🚀 go-pugleaf

Gary Forbis wrote:

> Richard wrote in message ...
> >You must be joking. A flat rate charge is the biggest scam in the auto
> >repair industry. Charging 4 hours of labor for 2 hours actual labor? Either
> >you're an auto tech or one dumb sucker. This is the reason I work on my own
> >cars.
> >
> >Imagine this. I go to my mgr tomorrow and tell him that it takes the
> average
> >person to perform my work load in 8 hrs. I am fast, however, and can do the
> >same job in 4 hrs. Therefore I can take the rest of the afternoon off with
> >pay or you can pay me double time for the rest of the 8 hr work day. I bet
> >he'll tell me I'm worth it and let me take my pick of either time off or
> >double pay. What did you decide to do with your time? Play or double pay?
>
> I'm not sure what you are trying to say.  Do you believe people should be
> paid
> the same independent of productivity?
>
> I know what you mean about the auto repair industry.  In the late sixties I
> worked
> for a service station.  Things were sold based upon parts and labor.  I
> thought it
> wrong to charge an hour and a half labor when the owner knew it was a
> fifteen
> minute job.  Heck, if people wanted it faster they could pay for faster
> labor and
> get the same service for more money.
>
> I've somewhat changed my mind.  I think the practice is okay but should be
> reported
> in dollars rather than hours.  I like knowing how much my oil change is
> going to cost
> irrespective of the time it takes.  I like knowing how much replacing the
> radiator is
> going to cost irrespective of the time it takes.  Maybe labor could be
> stated in
> "standardized hours."

The Chilton Flat Rate manual tells average time required to perform virtually
any auto repair.  When you get a repair quote, the shop looks up the repair in
the manual and extends it times the hourly rate charged by the shop.  Some days
you eat the bear...some days the bear eats you....  Valued mechanics get the
creampuff jobs, newbies and disliked mechanics get the shitty end of the stick.