Price on replacing starter on 2001 TA
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From: Bloomington, Illinois
Price on replacing starter on 2001 TA Just had to get the car towed and had the starter replaced. The parts charge for the starter was at $375+. Is this normal? I ended up paying over $500 for the tow+labor+the starter cost. This seems really high to me. Anyone have any input?????
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So $60 towing charge plus $80 in labor. They charged $375 for the starter. They had my car for 1 1/2 hours at the most. Why such a charge for the starter? Or did they just jack up the price to cover for the "labor" on a cold Saturday?
How did you know the price of the starter? Did I just get had?
How did you know the price of the starter? Did I just get had?
Last edited by SMKD6; Jan 19, 2008 at 06:10 PM.
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Local shop. Less than a 10 mile tow and less than 2hrs of time they had the car. Lot closer to 1.5 hours of shop time. Like I said before, the labor was only $80 of the total $511 and change.
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Thread Starter
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From: Bloomington, Illinois
Thanks for the replies guys. Guess it makes it a little easier to understand spending a bit more money than expected. Still no fun paying more than anticipated!
If the book says it takes 6 hours to do something, even though it only takes the mechanic 2 maybe, they still usually charge for 6. That's how quick mechanics and quick shops make their money.
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So I guess even if I had been billed only $80 in labor + $60 for the tow and $375 for the starter??? They jacked the price on the starter and invoiced it to me at $375? They "skewed" the price of the part to cover for what-the cold temperature??
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Shops go by what the book says, not how long it actually takes...For the most part.
If the book says it takes 6 hours to do something, even though it only takes the mechanic 2 maybe, they still usually charge for 6. That's how quick mechanics and quick shops make their money.
If the book says it takes 6 hours to do something, even though it only takes the mechanic 2 maybe, they still usually charge for 6. That's how quick mechanics and quick shops make their money.
So I guess even if I had been billed only $80 in labor + $60 for the tow and $375 for the starter??? They jacked the price on the starter and invoiced it to me at $375? They "skewed" the price of the part to cover for what-the cold temperature??
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exactly!!!
the other considering is, lets assume the shop you went too did not have that starter, however a local GM dealership did, OEM parts always cost more. So maybe your shop did buy and use an OEM part. they paid the OEM premium then tacked on another 10-20% for you to pay.
I would find out what kind of starter it is, then worry if you where dragged backwards through a prison with your pants down or not.
If your shop used a duralast autozone starter, then yeah they marked up the cost 100% atleast!
it sucks being screwed over by a shop, however if your car is a DD and you needed it running immediately, then yeah you get screwed into paying the price. Most every car owner has, so dont feel too bent over about it.
Just remember next time, ask on ls1tech, for the help first. One of us would have known to charge your $700-$1000 LOL j/k
Starter takes 15 minutes once the car is up in the air, it's just a few bolts. But shops have overhead it's not like the shop owners all drive S class Mercedes. Most shop guys I know are paying a lot for equipment loans/leases etc.
