to make you all feel better
10-12-2011, 07:00 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 79
to make you all feel better
so i've reached a point in my life where I simply do not have time to work on my car. I used to do everything - even spent many hours figuring out how to replace the AC clutch bearing for $20 so as not to replace the whole compressor.
but alas, a new job, new baby, and new (old) house with more home projects than I care to admit. car maintenance is no longer a priority.
so - to make you all feel better (and have a few laughs at my expense) here's what I just forked over for some delayed maintenance on my 99 SE with 180k miles...
install warpspeed y pipe: $131 labor only
new front axles (both): $195 parts, $174 labor
new stabilizer links (both): $55 parts, $55 labor
yes I realize I "got screwed" and that in my younger days I could've done all this myself for less than $200, but those days are long gone and I'm now at the mercy of my local mechanic. so this is how it feels to be a normal car owner...
but alas, a new job, new baby, and new (old) house with more home projects than I care to admit. car maintenance is no longer a priority.
so - to make you all feel better (and have a few laughs at my expense) here's what I just forked over for some delayed maintenance on my 99 SE with 180k miles...
install warpspeed y pipe: $131 labor only
new front axles (both): $195 parts, $174 labor
new stabilizer links (both): $55 parts, $55 labor
yes I realize I "got screwed" and that in my younger days I could've done all this myself for less than $200, but those days are long gone and I'm now at the mercy of my local mechanic. so this is how it feels to be a normal car owner...
10-12-2011, 07:08 PM
#2
I wouldn't say you got screwed...labor rates are high because that is what it takes to stay in business. The mechanic probably made $25 take home after the shop and uncle sam got their cuts.
10-12-2011, 09:47 PM
#3
its funny i have always done my own work...but latley when that bolt breaks i have been thinking... what would it have cost me to just have someone else under here swearing. i feel ya man im just not quite there yet.
10-13-2011, 12:23 AM
#6
Yeah that's totally true unless you know someone you can't find someone good unless you really look for one. But thankfully i have my dad. But still it's hard to find a really good mechanic and price especially in Cali, probably the same in some other states too about high prices.
10-13-2011, 06:58 AM
#8
Member who somehow became The President of The SE-L Club
iTrader: (19)
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 16,033
I'm in with this thread! Just forked over $550 to have my exhaust system replaced.
Dropped the car off, handed over the key, picked it up later in the day.
Money well spent! No way I was crawling under there to work on that rusty old crap.
The days of DIY for me are getting slim as well. To many house projects and other "fun" things to do in life. The car is no longer one of them.
Dropped the car off, handed over the key, picked it up later in the day.
Money well spent! No way I was crawling under there to work on that rusty old crap.
The days of DIY for me are getting slim as well. To many house projects and other "fun" things to do in life. The car is no longer one of them.
10-13-2011, 07:06 AM
#9
Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 286
so i've reached a point in my life where I simply do not have time to work on my car. I used to do everything - even spent many hours figuring out how to replace the AC clutch bearing for $20 so as not to replace the whole compressor.
but alas, a new job, new baby, and new (old) house with more home projects than I care to admit. car maintenance is no longer a priority.
so - to make you all feel better (and have a few laughs at my expense) here's what I just forked over for some delayed maintenance on my 99 SE with 180k miles...
install warpspeed y pipe: $131 labor only
new front axles (both): $195 parts, $174 labor
new stabilizer links (both): $55 parts, $55 labor
yes I realize I "got screwed" and that in my younger days I could've done all this myself for less than $200, but those days are long gone and I'm now at the mercy of my local mechanic. so this is how it feels to be a normal car owner...
but alas, a new job, new baby, and new (old) house with more home projects than I care to admit. car maintenance is no longer a priority.
so - to make you all feel better (and have a few laughs at my expense) here's what I just forked over for some delayed maintenance on my 99 SE with 180k miles...
install warpspeed y pipe: $131 labor only
new front axles (both): $195 parts, $174 labor
new stabilizer links (both): $55 parts, $55 labor
yes I realize I "got screwed" and that in my younger days I could've done all this myself for less than $200, but those days are long gone and I'm now at the mercy of my local mechanic. so this is how it feels to be a normal car owner...
I'm in with this thread! Just forked over $550 to have my exhaust system replaced.
Dropped the car off, handed over the key, picked it up later in the day.
Money well spent! No way I was crawling under there to work on that rusty old crap.
The days of DIY for me are getting slim as well. To many house projects and other "fun" things to do in life. The car is no longer one of them.
Dropped the car off, handed over the key, picked it up later in the day.
Money well spent! No way I was crawling under there to work on that rusty old crap.
The days of DIY for me are getting slim as well. To many house projects and other "fun" things to do in life. The car is no longer one of them.
Blah blah blah, all it mean is that you're getting old, lazy, and inefficient
Your peepee is next on the list
, one day you'll wake up and realized it doesn't go up anymore 
10-13-2011, 09:41 AM
#11
10-13-2011, 10:27 AM
#15
"Labor rape" is getting to be the cost of staying in business.
One of my family friends owns his own shop. He charges $29.99 for a basic dino oil change with a filter. You know how much he makes? $5.00. The tech gets half of that.
One of my family friends owns his own shop. He charges $29.99 for a basic dino oil change with a filter. You know how much he makes? $5.00. The tech gets half of that.
10-14-2011, 08:39 AM
#16
ive gotten worse also...with two kids (one still an infant), career, 4 cars and a house, the free time to work on them has slowly faded.
i still do MOST of the work myself but sometimes i cant be troubled. Like last week i couldnt break the castle nuts off my front end-messed with it for over a half hr and said 'screw it'. $93 later i have new tierods/ends and hardware and i didnt have to break a sweat.
i still do MOST of the work myself but sometimes i cant be troubled. Like last week i couldnt break the castle nuts off my front end-messed with it for over a half hr and said 'screw it'. $93 later i have new tierods/ends and hardware and i didnt have to break a sweat.
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