My corvette shop, Robbed me...
02-13-2013, 07:33 PM
#21
Are you a member of a Vette club or is there one in your area you can join? Maybe you could have learned how to do some of this stuff yourself which would have given you more enjoyment out of the accomplishment as well as much less cost. Just a thought.
02-13-2013, 07:47 PM
#22
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...
This is why I am no longer a mechanic and why I did not open my own shop despite many customers telling me to over my 13 year run.
Assuming he did a good job with no issues of any kind then no.....not even close did he over charge you. He took care of you actually. He even diagnosed you ABS for free.
02-13-2013, 11:13 PM
#26
Is this a joke? You had him R&R your calipers and paint them, replaced your rotors, bled your brakes, replaced your center console, start button, Ebrake boot and shift boot, and diagnosed your ABS light...
The R&Ring calipers/rotors/bleeding is easily billed @ 4 hours alone, not even considering the painting. Add 2 for the center console boots and start button.
If you asked me to paint your calipers I would charge you 4 hours JUST for the painting part, doing it right takes a long time.
The R&Ring calipers/rotors/bleeding is easily billed @ 4 hours alone, not even considering the painting. Add 2 for the center console boots and start button.
If you asked me to paint your calipers I would charge you 4 hours JUST for the painting part, doing it right takes a long time.
02-14-2013, 12:20 AM
#27
Racer
hmmm, you actually got a decent straight up price....
Car comes-in on a flat bed, they have to push the puppy around and get it on the lift....
new rotors have to be treated to get the coating off
bleeding the brakes is time consuming, its a vette not a cavalier, car has to stop/slow down from triple digits..
painting the calipers, they need prep and time to dry, you are taking up a lift for 48 hours....
interior mods....time consuming
Bringing your vette to a vette specialist will cost you a little bit more.... but its the right price they charged you.....
Car comes-in on a flat bed, they have to push the puppy around and get it on the lift....
new rotors have to be treated to get the coating off
bleeding the brakes is time consuming, its a vette not a cavalier, car has to stop/slow down from triple digits..
painting the calipers, they need prep and time to dry, you are taking up a lift for 48 hours....
interior mods....time consuming
Bringing your vette to a vette specialist will cost you a little bit more.... but its the right price they charged you.....
02-14-2013, 02:12 AM
#28
Is this a joke? You had him R&R your calipers and paint them, replaced your rotors, bled your brakes, replaced your center console, start button, Ebrake boot and shift boot, and diagnosed your ABS light...
The R&Ring calipers/rotors/bleeding is easily billed @ 4 hours alone, not even considering the painting. Add 2 for the center console boots and start button.
If you asked me to paint your calipers I would charge you 4 hours JUST for the painting part, doing it right takes a long time.
The R&Ring calipers/rotors/bleeding is easily billed @ 4 hours alone, not even considering the painting. Add 2 for the center console boots and start button.
If you asked me to paint your calipers I would charge you 4 hours JUST for the painting part, doing it right takes a long time.
02-14-2013, 03:22 AM
#29
Drifting
I learned the hard way that anytime you incorporate the word "custom" into a shop installation you are are headed for a real expense. And even when they quote you one price, you should expect to receive "that phone call" asking for more hours to get it right. With that said, a brake job on a Toyota through a dealer should run about $350-400 in our area. With the additional work you asked to be done, I don't see $700 as being unreasonable. Plus I am sure you paid what we call "the corvette tax."
DG
DG
02-14-2013, 08:23 AM
#31
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Sep 2003
Location: Farmington CT
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Calipers..........
Painted or Powder coated?
If painted, the shop may have left the calipers on the car and brushed or painted them on.
I've used "Mike the PowderCoater" from FL with great results
To clear this up,
1. Did you supply the calipers already painted/or PCoated?
2. You did supply rotors.
3. The ABS light is now on?(takes 2 minutes to retrieve the code.)
4. Swapping a center console in a C6 is about a 30 minute job.
Rotors/pads on a C5/6 will not take longer than 1 hour for any shop when dealing with OEM setups.
