Question about quote for repair (Tie rods)

[Kamatari+]

Hey cb7tuner, some time ago I got a new rack and pinion and two new tires. I got them both done at different places. After I went and got two new tires for the front of the car, the mechanic told me in order to do an alignment I needed to have both my tie rods replaced. I knew this, but forgot before hand to do the job. So out of curiosity I asked for a quote for the tie rod replacement, and something had me a bit confused.

Now, I know having someone else do your work will always cost quite a bit, but I just needed some clarificaition on something:

/10TH HOUR LABOR

What does that mean? I was just going over the invoice as I was getting my papers together. Where it says 10TH hour labor, it says "price each" $9.90, and in the "extended" section iy says $118. The QTY is 12. I took the assumption that meant they were charging $9 an hour for labor for 12 hours which would have cost me $118 for the labor. Nothing else on that invoice says labor but that part.

I wanted to know, is TH hour labor some sort of terminology or special math they have set up for mechanics? Either way, I went home and did it myself. Paid $25 for each rod and did my own labor with the help of my father. Other wise that tie rod job would have cost me $278.78.

[red07frontier]

They divide a hour into 10 and charge every tenth hour. comes out to 99 dollars an hour. Labor quote was for 1.2 hours at 99 per hour. Comes out to $118.00.

[The G-Man]

1.2 is the book time to replace tie rod ends?

The reality is that anyone with a lift and a hammer could do it in 10 minutes.

[Kamatari+]

They divide a hour into 10 and charge every tenth hour. comes out to 99 dollars an hour. Labor quote was for 1.2 hours at 99 per hour. Comes out to $118.00.

Ok, thank you for the explanation. It seems either way I would be charged an hour it seems.

1.2 is the book time to replace tie rod ends?

The reality is that anyone with a lift and a hammer could do it in 10 minutes.

I did it in 10 minutes with a hammer.

[Oreellyfool]

An easier way to think of how they bill is instead of thinking in tenths is, they bill you for every 6 minutes they work on your stuff. It is actually the same way we bill at the place I work.

[deevergote]

It's better than billing a flat rate per hour... I've heard stories from mechanics (bragging) how they charge 2 hours labor for a job they can complete in an hour and 15 minutes. They bill by the hour, and they worked one full hour, and a portion of a second. So they get paid for 2 hours, with 45 minutes to spare. They spend that 45 minutes doing another 2 hour job in an hour and fifteen... paid for 4 hours when they only worked 2.5.

At least if you're only paying for 1/10th of an hour at a time, if they finish it in 57 minutes, at least you're only paying for 60!

[red07frontier]

Your paying book time of 1.2 hours. It doesnt matter if the tech does the job in 15 minutes or 3 hours. No shop is Billing your for the time it actually takes. Most techs are suppost to be able to beat book time on a job anyway.

[HenRoc]

1.2 is the book time to replace tie rod ends?

The reality is that anyone with a lift and a hammer could do it in 10 minutes.

Anyone with a jack stands and hydro jack can do the same.

[mappyCB7]

I replaced my own. Jack, Jack stands, Hammer, basic tools. $30 bucks for both took me took me two hours. oh yeah This also includes me changing the rear engine cross-member. Imagine how much that would have cost...