Is The Mobile Car Mechanic Being Unreasonable?

ShazOz on 24/04/2023 - 18:01
Last edited 25/04/2023 - 13:33 by 1 other user

I hired a mobile mechanic to do minor car service which involved engine oil and filter change. During the service, he recommended to do few other repairs and provided me written quote. This included over $1000 for parts and additional 4.5hrs of labour.

I was able to secure brand new parts for less than 50% so I provided my own parts and proceeded with the labour. I didn't get additional quotes for labour because he was mobile(suitable for my situation) and I also trusted him based on his review and good work from a minor service.

On the day of repair, he finished work in less than 3hrs so I asked him if he would provide bit discount considering his quote was for 4.5hrs but he bluntly refused. I had no choice because I agreed to that quote. He stated he would send me tax invoice later but despite of repeated follow up, I am yet to receive a invoice. He acknowledged and promised last week but he still didn't sent it.

Another point to note - one of the parts he changed didn't show any damage or wear/tear signs, so I questioned him why he recommended to change it but he just beat about the bush.

Questions

1) Should mechanic have given bit of discount considering he exaggerated the labour quote by 33%?
2) Are 4 follow ups not sufficient for the mechanic to provide a tax invoice?
3) Did mechanic try to rip me off by recommending to change a part which was not required to be changed? This was the most expensive part and had highest labour charge within the repairs.

Automotive Mechanic

Comments

  • deme on 24/04/2023 - 18:08
    +31

    Did mechanic try to rip me off by recommending to change a part which was not required to be changed? This was the most expensive part and had highest labour charge within the repairs.

    We have no idea you didn't even say what part it was

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 24/04/2023 - 19:07
      +15

      Pretty Good if it's a Flux Capacitor?

      • Gunnar on 24/04/2023 - 20:04

        What the hell is a gigawatt?

        • HelpMeiCantSee on 25/04/2023 - 10:53
          +1

          1,000MW, or a million kW.

        • GOCAT9 on 25/04/2023 - 11:05
          +2

          did you go to school, dude?

          • Gunnar on 25/04/2023 - 15:30
            +2

            @GOCAT9: Last time I went to school my mum regularly called me a ‘dream boat’, forced herself onto me, and kissed me. She also thought my name was Calvin

        • BewareOfThe Dog on 25/04/2023 - 11:27
          +2

          1.21 gigawatts

        • Chris Topher on 25/04/2023 - 12:28
          +2

          A gigawatt is a joke that makes you snigger when you hear it but don't really understand it.

          Example Elon Musk.

          • lew380 on 25/04/2023 - 14:55
            -4

            @Chris Topher: He has more billions than you have years, jokes on you.

            • ihfree on 26/04/2023 - 10:09
              +2

              @lew380: Always nice to see simps for billionaires

              • lew380 on 27/04/2023 - 07:51
                -2

                @ihfree: Billionaires using their money for freedom of speech, freeing the people from corporate speech codes? I'll simp for anyone fighting for the people.

      • a744 on 25/04/2023 - 11:40
        +1

        Damn, its showing as being out of stock on their website and I really needed one

    • HeWhoKnows on 25/04/2023 - 17:51
      +59
      1. The mechanic quoted a price to which OP agreed
      2. The mechanic charged the agreed price and not a dollar more.
      3. The quoted work was completed to OPs satisfaction
      4. The mechanic even agreed to use parts supplied by OP which is very very reasonable. Usually they dont!. Hence the mechanic didnt make the markup on the parts. Unlike OP the mechanic didnt complain about that or anything else.
      5. If OP prefered to pay an hourly rate they should have agreed to that and not a fixed price quote.
      6. If OP had left the car at a garage they wouldnt have known how long it took so that point is mute.
      7. If the mechanic took longer than 4.5 hours then OP would be complaining about being charged more than the quote.

      I dont see a problem here at all except that OP is the one being totally unreasonable
      But yes, the mechanic should have provided an invoice for the work completed.
      Maybe its still being prepared or payback for OP being so unreasonable. It doesnt change anything though
      If OP paid via EFT or credit card then OP does have proof of payment for the service provided.

      And what is OP going to do about it now?

      Total waste of our precious time really

      • bmerigan on 25/04/2023 - 21:36
        +6
        1. Moot.
        2. What about replacing an unworn part.

