Getting Ripped off at the Mechanic shop

Reef · #1 12-01-2005, 07:54 PM

I'm wondering to what extent are car shops ripping off customers. Just recently I've had to do 2 small (<$250) repairs on my '87 Wrangler and both times I've been charged what seems like a ridiculous amount. Just today, my jeep was in the shop for 2 hours and I was charged for 1.5 hours of labor. There were about 5 cars in the shop with 2 mechanics at most. Also, I made it a point to watch my jeep for about the last hour and it didn't seem like my car was even touched. Any OOT mechanics wanna get something off their chests?

TheMetetron · #2 12-01-2005, 07:57 PM

Yeah, they are ripping you off... get used to it.

Another option is learning to do it yourself. Or at least get a mechanic friend.

bwana devil · #3 12-01-2005, 08:06 PM

[ QUOTE ]
my jeep was in the shop for 2 hours and I was charged for 1.5 hours of labor... for about the last hour and it didn't seem like my car was even touched.

[/ QUOTE ]

why didnt you ask them to justify the charges? tell them you watched?

fyodor · #4 12-01-2005, 08:22 PM

They ususally get the hours out of a book. ie this job = this many hours. If they do it quicker or slower you still get charged book rate.

Pretty standard

ContactGSW · #5 12-01-2005, 08:22 PM

According to Fric and Frak on NPR (CarTalk), each job is assigned a standard time cost to complete a specific task. If the mechanic can do the job in 1/2 or 1/4 of that time you are still charged that standard time cost.

send_the_msg · #6 12-01-2005, 08:41 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I'm wondering to what extent are car shops ripping off customers. Just recently I've had to do 2 small (<$250) repairs on my '87 Wrangler and both times I've been charged what seems like a ridiculous amount. Just today, my jeep was in the shop for 2 hours and I was charged for 1.5 hours of labor. There were about 5 cars in the shop with 2 mechanics at most. Also, I made it a point to watch my jeep for about the last hour and it didn't seem like my car was even touched. Any OOT mechanics wanna get something off their chests?

[/ QUOTE ]

dentists do the same thing.

Reef · #7 12-01-2005, 08:45 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
my jeep was in the shop for 2 hours and I was charged for 1.5 hours of labor... for about the last hour and it didn't seem like my car was even touched.

[/ QUOTE ]

why didnt you ask them to justify the charges? tell them you watched?

[/ QUOTE ]

meh, I know that the guy would've only gave me $5 off or something crappy like that.

Reef · #8 12-01-2005, 08:45 PM

[ QUOTE ]
According to Fric and Frak on NPR (CarTalk), each job is assigned a standard time cost to complete a specific task. If the mechanic can do the job in 1/2 or 1/4 of that time you are still charged that standard time cost.

[/ QUOTE ]

I guess there's close to 0% of this changing anytime soon

Alobar · #9 12-01-2005, 08:59 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
According to Fric and Frak on NPR (CarTalk), each job is assigned a standard time cost to complete a specific task. If the mechanic can do the job in 1/2 or 1/4 of that time you are still charged that standard time cost.

[/ QUOTE ]

I guess there's close to 0% of this changing anytime soon

[/ QUOTE ]

why should it? theres nothing wrong with that system. Quit thinking of "labor" as actually how long it takes them to do something, like everyone said, its really just a base unit to multiply repairs by.

Ray Zee · #10 12-01-2005, 11:17 PM

total bull st. you should be charged by the time it takes. dont worry if they find a problem that makes it take them longer they will charge you. you pay when it takes less time and more when it takes more time.
find a local guy and never go to a bigger shop. and pay by the time it takes him to do the job. thats how it used to be before customers decided to know nothing about how their cars work.
today i had a car that wouldnt turn over but had a fairly new battery in it. after i put a multimeter on it i found out it was the battery and got it replaced for free. if i had taken it to a big shop it would have also gotten a new alternater or regulator for sure.
learn about how the things in your life work. its actually fun.