had a shop replace my slave/clutch.

[swynx]

Took the 94 b4000 to a reputable shop they quoted me 450$ to do the clutch. I work swing and we only have one vehicle at the moment, so I had my girlfriend take down 400$. She said they said it would be done Monday and it'll cost 950$.

Anyone have any clue how adding a slave cylinder could add double the price? Now I really regret not doing this myself as I could've replaced it all myself in a day or two and only spent 250 to get it all replaced.

 

[94 lngbd]

there increasing the price due to your G/F bringing it into them Not you, But when you go get it state that you called them & was qouted $450 & had your g/f bring it in & she was told $950

 

[swynx]

I called once and got a quote of 450 to replace just the slave/throwout. Then I went in and the shop owner fave me a rough quote of 450 to replace the clutch. Since its in the general area I figured why not.

IM puzzled as to why its doubled. I mean the slave is 92 at Napa.

I'll find out next week why its doubled and make payments on it till I move.

 

[Andy D]

Heh heh, I bought the Rat believing that all it needed was a clutch plate and a little frame repair. Well , 1200$ in parts later, I have really good running old heap of a Ranger. The mechanic prolly hadn't ever done a clutch job on a Ranger and didn't realize what a PITA job it is until he got into it.

 

[RonD]

Took the 94 b4000 to a reputable shop they quoted me 450$ to do the clutch. I work swing and we only have one vehicle at the moment, so I had my girlfriend take down 400$. She said they said it would be done Monday and it'll cost 950$.

Anyone have any clue how adding a slave cylinder could add double the price? Now I really regret not doing this myself as I could've replaced it all myself in a day or two and only spent 250 to get it all replaced.

I would call to be sure, but a little late now I guess.
A "reputable" shop would know the slave on these trucks is part of doing the clutch, because it is internal, with external slaves it would be optional.

Than being said my '94 Ranger 4x4 clutch/slave and master was $850, 4 years ago.

I think $450 was a good price, $700 would be more average, with slave.
$950 seems a little excessive.

 

[wildbill23c]

Sounds pretty logical with repair shops ripping people off. I was quoted $870 to have the rear main seal replaced in my B2, the guy was trying to tell me that the seal was like $60, I said bull shit, its $17 at autozone. So needless to say my B2 is still leaking oil all over because I don't have time to take it apart and fix it myself.

 

[snake]

Would probably be leaking again if you fixed it using vatozone parts...

 

[RonD]

There are a lot of rip-offs in this world, auto repair isn't their only business, lol.

As a business owner for many years, not auto repair , there are some things that make my costs higher than just the labor.

Since I warranty the parts I install I get the most reliable parts, not necessarily the most expensive but almost always not the cheapest.

And since I don't make the parts myself I have to rely on the OEM to make a quality part that won't fail.....................well I have noticed that the quality control even on the better parts are not what they used to be, I do notice more failures in the last 10 years, not a lot more but not a 0 increase.
So to stay in business(make money not lose money) I have to spread that cost of a redo to the cost of that part, i.e. how many do I install each year and how many fail, and what does the failure cost my business.
Yes the OEM, in most cases, replaces the part free to me but I still have the labor cost to replace it.
How is that your problem??
If you expect a warranty then the business must still be around when you have a problem, so........if they are not making enough to cover warranty repairs then they won't be in business.

I do install customer supplied parts, but with no warranty on any thing, years ago I did warranty on the labor, but not any more, too many hassles with customers, and OEM, about who is at fault, every one wants someone else to pay, lol, so now it's no warranty, so no misunderstandings.


A few auto shops will install customer supplied parts with no warranty at a cheaper price, that is always an option.

 

[adsm08]

There are a lot of rip-offs in this world, auto repair isn't their only business, lol.

As a business owner for many years, not auto repair , there are some things that make my costs higher than just the labor.

Since I warranty the parts I install I get the most reliable parts, not necessarily the most expensive but almost always not the cheapest.

And since I don't make the parts myself I have to rely on the OEM to make a quality part that won't fail.....................well I have noticed that the quality control even on the better parts are not what they used to be, I do notice more failures in the last 10 years, not a lot more but not a 0 increase.
So to stay in business(make money not lose money) I have to spread that cost of a redo to the cost of that part, i.e. how many do I install each year and how many fail, and what does the failure cost my business.
Yes the OEM, in most cases, replaces the part free to me but I still have the labor cost to replace it.
How is that your problem??
If you expect a warranty then the business must still be around when you have a problem, so........if they are not making enough to cover warranty repairs then they won't be in business.

I do install customer supplied parts, but with no warranty on any thing, years ago I did warranty on the labor, but not any more, too many hassles with customers, and OEM, about who is at fault, every one wants someone else to pay, lol, so now it's no warranty, so no misunderstandings.


A few auto shops will install customer supplied parts with no warranty at a cheaper price, that is always an option.

We have this same problem at my shop. We work on a lot of non-Fords even though we are the dealership and we sell a lot of aftermarket parts because the owner insists that we price both for "customer satisfaction".

The only problem with that the customer almost always chooses the cheaper part. That is fine until we get one that is bad out of the box. If a Ford part is bad out of the box we go service part warranty on it and Ford pays for the new new part and the labor to put it in a second time.

