YEAH!!!!   We suck......  HOW DARE US TRY AND MAKE A LIVING......

 

LOL.....

 

Seriously.... if you can get someone to help you, its not a bad job....  

LOL.. 67GTOCROOK..LMAO.   

If you are remotely mechanically inclined, there's really very little that you can't personally do on most cars without "specialized tools".  There used to be a disconnect between the shade tree mechanic and knowledge but frankly with the advent of the internet - first with vehicle specific forums and then with You Tube that divided has been bridged.

 

I did not want to change my own timing belt.  As I recall, the dealer quoted me $1800-2k.  An independent quoted me about $1200.  The parts cost under $200.  It took me 6 hours start to finish, and I borrowed a friend just to give me a hand when truly I could have done it all on my own.  I don't begrudge the dealer or the independent - they have to pay their guys, keep their lights on, pay their insurance, etc.  I just know that this is one of those things that I really CAN do by myself without negative implications.  I don't do my own oil changes any longer - it got too difficult to dispose of the used oil, and the dealer only charges me $14.95, I truly can't buy the oil and filter for that price.

WHAT THE HELL kind of car are you getting a 1200 buck quote on a timing belt? 'cause the average one is about half that from me......i need to raise my prices, lololol

Hey.... I might have given him that $1200 quote..... LOL

 

 

Sent from my iPhone

I thought you might enjoy a tidbit...  I used to source parts for Mercedes tuning guys.  The rotors for an AMG went for about $1000 each.  I'd cut 'em! 

LTCAP what do you get to put head gasket on pt cruiser ?  2001 5speed manual trans..

Ordered pair of rotors, pads and brake cleaner. I take to dealer for oil change as its cheaper than I could, with coupons.

 

The dealer once quoted 145 for cabin air filter. That's what makes me suspicious of dealers in general. But this quote seems inline with others.

Hey.... I might have given him that $1200 quote..... LOL

 

 

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You might have.  Let's face facts, dealer or independent, the pricing is "by the book" so the only real variable is what the shop's hourly rate is.

You might have. Let's face facts, dealer or independent, the pricing is "by the book" so the only real variable is what the shop's hourly rate is.

Pretty much the way it is, don't like the price cry about it to all-data not the shop.

LOL

Dan and I are good.....

Friendly bantering

 

 

Sent from my iPhone

LOL

Dan and I are good.....

Friendly bantering

 

 

Sent from my iPhone

I figured, how dare you try to profit in a business lol. What do I know, I'm a plumber so I must be rich too lol.

The dealer once quoted 145 for cabin air filter. That's what makes me suspicious of dealers in general. But this quote seems inline with others.

WOW!!

I order my cabin filters online ($10-12) and replace them in literally 3 mins myself.

$145, holy crap!!!

WOW!!

I order my cabin filters online ($10-12) and replace them in literally 3 mins myself.

$145, holy crap!!!

OK.... before we go all half-cocked on the service business....

 

way too many variables to know if $145.00 is way overpriced....

 

Retail..... a high quality carbon cabin filter can be $ 35-45

 

and some cabin filters are not easy access and might require 30-60min depending on vehicle to change.... 

 

Please remember.....  We ( your local garage) ..... cannot compete head to head with online parts sales...... just like your LGS cannot ......

OK.... before we go all half-cocked on the service business....

 

way too many variables to know if $145.00 is way overpriced....

 

Retail..... a high quality carbon cabin filter can be $ 35-45

 

and some cabin filters are not easy access and might require 30-60min depending on vehicle to change....

 

Please remember..... We ( your local garage) ..... cannot compete head to head with online parts sales...... just like your LGS cannot ......

Believe me, I'm not ripping on local garages. Most of you guys do quality work at fair prices. You have to make a living too. I get it.

 

It's the cheap Greek in me talking, I guess. I grew up doing my own work (and still do), because I refuse to pay someone to do something I can do myself.

 

I have to admit, I wished I had paid someone to replace the power steering pressure hose on my wife's '07 Nissan Murano. That was a HUGE pain in the ass, laced with LOTS of 4 letter words!

The cabin filter for my car is 39.00 from gm just purchased a fram from walmart for 29.00 hopefully it works as good i have not installed it yet.. i do know that i have to remove the glove compartment to change it..

 

This year smelled a little bit when i drove it and the A/C was on for couple minutes cleared up.. 2010 Cobalt SS  i have 17,000 miles on it..

