Highway robbery at car dealer

[yorkmaine]

I went to the local Subaru dealer in Fruitland park for the replacement of a relay in my auto air conditioner.
I was charged $6.51 for the part plus $35.00 shipping and handling plus $147.00 labor for about a half hours work. A bit excessive????????????
The dealer also sells Chrysler, Jeep.

[Russ_Boston]

Dealers can charge one of two ways:

By the job - They charge the same for a relay regardless of how long it took them.

OR

By the hour - actual time is charged back to the customer.

Most dealers do it by the job so the actual length of time doesn't matter.

What you could have done is get a cost up front from them. Since they charge by the job they could have told you exactly what it would cost and you could have then decided.

[bimmertl]

The labor time required to replace the relay is guided by the flat rate manual for your specific model car. The manual lists the R&R time (remove and replace) for the specific part. So if the manual time is 1.5 hours and the labor rate is $50/hr, the charge would be $75.

Go back to the dealer and have the service adviser look up the flat rate time for the part in question and show it to you. They'll tell you the labor rate and you can do the math. They may have used an incorrect time. Most of this is now computerized, they could have made an input error. However, depending on the dificulty of the job and their hourly labor rate, the charge could be appropriate.

The dealership makes money by beating the flat rate time, which are very liberal. So if the mechanic does the 1.5 hour job in 30 minutes, the rest is profit, and that's standard procedure everywhere. I would guess their labor rate is around $75/hr.

There are typically other billed items on the bill such as shop supplies, disposal, etc. However, the labor for the replacement part itself should be clearly reflected on the bill.

You might want them to clarify why the shipping charges were so high. If it's a special order, overnight etc, you might be stuck. But isn't it their responsibility to stock parts? Their overhead is included in the profit they make on the retail charge you end up paying.

[GMONEY]

that is probably because the book said it would take 1.5 to 2 hours. even though it only took a half hour. they bill by what the book says for them to. Had the same problem at Courtsey Ford in Sanford. It is crazy how they charge you for these things.

[downeaster]

Dealers can charge one of two ways:

By the job - They charge the same for a relay regardless of how long it took them.

OR

By the hour - actual time is charged back to the customer.

Most dealers do it by the job so the actual length of time doesn't matter.

What you could have done is get a cost up front from them. Since they charge by the job they could have told you exactly what it would cost and you could have then decided.

I once took my car in for warranty work and one of the mechanics was eaves dropping. He took me aside and asked me to ask them to have him do the work. This was a fairly extensive job but he had it down pat. He could do it in about half the time of that noted in the flat rate manual. His pay was based on the same manual.
He got the job and I never had a problem with it.

[cybrgeezer]

Part: $6.51

Knowing where, how to install part: $147.00

[paulandjean]

never ever take your car to the ford dealership in belleview. they tried to pull a fast one on me. caught them on warrenty still in effect. ford dealership in leeburg excellent

[blueeagle65]

I, for one, avoid dealerships like the plague. Especially now when they aren't selling any new cars. I would much rather go to an indy mechanic any day if warranty work isn't involved.

[GatbTester]

As one who knows quite a bit regarding Auto dealerships is his past.....I have ONE bit of advice..........ALWAYS GET AN ESTIMATE PRIOR TO ANY WORK BEING DONE!

[yorkmaine]

I also am in the market for a 2010 Subaru but it won't be at that dealer

[katezbox]

If you go to npr.org and then follow the link to Car Talk, you will find a list of independent mechanics recommended by other car talk listeners.

My husband could not get our old license plate off in order to install the new Florida one. He found a place on the website in Wildwood. It took them a bit of time - and they refused any payment. Smart move - because it assures them that we will go back to them for service when we need it.

[hoganth]

Always request an estimate for the repairs "BEFORE" having the work done. You by law in the state of Florida are entitled to have a written estimate for automotive repairs. That way you know what you are getting into.

[captain1202]

I've got to vote FOR the dealers here. For the most part, any model specific repair I need I generally have done at a dealer. I do shop dealers to get the best price. My experience has been that for the most part dealer mechanics know how to fix the common problems associated with their brands, while the "shadetree" guys, while well intentioned, can go through a lot of parts (expensive) diagnosing a problem.

I had a problem with a Lincoln transmission that the dealer's guy scoped out immediately while several other shops said they'd have to tear it apart to find the problem. It was a small filter problem that was fixed without major expense and no removal.

All this takes time, money, and training, which of course is covered in the $147. Give 'em a break these are tough times!

[yorkmaine]

Whos pocket are you in?