[W126 Coupe] Did I get my $'s worth?

[Tom Oelsner]

$65/hour? $76/hour?  I wish!!! I pay $95/hour.  The good news is he will let
me supply the parts from Rusty or buys from there and only charges the cost.
He is the only shop from around here that will do that.
Tom Oelsner

-----Original Message-----
From: mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com
[mailto:mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com]On Behalf Of Shayegan, Richard
Sent: Saturday, September 24, 2005 6:05 AM
To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists
Subject: RE: [W126 Coupe] Did I get my $'s worth?


Did you get your money's worth? I don't think so. Did you pay a rate similar
to what you would have paid at other shops? I think so. Mechanics everywhere
are expensive these days (even down here in moderately rural NC the local
European car shop charges $76/hour and they charge book hours, not actual
hours worked). So while I don't think this work was worth that much money,
it is fair market value to charge that much money.

----- Original Message -----
From: Ken Cribbs
To: mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com
Sent: Friday, September 23, 2005 11:19 PM
Subject: [W126 Coupe] Did I get my $'s worth?
I just had the following work done on my 1988 560 SEC, at 54,400 miles:
remove/replace coolant expansion tank, replace coolant level sensor
remove/replace leaking power steering low pressure hoses, power steering
filter and container cover gasket
change air and fuel filters, replace fuel accumulator and fuel pump check
valves
remove/replace front and rear drive shaft flex coupling
change brake fluid, blow out drain hoses
lube door seals, lube linkages
The itemized parts were:
coolant expansion tank                    $61.25
coolant level sensor                        38.75
1 gallon coolant                                     10.00
power steering low pressure hose                   25.00
power steering filter                       11.00
1 cover gasket                                  4.95
5 hose clamps @ $1.95                          9.75
air filter                                            38.00
smog ___ filter                              12.20
fuel filter kit                              39.00
44K injection filter cleaner               19.50
fuel accumulator                                   197.00
2 fuel pump check valves @ $22.50           45.00
2 drive shaft flex couplings @ $112.00  224.00
brake fluid                                   10.50
[illegible]                                      4.15
radiator cap                                     7.95
shop supply charge                             25.00
        TOTAL PARTS/SUPPLIES:   $758.00
The total labor charge was $595.00, for a grand total of $1,378.00.
Is this MB-only shop charging fairly for the parts and services provided? 
--Ken
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