Shop Supplies??!!

[sako1]

Originally Posted by Dacotensis

Gloves,
mechanics started wearing handling gloves.Right about the time all these extra charges started showing up on the bill.
You guys make me laugh!
When I qoute a welding job I don't come back after and add on shielding gas, wear and tear on my leathers, and other consumables.
Gloves. Wimps! Afraid of a little oil and grit under yer nails?

Gloves??...Joking right?Nobody in our shop dares to wear those silly things.

[KegRiver]

I think it is unfortunate that mechanics get blamed for dishonest business owners decisions.

Very few mechanics are in a position to profit from the charges on the bill.
So there is no or very little incentive for them to cheat anyone.

I'll give you an example of what I've encountered.
I had a 1988 Nissan pickup. Around 2003 the steering started to feel unstable. Not loose, just didn't feel right.
So I replaced the upper and lower ball joints, the tie rod ends, and the front wheel bearings. That made no difference. So I took it to a shop for a wheel alignment.
There the manager told me that he couldn't do a wheel alignment because the "whole front end was worn right out." His words.
I asked him to show me exactly what parts needed replacement, so he took me out to the truck and pointed to a brand new tie rod end. He claimed that there was nearly a half inch of play in that tie rod end. I asked him to show me that play. He tried but found no play. He then claimed that there was indeed play in that tie rod end and the other parts as well but because of the way the truck was parked it wouldn't show at that time. Then he explained that the tie rod ends, the upper and lower ball joints and the wheel bearings were totally worn out and the vehicle was not road worth because of it, he said.

To make a long story short, it turned out that a stabilizer strut was causing the problem. I had found a small bit of play in that strut but couldn't imagine it causing the problem. The shop that replaced it agree, but said they couldn't find any other explanation for the instability and since the part was inexpensive, it wouldn't hurt to replace it. They replaced it for a total of $105.00 and change, and it solved the problem.

Point is, in all of this, never did a mechanic give me wrong information, at either shop. At one shop, the owner clearly tried to cheat me, at the other, the owner gave me great service and a great price.

[Flyfisher87]

You bring up a great point KegRiver. There is always the option to shop around. I think we have all had similar experiences in the past. Mine too many to list. As I don't have the space, tools, or the budget to do a lot of the major vehicle repairs ( thank goodness for warranty),I get a real kick out of getting the quote from a shop that is through the roof and then telling the service manager ( after I go line by line through the quote) I work in parts and tell them I am being gouged. The facial expressions change instantly, and then stuff starts magically being cheaper. Funny.

[Fry]

Originally Posted by Dacotensis

Gloves,
mechanics started wearing handling gloves.Right about the time all these extra charges started showing up on the bill.
You guys make me laugh!
When I qoute a welding job I don't come back after and add on shielding gas, wear and tear on my leathers, and other consumables.
Gloves. Wimps! Afraid of a little oil and grit under yer nails?

Hope you don't wear welding gloves, helmet or leathers... your a wimp if you do.
I know you were trying to be funny but blood poisoning is serious business, not to mention skin cancer. I started wearing gloves when handling oil and grease a few years ago when the skin started falling of my hands. The doctor told me stories of his mechanic patients who can't move their hands anymore due to blood poisoning and are ****ed in their 40s cause they can't work anymore. Screw the tough guy attitude.

I've had a service manager I worked for who wanted me to bill every can of brakeclean, nut, bolt, grease tube, etc on the w/o. He told me the shop supplies was to cover the lighting and heating bills.
Not sure I agree but it probably has something to do with shop supplies will go into a different account instead of the shop rate account. A way to sneak alittle money from head office I'd imagine.

Its included in the bill, known ahead of time. Ask yourself it your willing to pay the shop rate+shop supplies if not go somewhere else. Pretty simple.
Nowadays finding a mechanic who can fix something quick, correctly and permanently is worth alot. In all honesty the hourly rate is the least of your worries, if you get a crappy mechanic and are paying for tow jobs, part replacement after part replacement you end up paying alot more for saving $10/hr.
Something to think about.

