I have been amazed lately at the difference in how paid mechanics figure their labor time. Many are using one of several computer programs that estimate the time on each job. That is multiplied by their hourly rate. I know two indys who use computer programs by auto service companies to do this. They charge that amount regardless (even if it takes less time). They have almost gotten as bad as the doctors and health insurance companies raping the American public by charging outrageous amounts.

Yesterday I went to the Mercedes dealer. I have gotten to know my service advisor pretty well and have personally met the mechanic there who works on the older cars. She and he both said they do not use a computer program. The mechanic tells the service advisor how long the job will take.

The dealership mechanic said 3 hours to change out my differential. Two indy mechanics both said 9 hours labor. The dealer is $85 per hour. The indy's are both $75 per hour. GO FIGURE!

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1982 300SD Light Blue
2002 Honda Accord SE
1974 Toro Wheel Horse Tractor
2000 Toyota Tundra Pickup

The so-called "book time" is typical of how mechanics estimate the labor cost of jobs. The dealer can probably better estimate the actual time because:

1) they do the same jobs over and over on the same models unlike the indys who work on different brands and models.

2) because of 1) they can do the same job in less time than an indy who has a learning curve to climb.

3) The dealership may have special tools which reduce the time to perform tasks.

Still, I don't know of any dealerships who do what yours does in charging actual time so you are lucky to have them.

The biggest scam in book-time is when you have two jobs which "overlap" then they usually just add up the hours. For example, if you had a certain car which needed a new timing belt and water pump the book may say each is a 6 hour job but both could be done in 7 hours because 90% of the work needed to do one is needed to do the other. Unscrupulous mechanics will charge you 12 hours and do it in 7 (or 4 if they know what they are doing).

In short, ask the question "do you charge labor based on book or actual time". The best answer would be "I estimate based upon book time but charge whichever is less" .

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Marty D.

2013 C300 4Matic
1984 BMW 733i
2013 Lincoln MKz

prolly based on a healthy mix of experience, recent memories (I got hosed yesterday - gotta make up for it today) voodoo, black art, darts throwing , and boat size assessment. Having said all that. A tip of the hat to mechanics, I can't imagine the stuff that they have to put up with. Pesonally I only subject them to the worst I can come up with - when all else fails bring in the pro(s)....The only time I've been to a mechanic in ~10 years was to take my VW to Maine for a timing belt change (I wimped out and wanted a crash course in VW diesels) . If you need VW diesel work seek HERM in maine (search for him @tdiclub.com) I did the work with him and it was like being an apprentice (Not the stupid TV show) he taught me a tremendous amount and saved me alot of $....Your mileage may vary.

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Rob M
Norwich, VT USA
1980 240D Euro delivery 4 speed manual silver/blue
~160K miles

Hey
ALL dealership mechanics work on piece work. They get paid for the job regardless of how long it takes. That cost is transfered to the consumer.

For instance. If a mechanic is given a brake job to do and the time on job is 2 hours. If he gets it done in 1/2 hour he still gets paid for 2 hours time. If he does 3 brake jobs in 2 hours he gets paid for 6 hours.

This is what dealership mechanics have told me and as far as I know it's always been like that.

I have no idea how indy's work but I'm sure it's not much different.

Danny

EDIT: these times are exagerated to make the point. They do try to make the times as close to the actuall time it should take.

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1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

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They do book rates becasue every so often you have a bolt that breaks off.....or strips out....and where when everything works fine they do it in less time...there is those cases that may take 2-3 times as long due to no fault of theirs. Of course they would still have to meet their extimate on labor.

I think if you paid solely by the hour you would end up paying more in many cases as what motivation do they have to work their butts off for effectively less money. THere is no incentive to be productive.

Of course I do my own work becasue I trust my own work better than all but a couple mechanics locay. Of Course their are more excellant mechanics around....Like Gilly, WHunter and a few others...But none are local to me.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

My brother (and my dad when he was still in the business) both use(d) the Chilton labor rates as guides for major jobs, but had flat rates for routine procedures (oil changes, tune-ups, etc.). It would be very difficult to just figure things by the hour, since they both work in a small town quite a ways from the parts houses. Thus they would end up waiting at least a little while if they needed a part they hadn't planned on needing. In the time they were waiting, they may do 2 or 3 oil changes, tire fixes, etc. and then to go back and try to decide exactly how much time was spent working on the first job would be insane.

Usually the labor rate guides were pretty close to actual time needed. Some jobs they may be able to complete a little quicker, but as the good doctor mentioned you always have a few jobs that for one reason or another end up taking twice as long as the labor rate allows. So it all works out in the end.

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Keep everything as simple as possible-but no simpler--Albert Einstein

I once did a repair that I was very familiar with. Needless to say because of that I was able to do it in 1/4 of the book time.

when I presented the customer the bill ( I had given an estimate first) and stuck with the original estimate, the customer freaked out.
He said it only took me 15 minutes. why should I pay for an hour.
I advised him that any other tech or shop would take and hour or more between diagnosis and part R&R. He had someone very familiar with that repair, did it correctly and effeciently.

He happily paid the bill...

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79 240D my current toy
42 years a Diesel addict

240D sold
250SE sold
220D sold
280C sold
280S sold
300D (2) sold
300CD sold
300DT sold
300SD sold
380SL sold