Quote:
Originally Posted by robnolimit
Great thread !I agree with Ron 100% about the labor rate, but custom shops may be forced into it, so to speak.
If you walk in the dealership garage, you see the newest diagnostics computers, top quality equipment, skilled and trained (ASE) techs, who have made major investments in their own tool sets. The training and equipment gives them the ability to get something done in an hour. Like wise, the investment these techs have made in them selves demands a higher pay scale. The dealership has to charge a rate high enough to cover these costs, but, the customer gets the job done right in a timely manor.
Now walk in to many Hot Rod shops, and you may see a welder or two, a few old tool boxes, a drill press and a grinder, ..... It's also quite common that t he employees here have had little or no formal training, and have made little or no investment in their own skill set and future. In effect, they are not acting in a "Professional" manner. They do not get much done in an hour, and they labor rate suffers in turn.
I know that this is not all shops, but many of you would have to agree that this setting of a Hot Rod shop is the most common, and that the Professionally run shops are a rarity. Management is the key, and for the long term, we have to look at the management of our industry as one area that needs help, a lot of help. Have a great day guys.
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this is a bit off topic
I would agree for a lot of shops, but let me put it this way.
If your a lawyer you went to school for ...... say 7 year? right.
I have been doing this since I was 13 and have been paying my way to learn, buy tools, and learn and learn for 33 year, so I have effectively been going to school for 33 years, how does that make a lawyer able to charge 300+ an hours and me only 80. I have a 20,000 sqft shop with likely 250,000 worth of tools and equipment. what is it that he does that a custom shop doesn't do?
I will tell you my lawyer cant open the hood of his BMW and I cant decipher the laws any better.
What I am getting at is that they are both PROFESSIONS. one cant do the others job. So I don't have a sheet of paper saying I went to school, I have a BUNCH of pictures and completed cars and happy customers of past work that PROVES I went to school. oh and when your lawyer looses in court............. YOU STILL PAY THE BILL!!! no bargaining.
All I am saying is that there ARE shops that are PROFESSIONALS and if you choose to take your car to someone who isn't then expect the same results