Recently had a fuel pressure regulator fail on my merc camper van and the mechanic
Informed me that the failure was due to the "o" ring had split I n the regulator.....this part is 25 cents which he replaced.. "it's a comon problem and should be replaced every 50,000 klms" ....Oh by the way his labour was....$275.00 for four hours including hook up to the computer.... So be aware a small part could be very expensive
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EVERY DAY IN EVERY WAY IT GETS BETTER
FROM Michael Crawford...".Some mothers do have them"
Usual charge out rate is usually anywhere from $70 to $9o per hour for most workshops. Specialist shops charge even more. The performance shop I take my drag car to charges $110 per hour.
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Take only your memories, leave only your footprints
Recently had a fuel pressure regulator fail on my merc camper van and the mechanic Informed me that the failure was due to the "o" ring had split I n the regulator.....this part is 25 cents which he replaced.. "it's a comon problem and should be replaced every 50,000 klms" ....Oh by the way his labour was....$275.00 for four hours including hook up to the computer.... So be aware a small part could be very expensive
I watched them. Being without a home and nothing better to do. They'd hook up the machine, about 5minutes. Go away and work on another car. Come back have a look, reset to test something else, another 5 minutes. This went on a number of times. Over the four hours I waited and got charged for. The actual mechanic worked on it at most an hour.
Think all labour costs have increased, certainly in WA with the mining boom. Cost me $133/hr for electrician and the travel time etc but I did expect it in Port Hedland. Just cos I was expecting it doesn't make it hurt less!
All machinery in any workshop, surgery, dental clinic, radiography, or office cost money to buy. Over its lifetime that cost has to be recovered with profit. Otherwise "Whats the point of having it"
Likewise the daily running costs of the building alone (overhead $) are a factor.
After having it on diagnotics only the cost was $42.50. My beef is that we are being charged just to have it sitting in the workshop while the mechanics double dip by working on other vehicles whilst it is there.
I wonder about some businesses. When i was working on a customers car they only got charged for the time i was working on it. Eg if the vac pump was on the aircon for an hour or more & i wasnt actualy working on the vehicle then no charge for that time.
Just to clear up all the thinking about costs of labour ....I am not complaining about the labour rate or the total job cost ...it was that I was feeling some what down because this was the shake down it kind of takes the wind out of your sails ..but I'm glad it was then not in an isolated place plus I know the safety back ups worked . Thanks for all your thoughts.
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EVERY DAY IN EVERY WAY IT GETS BETTER
FROM Michael Crawford...".Some mothers do have them"
Just compare that to a visit to the dentist. One tooth extraction $438 dollars, all over in an hour. Remember , the task on the car took 4 hours!
Try 3 one hour visits for root canal at a total cost of about $1,200. And you don't even get a warranty period. Had to have it reworked 18 months later.
