Date: Thu, 9 Mar 2006 16:04:56 +0000
Reply-To: Dave Vickery <davevickery@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dave Vickery <davevickery@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Subaru Conversions
In-Reply-To: <0ED2E9A2-B138-4E8B-B2F3-283C0B47C4C4@mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
It is unreasonable, but that's what it costs :(
I had a Boston Engine WBX Rebuild put in my westy, $5K plus another $1K in
other related parts and troubleshooting.
I bought a subie syncro and it cost the P.O. ~ $7.5K out the door, with AC
PS, & newish engine.
Dave in Denver
>From: Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
>Reply-To: Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: Subaru Conversions
>Date: Thu, 9 Mar 2006 01:40:20 -0500
>
>You were wondering why the price of the conversion was so high. And
>the simple answer is, because you aren't factoring in the LABOR rate
>necessary to get it installed by a professional mechanic.
>
>The math is quite clear. $3500 for a kit (say, Tiico) , 40 man hours
>of labor. In this area, thats around $85 an hour. In short, close to
>$7k for the install.
>if you doing the Subaru conversion, there is the price for the
>engine. You might get a good one for $500. Or you might have to spend
>more. Well, it is a used engine, so it is worthwhile to update a few
>things prior to putting it in. That's more man-hours of labor that
>you aren't accounting for. Perhaps parts too. Then there is the
>wiring. If you do it yourself, that's more man-hours of labor that
>you aren't accounting for in the cost. If you pay someone else
>(Smallcar for instance), that adds to the overall cost.
>
>In short $7k for getting it installed is not at all unreasonable.
>
>On Mar 9, 2006, at 12:34 AM, Aaron wrote:
>
>>But Kim, If I "charged" myself for every hour that I spent time on
>>something, I would either net be able to afford to do anything or be
>>extremely poor (but who would I pay?). I consider it paying myself
>>instead.
>>
>>I estimated that it took me around 100 hours of labor. A lot of that
>>was figuring out the cooling, making runs to the parts places and
>>just sitting around bewildered. Actually the VW engine was out and
>>the subaru in with probably 10 hours of labor!
>>
>>So, if you are taking time out of your job to do the conversion,
>>you'll probably lose money. But for those who have some idle time on
>>the weekends and evenings or can afford to take some time out of our
>>other hobbies, doing it yourself is a great way to not have to spend
>>a lot of money. There were actually 2 brothers who did 2 conversion
>>in a weekend. I took me around 3 months, so at 100 hours, that's
>>around an hour per day. I think of it as an investment in not having
>>to an aging VW engine in the future. It's great to connect my palm
>>pilot to the OBDII reader and it can lead me to what is wrong. When I
>>had a fuel filler line leaking water into the tank, OBDII lead me to
>>the problem.
>>
>>I guess the important thing is that I am happy, I have a 12,000 mile
>>subaru engine and I didn't have to spend $3000+ on putting in a
>>rebuilt VW engine.
>>
>>
>>On Mar 8, 2006, at 11:27 AM, Kim Brennan wrote:
>>
>>>How many hours of labor did it take you? Now take those hours and
>>>multiply by $60-80 per hour. Say it took you one week of only 40
>>>hours. That's an additional $2400-3200 that you did but didn't charge
>>>yourself.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>On Mar 8, 2006, at 11:42 AM, Sudhir Desai wrote:
>>>
>>>>On the subject of price, I really do not understand why the prices
>>>>are
>>>>so high. :/
>>>>I completed my chevy v6 conversion for less than $2500 in parts.
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