The brake line threads on a C6 can be difficult(and they are more often than not), but with the correct die, can be fixed in an hour(personal experience)
Hope this helps
Steve
Painted or Powder coated?
If painted, the shop may have left the calipers on the car and brushed or painted them on.
I've used "Mike the PowderCoater" from FL with great results
To clear this up,
1. Did you supply the calipers already painted/or PCoated?
2. You did supply rotors.
3. The ABS light is now on?(takes 2 minutes to retrieve the code.)
4. Swapping a center console in a C6 is about a 30 minute job.
Rotors/pads on a C5/6 will not take longer than 1 hour for any shop when dealing with OEM setups.
The brake line threads on a C6 can be difficult(and they are more often than not), but with the correct die, can be fixed in an hour(personal experience)
Hope this helps
Steve
02-14-2013, 12:21 PM
#33
Pro
Thread Starter
Member Since: Sep 2011
Location: From: Brooklyn Kiddo, Live in Wantagh, Long Island NY....... New York
Posts: 526
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1 Post
Hi
Calipers..........
Painted or Powder coated?
If painted, the shop may have left the calipers on the car and brushed or painted them on.
I've used "Mike the PowderCoater" from FL with great results
To clear this up,
1. Did you supply the calipers already painted/or PCoated?
2. You did supply rotors.
3. The ABS light is now on?(takes 2 minutes to retrieve the code.)
4. Swapping a center console in a C6 is about a 30 minute job.
Rotors/pads on a C5/6 will not take longer than 1 hour for any shop when dealing with OEM setups.
The brake line threads on a C6 can be difficult(and they are more often than not), but with the correct die, can be fixed in an hour(personal experience)
Hope this helps
Steve
Painted or Powder coated?
If painted, the shop may have left the calipers on the car and brushed or painted them on.
I've used "Mike the PowderCoater" from FL with great results
To clear this up,
1. Did you supply the calipers already painted/or PCoated?
2. You did supply rotors.
3. The ABS light is now on?(takes 2 minutes to retrieve the code.)
4. Swapping a center console in a C6 is about a 30 minute job.
Rotors/pads on a C5/6 will not take longer than 1 hour for any shop when dealing with OEM setups.
The brake line threads on a C6 can be difficult(and they are more often than not), but with the correct die, can be fixed in an hour(personal experience)
Hope this helps
Steve
02-14-2013, 09:05 PM
#34
Drifting
I would absolutely never let anyone do anything, car related or not, without an estimate beforehand. What if he did the work and told you $1300?? You can't say no, the work is done. You can't call the cops/take him to court cause his prices could be whatever he says, it's his shop. As far as not letting you go to the bank, I think that's normal. He doesn't want to get screwed. If he gives you the car and you don't come back, yes he knows where you live but what is he going to do come to your house and beg you to pay? Or take you to court and waste money/time?? I would have asked him if you can give him your CC information but don't charge it unless you don't come back, then get the cash and rip up the cc info.... All in all I don't think he was far off in his actions here....
02-14-2013, 11:09 PM
#35
This is why I am no longer a mechanic and why I did not open my own shop despite many customers telling me to over my 13 year run.
Assuming he did a good job with no issues of any kind then no.....not even close did he over charge you. He took care of you actually. He even diagnosed you ABS for free.
Assuming he did a good job with no issues of any kind then no.....not even close did he over charge you. He took care of you actually. He even diagnosed you ABS for free.
Quality work does not come cheap. Even more so because you need to be very careful and through when working with Corvettes. Seems a fair price to me.
Last edited by Pinky...; 02-14-2013 at 11:11 PM.
02-15-2013, 07:26 AM
#36
Melting Slicks
Painting the calipers then letting them dry re installing everything,come on man that takes time.Its your reponsibility to ask how much before the job gets done.And showing up with no cash isnt too smart either.Funny how you have no problem with stating publicly how robbing the government of their taxes is fine by you by paying cash and not getting a bill but the guy charging for his work thats not fine by you.Go home look in the mirror and make the necessary changes...Now!!!!!!
