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Is My Mechanic expensive?

MVPMVP Member Posts: 23,453 ✭✭✭
edited March 2011 in General Discussion
I am having 6 spark plugs replaced, a pwer window motor replaced, an ignition something, valve cover gaskets, and a hose and sensor replaced. 2,000.00[:(!]
Seems like about a 400.00 dollar job.

Comments

  • edgecamedgecam Member Posts: 3,280
    edited November -1
    Year make and model of your car would be helpfull
  • 76k2076k20 Member Posts: 643 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What year/make/model of vehicle? Sounds awfully high, but these days parts and labor get expensive real fast.
  • MVPMVP Member Posts: 23,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by edgecam
    Year make and model of your car would be helpfull

    Lincoln LS-2005
  • MVPMVP Member Posts: 23,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The desk girl did tell me on the phone that I will get a 3,000 mile 3 month warranty[:D] gee, thanks
  • 47studebaker47studebaker Member Posts: 2,251 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    is that the one were they unhook the motor and roll it forward to get the cylinders/plugs in the rear of the block? I know on our '02 you open the hood and can't see down thru to the ground. On the '99 they had to support the motor and trans from the top and remove the "K" frame to replace the steering rack.
  • keystone1974keystone1974 Member Posts: 242 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Also depends on how much stuff they have to take off to get to ur gaskets...
  • MVPMVP Member Posts: 23,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Im not sure what it takes to change the plugs. It is the wifes car and I have never even drove it. It had a dead battery once and needed a jump, I couldn't find the battery.

    Finally found it in the trunk under the spare tire compartment.
  • footlongfootlong Member Posts: 8,009
    edited November -1
    Put a couple more grand with it and just buy ANOTHER ONE or a CAMARO from s-f[:D]
  • john wjohn w Member Posts: 4,104
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by MVP
    quote:Originally posted by edgecam
    Year make and model of your car would be helpfull

    Lincoln LS-2005



    WAY to high. The window motors are available on e-bay cheap and they are easy to put in. The spark plugs are a no brainer as the rest of the repairs are. Is this a dealership as with that pricing it must be. Total in an outside shop would be less than 750.00 so shop around
  • JasonVJasonV Member Posts: 2,481 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Ford window motor rebuild kits are available from NAPA for not too much. I think I paid around $15 or $20 a motor. Very easy to rebuild.
    formerly known as warpig883
  • btkbtk Member Posts: 2,298 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    An ignition what[?] could make a world of difference, seems high though. Speaking of high, your mechanic may be.
  • jamaal.schenkjamaal.schenk Member Posts: 5 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Normally they are...i think yours was ok :)
  • GuvamintCheeseGuvamintCheese Member Posts: 38,932
    edited November -1
    A good gear-head like yourself would "do it yourself." Hows the leg?
  • MVPMVP Member Posts: 23,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by cartod
    A good gear-head like yourself would "do it yourself." Hows the leg?

    Legs actually healing up very well. Thanks for asking. I am feeling like it will be normal again. Something that I wondered about for a few months.
    There was a day I would tackle all these problems, and enjoy it, but these new cars are heartburn when it comes to diagnosing them. I could spend hours and days researching and running down parts, all of which might fix the problem, or maybe not.
    I miss pre 1980 vehicles and and bikes.
  • LesWVaLesWVa Member Posts: 10,490 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Not bad at all compared to getting the oil changed and service for your Lamborghini.

    A little over $4000.00 plus the cost of shipping the car to and from a dealer in FL where it was bought. Love those lottery winners who thinks they are rich and end up on welfare in three or four years.
  • mango tangomango tango Member Posts: 3,833 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    If it's a Ferrari, it doesn't sound bad, if it's a Chevy, then it sounds like your getting ripped off!
  • coltpaxcoltpax Member Posts: 7,516 ✭✭
    edited November -1
  • swampgutswampgut Member Posts: 5,555
    edited November -1
    Why are you replacing spark plugs?

    Hell, what are the symptoms that brought you into the shop in the first place?

    If it's like the Crown Victorias they have to remove the exhaust manifold or drop/lift the engine to get the the spark plugs.

    I had some freeze plugs replaced on a Ford Taurus several years ago and it cost $900.

    They had to separate the transaxle from the engine and lift it out to replace the $2 parts.
  • jwb267jwb267 Member Posts: 19,664 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    2000_lincoln_ls_engine_big.jpg
    if you engine looks like this i could see a thousand or a little more in just labor.
    most shops/dealers charge $85.-$95 per hour labor plus parts
  • SXSMANSXSMAN Member Posts: 2,616 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by MVP
    Im not sure what it takes to change the plugs. It is the wifes car and I have never even drove it. It had a dead battery once and needed a jump, I couldn't find the battery.

    Finally found it in the trunk under the spare tire compartment.


    Volvo or BMW ???
  • MVPMVP Member Posts: 23,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by SXSMAN
    quote:Originally posted by MVP
    Im not sure what it takes to change the plugs. It is the wifes car and I have never even drove it. It had a dead battery once and needed a jump, I couldn't find the battery.

    Finally found it in the trunk under the spare tire compartment.


    Volvo or BMW ???

    It is a lincoln LS
  • select-fireselect-fire Member Posts: 69,489 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Just ask to see the shop manual and the labor charges per book they go by. Don't let them stack labor. Meaning if the water pump needs changed and certain items removed and the next labor charge involves the same parts... they are double dipping.
  • SXSMANSXSMAN Member Posts: 2,616 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thought the Lincoln was yours and was taking about the battery in trunk in the wifes car.

    A misunderstanding
  • 375H&H375H&H Member Posts: 1,544 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    That sounds about right [8)]

    If Charlie Sheen is your mechanic [:o)]
  • MossbergboogieMossbergboogie Member Posts: 12,211
    edited November -1
    My guess is they are using flat rate, and not the actual time it takes.
  • TANK78ZTANK78Z Member Posts: 1,364 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    probably charging flat rate for each part of the job as a separate job.
    even if the complete job calls for some of the same items being removed and replaced only once, you might be paying as if they needed to be done for each part.
    Labor varies widely, I've seen 65 to 100 per hr., dealers are usually among the highest .
    A neighbor of mine was quoted $400. for replacement of a rear door power window motor by a dealer on his 12 year old Buick, a friend did it in about an hour ..only cost $75.
    .
  • RtWngExtrmstRtWngExtrmst Member Posts: 7,456
    edited November -1
    Once had a Chevy dealer estimate replace entire steering column to fix an inoperative horn, $700 + unknown labor. My brother fixed the horn with a screwdriver in about 3 minutes.
  • mt3777mt3777 Member Posts: 73
    edited November -1
    he is.

    a lot of labor on that thing. the newer cars have no space to work. but, it still seems pretty high.
  • lee shermanlee sherman Member Posts: 405 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I worked auto repair for two GM dealers for 38 years. I am now disabled/retired. I got this way from working heavy duty jobs on Cads, Chevys, etc. Some of this work is exhausting to say the least. You may have paid flat rate instead of hourly. What was the customer charged per hour? Valve cover reseal jobs can be most difficult due to access. The variables are far and wide. Dealer or independant shop?? Next time investigate the work more closely and get a second opinion. [B)]
  • turtles11756turtles11756 Member Posts: 1,118 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    RIDICULOUS ! get the correct plugs and put them in yourself one at a time and don't cross thread. then take your car someplace else and don't pay a penny over $500.00
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