I was quoted $160.00 to replace one lug nut and stud

[Virtuaguyver]

Most people are uncapable of doing it themselves. Some are capable of doing it but don't want to. I do it because I don't trust anyone touching my vehicles and if you want it done right you have to do it yourself.

Oil changes, most people I know don't know how or want to touch it either.

 

[Rustytigwire]

im sure it was a 60 dollar job but liability insurance is the other $100.
frivolous lawsuits n all that.

 

[dennishoddy]

Sometimes things are priced the way they are as a deterrent because they don’t really want to do the work.

Your comment reminded me of the little plastic stick on digital clocks that were popular 20 years ago.
Sold for around $10 with a lifetime warranty.
In reading the warranty, they would indeed replace one if they failed. Include $18 for shipping and handling.
Wonder how many fell for that?

 

[JamesBell]

I’m sure most of y’all that have seen all the crap I post can tell I do all of my own work plus work for others. I’m confident that me taking care of my own stuff is the only reason we have a little extra money around here. Our lifestyle depends on lots of equipment so we have more stuff wear or break than the average folk. I’m positive that the repairs I do turn a profit for us even after the tool expenses I have yearly which I’m actually starting to struggle to find a tool I actually need. But, I have more time than money so I reckon that’s why it works. If I was tied to a “town job” then I probably wouldn’t wanna work on my own stuff in my free time. But, I’d probably make more money from a town job. I installed some airbags on a truck for a guy this weekend (actually it only took about 2hrs Friday eve). I installed the exact kit he would get in town but I provided the labor $300 cheaper than the town quote. Now that he saw how simple it was he can see that the town quote appears like robbery. Lots of folks are intimidated by certain tasks or they got plenty of money. My wife no longer gives me any grief about tools. She’s seen how profitable they can be. I’m always willing to help folks work on their stuff if they wanna participate and learn. I don’t charge them much if at all. Now if they just wanna dump the project on me I’ll charge what I think is reasonable. I am a fast worker though and usually have a method planned in my head if I’ve done the job before. I think many mechanics charge “book time” which is often over exaggerated. Then they have a parts markup. Yes they claim they’ll stand behind the part so that’s why they mark it up in case they have to eat labor on repairing a repair. I just know I’d personally be broke if I paid mechanics.

This leads right to the problem. Those of us in town don’t tend to have someone around that could show them how to do the jobs we don’t know how to do.

Realistically I can stumble my way through things if I watch enough YouTube videos. Would be far better to have someone around that actually knew what they were doing. Sadly I’m about the best wrench turner in my group of friends and I still get angry and somewhat intimidated at anything bigger than an oil change.

 

[Iratus]

Book time can't be more than an hour unless it's some kind of pressed on hub like old Hondas. I've changed countless studs. There's no liability in that when done right. That's highway robbery. I also thought it was fun y when people complained about 4 hour brake jobs on saidnpressed hubs when hub has to be put in press to remove rotor

 

[OneMoreEvan]

Stuff like this is why I bought an air-cooled Harley. I can take the whole bike apart by myself with basic tools I have at home. Except for the computer BS they decided to cram into it, that stuff has me missing my old carbureted Honda . Why pay someone else to mess it up when I could mess it up myself but learn something along the way?

 

[SPDguns]

Back in 19 and 79, I had a '73 Opel GT. I bought a header from JC Whitney (this was back when they actually sold car parts.) I took it to the Buick dealership in Tulsa on Sheridan where Sam's is now and they charged $109 in 1979 dollars. I got it home and looked at it and realized I could have done it. Since then, my philosophy is that if a mechanic charges $100 and I can buy the parts for $20, screw it up and buy the parts again for another $20, I still will have saved $60 AND learned how to do it.

Fast forward to today and I still do my own work on everything

 

[Chuckie]

Men used to be expected to keep things repaired themselves. It was their job.

Yeah, but women used to not be so quick to 'dump' their husbands for the smallest of reasons, which meant kids used to have a steady father in their lives to teach them things. Some of my fondest memories as a kid was 'wrenching' alongside my own Dad while he taught me the difference between doing a job . . . and doing a job well.

 

[Raido Free America]

So the wife’s van had a lug nut missing and while getting new tires I asked if they could replace the missing lug nut. They quoted me $160.00 to replace it, I said no! I went to the auto parts store and bought the stud and lug nut for less than $8.00, spent 40 minutes working on it and done. One would think if someone is buying tires from them they could fix one lug nut and for $50, but I guess if they get away with $160 from other people, why not try on all.

Got an estimate on a brake job including a master cylender, for a tire store that also does mechanic work. It was over $1,000.00, I took this jeep to Bristow, to Crown Auto, a Jeep dealer, and they did the same job for less then $250.00, and used MOPAR PARTS! Needless to say I jhavn't been back to thgis tire store!! Crown service dept, has PROVEN to be, on two separate occasions, to be very good, as well as HONEST!!

 

[BillM]

Back in 19 and 79, I had a '73 Opel GT. I bought a header from JC Whitney (this was back when they actually sold car parts.) I took it to the Buick dealership in Tulsa on Sheridan where Sam's is now and they charged $109 in 1979 dollars. I got it home and looked at it and realized I could have done it. Since then, my philosophy is that if a mechanic charges $100 and I can buy the parts for $20, screw it up and buy the parts again for another $20, I still will have saved $60 AND learned how to do it.

Fast forward to today and I still do my own work on everything

Back shortly after we arrived here, I bought a 1977 Plymouth Volare station wagon. A year or so later, the passenger front axle welded itself to the bearing. Got a quote of $1000 to fix it. Checked on parts and tools to fix it myself. $800, including an air compressor and air impact tools... SWMBO asked if I could still use the compressor & tools when the car was running again, and I assured her I could. I've had it for about 25 years now, still going strong! Had to replace a few of the air tools because they were stolen from rental storage, or I'd still have them, too. May be the best $800 I ever spent.