Is $75 reasonable for a valve adjustment (123)?

[MattBelliveau]

Does $75 sound reasonable for a valve adjustment on a 123?

[Pete Burton]

yes, it is

[New2MB]

All of the shops I have been to want $65 just to bring a car in the door. $75 for a valve adjustment almost seems suspiciously cheap to me. Although if they can do it properly in an hour then $75 would be about right. Side note: I'm driving my beast over to see Chappelle at EMU.

[MattBelliveau]

I drive past this shop many times when I have to leave work to make deliveries. They always have a full lot of 80's era benzos (along with newer ones.) I'm assuming that this will be the place to go. Thanks, guys.

[Hit Man X]

But think, that $75 can buy those odd wrenches to do the job and you'll always have them!

... Whatever I have to do to justify a tool purchase for myself.

[Jim H]

Originally Posted by MattBelliveau

Does $75 sound reasonable for a valve adjustment on a 123?

This equates to 1 hour of labor at $75/hr.

The cynic (actually, I'm an 'experienced optimist') in me says be sure this is a square deal. A sleazy shop can wipe the valve cover, park it for a few hours, give it back to you otherwise untouched, charge you the $75 and you may not be able to tell the difference.

This is also known as a 'wall job.'

Otherwise, it sounds like a reasonable price for the labor involved.

Originally Posted by Hit Man X

But think, that $75 can buy those odd wrenches to do the job and you'll always have them!

... Whatever I have to do to justify a tool purchase for myself.

Yup, but that $75 also means no swearing, backaches, dropping tools, redoing the same valve several times due to "messing up" while trying to use three tools with two hands, or getting filthy. If that shop were close to me, $75 would be a bargain.

[P.E.Haiges]

Matt,

It sounds reasonable when compared to some of the other prices I have seen quoted here.

But, I would prefer to do it myself and keep the $75 in my pocket. It would take me longer to take it to a garage, wait until they get to it, wait until they do the adjustment and pay the bill. And I would have to waste a gallon of fuel getting there and back.

Also, I have found the usually some of the valves don't need to be adjusted because they are within the adjustment specifications. Once, on my '79 300SD, none of the valves needed to be adjusted and that was after 25,000 miles, my interval for adjusting the valves. This cuts the time needed to do the job about in half, which the garage won't give you a credit for.

The timing chain elongation should also be checked when the valve cover is off. Is the garage going to charge you extra for that?

P E H

MattBelliveau,
I adjusted the valves on my 300D last month. It took me both 1 1/2 hours. It is not that difficult if you have the proper tools. I am glad I did it myself because it gave me an opportunity to study the condition of the engine.

[boneheaddoctor]

Try to put something in the location field in your user profile...

He may live in a rural low cost area where that would be reasonible....but it he lives in a high cost Metro area then its highly suspect...

[MBeige]

Do any of you know of a shop that will do valve adjustments that cheap here in Anaheim or around?