The muffler shop, WTF!

[Mad Professor]

Older but a good runner 89 S10 baja package needs muffler work, pipes/muffler from converter back (NOT the converter too).

NAPA priced out the quality parts: two pipes muffler and clamps~ $100. It's mud season here, I don't have a garage, and the oxy/acetyl tanks need a fill...

So I see what the shops would charge, got "quotes" of $600-700 . The first guy I talked to I asked why an hours labor is worth $600, did they have surgeons doing the work?

WTF???

 

[2000ssm6]

Find another shop(s), $600 is insane seeing you already have the parts.

 

[JONSEREDFAN6069]

try a long time regular mechanic shop, is there any close to you? i've had the best work done for next to nothing by wasting a couple hours and just talking to the guy, maybe bringing him in coffee and donuts didn't hurt either. muffler specialty shops do good work but imop they charge WAY to much, obviously by your quote. lol. you sure they weren't quoting a new system installed and not installing your parts?

 

[Biker Dude]

I'm surprised they would even agree to install your parts. No shops in my area will do it any more. Maybe that's why their prices are so high. It's their way of telling you to shove off politely.

 

[epicklein22]

I'm surprised they would even agree to install your parts. No shops in my area will do it any more. Maybe that's why their prices are so high. It's their way of telling you to shove off politely.

+1

Looks like you need to find a nice spot of dry ground and get to work. I don't know why you need to use your torch. Just use a cut off wheel.

 

[Mad Professor]

Well did the job myself, never again without TORCHES.

Cat to muff pipe bolts, go into a hanger, right above the crossmember. Can not get there with a cut off wheel, required 2nd person to hold vise gipes held w/channel locks. When those were off all was fun wrenching

Torch would have made short work of everything.........

Total was $157 with all the parts to do front brakes also, a lot better than the muffler shop(s)

This total is not reflecting the 2nd person needed nor the $$$ spent on food/beer after the fact, although this was enjoyment after the fact.

 

[2000ssm6]

Yup, much more fun and cheaper to do it yourself.

 

[oldsaw]

Could be the parts thing, but it's always amazed me how some people just don't want to work. I had an old Honda 750 with a 4-1 exhaust system on it. I kept grinding the nut off of the muffler clamp and just wanted to have a welding shop run an inch of bead from a wirefeed. I got everything from "can't do it" to $50.

I was on a country backroad and saw a sign for a welding shop. I pulled in, pointed out what I wanted done, pulled up next to the welder and he was done in seconds. He didn't know what to charge so he said "a couple of bucks". I had him cut off the tab on the muffler and gave him $10 for less than 5 minutes of work, he was in heaven.

 

[TDunk]

We will install parts that people bring themselves. BUT lets say we're putting an exhaust system on and they forgot an extension pipe, they're gonna get charged $60 an hour the whole time the truck is on the rack until they get us more parts. We charge $26.95 for an oil change, grease and check the fluids. People will bring in there own oil and filter and have us do it. Aight, fine. That's half an hours labor ($30) grease, ($1). So what did they save ?

I've told people before "do you take your own eggs into Bob Evans and have them cook them ? Don't think so" They make there profit by selling you the food, if you bring in your own food, no profit.

 

[ozzy42]

We will install parts that people bring themselves. BUT lets say we're putting an exhaust system on and they forgot an extension pipe, they're gonna get charged $60 an hour the whole time the truck is on the rack until they get us more parts. We charge $26.95 for an oil change, grease and check the fluids. People will bring in there own oil and filter and have us do it. Aight, fine. That's half an hours labor ($30) grease, ($1). So what did they save ?

I've told people before "do you take your own eggs into Bob Evans and have them cook them ? Don't think so" They make there profit by selling you the food, if you bring in your own food, no profit.

You do have a very valid point.I can relate to some people trying to make the job easier,therefore cheaper [in their eyes],when in reality they are making it harder in the end.

The reason people offer to bring their own parts though is a direct response
to the percentage of auto repair shops that will not touch anything ,unless they can rob them blind,and a big part of this is parts pricing.
A mark up is to be expected ,as well as fair pay for their time,but a lot of repair shops are down right theives.

PLease don't take this as an attack on all auto repair shops.Just the one who try to rape their customers.

 

[TDunk]

You do have a very valid point.I can relate to some people trying to make the job easier,therefore cheaper [in their eyes],when in reality they are making it harder in the end.

The reason people offer to bring their own parts though is a direct response
to the percentage of auto repair shops that will not touch anything ,unless they can rob them blind,and a big part of this is parts pricing.
A mark up is to be expected ,as well as fair pay for their time,but a lot of repair shops are down right theives.

PLease don't take this as an attack on all auto repair shops.Just the one who try to rape their customers.

There use to be a few shops like that just in our little town of 2500(?) Now there pretty much all gone. Just in the past ten years i've noticed that what our shop can by parts for and the individual can by it for off the street is sometimes only a couple percent. I priced out an alternator today for a pontiac. My cost was $89, walk-in price was $96. An hours labor plus $7 mark up on the part ?, can't open the doors for that. But alot of garages will all most triple there cost of the part, charge diagnostics (sometimes that is neaded) , labor, and shop supplies. A BIG scam is if you ask for lifetime parts, they'll just put the cheap stuff on. Mainly brakes, but electrical stuff too. Those are the shops you have to watch out for.

 

[2000ssm6]

PLease don't take this as an attack on all auto repair shops.Just the one who try to rape their customers.

What??? We only mark up parts 40%+. And car dealers wonder why the auto industry has tanked.:monkey:

 

[deer slayer]

Another note is warranty. Had some customers come back and requested to replace under warranty. We can, your gonna have pay the labor and our time to wait for you to get new part (if they didn't have already). They don't understand it wasn't our part we chose to use, how can you expect us to back up your part, most deal w/certain parts stores for a reason. Weather its quality parts or better discount for selling certain items. I tell all my friends that ask, pick a shop stick w/them, they might get you once or twice but mostly they will take care of good customers. Most bounce around for the better deal and don't realize that they tuned there car up 3 times in 10,000 miles, a good shop would say "sir/mam you don't need that service it was performed at ??,??? miles and should be fine for XX,XXX miles unless your having problems? "

 

[mattmc2003]

A couple years ago my grandpa had muffler+cat back pipe on his s-10 for 85 bucks total. Parta and labor. I paid like $250 for duals +chrome tips on my 03 dodge.

 

[Chevy4thewin]

Just priced mine out for my Silverado, 30 bucks for 2 1/4" piping, and around $160 for the two magnaflows. Alot better then the $700 cat back! Still under that even when i get the Thorley's put on it...

 

[deer slayer]

Just ordered 5" turbo back for the duramax, cant wait to install !!! went to truck/tractor pull over the weekend. Seen some outrageous exhaust systems on trucks, the one that stuck out the most was a dodge dually w/2 12" stacks out of the bed, yea 12" looked like it took up 1/3 of the bed never heard it run definitely looked outa place.

 

[2000ssm6]

I just ordered a Mufflex 4" catback for the Camaro, with a Spintech muffler and single 4" hide away tip. I'll post pics of the install and post another thread here.