Garage charges..groan

[Lorenzo]

I've currently got the van in with a garage in South London to sort some problems out after a vege recon was fitted this time last year. I'm getting some mistakes sorted and it's an engine out job. No parts required just a lot of re-alignment. It's been in for the day and they want £750. I make that about £100-an-hour, can this be right. I mean is there anything they can do to the engine, without parts, that could justify that kind of money. Sorry, rant over but I'd be grateful for some feedback on this. The guy doing the work is a great bloke and really knows his VW vans, which kind of makes it harder. Thanks.

 

[Araon]

er yeah thats not looking right ask him for a breakdown of his costs.......

time you started looking elsewhere and get to grips with some of the work yourself, meet up with a few of the guys on here, if you contact slammedkustom on here nice fella a bit hairy but your not getting into bed with him, has a workshop Tottenham way and lives near Bexley heath

 

[Matt_B]

Ouch! That's a lot for a days work - I'm in the wrong job! Need to know what he's done to justify that amount, also were any quotes/guidlines given from the garage before a bill of that size was racked up? I know of a good guy Gatwick way if it's any use.

 

[crede999]

bleedin heck id want a new engine for that :shock: what exacly are they re-aligning ? the clutch? maybe ? cant think of much else to be honest .........unless you get a breakdown of costs (then post it on here :msn4: ) and get the fellow earlybayers to help you out to whether its fair or not ,i wouldnt pay anything yet

most garages are around the £40 an hour mark regardless of what there doing

regards
chris

 

[Doris]

I agree,that's a lot of money! Araon's give good advice - ask for breakdown of costs.

 

[Lorenzo]

I'll get the breakdown and post on Wed. Pullies were out of line and I had a fan belt/overheating issue on the motorway (just short of a fire) and the seals had to be re-done & valves checked. Thanks for the advice and I'll get the hairies in on the action if the van comes out a mess. L

 

[RICH-I-AM]

For that money id remove, strip, rebuild and refit your engine.
As said get a breakdown of whats been done.
At 100 an hour, it would have been cheaper to take it to the local VW dealer.
Whrere are you,your garage?

Rich

 

[slammedresto]

my local vdub specialist garage charges 35 an hour, and the local mobile guy i sometimes use charges 25

did you not ask their labour rate before they started in on it?

 

[crede999]

I'll get the breakdown and post on Wed. Pullies were out of line and I had a fan belt/overheating issue on the motorway (just short of a fire) and the seals had to be re-done & valves checked. Thanks for the advice and I'll get the hairies in on the action if the van comes out a mess. L

which seals ?

regards
chris

 

[Sausage]

£30-40 an hour down here as rule of thumb. Has the garage finished what they were supposed to do?

 

[uber cool]

I'll get the breakdown and post on Wed. Pullies were out of line and I had a fan belt/overheating issue on the motorway (just short of a fire) and the seals had to be re-done & valves checked. Thanks for the advice and I'll get the hairies in on the action if the van comes out a mess. L

Sounds like he's blowing smoke up your arse dropping in a few issues altogether to baffle you. £750 just for labour is a lot of work, way more than a day's work if no materials. I've rebuilt a porsche 911 engine for twice that amount. Next time find someone else, I could strip .rebuild your engine fit all new seals and new clutch for that and still make a good profit.

 

[dubs and classics]

Crikey! I need to put my prices up! I would expect labour to be a bit higher down your way but that is a bit rich..... we and a few other vw specialists round here charge £25 an hour, one I know charges £30.

Surely there must either be some parts involved or something else we are not aware of. Did he have to tow you in or something? Just wondering if he charges recovery which I guess could add up a bit at london rates..

 

[Graham L]

We charge £35 an hour including VAT for service work etc which we think is a fair rate, £100 an hour is main dealer rates with huge overheads.

 

[alex4057]

I am more than happy paying up to £50 an hour for labour if it's WORTH paying for! I'd say as above ask for a cost breakdown and if that includes parts as well as labour it might be accurate, People complain about the prices they pay so go find a cheap option but then end up in the shite a few weeks down the line, I sometimes pay more than most but then I'll jump in my van tomorrow and drive to the south fo spain or Norway or any few thousand mile trek with no worries and no complaints or issues! Pay high once rather than low thrice is my advice, I've happily spent fortunes this last winter have a Proper engine built, I could have gone to one of the engine companies in this country and payed probably half of what I have spent but it's be crap in comparison. I agree don't get mugged off and don't get ripped off, but on the other hand some things are worth paying for!

 

[Pete B]

A very good friend of mine sold his thriving garage business about 5 years ago. He had premises, three ramps and two full time employees. The ratio of hours/hassle/paperwork compared to the fiscal benefit didn't seem to work. At the time of sale, hourly rate was kept down to £32 per hour to remain competitive. That was 5 years ago.
Rent/ purchase of workshop, wages, employers contributions to income tax and national insurance, holiday pay, bank holiday pay, sick pay, etc etc, make employing someone very dear. Pay just £10 an hour, as an employer it costs the company £15 an hour. Then there are tools/equipment, maintainance of that equipment, insurances, accountancy fees, upgrades on diagnostic software and so on.
I'm not condoning high rates, but it needs to be appreciated why those charges can be so high.
I note that some on here charge just £25 an hour. One can only conclude that their overheads must be minimal and they must be serious grafters, working lots of hours to make a living. Doff my hat to you!

Oh, going back to the original post, either something has been missed in communication or they are having your leg up big time. As said, get a written break down of costs and get someone in the know to look it over. (read; post it on here)

 

[scott wilson]

now i have a rep for being expensive and my rate is going up from £25 + vat per hour to £32+ vat for just the reasons pete outlined.
Im sure theres a miscommunication, oversight or "unforseen circumstances" be careful with this last one..

 

[Doris]

Have have you got on with this Lorenzo ?