The words mechanic and thief are interchangeable these day's. A professional should easily be able to swap out a caliper in 1/2 hour. Multiple that by 2 and add 30 minutes to bleed, at most.

I mean really, how long does it take to remove the tire, 2 caliper bolts and a fluid line? Mounting the pads and caliper is just as quick.

I recently took my neighbors car to Mieneke for front pads(she asked me too). They wanted $200 just to swap out the pads. Did it myself in an hour for $40 bucks.

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Thanks for denigrating all mechanics with your unjust and obviously biased comments. Just because a shadetree(you) diy owner can change a caliper in .5 hrs doesn't mean that a legitimate shop should charge a customer the same. Ever heard of the concept of flat rate?

I don't know what you do for a living, but you sure wouldn't like it if you were called a thief because you were trying to make a honest living. I guess us grease monkeys will never get any respect around here. That might be why few professionals bother to post on the forum anymore.

When you make a large capital investment in a shop, and can pay your employees a living wage working on the mostly decrepit pos cars being discussed here, then you could make a qualified statement about the auto repair industry.

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"I was a dirty bird, Carol's not grungey - she's *****in" John Milner....American Graffiti

My car, for one, is not a decrepit POS. I didn't make the blanket statement about mechanics. However, the ones that I have gone to with my Mercedes have all tried to rip me royally. Two actually succeded. That was early on. I hope to avoid it ever happening again.

There are no doubt good honest mechasnics out there. It's just a challenge finding one before we lose all faith and attempt most of the work ourselves. I would certainly have no problem paying a good honest mechanic their $85-$125 hourly rate if they actually charged only for the time that they worked on the car.

My problem with them is their estimated time chart. For example, I took my car to have the engine mounts and engine shocks changed. He originally gave me one price and later changed it when I arrived to pick up the car. He said it was a misunderstanding. He said the manual called for 2.5 hours of labor for the job. He then said he was only going to charge me 2 hours because that's how long it took him.

I wanted to know how it could possibly have taken him 2 hours when he only had my car for 1.5. Even so, I didn't quarrel with him and learned my lesson. My point is, if you have an hourly rate, why is that not based on the ACTUAL time it takes to repair a car? I imagine it's something like lawyers and their billable hours.

The mechanic that took the cake for me was the one who was going to charge me $105 to put in a trans lever bushing. I was going to have him do a bunch of front end work and the bushing would have just been a quick "while the car's up in the air" deal. I mean, I did it myself in 5 minutes.

I meant no denigration towards the honest and hard working mechanic. It's the greedy shops that take to many liberties with their customers wallets that I have a problem with. Sure their are some honest shops around, but from my experiences they are few and far in-between.

If a job takes 1 hr. at a stated labor rate of $100/hr, I expect pay $100 for the labor, not $150. Flat rate? That's just a term used to charge $150 an hour. And if a part cost you $40 dollars, I don't have a problem with a 20% mark-up. But if you want to charge me $80 well then that's outta line IMO.

If that's unjust and biased then so be it.

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Ever hear of the concept of man-hours? 2 guys working 1 hour each equals 2 man-hours. One guy doing on side, and another working the other. Or some jobs just go a lot better with 2 guys.

It's not all a rip-off scheme, there are other costs that factor in. Tools, building rent, utilities, license fees, taxes, wages, and so on. Depending on where you are, some of those costs can be quite different. Don't go painting everyone with such a broad brush.

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Remember, it's not just a car. It's an Adventure.

Obviously, you have no idea what it takes to run a shop. It's a free country, and I run off customers with your pi$$ poor attitude. I have a business to run and bills to pay, not charity to give. Nothing worse than a skinflint MB owner, who thinks thinks that they deserve both the red carpet treatment and discounted parts and service.

It's out of line to charge more than 20% markup on parts and you also presume that I pay my best tech $20/hour or less? I woldn't touch a car that you bring in to my shop. Keep going pal, your the kind of customer that I don't need or want.

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"I was a dirty bird, Carol's not grungey - she's *****in" John Milner....American Graffiti

Don't worry Buddy, you sound exactly like the kind of shop many here hope to avoid.