        Edit: just read it is upper control arms, so I'm assuming worn bushes. Depends on OPs ability to assess it.

      • jackspratt on 25/04/2023 - 22:41
        +5

        Total waste of our precious time really

        If your time was really precious, you wouldn't spend all day on OzBargain.

        6 *moot

      • kiriakoz on 26/04/2023 - 09:14
        +3

        That is 90% of these kinds of posts. The entitlement of many people on here is an eye opener. I hope OP is just trolling otherwise this is crazy.

      • MrFrugalSpend on 26/04/2023 - 21:05

        sums it up really, especially no 7

        A mate of mine in construction once got in a heated argument with a client who wanted to keep the excess materials the builder was loading onto their truck to take away at the end of the renovation job…. saying "but my renovation paid for those, I own them, you are stealing them!" - Builder won the argument with a simple explanation:

        "You are paying me a fixed price for this job, I supplied the materials, and I ordered excess in case I needed them… but let me ask you this, if I ordered too little, say half what I needed, would you have paid me more to finish the job?"

        They are the ones making the estimate and taking the risk for their business, no one is forcing you to hire them for the amount they quote - mechanic could have simply worked slower if they wanted!

      • kaleidoscope on 27/04/2023 - 18:47

        7 100% based on op’s line of questioning….

  • Hybroid on 24/04/2023 - 18:08
    +12

    You have not provided sufficient contextual information to obtain any meaningful opinions.

    1) That depends if the quote was purely based on labour hours worked or just estimated hours to complete certain tasks. Not clear which one.
    2) Probably.
    3) Would help to advise what part it was, why they mentioned it needed to be replaced and vehicle age/mileage/service book requirements etc. How can we possibly answer that.

    • HeWhoKnows on 25/04/2023 - 17:54
      +6

      Too much information!!!!!!!
      Its as simple as: the mechanic performed the work requested and charged the quoted amount agreed.
      How long they mechanic took is irrelevent.
      The mechanic even agreed to use parts supplied by OP which is very very reasonable indeed
      and its all over and done with now.

      There is nothing else to discuss

      • juki on 25/04/2023 - 21:19
        +1

        yeah i'd even be happy to get my car back a little earlier

        • DarkOz on 26/04/2023 - 07:58
          +1

          The mechanic should have charged OP 1.5 hours "car rental" by releasing it earlier 1.5 hours earlier.

      • skidexa on 27/04/2023 - 08:36

        Yeah but any mechanic can then go and say this will take 5hrs, knowing the car owner doesn't know it only takes 1hr to do and rip them off.

        • NeoX on 03/05/2023 - 14:51

          That's when you get multiple quotes to know a "fair" price. Never ever just get 1 quote if you're not familiar with the price/cost.

  • JMosk on 24/04/2023 - 18:24
    +6

    1) if it was the other way around and he had to do more labour than quoted would you?
    2) yeah
    3) impossible to say without knowing which part but a part can need replacing even if it doesn't look like it.

    There may be more to it but it sounds like you should have asked for a labour only quote if you were going to supply the parts yourself and it's a lesson learned for next time.

    • ShazOz on 24/04/2023 - 18:36
      -7

      Part was front upper control arms for both sides.

      Labour charge was close to $300.

      • freefall101 on 24/04/2023 - 18:52
        +66

        $300 for 4.5 hours of labour and the guy making no margin on parts is cheap as dirt for a mechanic, $300 is more like the norm for 3 hours. I'd roll with it.

        edit: Just noticed it's a mobile mechanic too, so gotta add travel time for him. IMO you got a good price for someone who comes to you.

        • ShazOz on 24/04/2023 - 18:55
          -4

          $300 is for just control arms which took about 1.5 hrs. There were additional repairs which took another 1.5 hrs.

        • Jugganautx on 24/04/2023 - 19:52
          +5

          No mechanic even half established charges less than $130 30 minutes in every direction from my house.

      • Protractor on 26/04/2023 - 20:48
        +3

        Jesus, you burnt the mechanic. Gawd, and yet really? You STILL! feel the need to embarrass oneself online as being ripped off?
        Some people. What was your birth place that 'quality workmanship; by a licensed insured business, was cheaper than this on your doorstep?

  • Euphemistic on 24/04/2023 - 18:27
    +11

    You agreed on a labour price for the work, it probably allowed for some stuck bits or unforeseen issues. Maybe he could have given you a discount, but you essentially agree to the price for the job.

