does this bill sound high?
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2009
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does this bill sound high?
I got a estimate for fun to see what shops charge around where i live to do a similar job that i just did to my Vette
Here is what i did:
Oil Change - 4qts Royal Purple 10W40 and 1qt Lucas Oil Stabilizer & K&N Oil Filter
Replaced Oil Gauge and printed circuit board with new ones
Gear Oil - 2qts Royal Purple 75W90
Coolant Exchange - 3 Gallons Prestone 50/50 & New Thermostat
Brake system - 4 New Calipers, 4 New Rotors, New Pads, New rubber lines, New bearings and seals, flushed brake system, new parking brake shoes/hardware
Exhaust - cut out stock mufflers welded in flowmasters super 44s
Replaced spare tire (kumho cheap tire)
Replaced spark plugs (ACdelco pros)
Replaced wheel center caps and got some t-top bags
I called a place that is pretty familiar with c3 vettes and they told me for all the materials and labor to do what i did it would cost right at $2200 with tax. i need to figure out how much i spent and see how much more it would have been. but is that $2200 worth of parts and labor? he said the brake system is atleast 5 hours of work.
Here is what i did:
Oil Change - 4qts Royal Purple 10W40 and 1qt Lucas Oil Stabilizer & K&N Oil Filter
Replaced Oil Gauge and printed circuit board with new ones
Gear Oil - 2qts Royal Purple 75W90
Coolant Exchange - 3 Gallons Prestone 50/50 & New Thermostat
Brake system - 4 New Calipers, 4 New Rotors, New Pads, New rubber lines, New bearings and seals, flushed brake system, new parking brake shoes/hardware
Exhaust - cut out stock mufflers welded in flowmasters super 44s
Replaced spare tire (kumho cheap tire)
Replaced spark plugs (ACdelco pros)
Replaced wheel center caps and got some t-top bags
I called a place that is pretty familiar with c3 vettes and they told me for all the materials and labor to do what i did it would cost right at $2200 with tax. i need to figure out how much i spent and see how much more it would have been. but is that $2200 worth of parts and labor? he said the brake system is atleast 5 hours of work.
Race Director
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,306
Likes: 15
I got a estimate for fun to see what shops charge around where i live to do a similar job that i just did to my Vette
Here is what i did:
Oil Change - 4qts Royal Purple 10W40 and 1qt Lucas Oil Stabilizer & K&N Oil Filter
Replaced Oil Gauge and printed circuit board with new ones
Gear Oil - 2qts Royal Purple 75W90
Coolant Exchange - 3 Gallons Prestone 50/50 & New Thermostat
Brake system - 4 New Calipers, 4 New Rotors, New Pads, New rubber lines, New bearings and seals, flushed brake system, new parking brake shoes/hardware
Exhaust - cut out stock mufflers welded in flowmasters super 44s
Replaced spare tire (kumho cheap tire)
Replaced spark plugs (ACdelco pros)
Replaced wheel center caps and got some t-top bags
I called a place that is pretty familiar with c3 vettes and they told me for all the materials and labor to do what i did it would cost right at $2200 with tax. i need to figure out how much i spent and see how much more it would have been. but is that $2200 worth of parts and labor? he said the brake system is atleast 5 hours of work.
Here is what i did:
Oil Change - 4qts Royal Purple 10W40 and 1qt Lucas Oil Stabilizer & K&N Oil Filter
Replaced Oil Gauge and printed circuit board with new ones
Gear Oil - 2qts Royal Purple 75W90
Coolant Exchange - 3 Gallons Prestone 50/50 & New Thermostat
Brake system - 4 New Calipers, 4 New Rotors, New Pads, New rubber lines, New bearings and seals, flushed brake system, new parking brake shoes/hardware
Exhaust - cut out stock mufflers welded in flowmasters super 44s
Replaced spare tire (kumho cheap tire)
Replaced spark plugs (ACdelco pros)
Replaced wheel center caps and got some t-top bags
I called a place that is pretty familiar with c3 vettes and they told me for all the materials and labor to do what i did it would cost right at $2200 with tax. i need to figure out how much i spent and see how much more it would have been. but is that $2200 worth of parts and labor? he said the brake system is atleast 5 hours of work.
I'd say its about $1000. I wouldn't pay more then $1,500 with labor. I bet they could have all that brake work done in 2 hours.
Go check out Bobistheoilguy.com. RP never really gets great results in tests and if the oil is so good, why mix in other products?
Everybody has their opinion but I run Mobil 1 in my engines and rear ends.
Last edited by xlr8nflorida; Feb 12, 2010 at 04:16 PM.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
I'd say its about $1000. I wouldn't pay more then $1,500 with labor. I bet they could have all that brake work done in 2 hours.
Go check out Bobistheoilguy.com. RP never really gets great results in tests and if the oil is so good, why mix in other products?
Everybody has their opinion but I run Mobil 1 in my engines and rear ends.
Go check out Bobistheoilguy.com. RP never really gets great results in tests and if the oil is so good, why mix in other products?
Everybody has their opinion but I run Mobil 1 in my engines and rear ends.
