So..is there some info that has been shared on how to resolve the door latch/lock cable issue on the 360? I have stuck lock latches on my list of items to resolve and could use some help. Didnt see it in the DIY thread Peace
Out of seventy-six posts in this thread, only seventeen discuss door latches in the context of the original question. That means 78% of the responses are complaining or supporting Rifledriver. Instead of wasting space in this folder, why don't the folks with a bone to pick about Rifledriver start a new thread about him in the “Off Topic” section? Rifledriver did not use profanity in his post, but if his personality bothers you then ignore him and move on. If you feel obligated to dilute this thread, please go here. Image Unavailable, Please Login
What these threads reveal about people is a lot more interesting than the mechanical issues the threads are framed around. I've been reading here for seven or eight years and I have to say that I absolutely love any of RD's posts. With him you can be sure of two things: his mechanical insights are based on real world experience and training, and he's not a sugar coater. To me, the best part by a long shot is his acerbic wit and refreshing bluntness. It's like two prizes in the same popcorn box, we learn about our cars, and we get to see the ruffled feathers he causes in some of our less sturdy egos. For those of you who haven't rolled your eyes and moved on by now, I have a theory about this. If you're in your thirties or forties and have been running Ferraris for years you're living in rather rarified air and you may not be aware of it. You've had or been around disposable money a good part of your life. You have been treated with deference for as long as you can remember and aren't even aware of it, simply because of relative wealth. Not your fault and not the end of the world. However, when you run into someone like RD it can be a bit disconcerting to have your ego and it's place in the world jostled and you naturally want to push back. At this point it might be wise to try to consider things from other perspectives. As we get older, into our fifties and sixties, the world comes into much better focus as our understanding of human nature grows, especially that of our own nature. We become more insightful regarding ourselves, other people, and our relationships. At sixty one I absolutely see things differently than I did twenty years ago. Twenty years ago I don't think I'd have liked RD so much. I'd have thought him arrogant and self-righteous and even rude. And I'd have been completely wrong. Firstly, it's not my place to judge someone else; I have no knowledge of their life path. Secondly, I'd have been a spoiled pup nipping at the heels of someone with far more knowledge and experience than I then possessed. I'm guessing RD is no youngster, and that he is long past giving a half damn about whether we like him or not. And in that I find his charm. I bet he is far more entertained than he is upset about the comments regarding his bedside manner.
Interesting thread.. When individuals are calculating cost, do add cost of : 1) Building rent 2) Insurance 3) Advertising 4) Salaries of employees Simply saying it took me 1hr and it should cost $200 is not accurate. On my F430 if the F1 actuator goes I know it will cost about $15,000 to fix. It is a tidy sum but when I bought my F430 I did that with the understanding that maintenance cost could/would be high. If you didn't realize costs of ownership can be high and you have a problem with it, you might consider selling your Ferrari. Finally having read RifleDrivers posts, I would say he brings alot of knowledge to the table and has a nonsense approach. I do appreciate his wisdom.
This is what I choose to believe too! I hope you are right! Otherwise I am going to be really confused.
That's an interesting point about calculating cost. But I thought the operating costs are accounted for within the $xxx.xx per hour rate. No? For example, it takes me an hour to R/R each door latch at $250.00 per hour. I charge two hours plus parts cost to my customer. My operating costs plus profits are in that two hours of charge as well as a markup on the parts. Not "adding another 8 hours" at $250.00 per hours to cover my operating expenses plus profits. Am I wrong? BTW, it does take me 1 hours per door to R/R the door latch.
You make a good point. However I don't believe shops have the rate down to a science. Also they don't get as many cars as say a Toyota service shop. And possibly they will add more simply because it is a Ferrari. But that holds true for all sports cars. I also have a 1995 Nissan 300zx twin-turbo and parts on it cost way more than a standard Nissan. Now I'll jump to the other side of the fence and point out that there are many independent Ferrari shops that do very good work and charge alot less than the dealership. So what are we paying for at the dealership? Yes, the Ferrari stamp of approval.
In my experience, labor rate and part pricing is established by reverse engineering , starting at the desired bottom line. For example, a Mercedes dealership wants a 3% +/- profit when all is said and done. So they establish all the expenses, number of days open per year, number of cars per day - # of techs required, overhead, insurance, etc... to get there. Parts pricing , while MSRP is usally set by Mercedes , it's a made up number to make price shoppers happy. Most MB dealer's I worked with actually took the MSRP and added 30% to it , and created their own MSRP. ( That's why when I worked in the independant side, I could " save 30% off Dealer pricing" .. knowing I would charge true MSRP ) As for where the hours come from, in my experience and knowledge, it comes from a Master Technician performing a repair following a process, using hand tools, multiple times in a row, and averaging the times , so you get the " repair time " This is usally performed at the factory on a new car. ( So seized fasteners - broken fasteners , condition of a "driven" car are not accounted for ) Can someone do it faster, sure.. are they using special tools? Are they cutting corners? Are they cutting a hole in the firewall to access the crankshaft bolt faster... have they performed the job hundreds of times? You are correct, some shops shoot from the hip, based upon if it's Monday or Friday - LOL Others, will go strictly by the book. There at time guides for mass produced cars like Honda, Ford, Mercedes, like Mitchells or AllData. OEM have warranty time guides as well, Audi, Porsche, Volvo, pretty much all of them. It's up to the shop to follow the correct repair procedure and charge what the " book says " If an Independent shop charges less, it's because they have less overhead. The job takes the same time for tech A or tech B right? ( assuming they are doing exactly the same repair ) " So, what are you paying for at the dealership " : Factory trained technician using the correct tools for the repair. Timley repairs or service. 2 year parts and labor warranty. OEM parts ( unless AM are requested ) Customer service. Ferrari SpA relationship. Valet service for you or your Ferrari. Express detail after repairs. Secure storage while your car is in their care. Access to Factory support. Sponsorship to Factory Tours. Dealership sponsored events. Dealership sponsorship for FCA events..... I could go on, but I think you get the point. And yes, the Ferrari stamp of approval has value too. Don't believe me, ask any buyer. Working with any shop is about the relationship... who do YOU , the owner trust? What do YOU , the owner want or expect from your shop? In the end the owner will chose what option given them what they want. Lower repair cost - less support. Slightly higher repair cost and all the support and benifits above. And I said slightly higher , because when you add in FCA/FC discounts on repairs at Boardwalk Ferrari, we are usually the same price as local independant shops, a lot of times, cheaper, but there are times when it cost more. Don't believe me, bring an invoice over and let's compare apples to apples. ;-) S
I started this thread by a simple question about fixing a damn door lock. Then I got a rude arrogant message from RD, who I have since learned is the favored little child of this blog, and many of you think he can say anything he wants to us because he has been around forever. I'm just disgusted with this whole arrogant website, and the fact that the people who control this website, think being a bully is OK. Is RD the boss of FC, or who has the balls to confront this bully??