[Flyfisher87]

To add to what you posted Fry, a lot shops have made it as part of their safety policy to wear gloves. When our guys do oil changes, they wear disposable nitriles, for all other work, they wear mechanics gloves. Blood poisoning and infections due to slivers, and cuts is no laughing matter and costs the one that got injured and the company hugely in missed work, lost wages, insurance claims. Not to mention could have long term or lethal effects on the injured person.

[Mekanik]

When I do an OOPI, I fill every fluid. I'm not going to fail you for something you should've done in the driveway.

I wear disposable gloves because I won't hear you moan about the Greasy fingerprints I left because the crappy soap they buy doesn't clean my hands. That's over and above the fact that handling oil and grease with my bare hands is boarder line special Olympics thinking. Ever hear of a carcinogen? I have.

In line with the moaning about the mess dirty mechanics leave, I also use a disposable seat cover and floor mat so you don't see greasy boot prints on your mats or the mud down your seat back that's on my back for being under that site truck that was in my bay before you.

I scan your vehicle, run the air compressor running power which is an increased price then what you pay in your home because it's a business. The hoist needs power too. My trouble light also eats power.

When I take your wheels off to measure your brakes, I clean up the hub surfaces and lube them so when you're on the side of the road this winter, with a flat, you're not on your back in -40 kicking a seized rim off of your car. Wire wheel on a drill or sandpaper, either way.

I use brake clean and degreaser and water to check for leaks, I have to use an absorbent pad underneath of it because we've gotten in trouble for "chemicals" down our oil separator.

That's how I justify the shop supplies. We can round out the power and utilities because of cost of doing business, but when did I become the charity trade? Why am I suddenly your buddy that I lose money to fix your car? Why shouldn't you pay for the supplies used on your car?

I don't think that was your point, you just wanted them explained. That's what I do when I do an OOPI on a vehicle. Other shops do other things. If they cannot explain charges to you properly, don't deal with them. And if it's still a problem after me explaining it to a customer, I eat it with a smile and hope I see them again.

[32-40win]

A lot of the "little stuff" is accumulative over the year to add up to some bigger dollars. It really is surprising how fast it can happen and how much it can add up to.. How many people are willing to give away 10,000.00 a year, or more?
But, the guy paying the invoice only sees what is in front of him, and that is what he knows, and doesn't see or want to know about the whole picture.
Like many things in life.

[canadiantdi]

Originally Posted by 32-40win

A lot of the "little stuff" is accumulative over the year to add up to some bigger dollars. It really is surprising how fast it can happen and how much it can add up to.. How many people are willing to give away 10,000.00 a year, or more?
But, the guy paying the invoice only sees what is in front of him, and that is what he knows, and doesn't see or want to know about the whole picture.
Like many things in life.

No one is asking anyone to give away $10,000 per year. If you need degreaser for a job, or gloves, or whatever else you may need, then why not build it into the price. Is it just to keep your hourly rate down so it doesn't look so bad to the customer until after the work is done? Because that is how it appears.

[Ken07AOVette]

10,000 per year or 100,000 per year on shop supplies is fine, or if you want staggering, but when you are ordering the 100,000 every year remember it was us that paid it, your insurance, power, water, WBC, wages, etc.

If you are doing a hundred grand po yearly for shop supplies the gross income is also a staggering number, like you have said already, "we only charge ~2.5% for shop supplies". The numbers are meaningless unless you also show the gross income.

I don't think anyone is bagging on the mechanics, it is the owner or manager; the decision maker that we feel is ripping us off.

[Zip]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

10,000 per year or 100,000 per year on shop supplies is fine, or if you want staggering, but when you are ordering the 100,000 every year remember it was us that paid it, your insurance, power, water, WBC, wages, etc.

