Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 04:02 pm, by: Chris Fonte(Luvbuds)
Just thought i would post this as it will save you guys a nice wad of cash. I had my car serviced a month or so ago and enquired about the clunks to the front end(ball joints)and how much they would slug me to replace em. My mechanic(my cousin)and his pops(my uncle)said it would be costly like $600 ish to replace them. Looking at the tutorial it seems it will cost me no where near that to do it myself. Moral of the story mechanics suck arse they charge an arm and a leg for labour. They arnt special they just know how. But im sure you all know this. Anyone else got a price on replacing Ball Joints?
Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 04:34 pm, by: Thads Cooke(Thadz)
If you're able to replace your own ball joints, then what are you doing sending your car to a mechanic for a service? I havn't priced the paticular job that you're talking about, so i don't know if $600ish is fair, but mechanics have to pay alot of overheads before they start making a wage. You're also paying for the warranty that they give you, they have the tools & experience to make sure you get a safe & proper job, and the convienience of not having to get dirty yourself.
Sometimes workshops deliberatly overquote so they won't get the job - they're too busy, its a horrible job or they're trying to get rid of an obnoxious customer.....
Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 04:56 pm, by: Chris Fonte(Luvbuds)
Yeah im just making a comment. Geez. My comment wasnt meant to be offensive to any mechanics on this forum. I thought i was stating the obvious. And i got my car serviced cause i didnt have time and there were things i couldnt do myself.
Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 04:59 pm, by: Ian Johnston(Ted)
Have you been to a dentist lately? I am a Diesel mechanic by trade and like every other apprentice mechanic, I lived on jack while doing my time to be a tradesman at the end of a 5 year apprenticeship. Why shouldnt a mechanic make a living like every other thief out there.
Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 05:37 pm, by: Daniel Riley(Riley_71)
Chris,
Fair Enought $600 dollars looks like a lot of money, but consider that the machanic has to purcahse his own tools, insurance etc etc.
i just had my air con evaporator replaced. the part was $350 + 280 for 4 hours labor. I could have done this job myself but my lack of tools and experience led me to leave it to a professional.
i guess at the end of the day what im trying to say is that like everything in life, there are always cheaper alternatives, but you always get what you pay for.
Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 05:46 pm, by: Clayton Webb(Clackers)
It aint a glorious job thats for sure. My old man is\was a Diesel Mechanic and Gas coversionist. He did that for about 20 years and didn't enjoy much of it. He hates working on his own cars now!!! To get a decent wage out of the job you HAVE to put in the hours. As for Daniels comment "you always get what you pay for" is dead true.
Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 06:09 pm, by: Justin Hughes(Juzza)
Ya - and that's how I ended up with a great set of VFT Bushes for cheap coz' Ron needed his balljoints done, so I bought his 'old' LCA's with New Bushes in 'em !!!
Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 06:35 pm, by: Miles Baker(Milesb)
So $600 for new control arms actually seems quite reasonable now doesn't it? Are you sure it is the ball joints though, not the bushes, or an engine or gearbox mount?
Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 07:30 pm, by: Paul Drane(Paulwd)
What Neil Said... you get an electrician or builder to do some work for you, just like the plumbers,,$$$$$$$ Everyone has overheads and wages and ins. and taxes to pay so if you really think about it mechanics don't charge to much for what they do.
Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 07:30 pm, by: James Harris(Haro)
haha @ Neill !
hmm mechanics.... HEY, did anyone see that show on SBS a while back called "Bush Mechanics"?? it was classic, showed how the murries maintain their vehicles *when they replaced a diff, they just lifted one side of the car and propped it up with a stick ! OH and they used rocks at brake pads !! was a classic show. Good viewing indeed.
oh and normal mechanics.. yeh hard to find, but like woman (cant live wit em .. cant kill em)
one charged me $77 for a fuel filter for my TT... is that right ? Sounds pretty tough to me.
Friday, October 14, 2005 - 12:15 am, by: Benny Gammelmark(Oldfield)
If you consider that some IT contractors charge $200 an hour (and 200 quid!! in the UK) for doing menial SAP programming with very little education and very little skill then I think the mechanics are NOT overpaid.
I always use them, even for jobs that I might be able to do. It's only garages that charge by the book at a set price (like BMW and at least to some extend Lexus) that will make big money.
Go have a look at your mechanics house and then at yours or your parents and see who's best off.
Friday, October 14, 2005 - 12:35 am, by: Avin Luther(Lex_luther)
give the guy a break! I am very fond of the mechanics i use but have come to use them, and onnly them after taking my car to too many mechanics who just had no idea! i dont expect them to be expers on every type of vehicle or problem, but as in the IT example if someone came to them because their typewriter was out of ink then they should just state that its not thier field of expertise instead of sticking a part from a HOLDEN VECTRA in their to fix the problem. Their are good and bad in every industry, we cant paint them all with the same brush though.
Chris, find a good one and then stick with them. the better they know your car the less time it will take them to fix any given problem and hence save you money on labour. Also if they know you will be coming back next time thety may be mora accomodating to fitting you in and quoting you competitively. Cheers Oh and thanks doug at sports and luxury for spending the time to finally find that niggling little problem with my cooling system