The "Ask a Mechanic" Thread (merged)

[SpringfieldSkins]

I've learned a lot already. Are you sure you aren't one of the Car Guys from CarTalk on NPR?

And yes... that's me in the SWEEET jean jacket!!

[dcnativenerd]

Banned for compairing me to Car Talk.




****, wrong thread.

Banned for not respecting Click and Clack. Those guys rule.

[SpringfieldSkins]

I've already got the differential fluid from the honda dealership....I planned on putting it in soon anyway....I hope you are right and a differential fluid change solves the problem.

I don't know if the S2000 has a cover on the differential you can pull off to inspect the gears or if it just has a drain and fill hole. If it has a cover, it would be worthwhile to look at the gears and fluid and see if there is scarring on the gears or metal shavings in the fluid.

It's a relatively easy first step though. Like to know how this one goes. My friend has an S2000. He has a similar problem I believe, but he's more of a do-it-yourselfer gearhead.

Keep me up to date if you don't mind.

[Forehead]

I'll answer this in 2 parts. I'm doing this because there are two things I'd like to comment on.


First... Extended warranties. A lot of the extended warranties that are bought when buying a car are not warranties from the manufacturer. It is important that I point this out because it means, you don't need to take your car back to the dealer for it. I deal with extended warranty companies quite a bit myself and I am in no way related to any dealership. You probably could have just gone to your local shop in Woodbridge in the first place.

When you buy an extended warranty, you should read the fine print. First to find out where you need to go to have your car serviced under this extended warranty. Second to see what is covered... Things like electric motors, switches, relays. Gaskets like oil pan, intake, cylinder head. Hydraulic things like brake lines and hydraulic clutch lines. Bearings whether it be wheel, differential, transmission. Those are all good to see in the paperwork. And of course, the more expensive (most have silver, gold and platinum or something of the like for levels of coverage) the better. Getting the lowest level of coverage will probably not pay off in the long run, where as getting the best level of coverage may actually do some benefit for you. That's just speaking of my own personal experience with extended warranties. I just bought a car myself and opted to not get an extended warranty (but that's just an obvious choice for me).



Second... The price you paid. I will only go into this because this is a shop close to my area (I'm in direct competition with them). Otherwise, I don't know what is a fair price. I will say, you would have likely got a better deal in Woodbridge... their prices are lower (everything's less expensive there, houses, gas, food, etc.)

I will tell you exactly how I would have estimated this at my shop. The labor is in regular font, parts are in italics.

Front brake job: $107.98
Toyota (OEM) front brake pad set: $105.00
Front brake rotors: $85.00 x 2

Clean and adjust rear brakes: $44.66

Brake fluid flush: $89.32
Brake fluid: $25.00

Safety inspection: $16.00
Emission inspection: $28.00

Total of parts and labor: $585.96
Estimate of tax, shop supplies, etc.: $64.46
Estimate of services: $650.42


Now... Before you go bashing me on my price. I guessed on the price of parts, it is certainly possible (and very likely) that the parts actually cost less than my guess. Also, I overestimate. That $650 that I told you what it would be over the phone would actually be something closer to $630-640 when you came to pick up the car later that day. Also, if price is a huge issue, I could opt for less expensive (read: lower quality) brake parts. I'd rather have my customer pay a little more to ensure they feel that the workmanship was first class, hence the OEM brake pads and expensive rotors. I could percivably save the customer $100 by using lesser quality, and thus, less expensive parts but I'd rather have a happy customer that doesn't return 3 times because of brake noise that is "normal" given the quality of parts.

I'm not going to bash you for anything, I just wanted to know if this seemed like a reasonable price. The way you described it sounds fine, I just wanted to make sure. Thanks for the response.

[SpringfieldSkins]

I'm not going to bash you for anything, I just wanted to know if this seemed like a reasonable price. The way you described it sounds fine, I just wanted to make sure. Thanks for the response.

I forgot to mention. I assume you meant clean and adjust rear brakes as opposed to rear brake alignment. There is no such thing as a rear brake alignment and there is only such a thing as clean and adjust if you have rear drum brakes. If you have a Corolla, it's likely you have rear drum brakes (as opposed to disc).


Also I wanted to point out that you may be able to bring your extended warranty to where ever you want, unless that extended warranty says "Must go to Toyota dealer" somewhere on it. You could also save some money that way. Just an FYI.


Didn't think you were going to bash me, just wanted to throw that out there for anyone reading the thread. Glad I could help Phoward.

