Date: 30 May 2003 20:07:22 GMT From: davehinznopsamcop.net Subject: Re: Puzzled by a SAAB dealer's cliam of billings convention
Someone who looks an awful lot like 'nuther Bob <none1nopsam.com> wrote: > On 30 May 2003 18:42:10 GMT, davehinznopsamcop.net wrote: >>It's only going to be seen as "unfair" when the mechanic is faster >>than the book rate - if he's slower due to being new, or unlucky, then >>it protects the customer. > All businesses hire trainees. Few charge _the customer_ more money > when one of them does the job. The business pays for the low > productivity of the trainee. And, likewise, they should profit for the high productivity of a master. > Imagine if the business said "well, > we usually charge $50, but we have a new trainee, so I have to > charge you $80." I think that point is moot. Actually, that is my point. It's the most fair arrangement to both parties. >>You wouldn't expect the dealer to penalize you for a new/tranee mechanic, >>why should you expect to penalize the dealership for hiring an adept one? > I think the issue here is that they allege to charge "by the hour" > (even printing that on the invoice and displaying a "hourly rate" in > the shop area) yet are actually quoting and billing by a flat rate per > job. It's a bit of a distortion, but not outright fraud. Well, I see it like this...replacing part X is a 2 hour job. Master Mechanic Y can do it in 1.5 hours, Trainee Z takes 3 hours to do it, but it's still a 2-hour job. For me, with just a book and no direct knowledge and 3 trips to the snap-on guy's house for the right tools, it's maybe going to take me 5 hours to do this 2-hour job. > <rant> (snip rant) > For those that miss the point, the oil pan job already involves > removing and reinstalling the front pipe, but he's going to charge > me an hour extra to do it (per the flat rate) to do it. He even > thinks he's a great guy since he's only charging me an hour to > do a job I'm already paying for. Sounds like he's telling you to patronize a different mechanic. > Needless to say, I've never gone back for any work and I had someone > else do the pan for me. Yuppers. Dave Hinz
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