Is my mechanic ripping me off?

Am trying to decide whether I need to change to a different mechanic. The quality of work mine does is good, but I feel really ripped off every time I go and it really irks me. I don't really know if this is the case though - maybe it's more that I need to face up to how much things cost???!

So - an example for you all...on Friday I picked up Arthur after the following work:-

Engine service
Fitting 2 bumpers (purchased by me)
Fitting a strap to my new glovebox (purchased by me)
Fitting a new indicator relay

The above work cost me £300 - the engine service was £140

Thoughts please?!

 

i begrudge paying a penny so i do as much as i can myself unless i'm too busy, that seems dear to me but i could do all that so it would.

 

Ouch im glad i work on my own vehicles

 

Looks like he's charging you around £50 per hour labour, I would say that's about the going rate, if your pleased with his work stick with him, remember the cheapest ain't always the best.

 

I get charged £40 an hour where I go, which is a VW aircooled specialist.

 

Excluding the VAT I'd say that was a reasonable rate.

 

sounds cheap enough to me. If you're happy with the work he does you're obviously paying for what you get. You could try and take it to a cheaper garage and get a crap service, or try taking it to a main dealer. You'll pay at least 2wice that.

Or, spend 3 or 4 hours out in the cold on your back in the rain doing it yourself. You'll then have answered your own question. An open public forum isn't really the place to question whether your mechanic is stiffing you - maybe you should have a polite word with your mechanic and ask him to break down his charges, you'll know for sure then

 

i agree with what most have said above buddy, if the work is good then that is probably the going rate!

 

I think the best thing to do is ask how much his hourly charge-out rate is.

 

get a quote before hand and you won`t be surprised its all basic stuff and probably only about £40 in parts

 

I charge less, but then I don't really make a living.
Is that inc VAT. If it is thats £50 he doesn't get for starters.
I'd probably have charged you £200 all in but no VAT so we not far apart.
Prices between garages do vary wildly though don't they? Classic or standard stuff.
It's always best to get at least an estimate before you start.

 

the guy i use was vat registered and was about £45 an hr but now he deregistered and is loads cheaper but you also have to consider did everything go straight on or did they encounter problems removing and refitting remember nothing fits like original does

 

All this is giving me ideas on what to charge JenW and Hippyrich for what I've done on their bus today

If your happy with the service you get then stick with him. I've used the same garage for 12 years now. Never had a problem. It's a long story but the owners wife was my boss and over the years we have become really good friends to the point where l have my own set of keys to the garage. Funny enough Mark and l were talking about garages and it is a good rule of thumb that if your happy, stick with them. You can go somewhere cheaper and get a poor service likewise pay more and be no better off. The proof is in their work.

So Jen and Rich.....11 hours @ £?? (what do you think l should charge them an hour? ) plus telephone consultations with a certain Gummybear

 

my bloke charges me about 70 odd a day but he is working on his drive or sometimes mine depends on the job though
he charged me 150 for supply and fit a recon alternator on my 1600 bus

 

My Motto is - Save money try doing it yourself, if you get stuck or mess up call Birdy !
You learn from your mistakes and end up saving money.

Are you being ripped off? all depends on how long that all took. Best thing about these buses is doing the work yourself and learning as you go.