I know every one does, and this is not a case of a crooked dealership.
2002 GMC Envoy, 4.2 liter. The water pump went out.
I'm not in the best of physical condition, so I called the dealership to see how much they would charge me to replace it. Water Pump, $160, antifreeze and flush another $75. Labor 4.5 hours. I told them I'd get back to them.
I've always done my own mechanic work, but as I said, the old body is gimped up. The young man that usually turns wrenches while I supervise got into some trouble and wasn't available. So I got someone else to help me, and paid them $200.

It took me 1 hour to do the job. The guy I hired to help knows what he is doing, but was late getting there, so I went ahead on schedule.

So dude show up about the time I got the electro viscous clutch off of it. He unbolted the pump. We then flushed it, then the heater core (not dirty BTW). and then we put it back together.

So this dude is as happy as he can be making money for very little effort. I'll hurt for a few days. But I saved a boatload of money.

How is it, that the book can say 4.5 @ $100 per hour for a 1.5 hour job?

Dealerships IMO are killing themselves. Not many professions have that kind of markup. Plumbers maybe. Even body shops at the dealer work harder than that.

 

They get it out of a book that tells them how much time it should take. If they go over that time you are not charged for it, but I think whoever set the book up, knows that and overestimates everything, by a lot.

 

WOW...wonder how much money I saved by replacing my lower balljoints myself.

 

Just call and ask them. I'll garantee, you'll buy yourself something nice with the left over money. I'd guess, youcaved at least $400

 

It's definitely a huge plus to be mechanically inclined or know someone who is. Especially if you keep your cars\trucks for 10+ years, which most don't seem to do anymore. I try to do all my own work on my vehicles. If there is something that is above my skill set, I'm fortunate enough to have a buddy who is an excellent mechanic.

My fleet:

1996 Toyota Avalon w\ 190,xxx miles and counting. It's my daily driver, too.
2002 Ford F150 w\ 116,xxx miles.
2008 Ford Escape w\ 30,xxx miles.

 

When I had a wheel bearing go out on the front, I had the dealer check it and give me an estimate. $900 to replace both front. I went to a parts store and paid full retail, $304 for two rotors and did the job in about an hour.

 

I agree. I was quoted $582 to replace my upper control arm/ball joint assembly in my 2001, along with an alignment. That was from a local shop that we have taken our business to many times before.

I saw no point in it, so I ordered some Dorman UCA from Autozone for $150, had patman03sprcrw show/help install, and do my alignment for $40. That's almost 1/3 the cost I was being quoted for. And it's so simple to change them out!

I;m just glad I didn't call the dealership...i'd still be in the hospital from a heart attack.

 

That is why so many people trade vehicles every few years. They don't know how to do any mechanical work and once the warranty is out they are better off just trading it in.

 

I agree....prices at the dealership are high. However, I don't fault them because they are in business to make money, and the overhead charges are part of being in business. Nonetheless, I've done many repairs myself on my vehicles that saved me a bunch of money. Searching the internet has allowed me to educate myself and do preventive and/or corrective maintanance myself. Sure, it takes me longer to do the job, but I know that's it done right and personally feel good about doing it myself.

 

I don't think anyone should work for nothing, and I'm also in business myself. But when an amateur mechanic can change a part out under his carport, in 1/4th the time of a professional mechanic, there is something wrong with that equation.

 

They are only killing themselves. They need to understand that the world is becoming more "do it yourself" and the high prices are why. The internet can nearly teach you how to build an entire automobile these days.

 

We do have these magic boxes. We just ask them questions, and they give us answers on any subject.
Just 50 years ago, we had hand crank telephones