Pretty much the way it is, don't like the price cry about it to all-data not the shop.

alldata, mitchel, identifix, snapon, otc, and even launch(pretty decent scanner for pretty cheap)

you guys that do your own work are only factoring in the part price. don't forget....your time is money too. something that might cost you (for instance) 100 bucks, and be done in less than an hour at the shop, may well take you 2-5 hours, the part might cost ya say for instance 40 bucks......so now, did you really truly save by doing it yourself? if that's the only reason, it's kinda stupid really. if it's like someone mentioned....not wanting to pay for something they can do themselves, or if it's cause ya wanna learn, then it's worth it.

 

 just my 2 cents, which about now if they keep printing money, is probably worth about .000002.

WHAT THE HELL kind of car are you getting a 1200 buck quote on a timing belt? 'cause the average one is about half that from me......i need to raise my prices, lololol

2010 kia soul. What's your book number?

I don't think its stupid to do your own work. It's well within my skill set, and to use your comparison, I'm paying myself instead of someone else.

 

I don't find that stupid at all.

 

Again, I'm not knocking local auto shops. I know a good local shop I trust that I will send my wife to, if I'm out of town on a business trip.

I don't think its stupid to do your own work. It's well within my skill set, and to use your comparison, I'm paying myself instead of someone else.

 

I don't find that stupid at all.

 

Again, I'm not knocking local auto shops. I know a good local shop I trust that I will send my wife to, if I'm out of town on a business trip.

i understand, and don't mean anything bad by the way i phrased things.

 

 my time comparison was because that 3-5 hours that you spent doing something that could've been done in an hour was because that's 3-5 hours that you could've been doing something fun...shooting, spending time with your wife/kids, shooting, shooting, or shooting.

 

 also.....as i mentioned i don't begrudge anyone for doing it if they can, and don't wanna pay someone to do something they can do themselves. hell....i don't know HOW much time i've spent helping others to do jobs themselves that i could conceivably have made money on if they'd brought it in to me.

2010 kia soul. What's your book number?

i'm assuming 2.0L? 'cause the 1.6L looks to be a chained engine.....

 

MOTOR Labor

  Skill Level (Factory Time) MOTOR Time TIMING BELT, R&R

Soul

B   3.1 Additional labor times:

To R&R Camshaft Gears,One Or Both

    0.1

To R&R Crankshaft Gear,Add

    0.2

To R&R Idler Pulley,Add

    0.1

To R&R Tensioner, Add

    0.1

MOTOR Parts

i'm assuming 2.0L? 'cause the 1.6L looks to be a chained engine.....

 

MOTOR Labor

  Skill Level (Factory Time) MOTOR Time TIMING BELT, R&R

Soul

B   3.1 Additional labor times:

To R&R Camshaft Gears,One Or Both

    0.1

To R&R Crankshaft Gear,Add

    0.2

To R&R Idler Pulley,Add

    0.1

To R&R Tensioner, Add

    0.1

MOTOR Parts

where's the water pump R&R?

 

I didn't do so bad then since I'm not a trained pro and I got it done in about 6 hrs.

where's the water pump R&R?

 

I didn't do so bad then since I'm not a trained pro and I got it done in about 6 hrs.

All that work and install a rebuilt water pump is nuts, buy new. If it was an old small block Chevy right on the front of the engine then maybe a rebuilt.

All that work and install a rebuilt water pump is nuts, buy new. If it was an old small block Chevy right on the front of the engine then maybe a rebuilt.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

this....even the price difference is no excuse anymore.

where's the water pump R&R?

 

I didn't do so bad then since I'm not a trained pro and I got it done in about 6 hrs.

looking up waterpump, it also calls for 3.1. it's not driven by the timing belt, but there's parts of it blocked by the timing belt.

 

 i also remember though, that the old 2.2 and 2.5 chryslers usd to call for removal of the timing belt. those i loved, 'cause i did em in less than half the book time, and never removed a timing belt for them. ever. unfortunately, the only advantage i got by being that quick on em was to be onto the next job faster, as i always worked hourly..........

R&r in my book = remove and replace not refurb. Kit included a new wp

where's the water pump R&R?

 

I didn't do so bad then since I'm not a trained pro and I got it done in about 6 hrs.

 

 

 

Yep.... 6hours if good for a in your driveway job.... 

 

No way I quoted you the $1200....lol

No way I quoted you the $1200....lol

 

 

Ha.

R&r in my book = remove and replace not refurb. Kit included a new wp

That's the term we would use for rebuild and return with all the rebuilders out there. Some stuff I don't mind rebuilt like axles or master cylinders, maybe alternator/starters if they are from a good rebuilder with a decent warranty. AC compressors, racks, water pumps I always get new.

WOW!!

I order my cabin filters online ($10-12) and replace them in literally 3 mins myself.

$145, holy crap!!!

Do a cabin filter on a 2008 Mazda 3 and let me know how long it takes you. I did it once and will gladly pay someone to do it for $145.00 the next time. Not all cars are the same.