Im a tech at Lexus and I believe our labor rate is $120 hour

 

Pisses me off! We have mechanics in our town, that when you take your vehicle in for inspection, they find all kinds of **** wrong with it. Then they tell them they can't pass the inspection until their vehicles are repaired.
When in reality, there's not a damn thing wrong with it.

 

As former/current certified mechanics (on any vehicle type)...you know it takes $$$ to put food on the table, roof over head + keep business alive. Yes some rates are outlandish, but man's gotta eat...

 

Thanks to my father for putting a wrench in my hand.

 

Funny when you go to a dealer how much time they actually spend on your bike and just phuking aroud....These labor times are mostly bullshit. they are designed to make the dealers (Auto, Motorcycles and tractors) money...Some people pay some people choose other options.
I just changed 2 rotors, ceramic pads, rear shoes on my wifes Tuarus for about $150.00 worth every dollar...

 

Ain't that the truth....We were poor growing up....my father wanted a grinder but couldn't afford it...took a sewing machine motor and some gears with fan belts until he had the right speed.... got a few bearings from a trash bin somewhere and we had a grinder that we used for years....also made a drill like that....Funny **** when i look back but Necessity is the mother of all invention....

 

Being somebody who works in a very dangerous environment I simply refuse to pay anybody more money then what I make unless somebody is shooting or trying to kill their *** while they are doing it!!!

 

what most people don't understand about the newer car and bikes is they now have more powerfull computers than NASA used on the APOLLO missions, and the manufators would have loved to keep making the simple stuff, but the EPA steps in and said got to get good milage and no toxic fumes for tail pipe.

what gets me is that you go to a doctor and he spends 10 minutes with you and you are happy to pay him $500 even if he just scrathed his head and said I don't know whats wrong you need specalis

 

Who's happy with what a doctor charges? Medical costs is one of the biggest problems in this country.

 

It all seems simple to me. If you don't like what the "stealer" charges then don't bring it to the "stealer".
Just this morning I picked up my FWD Dodge from the "Stealer". Dropped it off yesterday for an alignment and oil change. $75.00 out the door. I could have changed the oil my self but for $20.00 why? I don't care what kind of oil they put in it, it's just a damned car. plus they tell me when things are starting to wear like for instance outer tie rod ends. I replaced the outer tie rod ends with after market replacements. Replacements that were imo superior to the OEM and by golly they were right the TRE's were worn, not shot yet but definitely worn out. I couldn't do the alignment, I see no need to install an alignment rack in my shed.

Jeep? I'm sorry but my 2006 LJ is about the simplest vehicle to work on since.....

BUT-

I am an average mechanic with FSM's and tools and a certain amount of interest in putzing around on Jeeps, cars and bikes. Most people aren't.

I'm grateful to have a local Mopar/GM dealer in town that pays their mechanics good wages for what they do. We have an agreement They don't screw me, I don't screw them and then I might use them again.

Maybe I don't "need" the local HD "stealer" every day in fact Dennis Kirk is closer to me than the local HD "stealer" but I'm glad they're around for when I do need them.

If you ask me for a price for my services I'm going to tell you what I am willing to do it for. And if you don't like it please do me a favor shut your mouth and go elsewhere. I'm not a damn auction.
I'm not going to work for someone for nothing and I sure as hell don't expect someone else to do the same and I'm not so arrogant to think I'm the only one that deserves to make money.

Food for thought.