mechanics are jokes

[jimjonez]

today i called both pep boys and my local honda dealership for quotes on changing my timing belt and water pump.

pep boys wanted $671

honda dealership wanted $950 plus tx

and this is just for labor

[blizzard335]

today i called both pep boys and my local honda dealership for quotes on changing my timing belt and water pump.

pep boys wanted $671

honda dealership wanted $950 plus tx

and this is just for labor

wow

just wow

have u got to PM'ing the peeps near u??

[jimjonez]

wow

just wow

have u got to PM'ing the peeps near u??

i tried dude, but no one has gotten back to me except for one guy who said he "doesn't know how to do one"..........

[blizzard335]

i tried dude, but no one has gotten back to me except for one guy who said he "doesn't know how to do one"..........

well, keep on trying man.

there shud be people around you.

dang, 900 bucks for a timing belt change??

[ex_style90]

Yea, the $900 range is too much for a timing and water pump. But the water pump, I can see, they are pretty pricey. At the most with a timing and waterpump that should come around to no more the $500. Atleast if you take it to pep boys or the dealership you'll be guaranteed a good job.

[prNonVtec4u]

no we're not, we don't MAKE up a price, we just do the job and hope we do it quick enough to even make some money out of it and support a living, please get your statement correct...

[kc8enb07]

Yea, the $900 range is too much for a timing and water pump. But the water pump, I can see, they are pretty pricey. At the most with a timing and waterpump that should come around to no more the $500. Atleast if you take it to pep boys or the dealership you'll be guaranteed a good job.

i wouldnt agree that ud get a good job at a dealership. my friend had his 99 accord done at a honda dealer and about 70miles down the road the timing flew off and had to sue to get it repaired

[blizzard335]

i wouldnt agree that ud get a good job at a dealership. my friend had his 99 accord done at a honda dealer and about 70miles down the road the timing flew off and had to sue to get it repaired

no shit??!!?

If my technicians did a bad job with ANY repair, he'd get the boot. Safety boots.

Just wondering, was the price quoted inclusive of parts? Coz it seems outrageous, 900 bucks just for labour.

We charge less than 200 for it, inclusive of a complimentary oil change (not including oils and fluids)

[C91BLX7]

Ask the guy to look it up in the book how much they should charge (at honda)

[drkshdw107]

getting anything done at honda is going to just kill your bank account...but speaking from experience, you should buy your pump and belt at honda, then shop around for a good shop to do the job...Do not go to Pep boys for a timing belt...I have not seen anything good come from there.

But for a general idea when pricing the job, no shop should charge more than 5 hours worth of labor for just the timing belt and water pump....If you want to do the job right, you should replace all the oil seals and tensioner pulleys as well, then the labor should be no more than 5.5 hours. or you could save all that labor and just do it yourself...good luck and happy shopping.

[deevergote]

Mechanics aren't jokes... they're just high-priced.

I agree with going to Pep-boys. While you may find someone who is good at what they do working there, the chances aren't as good as going elsewhere. There are plenty of quality garages and dealerships where mechanics can find work. Pep Boys, being a faceless corporate chain, is not where most good mechanics care to wind up. There is likely one well-paid quality mechanic at those places, and the rest are kids, idiots, and novices. The risk of getting lesser quality work from them is greater. Can't say they're all bad, but it's more likely. I've had my share of trouble from "real" mechanics (dealership and private shop), so who knows!


Dealers are good, as long as it's a Honda dealership. I had Chrysler mechanics put gear oil in my transmission, causing some permanent damage.



Honestly as important as the timing belt and water pump are, they aren't all that difficult to change. A pain in the butt, yeah... but you can do it. Get the parts, get a manual, and ready a few choice curse words. Take your time, follow the directions, ask for advice on here when you're not sure... and you'll probably be better off than if you paid someone. Nobody cares about your car like you do!

[NAiL05]

no we're not, we don't MAKE up a price, we just do the job and hope we do it quick enough to even make some money out of it and support a living, please get your statement correct...

Normal places will charge 600-800 it depends on there labor rates and how much they want to rape you for it.

This man is correct. Everyone needs to make a living. The reason why dealership labor is so high is you gotta pay the service writer that diagnoses your car, the people that work on the car, the cashier, etc etc... If dealerships lived off of the money there cars sold they would go bankrupt. This is why labor and such is expensive. Also there is a set amount of hours people are usually supposed to abide by per job. Some people that feel like rippin people off will skew these numbers and make you end up paying more. Its illegal for dealers to do this as for other shops its a diff story.

[deevergote]

It's illegal for anyone to do it... dealers are just under closer scrutiny due to the high volume (usually), not to mention the fact that the corporations require a certain standard to be met. Dealers will often, when they can, push something under a warranty. It's not unheard of for warranty work to be done under an existing warranty for a different car. The dealer gets paid, the customers save money, and the corporation has no clue... Won't work on an old car, though

[bcjammerx]

a mechanic is a doctor for your car.

if you go to a family doctor...in car terms pep boys...you'll get a cheaper price

i.e. When I go to the doctor with my insurance...I pay a $20 co-pay for these doctor visits...but guess what...they can't do everything a specialist can do...and they don't have all the gadgits and what not to make the job faster, easier, and safer.

When you go to a specialist...say a gastroenterologist (doctor who studies diseases of the digestive tract), you pay more...I pay a $40 co-pay.

I use this as an example because this just happened to me. I've have a problem and I went to a family doctor...I spent my $20 co-pay for his office visit. But guess what...I need further testing...he can't do it...a specialist must...but guess what else...I have to go for an office visit with the specialist before I can get this test...so now I have to spend $40 co-pay for his visit...PLUS the test if need be. I should have gone to the specialist first and bypassed the family doctor (and that's my advice to you all too if you have a certain problem)

Same is true with dealerships vs. local shops or whatever...yeah you'll pay more...but you are guaranteed certain things that local guys can't. Plus...OEM Honda parts are superior to after market replacements.

Sure local guys can do a good job...but I haven't found many shops that are professional enough for me to give them my keys...and my car isn't anything that pretty.

Also..don't blame the mechanic...I made 15 an hour...the shop charged 90 an hour...most local guys aren't driving a lamborghini like dealership owners...they don't have to pay so many people...so they charge less.

I would recommend a local shop over dealership though any day...ONLY if ALL the tech are ASE master techs...A lot of shops put that sign out there but only one guys has that cert. and he's the one who owns the shop and not the one touching your car. I worked at one of those too.

Only is very certain circumstances would I let someone else touch my car. Besides...I don't let anyone touch my car...she's my woman..for my hands only...no one gets under her hood but me...but that's just me

Either way...avoid dealerships unless it's warranty work.

[blizzard335]

Either way...avoid dealerships unless it's warranty work.

I send my car to a dealership

so do a few of my friends as well.