    As for replacing a non worn bit, you had also agreed to replace it. He may have not been able to tell it was OK during the inspection phase and possibly assumed because A was worn B would probably need doing too.

    If you don’t like his work, don’t use him again. Or possibly ask for him to work for hourly rate - which might also backfire.

    I recently had a service done. Told mechanic that belts were a bit squeaky and he replaced them. Apparently the squeak was from an alternator bearing pulley on its way out. Told him not to worry, we are selling the car soon. Week later the new belt got shredded as the bearing gave up. Wasn’t his fault, but it cost me $. Sometimes life is like that.

    Also, I bought the replacement bearing and asked 2 shops to see if they could quickly use the specialist tool to remove the old one. All I wanted was for them to pop the special socket on and hit it with a rattle gun (2min). Both told me no because ‘it’ll take too long’ if it doesn’t work. Went back to my mechanic and asked if they could try, fully expecting it not to work and I’d have to rethink. 5min later the new pulley was fitted for no charge - but I slipped them $20 for helping out.

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 24/04/2023 - 18:33
      +6

      ask for him to work for hourly rate

      And like that, a 3 hour job has turned into an extended 8 hour marathon.

    • ssfps on 26/04/2023 - 09:41

      Not saying that's a bad mechanic, but a good mechanic would have checked the bearing before throwing parts at a squeak.

      • Euphemistic on 26/04/2023 - 16:28

        Belts were probably due for replacement anyway, been a while. He showed me the offending bearing and said it’d probably hold on for a little while and if it made a bit of noise hit it with some lube. Was obviously further gone than he thought.

        In hindsight, I’m just glad it went before our Easter road trip.

  • AustriaBargain on 24/04/2023 - 18:34

    Regardless, it sounds like the relationship has soured and you don't trust each other anymore. If he was a good mechanic working at reasonable prices then that's too bad for you. If he was taking you for a ride then it's too bad for him.

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 24/04/2023 - 18:37
      +12

      Probably soured the moment op provided own parts to be fair… gotta make up the margin somewhere.

      • BewareOfThe Dog on 24/04/2023 - 19:11
        +7

        Not to Mention @Jimothy Wongingtons, that some mechanics don't like using products from a brand/supplier they don't know. They have relationships (hence the markups), and if something goes wrong, no problem, replacement part here in 2 hours.

        OP supplies product. Something goes wrong, OP's problem, and no doubt will have to pay extra.

      • MS Paint on 24/04/2023 - 19:44
        +22

        I could feel the bend on 1 side.

        Lol. WTAF? Is your car made of cheese?

      • mapax on 24/04/2023 - 21:45
        +7

        Or the control arms were so flogged that it sat uneven and now they’ve been replaced it feels like it’s uneven?

      • Protractor on 26/04/2023 - 20:53

        You are amazing. You supply the parts, watch him like a raven, deny him an income at his own rate(this guy was NOT slow) and complain about it.
        You have to ACTUALLY be kidding us.

        (the sound of millions of laughing garden lizards)
        Good luck with the next 'mechanic' when word gets out

        "On a separate note, he lifted the car too high using jack and I could feel the bend on 1 side. I could hear squeaky noise now from the rear side (definitely wasn't there before) so I wonder what he has damaged. There is no way for me to prove he caused it." < sounds like trolling to me

  • Brick50 on 24/04/2023 - 18:38
    +1

    How would the mechanic know exactly how long it would take to do the job. If he was going to charge you more than the quoted price you'd also kick up a stink and not want to pay

    Can you tell us how you formed the opinion the control arms didn't need to be changed? Have you checked for any play in the ball joint? It may look fine but the ball joint could be excessively worn

    • ShazOz on 24/04/2023 - 18:47
      -4

      His quote is by hours and being a mechanic I thought you would know how long the job requires for each item. There is a huge 1.5 hrs difference! As I stated above, eventually I agreed to the labour price upfront so I have to live with it.

      I did see the condition after the control arms was taken apart and didn't notice any play in the ball joint or any rip in the rubber seal. It still looked in pretty good condition. My red flag is around the mechanic's failure to provide any reasonable explanation.

      • Brick50 on 24/04/2023 - 18:54
        +2

        Yeah fair enough if he couldn't explain to you why they needed to be replaced, and hardly ideal he won't provide you a receipt.

