urdrwho Posted July 18, 2018 Author Share Posted July 18, 2018 I was going to give you a thumbs up icon to your approach toward doing business but couldn't find one. A smile will have to suffice. I do all the time, but not with cars. I deal with many estimates and quotes and I always give a range in price. Experience comes in on how you estimate a job and if you screw up then it is on you. There is also the law of averages and some things are easier than others but I never overcharge on every job thinking that the worst is going to happen. When I’m on site I actually charge for the actual amount of time that I work. I tend to work efficiently and my customers know that. There are times when things have gotten messed up, and sometimes I can’t charge all the hours that were put in a job but that is where the law of averages comes in. So if I see a really hard job that is going to take longer than usual then I give them a range or don’t do it. If I really don’t want to do something then I quote high and it’s on them if they want to pay, but that is rare. In the end I charge fairly and my rates are within the average of what other people charge. It just sucks that dealerships tend to charge 30% to 60% more than other comparable shops charge for the same work. Something is not right. When work is needed on my cars for things that I don’t fix myself I use two independent shops. They charge me a fair price that is lower than a dealership and their work is guaranteed. They have overhead as well and they still run a successful business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securityguy Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 It really depends on the dealer. The ones that want to charge you $160 won't let you use your own oil or will still want to charge you the same price. All I can say is that I've been doing this for 10+ years and never had a dealer tell me no. To the point that vtdog made about his VW...I always stand near the bay where my car is being worked on to make sure that my oil is used. If it doesn't make sense or work for you then just ignore my suggestion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tornichoe Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 All I can say is that I've been doing this for 10+ years and never had a dealer tell me no. To the point that vtdog made about his VW...I always stand near the bay where my car is being worked on to make sure that my oil is used. If it doesn't make sense or work for you then just ignore my suggestion. I just skip steps 2 and 3 and pick up a 6 pack to pay for my labor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncted Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 Here is the problem with the above that I experienced at a dealer when I had a VW: I brought Mobil 1 into the dealer and asked that it be used. They had a window you could use to look into the service bays and I saw the lube monkey pump in oil from the dealer barrel into the car and put my 5 gal jug of Mobil 1 on the side of his tool bench. Needless to say, the dealer denied it happened (even though I showed him the jug on the floor). It was the last time I went to that dealer and the last VW I ever bought as VW complaint central just blew me off. I've found most shops don't want to use customer-supplied oil. Most will tell you outright, but apparently some will even screw you in the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brisvegas Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 I've found most shops don't want to use customer-supplied oil. Most will tell you outright, but apparently some will even screw you in the process. My Subaru dealer has no problems with me supplying my preferred oil, and it never was from day one when I brought the subject up before my initial first service. They take off the cost of the oil from the set service fee. I don't watch them to see if they actually use my oil, but I give them the benefit of the doubt. I supply 7 litres ( 6lt plus 1 litre containers) and they return the half empty 1lt to me. Of course they could theoretically be half emptying the 1lt container to fool me into thinking they used my oil ........ but as cynical as I am in pretty near anything else ..... I don't doubt them on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08SpecB_DE Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 An average oil change takes 20-30 minutes. This includes a test drive and bumper to bumper safety inspection. If labor rate is 100/hr and it takes the tech 30 minutes, with cost of supplies, the shop is hovering around $60 their cost, to change your oil. If they charge you $75, is it really that outrageous? I see GM ecotec motor equipped vehicles on a regular basis throw codes for vvt solenoids primarily due to wrong oil being used at places like JiffyLube. Anyone with half a brain, who turns wrenches, knows Dexos means full synthetic. However, these places will pump conventional oil in these people's cars because they want a $20 oil change. My boss charges $35 for a conventional oil change, $75 Halvoline full syn and $145 Pentosin brand full syn (German cars). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YeuEmMaiMai Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 I let the subarau dealer do it for me. I hate the hassle of taking in old oil and having to clean up the mess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncted Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 My Subaru dealer has no problems with me supplying my preferred oil, and it never was from day one when I brought the subject up before my initial first service. They take off the cost of the oil from the set service fee. I don't watch them to see if they actually use my oil, but I give them the benefit of the doubt. I supply 7 litres ( 6lt plus 1 litre containers) and they return the half empty 1lt to me. Of course they could theoretically be half emptying the 1lt container to fool me into thinking they used my oil ........ but as cynical as I am in pretty near anything else ..... I don't doubt them on this. Maybe it is different in Australia? I used to supply my own oil, but over time, I found fewer and fewer places that would cooperate. I suspect it really is just not wanting to lose the markup they get on the oil. Given the price I end up paying, there really isn't any savings by supplying my own oil any more, and, as long as I stick to the standard maintenance intervals, I don't expect any problems. Now, if I had one of the DI turbo engines, that might be a different situation due to the carbon buildup on the intake valves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tornichoe Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 but over time, I found fewer and fewer places that would cooperate. Exact same experience. I'm sure they have a good deal of cost mark up with buying oil in bulk. I can't imagine the service dept paying $5 or $8 per quart when they buy by the barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crudzinskas Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 I have always done this: 1. Go to Walmart and buy a 5 qt jug of Pennzoil Platinum or Mobil1 FULL SYNTHETIC 2. Take it to your dealer 3. Dealer uses MY oil and charges me about $6.50 for the filter and $20 for labor 4. Cost of the oil is about $23 and another $26.50 makes my oil changes about $50 5. Get my free car wash too! Don't forget the Mobil1 rebate every fall (and spring I think) too! You get $12 back on 5 quarts and can do it on two 5qt jugs per promotion. I normally go about 7k per oil change so I get a whole year of oil for a little over $22. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbyR Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 Parts prices can also play a pretty big role.. like a repair I had done for example.. $200-$300 for a reman aftermarket steering rack, vs $700 for an oem Subaru one. Dealers and owners can both get in trouble with aftermarket parts. I had to replace the power steering pump on my old 2005 Outback and the dealer recommended an aftermarket part because of the age of the car and the much higher price of the OEM part (more than twice as much). After the repair my car was still leaking fluid on my driveway so I took it back. They took out the part and ordered a second one from the same supplier. After the second repair my car was still leaking fluid on my driveway so I took it back again. This time they told me I should go with the Subaru part so I paid the extra and they installed it. It didn't leak. Upshot of this was that the dealer had to do the job 3 times but was only paid once for their efforts. I suffered the inconvenience of taking my car in 3 times instead of once. Aftermarket parts, while less expensive, are often not as good as the OEM parts and, in some cases, no good at all. Admittedly, this was an extreme case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laz Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 That is true. I ordered a front axle for my 2005 Impreza from rockauto. As I was installing it the cv joint popped out and locked completely. Luckily I have a Napa store near me and headed over there for a replacement. In comparing the two parts you could tell right away how much better the NAPA part was refurbished. I sent back the Rockauto part and felt lucky not to have installed it. --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brisvegas Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 That is true. I ordered a front axle for my 2005 Impreza from rockauto. As I was installing it the cv joint popped out and locked completely. Luckily I have a Napa store near me and headed over there for a replacement. In comparing the two parts you could tell right away how much better the NAPA part was refurbished. I sent back the Rockauto part and felt lucky not to have installed it. Laz ...... are you sure it wasn't your Toyota you are talking about (check out the 1:50 mark on the vid) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laz Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 Dammit, the cat is out the bag! my rice mobile has been put in the spotlight!! --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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