If you are doing a hundred grand po yearly for shop supplies the gross income is also a staggering number, like you have said already, "we only charge ~2.5% for shop supplies". The numbers are meaningless unless you also show the gross income.

I don't think anyone is bagging on the mechanics, it is the owner or manager; the decision maker that we feel is ripping us off.

x2 here Ken...you hit the target right in the centre,and regardless what other people may think...we are getting ripped off at the majority of places...you just have to find that one place that treats a guy fair...they are hard to find,but they are out there!

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by Zip

x2 here Ken...you hit the target right in the centre,and regardless what other people may think...we are getting ripped off at the majority of places...you just have to find that one place that treats a guy fair...they are hard to find,but they are out there!

And again, it's not the mechanics, it is the bosses. My buddy irks for a shop in Lloydminster, gets $22.00 per hour plus $13.50 for every hour booked. He starts at 08:00, and says it is quite common practise to bill out from 6-11 hours in a 4 hour period. He charges out 3-4 x the amount of time he has actually worked, plus coffee breaks?

The mechanics will say "it is book rate as determined by the manufacturer, which is essentially a worst case scenario, but we are so good we can do it in a fraction of the time, you are paying for our expertise."

No, we are paying for the new vehicles, the holidays, the giant house, the boat, sleds, quads, fishing, hunting, etc for the owner of the shop.

Ain't it grand?

[Zip]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

And again, it's not the mechanics, it is the bosses. My buddy irks for a shop in Lloydminster, gets $22.00 per hour plus $13.50 for every hour booked. He starts at 08:00, and says it is quite common practise to bill out from 6-11 hours in a 4 hour period. He charges out 3-4 x the amount of time he has actually worked, plus coffee breaks?

The mechanics will say "it is book rate as determined by the manufacturer, which is essentially a worst case scenario, but we are so good we can do it in a fraction of the time, you are paying for our expertise."

No, we are paying for the new vehicles, the holidays, the giant house, the boat, sleds, quads, fishing, hunting, etc for the owner of the shop.

Ain't it grand?

And dont forget...alot of the times a mech will be working as fast as he can so he can beat the book rate and make the garage boatloads of money...a fast mechanic can bill out 18-20 hours a day but only really put in the 8 hours...now that has never sat very well with me,it usually leads to shoddy workmanship...and i would guess that most of us have been bitten by that bug. My buddy owns his own garage ( franchise which i wont mention the name) and i will not even take my stuff to him as i have heard right from him how they can and do...gouge the general public if they think they can get away with it...the odd guy that catches on to them...well they just explain that it was some sort of error and then reduce the invoice cost in the hopes that the person goes away feeling good about being ripped off! This buddy of mine is always after his mechanics to go faster on every job so they can soak up all those hours they can bill you for even though the mechanic was done way sooner...that kinda ripp off is almost as bad as the gov't rip offs we have to deal with...ARRRRGH!! Anyway,i will hang out with my buddy as he is a good guy that is working in an industry full of con men trying to gouge us for every penny they can get from us poor unsuspecting general public pee on's. And that is fact!!!

[357mag]

Only thing I can say about all of this......... If you don't like it, fix it yourself or take it somewhere else (I authorize nothing without a total). I don't whine about the guy fixing my dishwasher charging me an hour just to show up, or the pizza place charging me $4.00 for delivery and I still have to tip the driver, or the 10% shop supply charge on my mechanics invoice. Who cares how it is calculated, the cost of said item/service is "X", and if I'm not happy with "X" I had better do it myself, or find someone/somewhere that I am satisfied with "X". I run a shop and charge 10% shop supplies based on labor charge, and if you compared my monthly non-included parts (electrical connectors, chemicals, misc. parts) to my monthly gross totals for billed shop supplies you would find they are pretty close to the same number (we do turn a very small profit, however we are a business, not a charity). This is done so you don't have to pay my hourly rate to figure out how many cans of this or packages of that I used to fix/install something you don't have the time or expertise to do your self and make a 10 page report on what was done down to the nut and bolt. Like I said previously, find a place that you are happy with the total cost & level of service and don't concern yourself with how that total was created. I wouldn't whine and complain if my mechanic charged me $500.00 to replace the motor in my truck if he charged it all in shop supplies, and nothing else, it still only cost me $500.00. Getting hosed by a crook has nothing to do with shop supplies or anything else other than you chose to deal with someone that shouldn't be dealt with.......... End rant