        But I feel as though he probably quotedyou a fair labour price, you didn't have to agree to it if you felt he was overcharging and he would only be 1 seized bolt away from it turning into a much larger job. In the future perhaps consider the cost of labour not the time frame they tell you.

        Have you considered that he also would be charging you for his time driving to and from your location? An electrician isn't going to give you a partial refund if he completed his work an hour quicker than he expected if you agreed to his initial quote, same principal

      • fillit on 25/04/2023 - 10:40
        +12

        I can probably swap a set of suspension over on a Honda civic in 40 minutes, if I ran a shop you’ll get charged 3 hours. You’re paying for the experience & overheads, not me doing a 100 meter sprint for your financial benefit.

        In essence, either get comparative quotes to see if it’s in ballpark or go to supercheap, buy some tools and learn how to do it yourself.

  • iamherenow on 24/04/2023 - 18:43
    +1

    I was able to secure brand new parts for less than 50%

    He was expecting that $500 or so he over-quoted as profit.

    I asked him if he would provide bit discount considering his quote was for 4.5hrs but he bluntly refused

    He was already annoyed he was doing the job for way less profit given you supplied the parts.

    I questioned him why he recommended to change it but he just beat about the bush.

    In my experience, because he was creating work for himself. If you present the car to another mechanic, and they don't mention the same part, it doesn't need doing. But too many people (like me) rely on the mechanic being a nice guy and don't seek confirmation work is actually needed.

    • ShazOz on 24/04/2023 - 18:53
      -4

      He was expecting that $500 or so he over-quoted as profit
      Indeed - I was able to buy control arms for $170(both sides) but his quote was for $880 lol

      He was already annoyed he was doing the job for way less profit given you supplied the parts
      May be - He was advised upfront before we agreed to proceed with the job which was 1 week prior to the repair day.

      • nomoneynoproblems on 24/04/2023 - 19:04

        Yea I would have probably gone to someone else….

      • BAM51102 on 24/04/2023 - 19:54
        +23

        do you realize that parts are made by different manufactures? he could of quote you genuine or decent brand ones, and you got the cheapest of the ebay. his brand ones could last 200k km , and you ones could be flogged in 25k km.

        • MS Paint on 24/04/2023 - 20:12
          +23

          Next post: my control arm bushes have failed after 10k kms. How do I get compensation from my mechanic?

          • Brick50 on 25/04/2023 - 14:45
            +2

            @MS Paint: Happens with ford territory lower control arms, eBay ones the ball joint falls out and send you off the road at 100k's an hour. Mechanic isn't going to fit cheap parts and be liable for any warranty issues or failures

            • resisting the urge on 26/04/2023 - 08:57
              +1

              @Brick50: Happens with many arms for many models.

              People buy reject parts and sell them online all the time, has always been a problem but with so many producers now marketing products that have not even been field or even fit-tested prior to beginning production it is common to have brand new products like control arms fail because they actually are not made to the correct spec, or were rejected at the factory and then on-sold without any branding. The problem is so big there are vendors branding these parts and selling them as quality, new parts.

              So buying cheap is not a easy, and for many auto parts made in Asia, it has become an Art (an occupation with many pitfalls that only benefits others)

        • Lichen6420 on 26/04/2023 - 10:46
          +1

          Yeah I have seen shitty cheap Chinese control arms roll over ball joints and split bushes in no time.

          Hopefully the OP got something decent quality like superpro and not the cheapest eBay special.

      • kiitos on 26/04/2023 - 16:55
        +1

        $880 supplied and fitted? Or just the parts?

    • JimmyF on 24/04/2023 - 19:02
      +4

      In my experience, because he was creating work for himself. If you present the car to another mechanic, and they don't mention the same part, it doesn't need doing. But too many people (like me) rely on the mechanic being a nice guy and don't seek confirmation work is actually needed.

      Doesn't always work like that. Lots of mechanics get blamed for 'creating' work, so these days they'll just do what you ask them to do. Aka a service. So they do a service. This way you're 'happy' as they didn't invent things that needed fixing.

      • ensanguined on 25/04/2023 - 13:59

        Lol please.