Ive used RP for a very long time and i have nothing bad to say about it. Never has it messed anything up for me. I currently use it in 5 of my cars. I put the Lucas in there because i figured why not? also i run RP because not only do i like it but i can buy it for $6 a quart
Pro
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 684
Likes: 0
From: Alberta
I did some quick math @ $100 an hour.......and came up with $1,900 in total, assuming my retail parts estimates are close.
I didn't use the book for shop times either, as they tend to be high.......I used flat rate.
I didn't use the book for shop times either, as they tend to be high.......I used flat rate.
Last edited by 10caipirinhas; Feb 12, 2010 at 04:28 PM.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2009
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he said hsi labor rate is $55 a hour. I know i paid way too much for the oil pressure gauge, the parking brake shoes and hardware also for the printed circuit because im impatient and had them over nighted haha so that prolly $120 in shipping right there
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
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From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Would take me 2 hours to line up all the tools I needed and get the parts for that kind of brake job. Every time I hear someone say something can be done in x hours I multiply that by four.
That's a fair price taxes in, the guy probably would have been wishing he didn't take on the job at that price on the first stuck bolt
That's a fair price taxes in, the guy probably would have been wishing he didn't take on the job at that price on the first stuck bolt
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
Would take me 2 hours to line up all the tools I needed and get the parts for that kind of brake job. Every time I hear someone say something can be done in x hours I multiply that by four.
That's a fair price taxes in, the guy probably would have been wishing he didn't take on the job at that price on the first stuck bolt
That's a fair price taxes in, the guy probably would have been wishing he didn't take on the job at that price on the first stuck bolt
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
Have you estimated what the time for assembly and disassembly of the instrument cluster would be? That is a real PITA and having someone do it for you is going to be costly. I'd guess that job alone (labor only) is costing you $250-300. Brakes [done right] on all four wheels is probably $600-800. $2200 for what you are getting done doesn't sound out of line to me. If you want to save money, do the PITA stuff yourself.
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Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 49
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Have you estimated what the time for assembly and disassembly of the instrument cluster would be? That is a real PITA and having someone do it for you is going to be costly. I'd guess that job alone (labor only) is costing you $250-300. Brakes [done right] on all four wheels is probably $600-800. $2200 for what you are getting done doesn't sound out of line to me. If you want to save money, do the PITA stuff yourself.
anmd actually ive already done all the work ahha i was just curious what a shop would charge to do what i did.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2008
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From: columbus oh
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,224
Likes: 1
From: Clarksville Indiana
So did you tell the guy at the local shop that is familiar with c-3's and interested in helping you, before or after you had him look up all these parts and figure up all the labor to give you a accurate estimate, that you were just doing this "for fun" because you just wanted to know what you saved by doing the work yourself? No offence but of course it cost much less money to do your own repairs to your car.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 755
Likes: 32
From: Roswell Georgia
BTW, most people can save a ton of money working on their own Vette if they have the proper tools and are willing to invest the time to do the job right. Conversely, if they don't have a Haynes, Chilton, or FSM to go by, or if they in a hurry, they can really mess things up. Most shops will charge more to correct a botched job than simply the flat rate quoted in a manual.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,977
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From: Canboro Ontario
So did you tell the guy at the local shop that is familiar with c-3's and interested in helping you, before or after you had him look up all these parts and figure up all the labor to give you a accurate estimate, that you were just doing this "for fun" because you just wanted to know what you saved by doing the work yourself? No offence but of course it cost much less money to do your own repairs to your car.
Do you think it would be fun, if you were asked to do what you do for a living, just for fun, remember time is money and money takes time. 
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
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From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
It's part of the job, to do estimates, while in case might be a little unusual, he could have been shopping for the best price and also looking for the right guy to do the job.
I am not defending what he did but I get a call and I go out and give the person and estimate for free. My time my gas etc. Some customers will say they are getting a few estimates and I just tell them it's part of my job, don't worry about it, no estimate no work, you don't ask them why they want the estimate.
I am not defending what he did but I get a call and I go out and give the person and estimate for free. My time my gas etc. Some customers will say they are getting a few estimates and I just tell them it's part of my job, don't worry about it, no estimate no work, you don't ask them why they want the estimate.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
It's part of the job, to do estimates, while in case might be a little unusual, he could have been shopping for the best price and also looking for the right guy to do the job.
I am not defending what he did but I get a call and I go out and give the person and estimate for free. My time my gas etc. Some customers will say they are getting a few estimates and I just tell them it's part of my job, don't worry about it, no estimate no work, you don't ask them why they want the estimate.
I am not defending what he did but I get a call and I go out and give the person and estimate for free. My time my gas etc. Some customers will say they are getting a few estimates and I just tell them it's part of my job, don't worry about it, no estimate no work, you don't ask them why they want the estimate.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
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From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
There is a reason why they riveted them, cheaper probably, I have forgotten at the moment why
Racer
Joined: Nov 2009
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Race Director
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,977
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From: Canboro Ontario
I think that there are a lot of shops out there, that as soon as they hear corvette, the $$$$ signs go off in their heads. It's not right, but it does happen. There are a lot of good shops out there, that do good work for the right dollar. You just have to sort them out.
OldSarge
OldSarge