02-15-2013, 07:32 AM
#37
Le Mans Master
Painting the calipers then letting them dry re installing everything,come on man that takes time.Its your reponsibility to ask how much before the job gets done.And showing up with no cash isnt too smart either.Funny how you have no problem with stating publicly how robbing the government of their taxes is fine by you by paying cash and not getting a bill but the guy charging for his work thats not fine by you.Go home look in the mirror and make the necessary changes...Now!!!!!!
02-15-2013, 09:04 AM
#38
Racer
Go ask a GM Dealer how much they would have charged you to do all of that at shop rates...
When I had my 5th Gen Camaro, I was getting quotes of 1,200 - 2,000 just to install some sways, bushings and coil-overs. 0 painting. No brake system work.
Not only did you not get robbed, you got cut a big deal. I mean, just look at all the work you had this person do -- some of it time consuming and knuckle busting. I'd be perfectly happy with that $$$ amount for that amount of work that was done correctly.
When I had my 5th Gen Camaro, I was getting quotes of 1,200 - 2,000 just to install some sways, bushings and coil-overs. 0 painting. No brake system work.
Not only did you not get robbed, you got cut a big deal. I mean, just look at all the work you had this person do -- some of it time consuming and knuckle busting. I'd be perfectly happy with that $$$ amount for that amount of work that was done correctly.
02-15-2013, 12:35 PM
#39
Race Director
Calipers..........
Painted or Powder coated?
If painted, the shop may have left the calipers on the car and brushed or painted them on.
I've used "Mike the PowderCoater" from FL with great results
To clear this up,
1. Did you supply the calipers already painted/or PCoated?
2. You did supply rotors.
3. The ABS light is now on?(takes 2 minutes to retrieve the code.)
4. Swapping a center console in a C6 is about a 30 minute job.
Rotors/pads on a C5/6 will not take longer than 1 hour for any shop when dealing with OEM setups.
The brake line threads on a C6 can be difficult(and they are more often than not), but with the correct die, can be fixed in an hour(personal experience)
Hope this helps
Steve
Painted or Powder coated?
If painted, the shop may have left the calipers on the car and brushed or painted them on.
I've used "Mike the PowderCoater" from FL with great results
To clear this up,
1. Did you supply the calipers already painted/or PCoated?
2. You did supply rotors.
3. The ABS light is now on?(takes 2 minutes to retrieve the code.)
4. Swapping a center console in a C6 is about a 30 minute job.
Rotors/pads on a C5/6 will not take longer than 1 hour for any shop when dealing with OEM setups.
The brake line threads on a C6 can be difficult(and they are more often than not), but with the correct die, can be fixed in an hour(personal experience)
Hope this helps
Steve
Wait...you don't qualify to comment because you actually do this work for a living .
Looks like a lot of Corvette owners think you should get a paid 100 dollars an hour with two hour paid beer break for every half hour of actual labor...
02-15-2013, 12:36 PM
#40
Race Director
Go ask a GM Dealer how much they would have charged you to do all of that at shop rates...
When I had my 5th Gen Camaro, I was getting quotes of 1,200 - 2,000 just to install some sways, bushings and coil-overs. 0 painting. No brake system work.
Not only did you not get robbed, you got cut a big deal. I mean, just look at all the work you had this person do -- some of it time consuming and knuckle busting. I'd be perfectly happy with that $$$ amount for that amount of work that was done correctly.
When I had my 5th Gen Camaro, I was getting quotes of 1,200 - 2,000 just to install some sways, bushings and coil-overs. 0 painting. No brake system work.
Not only did you not get robbed, you got cut a big deal. I mean, just look at all the work you had this person do -- some of it time consuming and knuckle busting. I'd be perfectly happy with that $$$ amount for that amount of work that was done correctly.