Is this a fair price for a tune up?
01-21-2009, 03:06 PM
#1
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Is this a fair price for a tune up? My car has 65K miles on it and is in good condition. Local mechanic quoted me 1K for a tune up. It includes spark plug change, belts, fluids and filters. Does this sound like a reasonable price? Thanks for any help
01-21-2009, 04:16 PM
#2
Plugs, NGK TR55's.......$17.00 (1 hour to do them all)
New plug wires...........$36.00 (this doesn't even take 1 second to do, its done when you do the plugs)
Air filter....................$10.00 (takes 30 seconds to change)
Fuel filter..................$15.00 (I think)
Serpintine belt...........$15.00 (takes 2 minutes to put a new one on)
Oil change and filter...$30.00 (oil drains while the plugs are being changed, then 10 minutes to put the oil filter on and put the new oil in)
Washer fluid..............Free from the garden hose
Buy me a round trip ticket and fly me there and I'll do all that for $100 labor. It'll take about 2 hours to do and you'll save about $600.00. Just kidding, I;'m a little busy.
That mechanic is a jerk-off or he's just trying his luck at the worlds biggest scam.
01-21-2009, 04:33 PM
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Get out of here! You have to consider $90 an hour for labor.
I was figuring:
Air Filter: 60
Spark Plugs: 40
Serpentine belt: 125 (every serpentine belt I have bought has been at least 125)
Trans fluid change: 100
Plugs/wires with Labor: 100
Fluids: 60
That is about $500, plus I figured there are some other belts and I was figuring about $700 is an ok price. Not sure how he is coming to 1K though, I hope there is something else to this.
I was figuring:
Air Filter: 60
Spark Plugs: 40
Serpentine belt: 125 (every serpentine belt I have bought has been at least 125)
Trans fluid change: 100
Plugs/wires with Labor: 100
Fluids: 60
That is about $500, plus I figured there are some other belts and I was figuring about $700 is an ok price. Not sure how he is coming to 1K though, I hope there is something else to this.
Last edited by 01bird58; 01-21-2009 at 04:42 PM.
01-21-2009, 04:43 PM
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I would buy the parts.
Then take it too a good shop to do the labor(Assuming you won't/can't dont' want to do this)
A gates for these cars run's about 43 dollars with tax.
Then take it too a good shop to do the labor(Assuming you won't/can't dont' want to do this)
A gates for these cars run's about 43 dollars with tax.
01-21-2009, 05:37 PM
#7
[QUOTE=01bird58;10894466]Get out of here! You have to consider $90 an hour for labor.
I was figuring:
Air Filter: 60 (not a paper filter, which is the best to use)
Spark Plugs: 40 (like I said....$17.00, Advance Auto) (Takes 40 minute to change them all)
Serpentine belt: 125 (every serpentine belt I have bought has been at least 125) (that is ridiculous, they are under $20.00 at Advance Auto, if my 427ci can't break one in 5 years, it'll be fine for you too)
Trans fluid change: 100 (tranny fluid is NOT that expensive, you drain it and put the new stuff in. Changing the filter is a piece of cake too, could be messy without a big pan)
Plugs/wires with Labor: 100 ($36.00, wires, Advance Auto. Don;'t waste your cash on new factory wires, they are no better)
Fluids: 60 (oil is $20.00 for 6 qrts)
That is about $500, plus I figured there are some other belts (A/C belt, $12.00, Advance Auto) and I was figuring about $700 is an ok price. Not sure how he is coming to 1K though, I hope there is something else to this=.
$1,000 is hilarious. The hardest thing to do are the spark plugs, takes 40 minutes.
I was figuring:
Air Filter: 60 (not a paper filter, which is the best to use)
Spark Plugs: 40 (like I said....$17.00, Advance Auto) (Takes 40 minute to change them all)
Serpentine belt: 125 (every serpentine belt I have bought has been at least 125) (that is ridiculous, they are under $20.00 at Advance Auto, if my 427ci can't break one in 5 years, it'll be fine for you too)
Trans fluid change: 100 (tranny fluid is NOT that expensive, you drain it and put the new stuff in. Changing the filter is a piece of cake too, could be messy without a big pan)
Plugs/wires with Labor: 100 ($36.00, wires, Advance Auto. Don;'t waste your cash on new factory wires, they are no better)
Fluids: 60 (oil is $20.00 for 6 qrts)
That is about $500, plus I figured there are some other belts (A/C belt, $12.00, Advance Auto) and I was figuring about $700 is an ok price. Not sure how he is coming to 1K though, I hope there is something else to this=.
$1,000 is hilarious. The hardest thing to do are the spark plugs, takes 40 minutes.
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01-21-2009, 05:49 PM
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If you are unwilling to do this basic tune up you shouldn't own this car. You can get all of the items for less than $150. And everyone should own at least one jack and a basic set of wrenches.
01-21-2009, 06:14 PM
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I am assuming your car is an 01 TA with a 5.7?