[sako1]

Originally Posted by 357mag

Only thing I can say about all of this......... If you don't like it, fix it yourself or take it somewhere else (I authorize nothing without a total). I don't whine about the guy fixing my dishwasher charging me an hour just to show up, or the pizza place charging me $4.00 for delivery and I still have to tip the driver, or the 10% shop supply charge on my mechanics invoice. Who cares how it is calculated, the cost of said item/service is "X", and if I'm not happy with "X" I had better do it myself, or find someone/somewhere that I am satisfied with "X". I run a shop and charge 10% shop supplies based on labor charge, and if you compared my monthly non-included parts (electrical connectors, chemicals, misc. parts) to my monthly gross totals for billed shop supplies you would find they are pretty close to the same number (we do turn a very small profit, however we are a business, not a charity). This is done so you don't have to pay my hourly rate to figure out how many cans of this or packages of that I used to fix/install something you don't have the time or expertise to do your self and make a 10 page report on what was done down to the nut and bolt. Like I said previously, find a place that you are happy with the total cost & level of service and don't concern yourself with how that total was created. I wouldn't whine and complain if my mechanic charged me $500.00 to replace the motor in my truck if he charged it all in shop supplies, and nothing else, it still only cost me $500.00. Getting hosed by a crook has nothing to do with shop supplies or anything else other than you chose to deal with someone that shouldn't be dealt with.......... End rant

Perfectly said.

[ksteed17]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

And again, it's not the mechanics, it is the bosses. My buddy irks for a shop in Lloydminster, gets $22.00 per hour plus $13.50 for every hour booked. He starts at 08:00, and says it is quite common practise to bill out from 6-11 hours in a 4 hour period. He charges out 3-4 x the amount of time he has actually worked, plus coffee breaks?

The mechanics will say "it is book rate as determined by the manufacturer, which is essentially a worst case scenario, but we are so good we can do it in a fraction of the time, you are paying for our expertise."

No, we are paying for the new vehicles, the holidays, the giant house, the boat, sleds, quads, fishing, hunting, etc for the owner of the shop.

Ain't it grand?

Heaven forbid a guy can make a profit and enjoy a comfortable life for his hard work. Everyone else can make a nice living but the trades. If you don't like it spend the years it takes to apprentice then all the schooling sounds pretty grand eh...

[Fry]

Originally Posted by ksteed17

Heaven forbid a guy can make a profit and enjoy a comfortable life for his hard work. Everyone else can make a nice living but the trades. If you don't like it spend the years it takes to apprentice then all the schooling sounds pretty grand eh...

Don't forget that comfortable living only comes after the tools are paid for as well.

I'm in a different industry but most journeymen I work with, myself included are 10-30gs easy.

In my industry we don't have flat rate but theres no way we could bill 3-4x actual work rate. We are closer to 80-90% if you work hard, but our "book" time is best scenario determined by an engineer, theoretically speaking with everything going well.

