Am I getting ripped off?
 

The shop I had change my flywheel for me is charging 13.5 hours for the job... I supplied the parts. It's on my '83 5spd p/u. It just seems like it shouldn't take that long to do, is it a lot more than changing a clutch?

are they going to buy you dinner and whisper sweet nothings into your ear first?? unless the labor is like $10 an hour I hope you had you clutch replaced as well

nope, just the flywheel, I gave them all the parts it required how many hours should that take?

it should not take that long at all 4-5 at the most thats how long it took me in the driveway with regular tools, no lift no tranny jack no cool extensions, ask him if he uses all-data or some kind of estimating program and look at the hours on it. i dont know how canada works but in the states we have the bureau of automotive repair if you have something like that i would report them and hopefully get some of your money back if he does not budge with the amount he is going to charge you.

That seems excessive. A lot of mechanics look up in some universal book how many hours a proceedure takes, and that's what they charge, regardless of how long it actually takes them. If that book says 13.5 hours, then he's ok to charge you that (although I'd find a mechanic that will charge for actual time). I had a mechanic look something up in front of me to give me an estimate, and when he saw how long the book said it should take, he said it would take him half that and that's what he charged me for.

I also agree that unless your clutch has very very low mileage it really should have been changed out too.

YES YOU ARE BEING RIPPED OFF! Should not take them more than 3 hours max to do it plus the time for resurfacing the flywheel.

James

the only way to make any money with a shop is to charge flat rate by the book (sometimes you'll win but you usually lose). They didn't make any profit on parts (30-50%) so why give you a break on labor? Are you a long time customer or is this the only time that they will see you? Shops don't stay open giving shoptime away and mechanics can't eat if they're not billing hours.

yea, thats to long..

allot of mechanics say its going to take as long as it says in the book.
even though it only took them half that.

how long is this procedure suppose to take by the book?

ah refried beat me to it lol..

I don't have my flat rate manual and my cd dosen't want to load but I'll see what it says.

Yeah the clutch is brand new just put in a month ago and no resurfacing for the flywheel it's brand new.

Ah so you did the clutch job and then after realized you needed the flywheel done and said "screw this I'm not taking that tranny out again" and so you had someone else do it?

I'll be interested to see what the book says this job should take. It might take me 13.5 hours, but not a mechanic.

I probably took 10 hours to do mine, maybe less. It was over a week that I did it. If you count the time driving to get extensions and missing tools easily 10 to 12 hours. Replace the rear main seal and anything you did not replace with the clutch. I assume if you did not resurface the flywheel when you changed the clutch you probably didn't replace the throw out or pilot bearing either. these parts are cheap, but expensive to get to, change them too.

Took me 6 hours drivable to drivable to swap an auto for a manual on my 87 4Runner in the dirt in my backyard with hand tools and a floor jack.... 13.5 to just pull an swap out a flywheel?! Shenanigans!

call around and ask for an estimate, then ask how many hours they recommend. you will find these nut jobs are way off base. i wouldn't think more then 3 hours.

Al

P/O had just done the clutch before I bought it, he said the starter gear was bad and that the clutch took him about 5 hours to do so the flywheel shouldn't take much longer to replace. I work out of town so I'd rather pay someone to do it for me while I'm gone.

I emailed the shop owner and he said book is 6 hours but he had trouble with the bolts. So an extra 7.5 hours spent on the flywheel bolts? I plan on spending a ton of money on this truck and he lost that business. I know he's trying to take me to the cleaners because I'm young he figures I'm stupid and he knows I work for Cameco so he assumes I'm loaded and willing to pay whatever he asks for.

Oh well, I'll try talk him down when I get home on Thursday. If he doesn't want my business he's missing out on a lot of cash and I'll tell everyone I know he'll rip them off, his loss.

actually, you should talk to him about fraud.Overbilling in the auto industry has reached epic levels. Its a virus, and it occurs because 90% of people have no idea ABOUT anything car related. The only way it will ever stop is if you call the bluff. 13 hours for a flywheel.. no. no. no. no. no. He is committing fraud. There is NO LAW that says a mechanic can simply write down whatever that estimate book states.

They get away with it because no one says anything. It is against THE law to charge for services not rendered... that includes over billing. He doesn't get to charge you for the 6 hours he waited for pb nut buster to soak on the nuts Not how it works.

There are several steps you need to go through.

1. Did you receive an estimate? Did you sign off on that estimate? Did that include granting authority to go beyond the estimate?

2. I would call, be polite and ask him to explain the 13 hours. Explain that after talking to many many other people, 5 to 6 hours seems the max. You want an IN WRITING explanation for the 7 hour difference. You want each 15-20 minute chunk itemized.

Explain from the beginning you are concerned that you are being over billed and will be contacting the BBB(better buisness) and will be contacting your local office of attorney general. You suspect them of committing fraud and unless they can prove the repair truly did require that time, you will file a legal complaint.


Remember BE POLITE. You don't want to do any of this. You want him to back down and say, ok Ill only charge you for the 6 hours. But you NEED to assert the dominate position.

Uh... and a sure way to not have any referals or return customers. 14 hours is a straight rape. It shouldn't take more than 4 hours. Any mechanic that tries that sh#t doesn't deserve to eat. Oh yeah, shops stay open by providing good service, not bending people over. :nono:

WOW WOW WOW. Theres a difference between giving away shop time and stealing and committing fraud. Theres no problem with being billed actual labor time, but over charging is stealing. Plain and simple. If you have to resort to stealing to make money, theres something wrong with the way you run your business.

Here's what you do:

Go to pay him, but before you do say this:

YOU: "Here you go"
HIM: "Oh, cool, let me get you a receipt"
YOU: "Hey don't forget to add and charge me for the reach around"
HIM: "The reach around?"
YOU: "Yeah, I like to at least get a reach around when I'm getting screwed"

Then pay him, but dont put the cash in his hand, and make sure the bills are all out of order and facing different directions.

Never return to that shop.

Tell all your friends about it.

Blow the horn and yell rip-off when you drive by them.

And wave to them only using one finger.