I hate to bug you guys...

You’ve got at least $600-$750 in parts alone. Along with a good 6 hrs labor including the pinion seal, and brake lines. That’s $1250 -$1400 alone. Add BS shop fees, if any, plus tax. That’s the reality of it. I’d be angry too. I’d be angry at myself, for letting them spend 5 hrs looking for a short. That’s crazy, but they’ll get you every time, if you aren’t upfront about prices.

 

The electrical would burn my ### too. A simple circuit on an older truck like that should basically be a peach and cake to figure out.

 

In my mind knocking $650 off the bill is telling.

 

That’s my term I guess. Stacking repairs, giving them a list of repairs that go on one bill. So a pinion seals bad, which I’ve had happen twice. Ask how much? They say 1 hr labor, maybe 2 $50 parts. If that goes well, Then I’ll mention I planned on doing my brakes, along with the seals. How much would you charge, since I’m already here. Same with an electrical problem, You think you can find it, I don’t want my wiring butchered up, you got a good electrical guy? Have to keep a grip on the charges. If they’re estimates too high, they don’t get the job. I don’t expect anyone to work for free. But I’m not going to give them a blank check either.

 

When I had to quote jobs, I'd always quote a little on the high side. My logic being the customer is always happy when the bill is smaller than anticipated. They tend to get upset when the bill is more.

 

I get my Truck fixed at very good prices. I shop prices for parts and Labor if needed. Most of it is done by Me. The few things I pay for aren’t much. I don’t let them rip Me off. My maintenance is good, and the cost is low. I try to plan ahead, often buying parts, and waiting to put them on. I hate to see anyone get ripped off on anything. That’s my pet peeve. In this case, I’m not surprised a bit. Shop work is expensive.

 

Needing a schematic for simple electrical diagnostics is bull ####. It's pretty #### simple. Tail lights are tied to the dash lights on a Pete. So start at the front and check it at each connector down the line. On a truck that age a new wire ran may be best I haven't seen the harness. Basically the OP paid for the shop to train a guy.....not his place.

250 for a leveling valve is pricey but I'm not from his area makes a difference.

Knocking the bill down automatically says the shop knew they were outta line.


Keep in mind I'm usually on the shops side in these deals

 

Live and learn, don' t wait for them to call you. If you have no issues with the repairs thats a plus, You can get the same repair done 5 diferent places and get 5 different Rates.

 

I appreciate all this conversation.

I have said this before and I'll say it again! If I was ever to start over I would buy a shop and a building before ever even looking at a truck and running loads! Have a tech making money and my truck goes in as needed.

I respect everything involved in this guy owning a big next to the highway do it all shop....I really do....but man I agree I can't pay for him to train a kid on how to track a simple broken wire on a old mechanical Pete! That is the one part of the bill that sent it over the top and made me lose it. I have done it myself MANY times and it never bothered me to pay someone the times that I could not.... until this time.

LOLOL this all started because I went in to get one steer wheel balanced and I took the, "well, while I am in here", approach. It is tempting because, well, I just want to roll! But never ever again.....until I forget this lesson and do it again. LOL.

I am so friggin preventative that it hurts my brain. If I am awake I am working....either running the truck, answering the phone/doing back office work, or thinking about what the truck needs or will need.

I am not sure I could ever recommend someone becoming a US carrier/owner/operator....and if I did I would scream buy a building with a big ### door and a concrete floor first!

 

My dad has owned an auto mechanic shop for 25 years in a small town. I worked there for probably 10 years or so. We lost money all the time on jobs that took longer to do than we charged for. We called it “getting experience.” A mechanic can’t realistically plan on getting paid for every hour he works on something, at least in a small town. We would have had cars all over the lot the owners couldn’t afford to pay for if we always would have.