[SkinnedAussie]

Total of parts and labor: $585.96
Estimate of tax, shop supplies, etc.: $64.46
Estimate of services: $650.42


Now... Before you go bashing me on my price. I guessed on the price of parts, it is certainly possible (and very likely) that the parts actually cost less than my guess. Also, I overestimate. That $650 that I told you what it would be over the phone would actually be something closer to $630-640 when you came to pick up the car later that day. Also, if price is a huge issue, I could opt for less expensive (read: lower quality) brake parts. I'd rather have my customer pay a little more to ensure they feel that the workmanship was first class, hence the OEM brake pads and expensive rotors. I could percivably save the customer $100 by using lesser quality, and thus, less expensive parts but I'd rather have a happy customer that doesn't return 3 times because of brake noise that is "normal" given the quality of parts.

My gripe is that you want to ensure workmanship is first class, but you have yet to answer how much those carrying out this first class workmanship are getting paid.

What do you pay your mechanics per hour? Can you justify your labour charges as to what you pay your mechanics?

[SpringfieldSkins]

My gripe is that you want to ensure workmanship is first class, but you have yet to answer how much those carrying out this first class workmanship are getting paid.

What do you pay your mechanics per hour? Can you justify your labour charges as to what you pay your mechanics?

The mechanics at my shop are paid approx. $35-$50 per hour based on skill level and accrediation. They are paid based on commission, more precisely how many hours of labor they actually perform. If they finish a job that pays 5 hours (according to the labor guide, which we have three different sources) in 3 hours, they get paid for 5 hours worth of labor. So, for every hour of labor performed, the shop gets $55-40 and the technician gets the rest.


What does that other $55-40 go towards? It goes to paying people like me, the service advisor, paying the light service techs (oil changes and tire rotations hardly pay their hourly salary), paying the accountants, maintaining the shop, etc. Last but not least, the ownership has to make a pretty penny too.


Out of the technicians at our shop, at least half of them made over $100K last year. A couple made close to $200K. It's safe to say that none made less than I did and a few made double or triple what I made. It's safe to say that the technicians (at my shop at least) are handsomely rewarded for the work that they do and I feel completely that they diserve it.


On top of their handsome pay. The technicians are guranteed a "base" pay, meaning that if they do not perform enough hours of labor to make a "base", they are guranteed a certain amount of pay. This is also based on skill level and accredation. This is very helpfull to them in a couple of ways. First, the summer and winter are ALWAYS more busy. Vehicles break down more often in extreme weather conditions, that's a simple truth. Second, even with all of their knowledge and skill, technicians can still get "stuck" on a hard problem. They can waste hours or days of their time diagnosing a problem that only pays 1 hour. It's good to know that if they have an off week, they can still bring home enough money to pay the bills and take care of their families.


So, to sum it up... Our technicians are paid well for the services they perform. They perform outstanding work for me and my fellow service advisors, so we (as management) must take outstanding care of them. It is still a back breaking line of work, but I hope that helps clarify things a little for you.


To me, our charges are justified. If, even after all of that explanation, you still think that our charges aren't fair than I am sorry. We work very hard day in and day out and we strive to be at the top of our game. I think we diserve every penny that we earn.



Lastly... I didn't really start this thread to bicker about the costs of auto repairs. I do appreciate your question though and I'm happy to offer any information I can to show you how things work. The cost of auto repairs, labor especially, depends highly on location and the cost of living in that location. While we may charge $90 an hour for labor in the Northern Virginia suburbs, shops in southwestern Virginia may only charge $40 and hour. It's a plain and simple fact.

[DCsportsfan53]

Semi sarcastic question, why is it that all Service Writers seem to think they're mechanics while simultaneously thinking that all repairs are quick and easy (at least when they're talking to the technician, not bsing the customer?





Seriously though, my service writer has been ****ing killing me lately, what a douchebag.

[DCsportsfan53]

The mechanics at my shop are paid approx. $35-$50 per hour based on skill level and accrediation. They are paid based on commission, more precisely how many hours of labor they actually perform. If they finish a job that pays 5 hours (according to the labor guide, which we have three different sources) in 3 hours, they get paid for 5 hours worth of labor. So, for every hour of labor performed, the shop gets $55-40 and the technician gets the rest.

I'm going to go ahead and assume you're averaging the number of hours they turn and that's not their actual take per hour turned because if it is, where do I sign up? I've NEVER heard of a dealership, let alone an independent shop, paying a tech $50 an hour. That's unheard of.