There are some recently posted threads about the behavior of a FC member calling himself/herself "Rifledriver". Seems this person has a tendency to demean people and be critical and ridicule their posts. From PM's I have received, this has been going on for a long time with this person. Have any of you experience this issue with Rifledriver, and if so, what would you like be done about his/her behavior? This website should not tolerate any bully behavior.
Is this now your third thread calling for sympathizers? Consider moving on with anything else that matters...
Are you seriously still whining about this? Are you like 9 years old? Or maybe you are so out of touch with the times that you fail to realise that the Internet, or better the anonymity that comes with it, brings out the worst in people. A random dude was rude to you on an Internet forum, get over it.
New thread merged, with old thread. You do not get to start multiple threads on the same subject. The incident that you're complaining of occurred on this thread, so you can continue to refer to it on this thread, but if you bring your complaint to other threads or start additional threads on the subject, you will be in violation of site rules and will be given a temporary or permanent ban. Frankly, you're being just as rude and and even more of a bully than your perception of Rifledriver. You're not getting your own way so you abuse the site, the moderators and other users who don't perceive things as you do. If you don't like the way the site is run, then leave.
So apart from.....Factory trained technician using the correct tools for the repair. Timley repairs or service. 2 year parts and labor warranty. OEM parts ( unless AM are requested ) Customer service. Ferrari SpA relationship. Valet service for you or your Ferrari. Express detail after repairs. Secure storage while your car is in their care. Access to Factory support. Sponsorship to Factory Tours. Dealership sponsored events. Dealership sponsorship for FCA events............. What has Ferrari ever done for us! (Monty Python for those that may not get my humour).
Ron... really? Don't take things so personally. This IS "online". Rifledriver knows a lot more than many many people on this site. When he speaks in his no-bs tone... He's usually right. When you've been fixing Ferraris for what.. 20+ years and have a column in Forza and have to deal with people who don't know a lug nut from a walnut telling you you're wrong... understand the tone. I hope he stays.
I have had my own share of encounters with RD. My personal opinion is that he is defending the position of experts, while demeaning that of considered lesser mechanics, let alone home mechanics. While he is right to believe that great mechanics who know their stuff, work systemically and efficiently and refuse to do shortcuts are a rare breed, he does tend to demean even some that are good at it, simply because he seems to believe that is something that does not really exist. That is his right and you can like it or not, though he is probably right with that 90% of the time. Some jobs just require more expertise and tools than the average mechanic has. Bullying or not, get over it, it is just a forum... and you can take his advice or not. He does have a wealth of knowlwdge that is a great asset to the forum, and he is right to say that unless you are a great mechanic or know one, your best bet is a known expert. I have owned and serviced a good share of cars and *all* of them had bodges done by PO's or their mechanics, and often really, really bad ones. You don't want such things on your Ferrari. So $1900 can be good value, if you are 100% sure that that mechanic is worth that for his expertise. Nothing worse than paying top dollar for bodges, and that does happen more often than you'd think. Also does it include secure pickup and delivery of your car etc? Those are all efforts that need to be paid (and are service to you). DO see if you can "enlarge the cake", aka see that you get some other items attended to while they are busy with your car. If anything is suboptimal within the doors, now is the time. Doing jobs one-by-one is always more work and more expense.
This is my prayer: lord, please give me inner peace when reading about people that buy 10 -15 year old hand made used luxury exotics and complain about price of repairs. Also, solve world hunger. amen
Just place him on IGNORE Ron. He was insulting the people who responded to your question more so than you. This is a great site. He will not ruin it for me. And for some of you others on team RD, I'm not a snowflake who's ego is so fragile I can't take some sarcasm or criticism when it's appropriate. The key words are when it's appropriate. Sarcasm can be funny. He's annoyed me for years. I don't tolerate that treatment in life or on the internet. I call people out on it. Now I'm done with this topic.
Just paid $880 after 10% FCA discount at Cauley to do the new door cable/latch on the passenger side and just reconnect driver's side cable that popped off interior door handle (which I'm sure will need the same procedure as well). So yes, about $1900 for both doors seems the going rate for labor and parts (my parts price was about identical as Racambi price).
I was dumbfounded when I first read comments to the extent "It cost too much". Wow, you buy an exotic and complain about a few thousands here and there? It doesn't compute,ok smoke is coming out my ears, oh oh....
