My corvette shop, Robbed me...
02-13-2013, 01:25 PM
#1
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Member Since: Sep 2011
Location: From: Brooklyn Kiddo, Live in Wantagh, Long Island NY....... New York
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My corvette shop, Robbed me...
I have a question, I took my car to my local corvette shop. Rather not mention any names because I don't know if he overcharged me. I'm not a mechanic so I paid 135.00 to tow my c6 to the shop. I gave him brakes and rotors that I purchase here on the forum. I purchased all Items that I'm gonna mention.. I gave him a center console carbon fiber to put on and also a start button. Eboot and shifter boot. He bleed the brakes changed them all around plus installed the rotors. He painted the calipers red. He left the (abs) light on. He says the right rear sensor is no good. that's the reason the light is on. He painted the rotors red, the calipers look really nice.. He charged me 700.00.
Do you guys think that was too much to pay, or could he have been a little more reasonable. I just wanted to add, I gave him my credit card and he said I will have to charge you for the taxes. So I asked him to give me the keys so I can go pick up the money at the bank 2 miles away. He said he needs the money. Mind you I have used him two times before and have paid him cash on the spot both times. I just was not thinking this time because my friend that was giving me a lift there had a doctors appointment... Should I use him again or was he reasonable and regarding the money. That is how he runs his shop...
Do you guys think that was too much to pay, or could he have been a little more reasonable. I just wanted to add, I gave him my credit card and he said I will have to charge you for the taxes. So I asked him to give me the keys so I can go pick up the money at the bank 2 miles away. He said he needs the money. Mind you I have used him two times before and have paid him cash on the spot both times. I just was not thinking this time because my friend that was giving me a lift there had a doctors appointment... Should I use him again or was he reasonable and regarding the money. That is how he runs his shop...
02-13-2013, 02:31 PM
#6
Le Mans Master
$700 doesn't seem too bad I suppose for doing the brakes, painting the calibers, installing the center console, etc. Thanks about 5-6 hours worth of work and shakes out to about $100 or a little more per hour. Sounds like you guys need to have a more clear understanding next time. I don't get the impression he tried to get one over on you.
02-13-2013, 03:24 PM
#10
Burning Brakes
He did lots of work for you. Consider shop hours can be as high as 160$ per hour, it's not so bad. Painting the calipers means taking them off the car, cleaning them, bleeding the brakes, so it's a lot of work. Changing the console is something I have never tried because there's too much potential of breaking clips and having the reinstall not fit quite nicely, so then again that's expensive labour. The cheapest thing you got done were to change the brakes.
02-13-2013, 03:30 PM
#11
Team Owner
He did lots of work for you. Consider shop hours can be as high as 160$ per hour, it's not so bad. Painting the calipers means taking them off the car, cleaning them, bleeding the brakes, so it's a lot of work. Changing the console is something I have never tried because there's too much potential of breaking clips and having the reinstall not fit quite nicely, so then again that's expensive labour. The cheapest thing you got done were to change the brakes.
Things like painting calipers and installing consoles are not traditional jobs for a mechanic...you just have to accept his hours for things like that. I certainly would have charged much more for that work than he did. If he breaks a clip on the console, it's his problem...he deserves to be compensated for that kind of risk.
02-13-2013, 04:50 PM
#14
Team Owner
02-13-2013, 05:00 PM
#15
Le Mans Master
02-13-2013, 06:24 PM
#16
Drifting
Sounds like too much to me, but he's supposed to invoice you listing the parts he used and the number of hours worked. Dealership service center rates are based on the shop rate manual and those are probably 50% higher, since they usually complete the tasks in way less time than the shop rate calls for...you pay the shop rate anyway.
I wouldn't go back to them simply because they wouldn't allow you to go get cash for the payment...that's really poor..they at least could have offered you a ride.
I wouldn't go back to them simply because they wouldn't allow you to go get cash for the payment...that's really poor..they at least could have offered you a ride.
02-13-2013, 07:07 PM
#18
Burning Brakes
If he will not give you a price ahead of time find another place. He can do the work and give you any price he wants with you having no idea what he will charge. If he can not figure a price ahead of time he must not have much of a idea what if involved to do the job which makes me wonder if he knows what he is doing. If he runs into unexpected trouble he can contact you and you can tell him what you want to do after he explains what needs done and again how much that work will cost!
02-13-2013, 07:20 PM
#19
Where I live he definitely overcharged you. But in other places, maybe not. Bottom line is you should NEVER allow anything to be done to your car without a clear understanding of the charges first. Open-ended quotes only entice techs/patrons to overcharge customers. Since the 'damage' is done, I'd let it go if the guy did a great job. But apparently he damaged one of your sensors, and they aren't cheap. If he didn't advice you of possible damage at your own expense, it's his responsibility to fix it. If he needs to do that, I'd say he's a good guy. If not, find somebody else. Good luck.