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by 357mag

Only thing I can say about all of this......... If you don't like it, fix it yourself or take it somewhere else (I authorize nothing without a total). I don't whine about the guy fixing my dishwasher charging me an hour just to show up, or the pizza place charging me $4.00 for delivery and I still have to tip the driver, or the 10% shop supply charge on my mechanics invoice. Who cares how it is calculated, the cost of said item/service is "X", and if I'm not happy with "X" I had better do it myself, or find someone/somewhere that I am satisfied with "X". I run a shop and charge 10% shop supplies based on labor charge, and if you compared my monthly non-included parts (electrical connectors, chemicals, misc. parts) to my monthly gross totals for billed shop supplies you would find they are pretty close to the same number (we do turn a very small profit, however we are a business, not a charity). This is done so you don't have to pay my hourly rate to figure out how many cans of this or packages of that I used to fix/install something you don't have the time or expertise to do your self and make a 10 page report on what was done down to the nut and bolt. Like I said previously, find a place that you are happy with the total cost & level of service and don't concern yourself with how that total was created. I wouldn't whine and complain if my mechanic charged me $500.00 to replace the motor in my truck if he charged it all in shop supplies, and nothing else, it still only cost me $500.00. Getting hosed by a crook has nothing to do with shop supplies or anything else other than you chose to deal with someone that shouldn't be dealt with.......... End rant

The most intelligent and sensible post in this whole thread. Well said!!!

I'd say with that, this thread is done! (but somehow I highly doubt it).

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by ksteed17

Heaven forbid a guy can make a profit and enjoy a comfortable life for his hard work. Everyone else can make a nice living but the trades. If you don't like it spend the years it takes to apprentice then all the schooling sounds pretty grand eh...

Ok, we get it you are in the trades. There sure is nothing at all wrong with making a nice living, but ffs be decent honest and fair when you are holding my car ransom. Why do our valid points always get overlooked? We talk about massive ripoffs in parts, over 100% more than we can buy them for PLUS double or triple time charged for labor and shop supplies on top, you say we should just bend over lube up and take it in the tailpipe?

I can't answer for anyone else, but when I find a reasonable reliable shop I stick with them, and let others know about the crooked one.

And with that I am done with this thread too.

Originally Posted by Calgary Dave

The most intelligent and sensible post in this whole thread. Well said!!!

I'd say with that, this thread is done! (but somehow I highly doubt it).

Im done.

[bloopbloob]

I don't think anyone has a problem with recouping the costs of these items. Not looking for freebies. What I don't get, is if you're gonna charge 10% extra on every bill, why not just include it upfront in the shop rate. My welding shop runs through an average of $75,000-$100,000 in consumables per month. That is just factored into the final price of our product. As is electricity etc....

If I go grab a burger, the bill doesn't have a 10% surcharge on it for hand sanitizer, hairnets, or electricity, or rubber gloves, the stoves, fryers, or rent etc... its already factored into the price.

[southernman]

Intresting thread, and think most in the non mechanical trades don't know the costs/ tools involved,
First off I am a Heavy duty diesel Mechanic, free lance contractor, running a five ton truck, crane, with welding, 80cfm compressor, A/C, diagnostic and heavy press gear to 100 ton.
Truck and crane $206000, last payment June 22nd, Yea Har!
welding $15000, air arc, oxy lance, mig, etc.
A/c $8000,
press $40000,
diagnostic, $20000 plus.
other tools, est $150000.

I work hourly rate only, normaly $110-125 depending on customer, those that pay quickly and well get priority, customer provides fuel and sum consumables & PPE. The cost of lancing rods, good welding rods, locktite, neversieze, cleaning solvents, propane, and hardware (bolts, nuts ,split pins etc) is staggering, no problem to burn up a $100-$200 in supplies in a 12hr shift.
Good mechanics who troubleshoot and repair, are fewer and fewer every year, vehicals are more advanced and difficulate to repair and even axcess to start a repair.
If you find a good mechanic best to treat him fairly and be resanable, go bitch at his boss, if you arn't happy.
For the record I don't like the light vehical flat rate policy, and think its too open to abuse.

southernman.

