Truck repair -- parts markup seems high...

[cannesdo]

The water pump in my F250 died. The garage I took it to (came recommended by a local and good reviews) wanted to charge me $235 for water pump I was able to buy at the auto supply place (with lifetime warranty) for $129. They also wanted to charge me $68 for a serpentine belt which was $32 at the parts store. I am a single unmarried woman and it felt like they just assumed I wouldn't know or check the price of the parts. Happy to pay for the labor but he first tried to talk me into letting him find a different source and parts (what quality I wonder) for close to the same price. When I asked about warranties on the parts he said it would depend on the parts and I told him that if we're going to do this I'd like a lifetime warranty since I was standing at that moment in front of one that did have a lifetime warranty that was over $100 less. He finally (after a lot of silence on my end) agreed to that, but then called me back in 20 min and said he couldn't get them for that price so could I just bring the parts over.

Why would anyone buy parts from a garage for that kind of mark-up when they could get them retail for so much less? I'm new to the area and need to find a place that I trust. I'm going to ask other garages for quotes to compare so I can get a sense of things. But doesn't that seem high and would any of you pay it when you could just take five min. to buy the parts yourself and hand them to the mechanic?

[BurbMan]

delwhjr wrote:
Just because a shop is busy does not necessarily mean they're good. It could mean they are slow or working on a number of recalls from prior service gone bad.

They are doing the work and should be allowed a reasonable profit but I will say when a shop uses the parts from the local corner parts house(autozone, o"reilys, etc.)and charges the price from the OEM dealership then that becomes a different story.

Exactly...I used to go to an independent shop that had a 6-bay garage and was always packed...sitting in the waiting room you could hear customer conversations with the counter man about their appointments...at least half were bringing their car back because of a complaint with a previous repair. Then you watch the parts delivery guy come and go...dropping off no-name Chinese parts...

The independent shop I use now charges even more for parts....but at least I know he is using OEM or quality aftermarket parts. You absolutely get what you pay for in auto parts.

I completely agree that garages should be allowed to make money on parts and I don't blame them at all for not wanting to install customer parts.

[colliehauler]

KCFDCapt wrote:
I managed an auto parts store for 18 years before changing careers. One of the problems with supplying your own parts to a mechanic to install on your vehicle is warranty. What happens if the part is bad? You, the customer, will have to pay the labor to have the bad part replaced. Reputable parts suppliers will pay 1/2 of flat rate labor to the shop when a defective part is replaced. I am not talking about a 30 minute job to swap out a minor part, but a job that requires a few hours will affect a mechanic's income. He will not work for free to replace a part you supplied.

A risk I'm willing to take. My mechanic gets most of his parts from NAPA or orders them. Example I purchased Bilstein shocks, hellwig sway bar, power stop severe duty truck and tow brake pads and rotors. He would have to order the same parts as I. He won't put cheap parts on a vehicle and if it's not a specialty part I let him get them and put them on.

[KCFDCapt]

I managed an auto parts store for 18 years before changing careers. One of the problems with supplying your own parts to a mechanic to install on your vehicle is warranty. What happens if the part is bad? You, the customer, will have to pay the labor to have the bad part replaced. Reputable parts suppliers will pay 1/2 of flat rate labor to the shop when a defective part is replaced. I am not talking about a 30 minute job to swap out a minor part, but a job that requires a few hours will affect a mechanic's income. He will not work for free to replace a part you supplied.

[dodge_guy]

As Tommy Boy once said "If you want me to take a **** in a box and mark it guaranteed I can, I have spare time!" I would rather have a high quality replacement part for a good price rather than a lifetime warranty part for cheaper that I may have to replace every year! Sometimes your better off getting factory parts for a bit more money at least you know the quality will be consistent and up to manuf. specs.

I work for a shop with a very good reputation. We do not have customers bring us in their parts because they are cheaper. We have done that before and either they fail immediately or take a few months. Then the labor is on the customer again for the second time. sure the part may be warrantied, but not the labor. however when we install our own parts we do both at no charge to the customer if/when it fails.

It sounds like you may have found a good shop, let them do their job. pay a bit more and be glad its done right.

[RandACampin]

midnightsadie wrote:
quality parts??? I,ve seen our local car dealer walk across the street to autozone,, some times four or more times a day . carrying boxs back to his shop.

Autozone carries OEM parts there genius. :S

[Groover]

I see both sides. If you do your own repairs and keep track of the amount of time you spend getting the parts and how often they are the wrong parts you will understand why they should get something for the hassle. However, I don't like paying more for the parts and then not getting the paperwork for the warrentee or simply getting ripped off. Thirty years ago my wife took her car into a shop for a repair but called me when she got the quote. I told her to stop at Autozone and buy the part and special tool needed to change it and bring them both home. The part lasted the life of the car, I still have the tool and made about $40 an hour for my trouble even after buying the tool.

