rate for repairs  if we went over we ate it .  Most of the time we beat the flat rate as that was the goal . So win some lose a few.   Our rate was a lot less than the uptown guys and we had enough people griping about the cost .  We thought that we did good by them , most of the people were happy but it only takes one or two that complain to ruin your good outlook. got to where I hated working for others just because of the few crabby customers .