[DiabeticKripple]

took the tires and rims for my car to get swapped at crappy tire, and i got charged $12 for them filling them with nitrogen. when i saw the charge, i went back inside, said i never agreed to pay the extra fee to have them filled with nitrogen, and they gave me my money back. they tried to do the same thing to my friend last week, but before he paid i looked and it was on there.

also a $8 shop supply charge on each. basically they tried to tack on an extra $20

[ganderblaster]

Originally Posted by bloopbloob

I don't think anyone has a problem with recouping the costs of these items. Not looking for freebies. What I don't get, is if you're gonna charge 10% extra on every bill, why not just include it upfront in the shop rate. My welding shop runs through an average of $75,000-$100,000 in consumables per month. That is just factored into the final price of our product. As is electricity etc....

If I go grab a burger, the bill doesn't have a 10% surcharge on it for hand sanitizer, hairnets, or electricity, or rubber gloves, the stoves, fryers, or rent etc... its already factored into the price.

Bingo!

[Zip]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

Ok, we get it you are in the trades. There sure is nothing at all wrong with making a nice living, but ffs be decent honest and fair when you are holding my car ransom. Why do our valid points always get overlooked? We talk about massive ripoffs in parts, over 100% more than we can buy them for PLUS double or triple time charged for labor and shop supplies on top, you say we should just bend over lube up and take it in the tailpipe?

I can't answer for anyone else, but when I find a reasonable reliable shop I stick with them, and let others know about the crooked one.

And with that I am done with this thread too.



Im done.

Well put Ken...i have to agree 100% with your comments...there now i am done as well...i just had to say that last part!!

[canadiantdi]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

We talk about massive ripoffs in parts, over 100% more than we can buy them for PLUS double or triple time charged for labor and shop supplies on top, you say we should just bend over lube up and take it in the tailpipe?

Lube will cost extra.

imagine if there were "supply" fees at McDonalds, barbers, futureshop etc. that they tacked on top of the cost of their products. Everyone would have to learn to cut their own hair and build their own TV's LOL

Ya, but shops aren't ripping us off though... geez...

[calgarychef]

Ok this shop rate thing P$$$$es me off to no end. You already have a shop rate and that ought to cover the additional expenses. If it's something that's more expensive than usual put it on the damned bill and i'll pay it. I don't want to pay for your rags.

What's even worse is paying the "environmental" charge for an oil change because "we have to get rid of all that used oil sir" and they burn it to heat the shop, it not only doesnt' cost to get rid of it but they charge me and then heat for free??

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by canadiantdi

Lube will cost extra.

imagine if there were "supply" fees at McDonalds, barbers, futureshop etc. that they tacked on top of the cost of their products. Everyone would have to learn to cut their own hair and build their own TV's LOL

Ya, but shops aren't ripping us off though... geez...

I dunno, I know the restaurant owner where I ate is very wealthy and the barbershop owner isn't doing too bad either. I gave the barber who cut my hair a 5 dollar tip Saturday morning and gave the waitress a 6 dollar tip for my meal last night. How many people give the carpenter or mechanic who actually works on your vehicle a tip. Believe me the guy working for wages be it a mechanic or plumber isn't getting paid anymore than his employer can get away with paying him.

[nekred]

My 2c

There are a few ways to run a business model....

All shops compete on hourly rate.... you see $100/hour or $75/hour....

You go to the $75/hr one... then when that company puts on shop suppies, fuel surcharge, service fee, etc and it is $110 an hour suddenly no longer such a great deal... The $100.hr guy was all in but he does not get the business ebcause everyon looks at hourly rate for comparison so this is a way of artificially lowering price to make it more attractive....Good Marketing!...

There is good marketing and customer service. Good marketing gets more people in the door, customer service keeps them coming back, but it is proven that good marketing generates more revenue in the car industry than customer service.

This is comparable to a fuel surcharge charged by transport companies... In transportation the biggest costs are driver wages, fuel, equipment, and insurance. We don't see a "good driver" surcharge because good driver's cost more than others, or an insurance surcharge (unless you want to have more coverage which transport company has to pay for) or an equipment charge because the company runs better equipment (Kenworth! with Cummins) than competitors... but a fuel surcharge is often added to rates and it is a marketing ploy.

