Went to THREE local mufflers shops to get a price on welding in the two Dynomax Race Magnums I got today. I also wanted a small balancer tube welded in front of the mufflers. That's it. All three quoted $100, two didn't even look at it. WTF? $100 to run a sawzall for two minutes, cut two 8" pieces of 2 1/2" pipe, weld up then cut a 3" piece of 1 1/2" pipe and weld into place?

Man, I'm in the WRONG line off work. Good thing I went to a backwoods shop close to where I work and he quoted $60 (before I bought the mufflers). I guess I'll just take a long lunch hour tommorrow.

Funny thing was, one yahoo at the third shop asked me if the truck ran. I responded "yup". He said wanna run it against my truck while pointing to a Chevy. To which I replied "sure" he scoffed a little and then asked if I had run it at the track to which I nodded. He asked what I ran and I told him he started back peddling. Damn greasemonkeys.

 

Nitro,

Pull your foot out of your mouth. I'm fully aware what the cost TOO THE SHOPS are. I bet they buy single pieces of pipe from Summit. I bet they rent their welders to. I bet their welders are Union as well. Tell ya what, why don't you keep on letting people take advantage of you.

Me, I like to do things myself. Guess I got that from my grandfather (55 year mechanic). I'm not one to let people stand there and tell me they have to bend an 8" straight pipe. If only I were a few miles closer to my parents house. Full supply of welding equipment.

Call it cheap if people like knowing what the hell they are getting. BTW, I'e ran out a few rolls of wire in a MIG welder, burned a few cans of sticks, and cut quite a few feet with a plasma cutter. You?

 

I agree you get what you pay for!! Hopefully the backyard shop your talking about will do ok. Labor rates have gone up to like $60 a hour at shops so I dont think $100 is bad really....

 

8-15 book hours a day, for 22 days in one month at $60+ per hour= $10,560.00-$19,800 per mechanic. Even after overhead is taken care of, I'll bet it doesn't take long to pay for tools, and these are low balled numbers for a busy shop. As long as the market supports these prices, people will just have to learn to live with them. Or do as much of our own work as we can.

 

My point exactly Odin.

What really took the cake was when one of the "yahoos" asked me about the TURBO on the truck. Honest, I swear.

Nitro,

Lincoln makes nice welders. My dad helped design and build, as well as teach for Linde (L-tec, Esab presently). BTW, dimes are very easy... in a vise.

 

Hey CC,

They charge $60 to raise the lift We're getting ripped off everyday by these yahoo/greasmonkeys!

Odin,

You git it bud! Do your own work if possible.

 

15-20 jobs like that and I can pay for my Lincoln Power-Mig 255.

 

Sometimes you do get what you pay for. The first time I got some exhaust work done on my 4x4, I spent a lot of time looking for a good price. Finally found a guy who quoted a good price. I talked to him at length, I was pleased with his knowledge, he knew what he was talking about, and he was a Ford truck guy on top of all that.

However, he couldn't bend pipe or weld worth a *****. The worst job I have ever seen. Didn't even consider going back to him to get it corrected. I took it as a relatively inexpensive lesson in life. Two weeks later, asked my local speed shop who they recommended. Went there and had very high quality work done, but cost me about $100 more than the lower cost run of the mill places.
Chris S.

 

Total Exhaust in Warner Robins, installed my Magnaflow c/b for $40.00. He welded the four inlets and outlets and reformed the driveshaft support bar so it would clear the muffler. Jason Sinyard is the owner/operator and he is an artiste when it comes to forming, welding,--- making things go togeather and stay togeather.

Dan

 

Dan, I gotta tell you.Around here a job like that cost at LEAST $100. You got one hellova deal ! I guess it all depends on where you are and how hungry the shop is. Today $100 is really what anybody would charge for anything!

 

i will say that some of these shops have lost there minds! a usa muffler shop told me they wanted 100 a muffler. that is freakin insane! i got it done for 40 bucks,and the quality is awsome.

 

Didn't CC say he went to Three Local *Muffler* Shops?

 

this is why i ordered my bassani exhaust, it is 100 % bolt on and you dont have to worry about having it welded. although it cost alot more, it is very good quality and some people can install theirself.

 

I don't think that anyone thinks the mechanic gets the whole $60.00, I didn't feel like stating the obvious. Also, there are very few techs that are proficient in every aspect of auto repair. The ones that are, have been at it a long time. Most shops have a specialist for almost every job. I don't know how many times I've heard that "our transmission guy is full up today", or that "the tune up guy is out sick" or "too busy".

Getting paid for that extra hour of book time without having to actually work it, is the number one goal of enough mechanics to make it a problem. My safety or getting the work done right is, too often, secondary. Many times they will break something while trying to find a short-cut that saves them time.

You're right, auto repair specialists are not the only professionals that gouge prices. I complain about them sometimes, too.

 

i would just like to say that if you don't own and run a buisness, don't try make someone justify or complain about someone's service price. Unless it is rediculous, which 100 is not, there's not much of a complaint. Just remember, if they aren't working on your car or truck, they'll be working on someone elses.

Do you guy have any idea what liability insurance, health insurance, workmans comp and all the other overhead costs?

My family owns a power equipment shop and a hardware store. People will come in and have a fit paying 58 dollars an hour to have their mower fixed. Your alternative is to fix it , or buy a new one.

Also , remember this. Prices change drasticly over different regions of the country. What's i'm paying my mechanics up here in new england is about 4 dollars more an hour on average than if i was based in florida. Just like a 300,000 dollar house up here is about average. This same valued house down there can be bought for almost half!!!


I have a full service shop with a mig and an arc welder. I have knoledge on how to weld.....and will still be paying someone to put my exhaust on. Why? Because that' what they do. Just because you have the tools and equipment, and know how to use them, doesn't mean you know how to do the job