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Old 02-08-2001, 08:50 PM
Benzmac Benzmac is offline
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Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Suwanee, GA, USA
Posts: 4,712
When I read this thread, I knew that it would grow!

We hired a tech from a dealer that was used to turning 60-70 hours a week at the dealer. When he came to the independent life, his hours dropped to about 40 hours a week. Once he said to me, I have never worked this hard for this little.

On the independent level, we can't afford to over charge. From what I learned from this tech, at the dealer, this is the normal. They use their pen to generate as much time as their tools. This was a powerfull learning tool for me. I started looking at the repair bills from the dealers and found some reasons that his hours dropped.

They charged .7 to test drive the car. We do this for free. They charge .2 for EACH bulb to replace. We do this for free. Diff service is extra at the EZ service, we do this included in the EZ price....The list is very long!

I still turn 60-70 hours a week, every week. Why? I don't take coffee or cigarette breaks. I don't stand and BS alot either. I just work. Plain and simple. I diagnose the car correctly and fix it in a timely manner.

OH yeah, his comeback rate was at least 10%, mine is .5% I think.


He is no longer with us, went back to the dealer to work less and get paid more. This is a fine policy with me, I'm just glad I don't own a new Mercedes that he services.


Sorry to whom this may offend. It is not meant that you all are this way, or that we independents are all straight. I have seen my fair share of the crooked ones. I just wanted to share something that did happen to me. Nothing more.


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Benzmac:
Donnie Drummonds
ASE CERTIFIED MASTER AUTO TECHNICIAN
MERCEDES SPECIALIST 11 YRS
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