Do these mechanic costs seem reasonable?

[Ben10281]

I typically do most light mechanic work myself, however, when I purchase used vehicles I always initially drop them off at a shop to get a once over and start fresh, since I am not actually a mechanic.(I am simply someone not afraid of working on their own stuff.)

Anyway, my new to me van(2000 Ford E350 7.3l) needed the following:

1) E brake shoes and adjustment
2) Hood latch
3) General look over and leak inspection(pre-purchase type inspection)
4) Oil and filter Change
5) Adjust Shift cable mechanism
6) Remove hitch ball(It was rusted on bad and took them 2.5 hrs to remove!)
7) Fuel filter (Drain fuel filter reservoir and clean out any debris, new screen and filter)

I usually figure mechanic labor at about $100/hr, is it more for diesel mechanics?(or is my number outdated?)
Anyway the estimated bill was around $1400. In parts alone it looks like it could be around $300-400. Then at $100/hr if every item on the list is charged at an hour, plus the extra 1.5 hrs for the hitch ball you are at $850 in labor. That brings the total to $1150-$1250. So they are just slightly higher than that.

The shop came with a good reputation, and even a mention on this forum from a while back, so I don't mind paying the money, just curious if you all think it is in line or way out of whack.

Thanks for any insight.

Ben

[spurious]

Anyone I guess has the right to charge what they feel their time is worth......that being said, it would be nice to know the shop name so others won't face the same sticker shock.

[rallypanam]

Seems high, but not crazy high. And if they are good and you can rely on their work.. that's worth a little extra in my mind.

[gcvt]

Different area of the country, of course, but I'd love to find a $100/hr mechanic! The shop that installed my lift kit was $140/hr.

As Robb said, if you know and trust the shop that makes a big difference.

Hey Ben, Laguna is only a few weeks away

[JWA]

To my eye two items seem a bit undefined as to what was needed or what was done; hood latch & general inspection. Was/is there any further explanation what those steps entailed? How extensive was the general inspection? Hood latch even if replaced shouldn't have exceeded one hour (new part about $55 retail).

The rusted in place hitch ball should have taken about an hour assuming it was first heated with a torch before removing the attaching nut. My own 2000 E250 had this done, the 1" drive impact driver and 24" pipe wrench not having enough ohmmph without the heat.

I'm also in a vehicle service biz and decidedly higher priced than others in the same biz. Given my extraordinarily reliable service levels (24/7 without surcharge), quality parts and installation added to the nature of my customers needs I don't hurt for work. Indeed a good mechanic will be a bit more expensive but in so many cases we do get what we pay for.

Of course there are those claiming to be from Los Angeles saying a job I do for $220 here (Columbus, Ohio) costs a mere $139 there. So go figure.......

[Ben10281]

Thanks for the input everyone.

JWA, the entire hood latch is getting replaced so yea, I figured about $45-55 for the part and 1 hr labor so $150 for that job. As far as the general inspection, I have been quoted $80-100 by other shops for this kind of work. My hope is that the general inspection calls out specific leaks, and how bad they are, and any other items that are way out of line dry rotted brake lines, worn brake pads, injectors that aren't functioning correctly, excessive noises during road test, etc..Also, as far as the hitch goes, it was actually the ball mount that was rusted into the receiver so they had to heat it and pull the whole mount out.

Greg, Laguna is not happening this year. I got a deck that needs to get finished over the next couple weeks and I ain't working on it over the 4th!

I'll let you guys know what it all looks like when I pick the van back up.

[86Scotty]

Originally Posted by gcvt

Different area of the country, of course, but I'd love to find a $100/hr mechanic! The shop that installed my lift kit was $140/hr.

Ouch! You've got to get outta the bay area bro! That's insane! I think a good mechanic here is about $25/hr.

[carringb]

Rear e-brake shoes are a PITA, at least on the full-float axle. Definitely not a 1-hour job.

I always charged 2 hours for a diesel pre-purchase inspection (only an hour for gassers). Doing it right does take time, but I included a full cycle test drive which full sensor monitoring using AutoEngenuity.

[JWA]

CarringB would your inspections be as involved as Ben is hoping to receive?

I ask only because if a shop goes to that length along with documenting their findings that would or might exceed two hours.

[carringb]

Originally Posted by JWA

CarringB would your inspections be as involved as Ben is hoping to receive?

I ask only because if a shop goes to that length along with documenting their findings that would or might exceed two hours.

The full cycle test drive takes the most time. Checking hoses/belts/lines/fluids leaks etc can mostly be while it warms up. Write-ups for inspections can takes some time, but it's also just a findings report, not diagnostics. An example would be High ICP duty cycle. That could be a leak, a bad sensor, or faulty HPOP so that would need more diagnostics on its own.

And yes, it can take more time than generally billed, but most shops just eat that because if inspections are too $$$ nobody would pay for them, and some findings turn into additional billable work anyways.

Of course, sometimes the recommendation is "run away", and some major items are enough to trigger ending the inspection. I had one customer bring in a Hyundai Tiburon, and it only too about 15 minutes to realize it was a chop-shop Frankencar.