Date:         Wed, 3 Feb 1999 23:21:22 -0500
Reply-To:     The Bus Depot <ron@NETCARRIER.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         The Bus Depot <ron@NETCARRIER.COM>
Subject:      Re: Is mechanic on the level?
Comments: To: DAVID MOST <most@UCLA.EDU>
In-Reply-To:  <Pine.3.89.9901302239.A51416-0100000@tau.ben2.ucla.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

> I just took my '87 in for a clutch replacement, and the service manager
> called me the next day to tell me that not only was my throw out bearing
> bad, but I needed a new slave cylinder, "cross shaft", and cross shaft
> bushing (is this the release shaft under a different name), and my
> flywheel resurfaced and new main seal.
> What started off as a $250 clutch job is being revised to a $575 job.


The slave cylinder is a common failure item, so the possibility of its
failure doesn't raise my eyebrows all that much.  But what does surprise me
is the price difference between the $250 quote and $575.  If the $250 price
included the cost of the clutch kit as well as the labor, this was an
absolute bargain and I can't see how the shop expected to make money at this
price (other than adding on additional work later).  But a $50 slave
cylinder (even at double price charged by some places), a $10 main seal, and
a $50 resurfacing job adding $325 to the price?  That's not consistant with
the labor rate implied by the former quote, unless that first quote was for
labor only.  The additional labor cost involved in doing this addtional work
is negligable, and $325 for the parts alone is excessive.

- Ron Salmon
 The Bus Depot
 http://www.busdepot.com


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