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Question Authority before it Questions you.

No, I'm too ignorant to understand what man-hours means. That notwithstanding, if he's the ONLY guy in the shop how could there be more than ONE man-hour each hour? Enlighten me, as my ignorance is obviously very broad.

Oh, and as far as shop costs like rent or mortgage and insurance...that should all be built into the cost of ONE hour's labor rate. If it's not, then a sign should be posted stating that there will be an additional charge to the customer so that they may help pay those costs.

I don't go to Macy's and purchase a shirt for the price stated on the tag and expect to get hit with an extra bill for electricity at the register.

It breaks my heart that we won't have to put up with ignorant and cheap car owners who thinks that they are doing us a favor by letting us work on a ancient decrepit MB covered in oil and rusty hardware.

You probaly don't even know that I have to pay to dispose of used brake fluid, or that I provide latex gloves and charcoal filters for my techs.

Labor pays for overhead, my profit comes from parts, and you presume to tell me that I shouldn't charge more than a 20% markup on them? Get real, I would go broke if I followed your line of thinking.

I would lose money if I charged 1.5 hours to r&r front calipers on a W123, yet you insinuate that anyone who charges more is out of line and a ripoff. First off, I would do a wheel bearing service and mic the rotors as part of the job, or else risk a chargeback from people like you who would complain to Visa ten months from now when the wheel bearings gave out.

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"I was a dirty bird, Carol's not grungey - she's *****in" John Milner....American Graffiti

Of course, overhead and other things are factored into the labor rate.


I also charge a minimal fee for shop supplies like brake cleaner and hardware. I use Wurth hardware, not Chinese hardware store stuff. Ever priced Wurth hardware? It's not cheap.

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"I was a dirty bird, Carol's not grungey - she's *****in" John Milner....American Graffiti

Considering the shop is in Brooklyn, New York , which is a pretty expensive place to do business I would expect the prices to be higher.

If you don't like it go out and spend a million bucks and set up your own shop, than hire a bunch of mechanics, pay insurance, and all that goes with running a business.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Not enough info. It's very possible that this quote included replacing the rotors as well as the calipers and pads. In that case, the quote may be in the ball-park, especially in NY.

A tale from real life.....

My 124 came down with the 'ignition key will not turn' problem in Sugarland, Texas. I did not even bother to call the dealer there, so I cannot comment on their prices, but there was a shop that said they could do it the next day for about $800.

But I called around and found a guy about 10 miles away who first asked me how soon I needed it fixed. I told him no real hurry so he said if I could get it to his shop he could do it in a week or so for $450.

The first shop was going to just slot it in, pick up at the parts at the dealer and turn it back to me ASAP. The other guy would order the parts over the internet and use my car as a filler for when he had nothing else going on like when he was waiting for a part to be delivered or something.

All in all I was not only paying for labor, tools, expertise, overhead but also for service. If I had really needed the car the $800 would have been OK, but it worked out well for me and for the other guy who also did a first class job.

When I was a kid I was talking to the Ice Man and he gave me an icepick that said 'Pick on the Ice and not the Ice Man' on the side of it. It's like that with Mechanics, too. I have never met one that was not willing to work with me on a problem, but I have to be realistic in my dealings with them.

And when you find a good one you can trust you will be dollars ahead in the long run.

An Auto mechanic is a skilled professional, trained in his line of work.
As are skilled tradesmen such as Electricians, Plumbers, Heavy equiptment operators, Home builders etc...

These are the people who perform the tasks that the average guy is either not inclined, too busy, doesnt have proper tools, or the experiance to perform.

Not directed at, or inclusive to the OP, but I ask this....'Does anyone who complains about the rates of a skilled tradesman, complain when they go to the Dr...or have to retain the services of an Attorney'?

My comeback when a customer questions why I am charging them $145.00 to regut their toilet tank, is...'I didnt spend 3 years in the 5th grade for nothing'

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CHILCUTT~
The secret to a long life. Is knowing when it is time to leave.

If you can justify $950 bucks to just swap out a couple of calipers as stated by the OP, than good for you. I'm sure you'll both be very pleased.

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