Shop taking advantage of a friend

[DBasher]

Originally Posted by SSLance

When he told he he was upset about how much he paid, I was expecting it to be $2000...thinking $1500 would be more like it.

It was a bolt in crate 12 bolt, unbolt 4 bolts...take old axle out, put new one in place and put 4 bolts back in. 18 hours? Axle was already assembled just needed to bolt calipers on and hook up e-brakes. I work slow and could have done it in less than 4 hours by myself.

That isn't even getting into the amount to replace the prop valve and bleed the brakes. I guess it was all the extra time he spent fabbing up that special U bend in the hard lines on the rear axle...that are going to need to be redone.

Well you know better then I do. I ASSumed with the adjustable arms of the 4 link there was some kind of alignment performed, not just a slap it in deal.
Was an estimate never given? Not trying to be a Richard but I couldn’t see dropping something off to have work done without some kind of idea what it’ll cost. Saves both parties a bit of headache I would think.

[214Chevy]

Hypothetically speaking, it shouldn't cost that much for a shop to redo another shops mess up.

[kevin_l]

So I rarely pay someone to do work for me, but when I do I always know a head of time a general cost of labor. Do people just agree without getting an idea of cost?

[carkrazy1987]

That is highway robbery!! you could have 4 installed for that price. $4000 in labor just to install a rear axle. you could of went to a stealership at $150/hr and still come out cheaper. Did he not do any research or ask someone what it usually costs, or just threw his wallet at them. if your buddy has more of that spare money to toss around ill give him my number.

[NOVA]

Unfortunately I think this happens more often than what we hear about, people just pay the price and get there car out & chalk it up to lesson learned...... but it does suck and I think bad juju on the shops behalf, I know one shop I bet he will not be doing any business with moving forward and anyone he tells about his experience AND everyone reading this will probably drive right by that address.....

[214Chevy]

Originally Posted by NOVA

Unfortunately I think this happens more often than what we hear about, people just pay the price and get there car out & chalk it up to lesson learned...... but it does suck and I think bad juju on the shops behalf, I know one shop I bet he will not be doing any business with moving forward and anyone he tells about his experience AND everyone reading this will probably drive right by that address.....

I agree and once the work is done, you almost have no choice but to price almost. That is, unless you want to get into a legal battle and chance a mechanics lean being placed on your $25k+ car and losing it over a $4k bill. That's, why you should always ask what's the shop rate and ask approximately how many man hours it'll take and ask around and not go to the first shop that says, "Yes" that they can do it. Many of us have had to learn the hard way.

[Musclerodz]

Was the rear already painted? If so, that should have been 8-12 hours max, 2 guys, one day. Looks like to me they charged him for occupancy of the lift while they waited for the driveshaft to show up.

[NOVA]

Originally Posted by SSLance

Link to the shops site in case you cant read it on the invoice

http://www.motorcitysolutions.com/home.html

I see on there site they do car restorations, wow, I wonder what that runs

[SSLance]

Originally Posted by Musclerodz

Was the rear already painted? If so, that should have been 8-12 hours max, 2 guys, one day. Looks like to me they charged him for occupancy of the lift while they waited for the driveshaft to show up.

That's what I'm thinking as well. Yes, it was painted before ou re dropping off.

[TheJDMan]

Thanks for posting this Lance!