I just looked up the R & R flat rate labour to install the new parts that you listed.
Plugs (Wires are 100% overlap, no extra labour ) - 2.7
Fuel Filter - 0.5
Serpentine Belt - 0.4
Transmission filter change ( not to mention possible fluid flush machine costs ) - 1.0
Air filter - 0.5
Oil and filter change - 0.2
Total labour time by the book is 5.3 @ 90/hr is 477.00. If you add parts, shop supplies and fluids on top of that it could easily reach 1000.00 for the repairs. Some shops will give you a break on labour but thats what the book time is.
If you buy bottom line parts and do the work yourself of course the job is going to cost less. I would say that this quote for your "tune up" is not outrageous just not a "doityourselfer" price.
My shop labour rate is $96/hr and we have common maintenance invoices that come to 1000 after parts and tax.
If you are unhappy with the price I would phone another local shop and ask them for a quote for the same work. Compare the quotes and ask what kind of parts they use..
Arthur
I just looked up the R & R flat rate labour to install the new parts that you listed.
Plugs (Wires are 100% overlap, no extra labour ) - 2.7
Fuel Filter - 0.5
Serpentine Belt - 0.4
Transmission filter change ( not to mention possible fluid flush machine costs ) - 1.0
Air filter - 0.5
Oil and filter change - 0.2
Total labour time by the book is 5.3 @ 90/hr is 477.00. If you add parts, shop supplies and fluids on top of that it could easily reach 1000.00 for the repairs. Some shops will give you a break on labour but thats what the book time is.
If you buy bottom line parts and do the work yourself of course the job is going to cost less. I would say that this quote for your "tune up" is not outrageous just not a "doityourselfer" price.
My shop labour rate is $96/hr and we have common maintenance invoices that come to 1000 after parts and tax.
If you are unhappy with the price I would phone another local shop and ask them for a quote for the same work. Compare the quotes and ask what kind of parts they use..
Arthur
01-21-2009, 06:52 PM
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if you pay that much for a tune up run your car off a damn cliff..
that is just insane.. i have no idea if it expensive for a shop, but it IS outright expensive..
you can get good plugs for under 20 bucks..
the good belts run about 40 bucks..
trans change is NOT hard and NOT 100 dollars..
plugs/wires, if you get the good ones they have deals online for MSD for 62 bucks shipped..
oil- 50 with a filter
do it yourself and save 800 dollars.. if i knew someone that actually paid that for a tune up, i would... hell i dont even know....
if you cant do a tune up yourself, then get rid of the car man.. 1k will get you a decent cam only setup..
if you do that yourself you could easily do it for under 200 bucks.. EASILY
that is just insane.. i have no idea if it expensive for a shop, but it IS outright expensive..
you can get good plugs for under 20 bucks..
the good belts run about 40 bucks..
trans change is NOT hard and NOT 100 dollars..
plugs/wires, if you get the good ones they have deals online for MSD for 62 bucks shipped..
oil- 50 with a filter
do it yourself and save 800 dollars.. if i knew someone that actually paid that for a tune up, i would... hell i dont even know....
if you cant do a tune up yourself, then get rid of the car man.. 1k will get you a decent cam only setup..
if you do that yourself you could easily do it for under 200 bucks.. EASILY
01-21-2009, 06:58 PM
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it will take a shop about 10 minutes to do a complete oil change with filter and all.. refill washer fluid.. vacuum the interior.. put a serp. belt on..
you have to think they have lifts, makes things 100X's easier than in a garage at your house..
only thing that is going to take ANY time at ALL is the plugs... should take about 15-20 minutes for a shop to do it..
your looking at an HONEST (not what it "should" take) 30-40 minutes of work..
tell that shop they can kiss your *** for that price..
buy the parts, then ask them how much to do it if nothing else..
you have to think they have lifts, makes things 100X's easier than in a garage at your house..
only thing that is going to take ANY time at ALL is the plugs... should take about 15-20 minutes for a shop to do it..
your looking at an HONEST (not what it "should" take) 30-40 minutes of work..
tell that shop they can kiss your *** for that price..
buy the parts, then ask them how much to do it if nothing else..
01-21-2009, 07:02 PM
#19
If the shop you took it to has a lift, the mechanic was done with all of that in 2 hours. All but dropping the tranny pan and changing the tranny filter...I can do all that with ramps in my driveway in 2 hours.
01-21-2009, 07:08 PM
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Did you drop your car off at a shop, agree to that price of $1,000...and then come here to ask if its a good deal?
If the shop you took it to has a lift, the mechanic was done with all of that in 2 hours. All but dropping the tranny pan and changing the tranny filter...I can do all that with ramps in my driveway in 2 hours.
If the shop you took it to has a lift, the mechanic was done with all of that in 2 hours. All but dropping the tranny pan and changing the tranny filter...I can do all that with ramps in my driveway in 2 hours.
HIS CAR IS AT THE SHOP!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!!!!!