I run an archery business on side and I prefer to rely on good service vs. marketing. I have only so much time so I have enough customers and don't need to bring in the masses. Repairing a bow seems simple but when you start factoring in shop supplies for that it can get expensive fairly quickly.

There is more to it than some string, peeps, serving material, string splitters, bow press, etc. you also need space to shoot and test bows safely and this requires a backstop. So factor that in...then a chrony, a bow scale, etc. and pretty soon you are at the $5000 mark. This is cheap compared to mechanics.

Now in an industry where it is peoples recreational dollars and people are notoriously cheap with this dollars. I have seen people pull into a bow shop with a rig rocket with almost 100,000 in accesories, lift, exhaust, intake, tires, box liner, paint job, complete with chrome trucknutz (totally useless but expensive accesory) and then quibble about $50 for a pack of six good broadheads....

Again I focus on customer service so i have calcualted my hourly rate so that everything is all in.

In archery as well i have seen people buy a bow of the internet and then bring it to me to tune it and after 3 hours I finally have it tuned (more archer than bow) and then they quibble.... about $100 but they saved $200 buying off of internet....

Now I also have had people come in and appreciate the value I provide and when I provide the price they add onto it because they appreciate it.

I do use a sliding scale for my services, I have a book rate and if a guy is a pleasure to deal with I always provide more than advertised because that is a customer I want to keep.

As a businesman I feel it is my responsibility to charge an hourly rate that allows me to pay for all my supplies, time, knowlege, and expertise with a bit left over for me and my family, while providing good customer service.

In the end I look at the end dollar and a good mecahnic as always worth good money at the end of the day regardless of business model!....

[sako1]

Originally Posted by canadiantdi

Lube will cost extra.

imagine if there were "supply" fees at McDonalds, barbers, futureshop etc. that they tacked on top of the cost of their products. Everyone would have to learn to cut their own hair and build their own TV's LOL

Ya, but shops aren't ripping us off though... geez...

It blows me away that you still dont grasp this.Just tell your mechanic the next time you are in to add the shop supplies into the labour or parts total so that at the bottom of the invoice you dont see the shop supply category.Why this will make you feel all warm and fuzzy I still dont know.
ps-you will still be paying the same amount in the end...lol

[canadiantdi]

Originally Posted by sako1

It blows me away that you still dont grasp this.Just tell your mechanic the next time you are in to add the shop supplies into the labour or parts total so that at the bottom of the invoice you dont see the shop supply category.Why this will make you feel all warm and fuzzy I still dont know.
ps-you will still be paying the same amount in the end...lol

I just don't understand why we can't be charged for what we use. It is painfully obvious that shops don't want to add the shop supplies to the hourly rate because it would look bad. Charging someone 100/hr++ is already tough to swallow for the average guy, if it was 5-10% higher it would look even worse. So instead, tack it on at the end when the work is done.

You are right though, it doesn't matter, you are a necessary evil and the masses will have to pay no matter what. Charge more, it doesn't matter..

Every business has costs and fees that need to be paid ie electricity, equipment, gloves, towels, drinking water, lightbulbs etc etc. Funny that most businesses are able to figure it all into the price of the products they sell instead of tacking on a nice little grab when you get to the till.... hmmm double dip much??

[pseelk]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

Ok, we get it you are in the trades. There sure is nothing at all wrong with making a nice living, but ffs be decent honest and fair when you are holding my car ransom. Why do our valid points always get overlooked? We talk about massive ripoffs in parts, over 100% more than we can buy them for PLUS double or triple time charged for labor and shop supplies on top, you say we should just bend over lube up and take it in the tailpipe?

I can't answer for anyone else, but when I find a reasonable reliable shop I stick with them, and let others know about the crooked one.

And with that I am done with this thread too.



Im done.

Now hold on a minute there Ken,Noone said you were allowed to lube up.