[SpringfieldSkins]

I'm going to go ahead and assume you're averaging the number of hours they turn and that's not their actual take per hour turned because if it is, where do I sign up? I've NEVER heard of a dealership, let alone an independent shop, paying a tech $50 an hour. That's unheard of.

They get paid for every hour turned... I can't say it's exactly $50 per hour, but some of them I'm sure are damn close.

[SpringfieldSkins]

Semi sarcastic question, why is it that all Service Writers seem to think they're mechanics while simultaneously thinking that all repairs are quick and easy (at least when they're talking to the technician, not bsing the customer?

That's why I prefaced my OP with this little tidbit.

OK, so first off, I'm not a mechanic. I am a Service Advisor, and I've been doing this for the last 7 years. If I titled this thread "Ask a Service Advisor", people might not actually pick up what I was referring to...

But seriously though. Everything isn't a "piece of cake". I'm straight up with the customer, if it's a piece of cake, I'll do it myself right while the customer is there. Wipers, light bulbs... piece of cake. Brakes, axles... NOT a piece of cake.

If I wanted a job where I had to bust my ass physically every day. Go home with the worst back aches ever from bending over a hood all day and risk permanent back injury. Have hands that would be permanently dirty, unless I was on vacation. I would have became a mechanic/automotive technician for all of that. The money is nice, but I want to be able to stand when I'm 35 years old.

I have a lot of respect for every last one of my mechanics. I realize that they have a super hard job, every day. Not to say that my job isn't easy, but theirs is clearly a hugely physically demanding one.

And to answer you, eventhough you are joking. I don't consider it my job to BS the customer or tech. We joke around and have fun at work, that's for sure though.

Seriously though, my service writer has been ****ing killing me lately, what a douchebag.

Sorry about your luck. I think it's a bad thing honestly if an advistor has TOO much power in the working relationship. It should be a give/give, win/win relationship.

[DCsportsfan53]

Sorry about your luck. I think it's a bad thing honestly if an advisor has TOO much power in the working relationship. It should be a give/give, win/win relationship.

Definitely agree. It's just this one guy, he won't show up early enough to get any good tickets and then flips out constantly because we're not doing **** paying, tedious warranty work fast enough. We'll see how long he lasts, he's made an enemy out of almost everyone there, techs, parts and the other writers.

Btw, I wasn't suggesting you BS your customers or techs, just something you definitely see happen. Advisors basically making **** up on the fly as they talk to the customer, not even making sense half the time. I know it can be a pain in the ass job in it's own right but there are definitely good and bad advisors. Unfortunately for us techs, we're somewhat at the mercy of the luck of the draw on that.

[SkinnedAussie]

They get paid for every hour turned... I can't say it's exactly $50 per hour, but some of them I'm sure are damn close.

I asked because not only was I a mechanic - the one who actually did all the dirty work - but a heavy vehicle (truck) mechanic.

No matter how hard I worked (or how quick), or how many hours, I never got paid more than $1000 per week. My hourly rate was never more than $22 per hour. In fact, the Service Advisors were making more than the mechanics.

[DCsportsfan53]

I asked because not only was I a mechanic - the one who actually did all the dirty work - but a heavy vehicle (truck) mechanic.

No matter how hard I worked (or how quick), or how many hours, I never got paid more than $1000 per week. My hourly rate was never more than $22 per hour. In fact, the Service Advisors were making more than the mechanics.

I'm still having a hard time buying that one. Gas stations and independent shops charge less per hour and pay techs less per hour than dealerships. I think somewhere around $30 per hour is where dealers usually max out, MAYBE 35 and that's for a damn good, damn experienced tech. I'm having a really hard time understanding how they're making 35-50 per flat rate hour. There's a misunderstanding here somewhere, that doesn't happen.

[Gator Bait]

I don't know if the S2000 has a cover on the differential you can pull off to inspect the gears or if it just has a drain and fill hole. If it has a cover, it would be worthwhile to look at the gears and fluid and see if there is scarring on the gears or metal shavings in the fluid.

It's a relatively easy first step though. Like to know how this one goes. My friend has an S2000. He has a similar problem I believe, but he's more of a do-it-yourselfer gearhead.

Keep me up to date if you don't mind.

****UPDATE*****

I read on a DIY thread on changing the differential fluid on the s2000 a 23mm box end wrench is needed to remove the "fill plug." I went to 4 different places: Autozone, Advanced Auto Parts, Harbor Freight, and Home Depot.....only Autozone had the required size socket...unfortunately you can't fit the socket w/ wrench in the space to remove the fill plug

I found the tool I needed online through sears...so I'm gonna try to get by there this weekend and get the job done.