        • JimmyF on 25/04/2023 - 14:02

          Its basically the entire point of this post isn't it :)

  • Brick Tamland on 24/04/2023 - 19:09
    +5

    Sounds like you saved a bit of money sourcing the parts yourself which most mechanics wont allow so I dunno if arguing over 90mins of labour is super worthwhile. If it was a mechanics workshop you would never know exactly how long it took unless you were watching them the whole time.

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 24/04/2023 - 19:16
      +1

      Every car is designed differently.
      Some items are easier to replace than others in various vehicles etc.

    • Darude Sandstorm on 25/04/2023 - 14:34
      +1

      Most mechanics will not even bother sourcing parts for my cars haha.

      • Brick Tamland on 25/04/2023 - 19:03
        +1

        haha true. I'd imagine a lot of mechanics wouldnt be interested at all

        • Darude Sandstorm on 27/04/2023 - 11:04

          Yup, even when I tell them it shares the same chassis as an Is200/GS300 etc.
          Ended up just buying all the tools and parts and doing shit at home and Workshops that rent out their hoists.

  • The Value on 24/04/2023 - 19:22
    +4

    Lube Mobile are shit (too).

    • Munki on 25/04/2023 - 11:29
      +3

      Yeah I much prefer Nude Mobile.

  • Aureus on 24/04/2023 - 19:55
    +8

    Good luck finding a non-ripoff mechanic. I gave up and use Youtube to fix everything now.

  • thesilverstarman on 24/04/2023 - 20:31
    +56

    As a mechanic I can tell you that you were lucky that he agreed to use supplied parts, because I wouldn't. All industry associations have advised that we do not fit or use any supplied parts, because under Australian consumer law, we become liable if anything goes wrong. In effect by fitting them we are certifying that they are fit for purpose, and have to warranty them. Our insurance cover will not cover any jobs where we fit or use supplied parts.
    On top of that, our suppliers have warranty on parts, which can often include labour. They stand by and support the parts used, and are guaranteed to be genuine and of good quality. The parts you source and supplied could be crap, fake or incorrect for the model etc.
    It is rude to even ask to supply parts. Do you go to a restaurant and bring your own steak?
    We also make money on parts, so you have reduced this guys income as well. It stands to reason that you would then pay more in labour to make up for this.
    As far as times, there are guides, but every job is different. One can go smoothly, and another can be a nightmare. So you always have to quote on the worst case. Seeing as you ripped him off by supplying parts, I wouldn't have reduced the price either.
    Whenever you replace front suspension or brake parts, you should always replace both sides. Not doing so can cause problems and can be unsafe. So if one side was worn more than the other, then that would explain why it didn't appear worn. Things like shocks can appear to be fine when they need replacing. I would go with the expert rather than your opinion. How do you know what the bushes were like? Was the arm damaged or bent? So many variables. And nobody replaces control arms to scam money. Lots of other parts are easier to do.
    It sounds like he quoted you for genuine or oem quality parts. That would explain the price difference. And I think that you paid a fair price for a mobile mechanic.
    If you supplied the parts, I don't blame him for not providing you with an invoice. If he does and the parts you supplied go bad, cause an accident or death, why should he have to be responsible. No invoice, no proof.

    • MS Paint on 24/04/2023 - 20:34
      +39

      tl;dr - OP is customer from hell

      • thesilverstarman on 24/04/2023 - 20:47
        +16

        plenty around. BMW owners are the worst. The cars are full of plastic parts, even in the engines and steering columns. And plastic that heats up and cools down needs to be replaced before it breaks, causing huge repair bills. Its preventative maintenance, so parts that do not appear to be damaged are replaced. This causes great stress to owners and they refuse to do it. Its also not cheap. And that's why a service history that is just oil changes is worthless. Even then I've seen the wrong oil used or the wrong coolant, both ending up is massive repair bills. A modern car is nothing like a car from 40 years ago. I'm lucky that I don't need customers like this, so I will tell them to go elsewhere. I have customers that trust me. I know when to use genuine parts, when to use cheaper parts, and save my customers money because they don't have problems. Every service I add fuel injector and fuel system cleaner, and on diesels an upper engine treatment. I have never had anyone get carbon issues or injector problems because prevention saves money. I always replace wipers each service with new complete units. The days of just blades were over years ago. Nobody ever has issues. And they don't have breakdowns or big repair bills.And I pride myself on never ripping anyone off. I just replaced a rear hatch latch mechanism and supplied a programmed a new key card for a Renault. Customer was quoted over $1400 at dealer. I was $280. Because I have the equipment and knowledge of when its ok to use cheaper parts and the suppliers to get them from.

