Ask A Mechanic: Wading Through The Mess Of Car Repair Prices And Auto Repair Estimates
If you were given an estimate to replace a water pump on your car
, would you know if the cost was fair? Could you trust the price? What about for a tie rod end, mass air flow sensor, or an evaporative emissions sensor?Most of us do not know what these are, never mind the price. However its components such as these which are generally used to overcharge you, the car repair customer.
We no longer live in an age of trust, so how do we ensure that our auto repair costs are legitimate.
How many times have you suspected that you paid an excessive amount, but couldn't prove it? How many times did the price seem exorbitant for even simple repairs?
To demonstrate simply how "At Risk" the everyday auto repair customer is to excessive car repair prices, here's a recent real life example from a "reputable...?" dealer.
A client brought her Audi to an authorized Audi dealership for a standard timing belt maintenance service.
The price for this service averages $1575 at the dealership level, (including pulleys, water pump...etc) and around $1275 at the independent repair shop level.
Yet the woman left the dealer with a bill for $2025.68.
What transpired?
According to the repair order, there were no abnormal circumstances, no problems noted by the technician like rust or any other extenuating circumstances that would have maybe increased the labor, or added parts.
In short, it was a simple service, but the bill was $450.68 higher than it should've been. There's merely no legitimate reason to have "that much" discrepancy.
How'd they get away with it?
The answer is extremely simple, and it is a point that I don't want anyone to miss:
They get away with it because they can!
Look at it. The average person does not know how much auto parts cost. And who is aware how much labor time a repair should take? To what sources does one go to find out this info? Who actually has the time to investigate!
On examination of this woman's repair order, it was found that she was charged a full 4 hours "more" than the standard labor time. At $100 per hour, this added an extra $400. The remaining $50.68 came from the parts, that were billed greater than MSRP.
She was quoted $2,025 for a repair that tops out at $1575. The woman did not know. She just paid the bill and left.
How many times do people just pay the bill and leave? Pretty much that is all one can do given that there's no accessible information for the car repair customer to properly question a repair bill. In addition, very few even know what questions to ask!
The auto repair industry has been over-charging for decades-at times subtly, sometimes boldly, definitely frequently. The evidence for this is overwhelming; yet, you will find no easy solutions available for the car repair customer.
Government agencies can't help. The Better Business Bureau can't do anything. Even supposed "car repair experts or advocates" lack the understanding of the breadth and insidiousness of the car repair business at all its levels.
A dealership operates in a different way than an independent repair shop, and a franchise, like Midas, is totally unique. Who truly knows what goes on in the underground of such a diverse and complex industry?
The Solution?
First of all, car repair customers require access to info on car repair prices. Without it, they have got nothing tangible by which to determine fair costs. They likewise need to manage to navigate the maze of parts and labor charges for car repairs and maintenance.
Like everything else, info is the key to ensure fair treatment. Without them, the car repair customer will continue to "swim with the sharks" without any protection.
Wheeling Auto Repair
by: Hazel Knox.