If the AutoFart part is bad out of the box who pays to put it in the second time? The part manufacturer won't pay to put it in again. The customer never wants to pay double labor because they choose a crappy part. But why should the shop have to pay for something that isn't their fault when you (the customer) choose to buy the cheapest piece of crap on the market?


We just went through this a few weeks ago with a VW Rabbit. Ever put an alternator in one? It's about a 2.5 to 3 hour job. We gave the guy prices, including the OEM one and the cheapest one available. He looked at the cheap one and said "That's too much" so we knocked a few dollars off for him. Well guess what, the first one was no good. It charged fine but the bearings were toast. It sounded like a chain saw when you started it up.

Guess who paid to put it in a second time?

 

[Andy D]

Ever notice how everybody else is supposed to work for nothing? Fords are not designed to be taken apart.let alone last 20 yrs. Most of the stuff I took off was broken by the time it was off the truck. I can easily see a clutch job getting expensive. mine did. I'm a hack. which means that I can work slower than a professional. I keep telling myself , this is how I have fun. I was feeling my way through the job. and I still broke stuff. I was going where some one had gone before ,replaced the slave , with air tools, sometime in the past, didn't do the clutch. I know the SOB used air tools A pro cant afford to take the time it takes for me to pussy foot through the job. Up goes the truck on a lift. Out comes the air tools and the torch. Ka - ching. Avg shop rates around here are about 100$ an hour. Your rusty old Ford is going on a T and M schedule because it is a PITA. It is a no win situation for both parties. Either stop complaining about the price or get it out of there. PS, big job, maybe should a had a written estimate?

PPS, this wasnt aimed at anybody in particular. The best way to own an older car is to maintain it yourself.

 

[Jraymer360]

Ever notice how everybody else is supposed to work for nothing? Fords are not designed to be taken apart.let alone last 20 yrs. Most of the stuff I took off was broken by the time it was off the truck. I can easily see a clutch job getting expensive. mine did. I'm a hack. which means that I can work slower than a professional. I keep telling myself , this is how I have fun. I was feeling my way through the job. and I still broke stuff. I was going where some one had gone before ,replaced the slave , with air tools, sometime in the past, didn't do the clutch. I know the SOB used air tools A pro cant afford to take the time it takes for me to pussy foot through the job. Up goes the truck on a lift. Out comes the air tools and the torch. Ka - ching. Avg shop rates around here are about 100$ an hour. Your rusty old Ford is going on a T and M schedule because it is a PITA. It is a no win situation for both parties. Either stop complaining about the price or get it out of there. PS, big job, maybe should a had a written estimate?



PPS, this wasnt aimed at anybody in particular. The best way to own an older car is to maintain it yourself.

Based on what my dads old shop did. Whether a car took less or more time, they charged the rate that the program they said it would take. being rusty shouldn't have anything to do with it. IMO 100 Dollars an hour is a total ripoff.
My dad charged 75. he also was a small 3 bay shop in a gas station but did almost all the work himself.

 

[Andy D]

Based on what my dads old shop did. Whether a car took less or more time, they charged the rate that the program they said it would take. being rusty shouldn't have anything to do with it. IMO 100 Dollars an hour is a total ripoff.
My dad charged 75. he also was a small 3 bay shop in a gas station but did almost all the work himself.

Your Dad is prolly getting top dollar for your area. Over head has a lot to do with rates. There is a reason it is called Taxachusetts

 

[wildbill23c]

Would probably be leaking again if you fixed it using vatozone parts...

I really don't think it matters where you get the seal from, these things leak no matter what, I just would like it at least slowed down so its not going through a quart of oil every 2-3 days. I did get an alternator belt that says Made in USA from Autozone the other day, kind of surprised me.

 

[bobbywalter]

Based on what my dads old shop did. Whether a car took less or more time, they charged the rate that the program they said it would take. being rusty shouldn't have anything to do with it. IMO 100 Dollars an hour is a total ripoff.
My dad charged 75. he also was a small 3 bay shop in a gas station but did almost all the work himself.

thats some ignorant fawkin shit right there.

you obviously never did a clutch job on a decrepit rbv before...being from rust central you would never say anything so patently ridiculous if it was something you did only once a year.


the shifter bolts alone are usually wiped 9 times out of 10 from some other fawktards and you have to bust the wire welder out to get them off...


a large percentage of top shops were 100 dollars an hour in the 90's when most were in the 50's.

run that by your ol man, and see how many he passed on, or bid ridiculously
hoping they would hassle some other shop.

being rusty or rotted/corroded to nothing a wrench can fit, has EVERYTHING to do with it.

time is money.

 

[Jraymer360]

Your Dad is prolly getting top dollar for your area. Over head has a lot to do with rates. There is a reason it is called Taxachusetts

no, 100 is a pretty standard rate. not much overhead. 1500 a month renting the shop out. no elec/water/heat. 2/3 markup on parts. he didn't really have anyone else to pay. my mom did the the books part. charging less and having quality work is what brings business in, unlike the dealerships trying to rape every penny out of you for the same amount of work.


@ Above, passing on a job is a completely different topic. however quoting someone something based on the book and charging them more because of rust or having to take longer on a step isn't something that should be charged more for.

Slaves on a ranger are a bitch though, my buddy has his whole clutch system redone and it was about 1400.