        • Jaduqimon on 24/04/2023 - 23:26
          +2

          wow dam dude, i wish you were in Sydney. need to find a mechanic like you. I been getting ripped off left right centre from every mechanic I been to so far…

          • fishing on 25/04/2023 - 07:55
            +2

            @Jaduqimon: Awesome mechanics in Peakhurst
            Boyd’s Garage Lorraine Street
            Fast reliable honest. Well known in the area

            • Jaduqimon on 25/04/2023 - 08:46

              @fishing: Thanks ill check them out nextime. I use to live in peakhurst :\

        • ShazOz on 25/04/2023 - 07:19
          -8

          @thesilverstarman - I don't deny insurance rationale, but the mechanic is definitely a rip off if he is providing a part for $880 when it is available from a local auto shop with tax invoice and 12 months warranty for 1/4 of the price.

          Seeing as you ripped him off by supplying parts, I wouldn't have reduced the price either.
          The mechanic agreed to do repairs with parts being supplied by the customer and this was agreed more than 1 week before the repairs. You seem like a mechanic who always rips off their customers by having 200 to 300% margin on the parts. Why the customer should pay 200 to 300% margin for you sourcing the part. No wonder why people don't trust the mechanics.

          If you supplied the parts, I don't blame him for not providing you with an invoice.
          The mechanic agreed to do a job with the customer providing parts (they had more than a week to cancel if they didn't like this arrangement), take full payment but won't provide a tax invoice even though it was part of the repair arrangement. This is a straight away tax fraud! Your attitude clearly shows how well your tax returns would be.

          • iCandy on 25/04/2023 - 08:31
            +4

            @ShazOz: How the hell did you come up with these resolutions from what the mechanic just told you? Just face the fact you probably stuffed up your repairs by using Chinese parts and have lost a good mechanic as well. All because you are a tightwad.

          • dasa on 25/04/2023 - 09:41
            +3

            @ShazOz: Well said as we should not have to pay for a marked up part as that is why mechanics wages are so high to make sure they are paid well not to boost their profit margin by hitting the customer twice

          • Herbse on 26/04/2023 - 09:37
            +1

            @ShazOz: Did you buy the exact same brand parts? His price includes warranty. Which always costs more because as a business, you have to factor the chances of having to come back to replace a faulty part into the price you charge someone.

            If you buy your own part, you might save a few bucks but he will not come back for free if there's any warranty issues with the part.

            Byo parts = warranty lost.

      • Gunnar on 24/04/2023 - 21:18
        +15

        Would never had come to that conclusion based on the OPs replies to the questions. I mean the part about the upper control arms 'not looking worn' or better yet was this:

        he lifted the car too high using jack and I could feel the bend on 1 side. I could hear squeaky noise now from the rear side (definitely wasn't there before) so I wonder what he has damaged

        The OP may be my uncle: knows absolutely nothing about cars - on a good day - until it's time to complain when he gets the bills where he suddenly becomes Ferdinand Porsche

      • juki on 25/04/2023 - 21:28
        +2

        seems like it so many people talking sense and up to here he still argues that he is right

    • pegaxs on 24/04/2023 - 20:39
      +7

      you were lucky that he agreed to use supplied parts, because I wouldn't.

      Same, and for exactly those reasons…

      I especially love the eBay parts bin specials of unknown origin… "But it's the same water pump…" Yeah, no it's not. And when it fails in 3 months, it's never; "shitty $25 eBay water pump"… it's always "Shit mechanic did a shit job…"

      The only time we will consider a customers part is if it is a super hard part to source, it takes a long time to source and it's a factory part with factory packaging. IE: if it's for a Ford, it better come in a box with Ford written all over it with a Ford part number… Not in a plastic bag wrapped in bubble wrap with some Chinese words on it in texta.

      • thesilverstarman on 24/04/2023 - 20:52
        +8

        Yep. I have had some car yards try to supply second hand brakes and an alternator that was from a different vehicle, but "you can make it work". No way. I am a tradesman who takes pride in my work, and I do things properly and well, and put my customers safety first.
        Can you imagine these people going to a hospital? Here doc, this is my camera. If you use this attachment I got on ebay for $2, you can stick that up my rear and save a fortune on this procedure. And I can get cheap meds online on Aliexpress instead of you ripping me off.

