Date:         Wed, 3 Feb 1999 21:36:19 -0800
Reply-To:     DAVID MOST <most@UCLA.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         DAVID MOST <most@UCLA.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Is mechanic on the level?
Comments: To: The Bus Depot <ron@netcarrier.com>
In-Reply-To:  <000101be4ff5$d1e9e0e0$12498dd1@the-bus-depot>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

Thanks for the reply Ron.  The original $250 was for the clutch kit and
labor.  However, this price was based on a misquote on the labor (off by
about $60).  The extra $325 breaks down in the following way (approx.):
new cross shaft and cross shaft bushing $80, installation $65, slave
cylinder $60, installation (including bleeding) $55, resurface flywheel
$35, main seal $10, plus tax.  I think the labor on the extra parts here
might be steep.  On the other hand, perhaps they're making up on the
mistake with the original low labor quote.  I wasn't going to hold them
to it, but I made it clear that this was one of the reasons I was coming
to them.   It could be that they're coming up with other things to do as
you suggest.  Before I posted any questions to the list, I asked the shop
to return the old parts to me, and though they could always give me parts
from another vanagon, one hopes that I would see that they were in fact
on the level.  By the way, this repair is being done at Fast German auto
(I figured they could handle a vanagon clutch job, and I was curious
about their operation).  They don't seem to know about the vanagon list
or any other internet vanagon vendors.  I'll reserve judgment until after
this process is over.  Do the prices above seem less unreasonable?


david

>
> 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.