How much your mechanic charges per hour?

I do not know of a single independent charging 100 or less.

 

I thought the OP was asking if people in the US thought 45 euros / hour was excessive. I think the overwhelming conclusion is that it is much lass that we are use to paying.

Most of my experience with dealer service is with the German cars and two coworkers are former mechanics (Audi, BMW, Porsche, VW) and explained the time/repair schedule that is expected, mandatory half-day Saturday, etc.

So yes, first hand customer experience, second hand tech knowledge with German cars.

Just to be clear, I started that I doubt anyone charges less the $100/hr and in most cases more, or much more!

 

We like to see fixed ops absorb about 70% of all operating cost including variable (sales).
The smartest and BEST dealerships maintain great service departments. Full stop.

 

And most manufacturers recognize and insure that is possible. One of those ways is to insure warranty can be well handled by giving the dealer the ability to make a profit on it. It also helps to insure a high CSI with the brand. People from other brands are blown away at Ferrari warranty policies and activities.

 

I think most Indies here in NEB are $155 or more.
The next problem is most Indies are nowhere near as good as the reputation they were built on,
because the guys that built the business(es) sold out and retired, and the new owners, in most cases,
don't give as near a damn about quality as the original owners did.

I'd say of the 'Top 5' indies in Omaha, four of them are no longer run by the guys that started them.

 

Unfortunately, I think I am relegated to the pre-owned market and will never get to experience buying one new.

So far, my only new car buying experience was getting a European delivery of a BMW 328i in 2006 and there is an interesting Ferrari anecdote about that too!

BTW - If you would entertain a question about judging leather I would be interested in your opinion!

 

I believe the original warranty on my 1998 Maranello was one year, and that was pretty much worthless.

 

Warranty is only as good as your dealer. The 3 I worked at took very good care of customers under warranty. We even got a new free engine for a Boxer owner under warranty....a gray market car.

Everything now is being sold with pricey extended factory warranty.

 

This thread is pretty much a waste anyway. Whats your question about leather?

 

so as not to hijack this topic:
https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/to-preserve-as-is-or-restore.700099/

 

My favorite are dealers that pack on non-OEM Service contracts during the sales process.
Anybody who gets one should have their head examined. That is the closest thing to multiple parties conspiring to steal (and is still legal) in my experience.

 

I agree. They are pretty much worthless. Many years ago I allowed myself to get talked into doing work on an after market warranty. Never again. The very few times it has come up I just tell client I will do work and you pay bill. It is up to you to get them to pay after our business is concluded.

 

The BMW dealership here packed an off-market brand contract on my wife’s BMW (for $5k !). She just went in for some work last week and they charged her full customer pay and she paid it ! Water pump,bla bla etc… ($6k). I had to call and remind them, they tried to wiggle out of it but it is cut and dry so they agreed and now have to give my loot back and go fight with their off-brand nonsense warranty company (and lose) to get this off the books before 2025

Damn dealer tried to get paid 2x. Nobody is aware of reinsurance or how it works it seems.

Rifledriver I need to get a shop recommendation from you at some point. Distance unimportant.

 

These posts just remind me how woefully underpaid my profession is.

Nearly all our work is paid by third party contracts that dictate what I can do, bundle services, enact frequency limitations and force me to take 70% off everything. No other profession would tolerate this. Dentists are just a bunch of *****s

 

Brian.

Mine charges $90/hr to service the Mercedes. He's a mobile guy. He doesn't do transmissions, but otherwise has yet to say no to any request for service from me, and he comes to the house, works in the garage. Fully insured and doesn't take 6 hours to do 2 hour jobs. These are SW Florida prices, and our cost of living is a little lower, but not THAT much lower.

And the mobile tire guy who also does suspension and brake work, is about $60/hr.

I don't ask questions about why they don't charge me more, but I certainly do wonder.

D

 

Easy when you cut overhead by 90%, make 200-300% on parts and scrape the cream jobs off the top and leave the lower profit work to everyone else.

I was talking about real full service shops. Not a guy in an ice cream truck.

 

Not arguing that. You point was that you don't know any independents doing work for under $100/hr. Mine was, "Okay, but I do."

D

 

I do not consider him a shop or a real mechanic for that matter.
He's a lube boy with a truck.

 

Or, "how many miles on your Ferrari, cause my Ferrari only has 3000 miles on it, I am proud that it is a garage queen....."