        • pegaxs on 24/04/2023 - 21:02
          +2

          Oh, I have cancer?? Well, I can supply my own chemo for 1/3rd the cost you guys wanna charge me for it… 3 months later after the cheap AliExpress chemo didn't work, person has a week to live… "shit doctors couldn't cure my cancer…"

          And 2nd hard car yards are the worst for it. They want the cheapest band-aids over everything… I got asked once if we could just lathe the brake rotors and mill down the brake pads to make them flat again…

          Another one I like is when people bring eBay keys to me to cut and they are either too short, not wide enough or made out of what I can only assume is diamonds and it breaks the teeth of my key cutter and they wonder why I refuse to cut shitty eBay keys. The only keys I cut for customers are the ones in factory bags.

          • thesilverstarman on 24/04/2023 - 21:08

            @pegaxs: I have found autel and brand ones to be decent quality, and they dont break my machine. They arent cheap, but are cheaper than genuine.

          • LlamaOfDoom on 25/04/2023 - 16:40

            @pegaxs: What's the problem with machining the rotors as long as they stay within spec?
            I recognise they have less material and therefore build up heat quicker but if dumb owner let rooted pads root disc this is fine.
            Mill brake pads? Lol

            • resisting the urge on 26/04/2023 - 09:08

              @LlamaOfDoom: Apart from pads and rotors being cheap, whilst labour isn't-

              If they've been on the car long enough to get pitted, it's 95% worth replacing. When it's got $5000 brakes and damage caused by a little stone, might be an exception, not the norm. The norm is cheap chinese rotors and pads which fail in no time and squeal or fail after reassembly anyhow

    • jacross on 25/04/2023 - 08:17
      +9

      Most of that is fair enough but making money on parts is a means of obscuring the true cost of mechanics services. It's ubiquitous across industries and not a mechanics-only thing but it relies on asymmetry of information and contributes to the feeling that 'I may be getting ripped off'.

      The difference between a mechanic and a restaurant is that the restaurant doesn't list a parts and labour and sundries charge. The listing of a parts quotes invites examination. Then again, I'm not sure customers would react positively to a non-itemised quote. I doubt they would.

      I also understand that an individual firm doesn't have that much ability to go against the grain because…people like being lied to. Show them real costs of service that are genuinely itemised and they think you charge too much for your services.

      "It is rude to even ask to supply parts."

      I've never asked to supply parts but this seems too precious to me. I don't trust someone that so easily takes offence. That's just a weapon in the service of subterfuge. The only way it is rude is because it puts the mechanic in the unfortunate situation of explaining how they parse their profit and they know this is not what the average customer expects. See point 1.

      • thesilverstarman on 26/04/2023 - 16:27
        +1

        Totally wrong.
        Every business makes money on parts and labour. A restaurant doesn't sell parts and labour. They sell a finished product only. Other trades are the same as mechanics, like plumbers, painters, electricians etc. We buy parts at trade, and sell at retail. That's how it goes. Nobody is lying or ripping anyone off. Labour is just another thing that I sell that has a profit margin included. A job needs to have a total profit to be viable.
        As for a customer supplying parts, it's the legal minefield that it exposes us to that is the problem. And it is rude to think that you can bypass our expertise and experience to just supply something and get us to fit it, then be responsible for it. We have to diagnose the problem, determine the correct parts, make sure that what we supply are suitable for the job and correct for the car, fit them properly (some aftermarket parts do not fit without work, or require bits that other parts include) the be responsible for them. Most times a customer has self diagnosed the problem, bought the part that a youtube video said will fix the problem, then wants us to fit it, and when it doesn't fix the problem, demands that we fix it for nothing.
        It is exactly the same as taking your steak to a restaurant and expecting a discount plus expect that the meal will taste the same.
        I have seen people think that they are servicing their car by changing the oil, ignoring everything else that has to be done, doing no preventative maintenance and failing to see indications of problems. I know of many who have lost engines or DPFs because they used the correct grade of oil, but the wrong spec. Or have had radiators and internals corrode or caviatate because they used the wrong coolant or mixed coolants. The issue is that people think that being a mechanic is easy and that they can do it just as good. Well, an oil change isnt a service. And cars are not like they were last century.If people think that they have the skills then do the work yourself, and dont try to save a couple of dollars.

