Are we seen as suckers?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 390
Likes: 1
From: Livonia MI
Are we seen as suckers?
As part of my suspension rebuild, I needed to get a bushing installation tool, or have someone else do the job. From my research, I knew I could buy the tool for about $50.00 and do the job myself in about half an hour. But just for kicks I decided to find out what it would cost to have someone do it for me. One quote came in at $230.00! Now, granted, this guy is a corvette specialist and he had a fancy tool that costs $150.00, but that still doesn't justify his price.
So, are Corvette owners seen as suckers? Do that many people just write the check and not worry about it? Whatever the case, it was quite an eye opening experience.
(Another explination is that this guy wanted to do the whole control arm rebuild and didn't want to bother with this one small item. Maybe he was trying to brush me off. If that's the case, he succeeded. He will never see me again.)
So, are Corvette owners seen as suckers? Do that many people just write the check and not worry about it? Whatever the case, it was quite an eye opening experience.
(Another explination is that this guy wanted to do the whole control arm rebuild and didn't want to bother with this one small item. Maybe he was trying to brush me off. If that's the case, he succeeded. He will never see me again.)
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 924
Likes: 2
From: Kearneysville West Virginia
As part of my suspension rebuild, I needed to get a bushing installation tool, or have someone else do the job. From my research, I knew I could buy the tool for about $50.00 and do the job myself in about half an hour. But just for kicks I decided to find out what it would cost to have someone do it for me. One quote came in at $230.00! Now, granted, this guy is a corvette specialist and he had a fancy tool that costs $150.00, but that still doesn't justify his price.
So, are Corvette owners seen as suckers? Do that many people just write the check and not worry about it? Whatever the case, it was quite an eye opening experience.
(Another explination is that this guy wanted to do the whole control arm rebuild and didn't want to bother with this one small item. Maybe he was trying to brush me off. If that's the case, he succeeded. He will never see me again.)
So, are Corvette owners seen as suckers? Do that many people just write the check and not worry about it? Whatever the case, it was quite an eye opening experience.
(Another explination is that this guy wanted to do the whole control arm rebuild and didn't want to bother with this one small item. Maybe he was trying to brush me off. If that's the case, he succeeded. He will never see me again.)
Pro
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 721
Likes: 105
From: hernando fl
i think there are a lot of check writers out there. but i also think there are shops that really don't need the agravation of doing such a small job.
and there is always the ultimate truth.........when you say "corvette" the price goes up
and there is always the ultimate truth.........when you say "corvette" the price goes up
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,503
Likes: 33
From: McGrady NC
St. Jude Donor '15-'16
I've often thought about taking on such work as a sideline and not charging such prices as ones I've been quoted. I had some work quoted today from a regional shop and was outraged by the up-charges on the parts and the hourly rate being charged. People on the forum like Lars and tracdogg who do good work at a reasonable price are scarce. Let the hobby support the hobby. Of course, there are those who are able to make the hobby into a business and I say more power to them. Free enterprise at work. But reasonable prices for reasonable service works pretty good, too.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 420
Likes: 0
They are a business and try to replace as many parts as they can. Just as we're trying to save they are trying to pay their rent each month. Now some are really bad and want to take as much from you as they can. I found that out the hard way with a so called corvette specialist here In toronto. He will never see me again. That said if your a mechanicly inclined person these cars are easy and any shop can do the work
What I do now is try to fix it myself with your help and if I can't ill leave it for a mechanic to do it
What I do now is try to fix it myself with your help and if I can't ill leave it for a mechanic to do it
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,548
Likes: 379
From: Woodinville WA
Yeah, and then (in their free time) get online and ridicule people who are doing it themselves - say such things as "they're stupid" or "this requires really specialized knowledge".... when they forget that the fine union worker who originally put it together were not exactly the cream of the manufacturing crop.
