1979-1993 & 94 Conv [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
ignition rotor --$25 plus 1/2 hour, $50, total $75.
spark plugs ---$28 plus labor, 1/2 hour, $50, total $78
air filter --10 plus labor, 1/2 hour, $50, total $60
techron into the gas--$10, n/c
"cleaning the throttle" body---labor, 1/2 hour, $50.
My guess is $273.
Most shops also add a nominal $10 fee for solvents and disposal of same, rags, etc.
So $275 doesn't sound too bad. This is based on a nominal $100/hour labor fee which isn't out of line in some areas of the country..a guy has to feed his kids too!
But notice that the total time spent is probably a lot less than two hours; I based the labor time on minimums for each unrelated job. Also, I seriously doubt the air cleaner needed replacing...I've never seen one that really needed it unless the car was towed in or pouring black smoke out the back under acceleration! Of course, your 'sputtering' may also have been black smoke out the back. In some ways you're lucky...I probably would have hit you for a distributor cap and spark plug wires as well! The plug wires are often bad if you don't change them every four years or 60K miles and the distributors are often carbon tracked...I'm surprised just the rotor was sufficient. Also, he didn't charge you for checking the engine timing after replacing the rotor (betcha he didn't and he should have!)...it usually doesn't change very much but a couple degrees can be significant and if your vacuum advance can is defective, bingo, there's another $75 plus 1/2 hour labor.
No, I don't think he screwed you, but this is what it costs to take your car to a mechanic.
PS....An independent mechanic who gets $100/hour is either in a VERY high cost of living area (dealers in DC are up around $90, indies around $75, but everyone uses a labor standards manual, ergo the min 1/2 hour charges) or is artificially high...you should be able to find another indie who charges closer to $75/hr.
posted by 198.26.74...
, Wed, 26 Nov 2003 08:22:24
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