    • cloudy on 25/04/2023 - 11:07
      +3

      One can go smoothly, and another can be a nightmare. So you always have to quote on the worst case.

      This is precisely why people have a fear of being ripped off.

      Nightmare scenarios are supposed to be, by definition, rare. Hence most people would be over paying far too often, on the off case the job is a nightmare.

      • thesilverstarman on 26/04/2023 - 16:10

        If you don't allow for problems, you wont stay in business long. Personally, if the job takes less, I will charge less, but when it comes to a quote, Im not going to risk losing money. Every trade builds in extra to cover things that are unseen or that might go wrong. Its not ripping anyone off. If someone accepts a quote, they expect to pay that price, no more, no less. Ive never seen anyone offer to pay more if it takes longer.

    • TightAl on 25/04/2023 - 12:27
      -2

      The insurance point is absolute nonsense.
      I'd love to know how many times you've had to make a claim under your insurance and what they were for?
      Secondly I'd argue most people would want to supply OEM or reputable parts. Of course there are tightarses who will be some bargain bin part - completely different. OEM parts bought direct from the dealerships or like for like aftermarkets are unlikely to fail. Most small mechanics aren't buying the expensive/more reptuable engine oils to put into cars.

      • Brick50 on 25/04/2023 - 14:48
        +3

        The majority of people supplying parts are the ones buying the cheapest shittest part off eBay, are you speaking from experience?

        • TightAl on 26/04/2023 - 00:56
          +2

          If i have a trade card and can buy OEM from dealership / repco/ supercheap for under RRP, why would I pay the mechanic to charge me RRP + A fee?
          Good try though. Don't always assume you're the biggest d*khead in the room.

          • ripesashimi on 26/04/2023 - 01:52
            +1

            @TightAl: You don't. You replace it yourself.
            You said it's OEM parts presumably with OEM logos but the mechanic can't be 100% sure that those parts are genuine, and more importantly he has no obligation to verify what you said.
            Who loves to take on unpaid extra responsibility anyway? The mechanic should only be responsible for his work, which does not include conducting check on the allegedly genuine parts.

          • thesilverstarman on 26/04/2023 - 16:35

            @TightAl: Then you wont need a mechanic to work on your car. You are diagnosing what it needs, selecting which parts you think are best, buying them, then expecting that a mechanic will fit them and be liable for anything that might go wrong, and if it does, that he won't be covered by his insurance. You are the sort of customer we don't want or need. Because you will usually diagnose wrong, select the wrong parts, and when the problem isn't fixed, blame us. And you only want a cheap price. You don't want to pay for our knowledge and experience, specialised equipment etc. I maintain customers cars and make sure that they are reliable and safe. I have access to proper information that the public does not, and I don't cut corners. People like you probably have a $99 scan tool, and think that you can do anything. Well, I can tell you that most scan tools don't even read all codes, and that a code rarely tells you the problem, only a symptom. That's why super cheap, repco etc sells so many O2 sensors, which is a common code but rarely is the issue.

            • TightAl on 26/04/2023 - 19:00

              @thesilverstarman: So buying an oil filter, air filter, engine oil is disgnosing your own car? Ok lol
              All these baseless assumptions yet you couldn't answer my original question about insurance lol. Sure your Public Liability will cover your ass, every man and his dog knows what PL insurance does. What claims have you ever had to make under your insurance?
              Get a grip, so defensive so absolutely no reason lmao.

              • thesilverstarman on 28/04/2023 - 16:43
                -3

                @TightAl: I havent had to make a claim under my insurance. But I know many who have. That's why you have insurance.Only a fool would not have it in business. Why would I risk a potential lawsuit because you want to supply your own parts?
                People who buy their own oil rarely get the correct oil for their car. And this is crucial. The wrong oil can end up causing massive problems. So can the wrong coolant. Some brands are good quality, and some are crap. If the vehicle is under warranty, only genuine or oem quality parts can be used, which must be purchased and supplied by the qualified mechanic. In the event of a problem, the manufacturer of the will cover any damage. And there are only a few brands that qualify, depending on the vehicle. And there is also knowledge and experience. There is one brand that I would use on some cars, but not on others, because the oil filter for those models is too restrictive, and same with some air filters that do not fit good enough to seal properly. But I'm sure that some pimply 17yo at supercheap will refer you to a book and that you can both sort this out properly.

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