To me, it's motivational - for the price they want to do the work; I get to buy the parts twice, then post online how to avoid paying them.... and still save money. Even if I didn't save money, it's so worth it to know that I'm better than them. It takes them some decades to figure this stuff out, and it only takes me twice (I must be so smart that Einstein would call me to run a few numbers by me
)
To me, it's motivational - for the price they want to do the work; I get to buy the parts twice, then post online how to avoid paying them.... and still save money. Even if I didn't save money, it's so worth it to know that I'm better than them. It takes them some decades to figure this stuff out, and it only takes me twice (I must be so smart that Einstein would call me to run a few numbers by me
)
Last edited by SuperBuickGuy; Jan 28, 2013 at 05:40 PM.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 383
Likes: 21
From: Greenville Ohio
Yeah, and then (in their free time) get online and ridicule people who are doing it themselves - say such things as "they're stupid" or "this requires really specialized knowledge".... when they forget that the fine union worker who originally put it together were not exactly the cream of the manufacturing crop.
To me, it's motivational - for the price they want to do the work; I get to buy the parts twice, then post online how to avoid paying them.... and still save money. Even if I didn't save money, it's so worth it to know that I'm better than them. It takes them some decades to figure this stuff out, and it only takes me twice (I must be so smart that Einstein would call me to run a few numbers by me)
To me, it's motivational - for the price they want to do the work; I get to buy the parts twice, then post online how to avoid paying them.... and still save money. Even if I didn't save money, it's so worth it to know that I'm better than them. It takes them some decades to figure this stuff out, and it only takes me twice (I must be so smart that Einstein would call me to run a few numbers by me
)
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,239
Likes: 74
From: Palatine, Peoples Republic of Illinois
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-‘18
NCM Sinkhole Donor
There are a lot of parts on these cars that are interchangeable with standard Chevy parts. But somehow the ones that say Corvette are always twice as much. The parts interchange list has saved me a lot of money!
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,142
Likes: 54
From: Taylor Michigan
As part of my suspension rebuild, I needed to get a bushing installation tool, or have someone else do the job. From my research, I knew I could buy the tool for about $50.00 and do the job myself in about half an hour. But just for kicks I decided to find out what it would cost to have someone do it for me. One quote came in at $230.00! Now, granted, this guy is a corvette specialist and he had a fancy tool that costs $150.00, but that still doesn't justify his price.
So, are Corvette owners seen as suckers? Do that many people just write the check and not worry about it? Whatever the case, it was quite an eye opening experience.
(Another explanation is that this guy wanted to do the whole control arm rebuild and didn't want to bother with this one small item. Maybe he was trying to brush me off. If that's the case, he succeeded. He will never see me again.)
So, are Corvette owners seen as suckers? Do that many people just write the check and not worry about it? Whatever the case, it was quite an eye opening experience.
(Another explanation is that this guy wanted to do the whole control arm rebuild and didn't want to bother with this one small item. Maybe he was trying to brush me off. If that's the case, he succeeded. He will never see me again.)
Racer
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 259
Likes: 1
From: Mt Airy, NC
Terrorizing Orange Cones
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,572
Likes: 17
From: Northern CO
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,548
Likes: 379
From: Woodinville WA
seriously, the guys who did this welding
[IMG]
[/IMG]those are the welds that came from the factory. Care to defend them? Seriously. Defend the union manufacturing worker in the 70s who put that those welds on this Corvette.
yeah, they're better now, but don't you dare get on a high horse about the poor, improverished, union worker when there's crap like this out there. It's no wonder they got replaced by robots and Japanese factories.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,142
Likes: 54
From: Taylor Michigan
The undercarriage is painted black and we are to believe the bare spots that has some surface rust, {I presume to make the weld stick} is a factory situation....It would never pass ...those are recent welds not 40+ years old...but believe whatever you want......
they don't look like mine and its 45 years old and the same color all over
.
they don't look like mine and its 45 years old and the same color all over
.
Last edited by Ironcross; Jan 29, 2013 at 03:46 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Those welds did NOT come from any GM factory (or even any repair area). A previous owner 'buggered-up' that crossmember (jacking up on it, I'm sure) then cut one out of a salvaged car and tacked it [badly] back on to that car. Looks like he used coat hanger for welding rod and a car battery/carbon pile resistor as a power supply. 
I've seen some shoddy factory welds....but those don't qualify as "welds".
I've seen some shoddy factory welds....but those don't qualify as "welds".