[lawnspecialties]

Not the same but similar.

When I install plants, I mark them up at least three times my cost. Plants from a nursery have no warranty. So if a plant dies within the first year, not only do I have to pay for another plant but I also have to provide the remove and replace labor at not cost.

Even if the parts you need are warrantied by that manufacturer, he still has to pay to remove and replace it if it fails.

I understand your frustration. But at the same time, I would have kindly told you it might be best if you went somewhere else to have your service work done.

[ktmrfs]

It's how shops make money. It's hard to keep raising shop rates. But for decades or more, auto parts have "list" price and discount prices and jobber prices.

List is what the repair shop charges YOU when they do repairs. If you go the shop or often a dealer, and certainly Amazon, you'll find a price near 1/2 off for the same part even OEM parts. And the repair shop gets the prices for even less.

That's part of their profit and thats how the system has worked since at least the 1960's.

It's the same for appliance parts. Recently had the fan motor replaced in my furnace at home. Labor rate was $85, took him travel time, plus time to R&R the motor determine it was a motor failure, then get the motor and install it. Total time about 4 hours, Labor was still only $85, but again, the motor was billed at list price. about double what I could get it for online at amazon.

Still worth it since it would have taken me longer to do the R&R and determine if it was the motor or motor controller that was bad. Then order and get the parts.

[delwhjr]

Just because a shop is busy does not necessarily mean their good. It could mean they are slow or working on a number of recalls from prior service gone bad.
They have to recoup their costs; specialty tools, overhead, non-producing employees(counter personnel, parts clerks, etc.)service data(priced a subscription to all-data recently?)
They are doing the work and should be allowed a reasonable profit but I will say when a shop uses the parts from the local corner parts house(autozone, o"reilys, etc.)and charges the price from the OEM dealership then that becomes a different story.

[colliehauler]

I had a fan belt break on my old truck about 30 miles from home with no tools. I paid 75 bucks for a 24 dollar belt and another 75 labor plus tax. I was on my way in less then a hour. Some times convenience is worth it.

I use a independent shop in town for work. I bring in my own parts a lot of the time because I want certain brand that they would have to order as well. I won't quibble about labor, I don't want to do it. I know and trust the person and have used the same shop for 30 years.

[mkirsch]

Honesty has nothing to do with whether or not you allow customers to bring their own parts for you to install.

Customer brings you faulty used part or shoddy new part to install. You, being "honest" install the part for the customer against your better judgement because they *insist* on it. Part fails. If you're lucky the customer blames you and demands recompense. If you're not lucky, the customer's surviving family blames you and demands recompense. Not worth the risk.

You can make the customer sign whatever you want, absolving you of responsibility for installing the parts they provide. Any half-arsed lawyer can tear that apart in court with minimal effort.

[midnightsadie]

quality parts??? I,ve seen our local car dealer walk across the street to autozone,, some times four or more times a day . carrying boxs back to his shop.

[Reddog1]

It is a tough situation. I think most of the posts here are assuming all shops are honest. I do most of my own mechanic work, and have for over fifty years. My experience has been that today, very few parts are made in the USA. There is a quality difference in many parts, but many mechanic shops ignore quality in favor of profit. Usually it is difficult to identify quality parts if you do not work in the mechanical field, and even then you can be sold junk.

Personally, I think there are so many dishonest mechanic shops, it is very difficult to find a honest one. I think this is true of most repair businesses. If they were honest, they would have the same hourly rate installing your parts or theirs. I understand they could not warranty the parts you provide.

I do not live in a large city. We have about six chain parts stores. Each one has a delivery vehicle for mechanic shops, which makes several runs every day. We also have three major auto dealers. My point is, you and I can buy the same quality of parts as the mechanics.

There are some good mechanic shops. They will have a markup on the parts to partially cover their labor. If you ask them what their markup is they should be honest and tell you. The should also be willing to install your parts, with no warranty other than their labor.

As a youngster, my dad used to tell me a good indication of a good mechanic shop was one that you need an appointment at least a week away. If a shop needed no appointment, beware. There must be a reason.

Wayne

[Tyler0215]

Would you take your own eggs an bacon into a restaurant and expect them to cook them for you? It's the same thing with parts at a garage. They have to order the parts even from just across town, either pick up the parts or have them delivered, and then install and warranty the parts.
If you want to get cheap parts, buy a tool set and learn to do your own repairs.
Don't fall for the Auto Zone lifetime warranty sales pitch unless you like replacing the same part again and again. I did once and replaced the alternator on a pickup 4 times in 5 years. At least it was an easy job. Fastest time: 20 minutes in a thunderstorm.