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Lowering Vehicle Repair Costs
© 2003 by Kyle Busch,
author of:
"Drive the Best for the Price ..."
The cost of vehicles and their related repairs
are
expensive. Although the tips provided in this
article
will not eliminate such expenses, they will
help you
to take control of vehicle repairs and
thus lower
their costs.
We have all seen commercials on TV touting the
"great
vehicle service" provided by dealer service
departments.
They know
your vehicle better than anyone else, they
use original replacement parts, etc. etc ...
But at what
cost is such great service available? Well,
usually at
about $75-$95 per hour.
In many instances, vehicle repairs can be
completed
for substantially lower hourly rates. Many
independent
garages employ ASE certified and
licensed mechanics.
These garages generally charge about $40-$50
per
hour.
If you are unfamiliar with independent garages
in
your
area, it can be useful to talk with your friends
about which
garages and mechanics have repaired
their
vehicles. Be on
the lookout for
the names of garages
that are recommended over and over by
numerous
people.
Next, visit a few of the garages, talk with
the owner,
and ask about the hourly rate charged for
vehicle repairs.
Be sure to inquire if the rate charged for the
repairs is a
"straight hourly
rate" or a "book rate."
A straight
hourly rate involves the amount of time that
it actually takes a mechanic to do a vehicle
repair. On
the other hand, a book rate involves the
customer being
charged an amount of time the book specifies a
repair
should take.
For example, installing new front and
rear brake pads
on a vehicle could take one hour. Using a
straight rate
of $50 per hour, the repair would cost $50 for
labor,
plus the
cost of the brake pads. The book rate might
specify
that it "should" take the mechanic 1.5 hours to
do the work.
Thus, the customer would be charged $75
for the
labor, plus the cost of the brake pads.
When using the book rate method,
even if the brake
job takes
the mechanic only 55 minutes to
complete,
the customer is still charged for 1.5 hours
of time. The
book rate method of doing vehicle repairs
generally
benefits the garage and not the customer.
If the garage owner seems to squirm when you
ask
about the billing method used for vehicle
repairs, it is
best to visit other garages. Mechanic ASE
certification,
licensure, and the garage owner's response
to billing
practices will go a long way in
your identifying the
garage that is right for you. Last, but not
least, observe
how neat and orderly the repair shop looks.
This is a
straight forward indication of how the
garage is run.
In most instances, garages "mark-up" the price
of
parts
used for vehicle repairs. Garages
purchase parts
at a
wholesale
prices and then mark-up the parts used
for
repairs.
Although it
is becoming rarer and rarer today,
some
garages will allow a customer to
purchase the parts
that will be
used to repair their vehicle.
Such garages
will
quote the
customer on
just the cost of labor to
install
the
parts.
It can be to a customer's advantage to get a
quote on both
the parts and labor prior to having their
vehicles repaired.
If the
customer is so inclined, he or she can check on the cost
of parts
at retail parts stores such as Auto Zone, or Advanced
Auto. In
many instances, even better prices on
parts can be
obtained
by getting on the Internet and
visiting sites such as:
When it comes to vehicle repairs, taking the
time to ask
some
questions and establish a good relationship with an
independent
garage can
really help to lower vehicle repair
costs. Identifying
a garage
and a mechanic with whom you are
comfortable
makes all
the difference
in the world!
Kyle Busch is the
author of Drive the Best for the
Price:
How
to Buy a Used
Automobile, Sport-Utility Vehicle, or
Minivan
and
Save Money. Learn
more about the author
and the book at:
www.drivethebestbook.com.
The web site
accepts
all transportation
questions.
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