Did I Get......
07-08-2018, 10:36 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Did I Get......
A Good Deal or Not.
New sparks plugs, red spark plugs wires, R & R and three coils R&R. The coils were cariotid and damaging the wires, so I was told. Could this happen?
What should I have paid before tax?? I'll give the answer soon. I'll divulge the corvette specialty shop as well for others. Good or bad!
New sparks plugs, red spark plugs wires, R & R and three coils R&R. The coils were cariotid and damaging the wires, so I was told. Could this happen?
What should I have paid before tax?? I'll give the answer soon. I'll divulge the corvette specialty shop as well for others. Good or bad!
07-08-2018, 10:43 PM
#2
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Hard to say whether you got a good deal or not as labor rates and prices for parts vary depending on locale. Maybe just mention the cost of labor and parts that you paid and we can give you a comment on whether you paid too much or not.
And maybe you are talking about the coils being corroded?
And maybe you are talking about the coils being corroded?
07-09-2018, 11:16 AM
#4
Tech Contributor
You should not have had to replace the coils. They are expensive and very rarely actually go bad. Any corrosion could have easily been cleaned off the coils.
Spark plugs anywhere from $20 to $50 for 8
Wires $75 on Amazon
Labor - 1-2 hours at $100/hr
My guess total should have been $325 not including the 3 coils. With 3 new coils @ $50 each total should be $475 +tax
Spark plugs anywhere from $20 to $50 for 8
Wires $75 on Amazon
Labor - 1-2 hours at $100/hr
My guess total should have been $325 not including the 3 coils. With 3 new coils @ $50 each total should be $475 +tax
07-09-2018, 11:30 PM
#5
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
I was charged $785 by the corvette specialty shop in West Chester. A local Chevrolet dealer wanted $600 to replace the plugs and wires.
Another specialty shop bites the dust!
Another specialty shop bites the dust!
Last edited by 57gman; 07-09-2018 at 11:35 PM. Reason: Update
07-10-2018, 01:18 AM
#8
Safety Car
wow that is such an easy job you can do yourself...imo....
like my car wire's run me 100 bucks or so and my plug's with my engine cost me maybe 20 bucks..and total time is like 20 mins
like my car wire's run me 100 bucks or so and my plug's with my engine cost me maybe 20 bucks..and total time is like 20 mins
07-15-2018, 02:05 PM
#10
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
A fellow vette owner said to me, wait for the check engine light to go on as opposed to buying they will go bad in the future.
Now that being said, the dealer that did the annual inspection wanted $650 to just change the wires and spark plugs!!
Now that being said, the dealer that did the annual inspection wanted $650 to just change the wires and spark plugs!!
07-15-2018, 02:57 PM
#11
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Like I've told some people when I've been given outlandish price quotes, "I don't mind helping them buy a decent car, I just don't want to pay for them to drive a Rolls-Royce!"
It's a shame they do this to people (both the specialty shop and the dealership). Understandably they have to make a profit to stay in business; they don't have to kill you with the cost, either.
Using chevy 406's parts prices, which I believe are pretty accurate, you paid the shop approximately $300 per hour labor and that's if they took 2 hours! If it took them 1 hour, which is more likely, that's $600/hr labor. I'd like to do that and only work 1 day a week.
. Shoot - I'm retired - I'd only work 1 hour a week and leave the other hours for 20 other people to earn about $60,000 each per year! 
07-15-2018, 04:09 PM
#12
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I see the same pricing (overcharging) in my community for maintenance work on homes as well as vehicles. Sometimes it makes me wonder why I retired on my 49th birthday. I could have kept working and became a billionaire (or at least a C7 owner)
07-15-2018, 06:46 PM
#14
Racer
If the specialty Corvette shop you are talking about is County Corvette in PA, yes you probably paid too much. Those guys are thieves, they had a coupon once, "4 Wheel Alignment - $175". Thats right...that was WITH the coupon.
07-15-2018, 07:01 PM
#15
Racer
Thanks for the heads up on County Corvette. I trust the " those guys are thieves " comment was based on first hand experience. You've been there before right?
07-15-2018, 07:32 PM
#16
Racer
My C5 was rear ended last September by one of them drivers who has to tailgate Corvettes because it makes them feel cool. Rear fascia was smashed, rear pass quarter panel and trunk tub were cracked...so I called County Corvette first. They first asked what type of insurance would be used, when I said Travelers Ins. Co. they told me that the shop charges $135/hr and basic insurance companies like Travelers would negotiate the rate down to $55/hr. They said they would not do body work at those rates and if I wanted to use County Corvette they would come down to $95/hr and I would need to pay the difference out of pocket. I am a degreed and licensed engineer and I have a hard time billing out at $135/hr LOL.
The crash wasnt my fault, and dealing with a smudge on my Carfax from the incident was enough BS on its own. I took the car to Moppert Bros and insurance negotiated repairs down to $6800 with parts and labor. But when I pushed for diminished value the insurance company totaled the car. I bought it back and parted it out, I am almost completely done and will make out in the end despite all my hard work. A 5th Gen Camaro ZL1 is in my future.
Mike
Last edited by Tuffguy610; 07-15-2018 at 08:09 PM.
07-15-2018, 07:45 PM
#17
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in the future avoid "specialty" shops, just need to find a decent GM diagnostic guy.. sucks getting reamed, happens too often
07-15-2018, 08:38 PM
#18
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Agreed. If you are not careful, you can get taken. I just had work done on my house and don't have the time to do the work myself. To redo 2.5 bathrooms was quoted $56,000. Just paid $17,000 for 1.5 bathrooms.
How can we share information to find the fair decent maintenance repair shops? I joined a corvette club a few years back in hopes of sharing information. Meetings were about car shows,events and where to meet to eat before shows. There has to be a better way with all of these members......,
07-16-2018, 08:34 PM
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Good grief. Plugs and wires is a 2.0 hour job by the book. They REALLY stuck it to you. What's the itemized bill show you paid for the plugs, wires, and coils?