Welder Dave
Senior Member
That's with the discount. I would have thought if the repair cost far exceeded "reading the codes" the diagnostic would be included or at least discounted more than $40.
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Well this sucks!
- Thread starter Welder Dave
- Start date
Just saw a 69 that on facebook in the area for 4K and would likely take less. Doesn't look too bad in the pics.
OzDozer
Senior Member
Sounds to me like they nickel and dimed you to the limit. Did they use lube when they bent you over?? $367.49 for new spark plugs? They must be clinking champagne glasses and high-fiving in that dealership workshop every Friday night.
https://www.oemfordpart.com/oem-parts/ford-fuel-pump-fl3z9h307m
ianjoub
Senior Member
He is CAD money.
OzDozer
Senior Member
O.K., yes, I realised that angle, not long after I posted. Even so, CA$732 for a sender and pump is around US$545 at current exchange rate, isn't it? Someone is still making a huge killing there.
That fuel pump price from the retailer in GA is just the first one I dug up, I'm sure a little more internet searching would have found a better deal.
Even my local Ford dealers will let you supply parts and then fit them - either new aftermarket, or even good used parts.
That fuel pump price from the retailer in GA is just the first one I dug up, I'm sure a little more internet searching would have found a better deal.
Even my local Ford dealers will let you supply parts and then fit them - either new aftermarket, or even good used parts.
mekanik
Senior Member
One of my co-workers had a mid size Ford SUV with a V6 in it. In the morning when you started it it would run rough until it warmed up and then it was fine until it cooled off again. He took it to the dealer and they diagnosed it as needing spark plugs. He said change them, it was past warranty. When he picked it up later that day they handed him a bill for $780. I guess you have to remove the fuel manifolds from the injectors to get the coils off the spark plugs and then you have to replace the O-rings on both ends of the injectors.
The next morning when he started it it ran rough. The plugs were not the problem.
I gave him the contact info for a friend who had an automotive shop. The shop did a smoke test on the intake and found leaking intake manifold gaskets.
The next morning when he started it it ran rough. The plugs were not the problem.
I gave him the contact info for a friend who had an automotive shop. The shop did a smoke test on the intake and found leaking intake manifold gaskets.
DMiller
Senior Member
Dealers here over $100/hr, of course techs do not see all that much of it. Told me over $1200 just in labor to do all four ball joints in my SD F250, did NOT include any other repairs as seals, could have been well over $3000 for the six shaft seals gear oil change and ball joints, align was additional one hour BTW, just to check and MAYBE reset toe in.
stinky64
Senior Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2017
- Messages
- 888
- Location
- java center ny
- Occupation
- big truck wrench/fixer of things
Rockauto motorcraft pump housing assy $232/264 delphi $180/210 gasket not included. There outa be a law.
cfherrman
Senior Member
If there was a law it would be worse!
All this talk of costly spark plug changes and diagnostics etc. Again these are not 1950's or 60's vehicles, nor are they like a 3 cylinder Geo Metro engine where you have 3 spark plugs facing you when the hood is open.
Even on a 96 F250 with a 7.5 changing spark plugs is a nasty job. Then like someone mentioned the transverse V-6 engines in some vehicles its a major upper intake manifold job with hard to get to hose clamps between the engine and the fire wall, as well as clamp bolts or braces, huge job to do to just get to the spark plugs, yeah all by design I guess. Then with all the crap DOHC engines and deep spark plug access tubes, what if the boot sticks and breaks off, or the spark plug breaks at the threads and on and on. Spark plugs nowadays are a huge pain in the rear, last ones I tried to do I stopped because it could have been a head job too, just not looking forward to the day they have to be changed, and thats on a honda vehicle. Question if you spend up to 20K or more for the proper scanner or OEM software subscription, and pay the employee and costs to support the building how much should you charge for diagnostics?
Even on a 96 F250 with a 7.5 changing spark plugs is a nasty job. Then like someone mentioned the transverse V-6 engines in some vehicles its a major upper intake manifold job with hard to get to hose clamps between the engine and the fire wall, as well as clamp bolts or braces, huge job to do to just get to the spark plugs, yeah all by design I guess. Then with all the crap DOHC engines and deep spark plug access tubes, what if the boot sticks and breaks off, or the spark plug breaks at the threads and on and on. Spark plugs nowadays are a huge pain in the rear, last ones I tried to do I stopped because it could have been a head job too, just not looking forward to the day they have to be changed, and thats on a honda vehicle. Question if you spend up to 20K or more for the proper scanner or OEM software subscription, and pay the employee and costs to support the building how much should you charge for diagnostics?
cfherrman
Senior Member
I have a better question, if you waive the charge for diagnostics(with a paying repair), will you be busier than other mechanics in the area?
terex herder
Senior Member
At the end of the day, you have to have made X numbers of dollars to keep the door open. Unpaid hours just mean the paid hours have to cost more.
Don.S
Senior Member
My truck decided to have some fuel issues on Christmas day when i was picking up my 5 year old son. He mentioned how his moms new boyfriend has a nice new truck and maybe i should get a new one. The method of repair shows the mood i was in after that. 
DMiller
Senior Member
All New and Clean under the Necessity of Invention MODIFICATION!!!
Don.S
Senior Member
If anyone is wondering why i did not at least pull out the plastic bed liner is that the box has a plate for a 5th wheel that is over the bed liner. Turns out that 23 years was just the right amount of time for stuff to accumulate in the tank and plug up all 3 screens in the tank. Truck would run like garbage and have no power but no check engine light or codes. Sit on the side of road and idle for a few minutes could then drive a few hundred yards then coast to a stop and idle some more. That was a long drive home.
That is called making it like the factory should have, for easy access, just like how my friend modified his VW bug to be able to easily do the clutch and accelerator cables through the tunnel. He's also talking about a nice access panel in the rear to change out the starter and adjust the clutch.
If you add a few steel strips here and there you could just bolt that "cover" back down, need extra strength put a few 1.5 x 1/4 bars across under as well, that is the best idea yet for all these idiot designed pickups they build nowdays, you get an A+ for thinking out of the box quick fix. On an old antique collector truck no, but on ill designed garbage vehicles, go for it.
If you add a few steel strips here and there you could just bolt that "cover" back down, need extra strength put a few 1.5 x 1/4 bars across under as well, that is the best idea yet for all these idiot designed pickups they build nowdays, you get an A+ for thinking out of the box quick fix. On an old antique collector truck no, but on ill designed garbage vehicles, go for it.
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92U 3406
Senior Member
Its funny we complain about what a PITA it is working on personal vehicles, yet most of us see the same dumb **** on the equipment we fix or operate every day.
OzDozer
Senior Member
That bed modification reminds me of the old early Series Landrover engine block freeze plug/core plug/welsh plug replacement stunt. The rearmost freeze plug/core plug was right up against the firewall! - you had to pull the engine out to replace the plug when it corroded out (which was often, when the coolant became degraded).
So the trick was simply cutting a sizeable hole in the firewall, to access the plug! The vast majority of old Landrovers have that hole (and usually a fabricated plate over it) in the firewall!
And if you want to see the Mother of All Nightmares when it comes to replacing spark plugs! - try replacing Subaru spark plugs!!
So the trick was simply cutting a sizeable hole in the firewall, to access the plug! The vast majority of old Landrovers have that hole (and usually a fabricated plate over it) in the firewall!
And if you want to see the Mother of All Nightmares when it comes to replacing spark plugs! - try replacing Subaru spark plugs!!
It’s also the result of skinflint customers and shop owners over the years who have created crappy pay, work environments, and so forth. Now that there’s a skilled labor shortage, rising costs are rapidly correcting those errors and the result is long wait times for a slot and higher costs.
I’m sorry, but as a heavy equipment mechanic the customer is going to pay hourly for diag and an auto mechanic should be paid as well. Free diagnostics or waiving the cost cheats the mechanic a lot of places and also on the flip side results in crappy or no diagnostics and firing the parts cannon. If you told me I had to look at a car for free I’d walk up to it, try to crank it, and then start firing parts at it because I’m not wasting my time for free.
DMiller
Senior Member
"If you told me I had to look at a car for free I’d walk up to it, try to crank it, and then start firing parts at it because I’m not wasting my time for free."
Standard mode for auto shops today!!
Standard mode for auto shops today!!