Dealer Repair Quotes - Dodge Dakota Forum

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jadf6 Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/06/2002 17:56:40	Subject: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: I was just wondering if it seems that thes items are a little pricey. I took my truck to the dealership because my PCM went bad and it was covered under warranty, but I wanted them to replace the rotors, and get a tuneup also. Tuneup: $425 Rotor Replacement(both): $392 This seems a little high. I know you can get rotors for less than $70 a piece, but as far as the tuneup I am not sure where the price comes from. If someone could please advise or if you have similar experience with dealerships please share. Thanks in advance.
Dakaty GenIII 8/06/2002 18:56:34	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: I am a real estate appraiser and within the past year I haved appraised at least 4 residences for car dealership owners. All were over 2 million dollars each. It prices like the ones you got that help them make their house notes!!! If you don't know how, get a service manual and DIY. These procedures should be relatively easy (and fun) even for a beginner.
kota on 20s GenIII 8/06/2002 20:32:09	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: what do they do for a tune up??!! here is a break down of parts and how much you can get them for plugs autolights (3923's) .99 each = $8 cap and rotor around $10 ( i cant remember what i paid) oil (mobil 1) about $5 a QT x 5= $25 oil filter around $5 air filter (K&N drop in) $40 total is $88 you could drasticly cut that price by getting regular oil, and a regular air filter. as for the rotors, i think i payed $50-60 each, and they are EASY to put on. 2 bolts and presto! Eric, 98 5.2 5speed, K&N gen II, 50mm TB, 2bbl M-1, 1.7RR's, JBA ciramic headers, carsound cat, dumped gibson, and a lot more
TonyC Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/06/2002 22:00:50	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: I agree. I spent over $450 for a "tune up", then spent about 16 hours fixing all the mistakes the tech made on my 2001QC. No kidding! He didn't even gap the spark plugs. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that the "dealer service department" will do anything and everything required to make the truck run the best. All they will do is the minimum and collect their flat rate. Do the job yourself. You will be happy you did. By the way..........Bonniville Dodge service department in Manchester, NH...........SUCKS! TonyC
D Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/06/2002 22:15:31	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: rotors are very easy to change, for that price, you could get some cross drilled instead of those POS dodge rotors that will warp in another 10,000 miles. I just turned mine for now, but will be getting the stillen cross drilled soon. Kota is right, the tune up is a sham, it would take a tech all of 1 hour, or less to do a tune up, and they want to charge you $425 ??? even if you do the work yourself, the warranty wont be harmed. if you insist on having someone else do the work, anywhere is cheaper than the dealership, I just hate the fact that somebody else is screwin with my truck, so doing the work yourself is much more fun, and if something gets screwed up on the way, at least you know about it.
kota on 20s GenIII 8/06/2002 23:11:14	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: i was just thinking. 1 1/2 weeks agao i changed my head gaskets. here is the breakdown of what it cost me head gasket (felpro 1008's) = $60 valve cover gaskets = $18 intake manifold gaskets W/bolts=$35 headbolts (mopar) =$12 header gaskets =$25 RTV sealant =$5 valve stem seals =$25 new lifters =$112 TOTAL for parts=$292 (i didnt have to buy new lifters, or valve stem seals, but since the engine was torn apart i thought i might as well do it.) TOTAL for labor = FREE! i wonder what the dealer would have charged me for that job??!! Eric, 98 5.2 5speed, K&N gen II, 50mm TB, 2bbl M-1, 1.7RR's, JBA ciramic headers, carsound cat, dumped gibson, and a lot more
dragrdan Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/06/2002 23:58:10	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: most everything is cheaper when you do it yourself, and its a simple fact of life. however as a manager in an auto service facility(not a dealership, but i worked in one as a tech quite a few years back) i would have to say that whether or not $425 for a tuneup or $392 for rotor replacement(rotors only or ????) is overpriced depends on what they were replacing(jadf6 never told us that) and where he lives(cost of living index). its evident that most of you have never been on the ownership or management end of a business to see all of the bills that go along with that business($1200/mo for advertisement in the local phone book!!!there is the real sham), not to mention the cost of employees(kota on 20s since you work for free YOUR HIRED j/k ). one of the requirements of being a chrysler(or ford or chevy) dealership is to have all of the specialty tools. each time a new tool comes out it gets shipped to the dealer along with the bill, no question about whether they want it or not, and it doesn't matter if its $25 or $25,000(how'd you like to have that setup) another requirement is training for the techs and service writers/mgrs which isnt cheap plus you have to pay their wages while they're at class and not in the shop making money. TonyC, sure there are bad techs(nobody is perfect) out there (if it took you 16 hours to redo what he did how long did it take him?), but in the field, i fix 3 times more screw-ups by DIY'ers than by other techs(if you're not sure buy the manual or find someone who knows). now i DO NOT see a need to overcharge or oversell( there is enough honest work to be done), but i'm just tired of people listening to their $2000 stereo system, and polishing their $2000 rims wearing their $150 sneakers askin why a brake job cost $200.
kota on 20s GenIII 8/07/2002 00:11:37	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: im not sure i see your point. i dont really care what repair shops have for bills. if they have to charge verry high rates to stay in business, they shouldnt be in business! if i cant fix something myself i go somewhere that can. something like a tuneup should not cost $400+ to do!! plane and simple. it takes like an hour to do everything listed (i for got plug wires though sorry) what do you consider a "tune up" that costs over $400? what kind of rotors do you use that cost $400? you being a mechanic, know how easy rotors are to change. give me a break. im not sure what you mean by people buying high doller items for there car either. if i had a $200,000 ferrari, and the dealer wants $1,000 for a oil change, im going to DO IT MY SELF!! its not that i would not be able to afford it, i just like to save money when possible. Eric, 98 5.2 5speed, K&N gen II, 50mm TB, 2bbl M-1, 1.7RR's, JBA ciramic headers, carsound cat, dumped gibson, and a lot more
jadf6 Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/07/2002 11:50:58	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: I talked more in depth with the service department and here is what is included for the specified jobs. I am currently in the Washington DC area (Arlington; high cost of living). Tuneup: Plugs and wires; dist. cap and rotor. Rotors: replacement of rotors and pads. I have done rotors on other vehicles through other people and it cost me max $200. I understand the dealer will cost more, and the reason I went there is for the bad PCM which was under warranty. I just wanted to see if I could get everything done at once which has turned out to be cost prohibitive. I wish I had the ability to do it myself right now, but all my tools are in storage, and I don't have a good place to work in my temp. living conditions. I will have to research other avenues of getting the service done. Thanks for everyones input.
WallyR Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/07/2002 13:08:31	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: They should even call it a tuneup anymore, there's essentially nothing to adjust. And $425 for that? Total ripoff-especially if you have a 4.7 and there are no wires, cap or rotor. Eight plugs, about a buck apiece as kota pointed out and plug in the trusty scantool. Throw in a PCV valve and DONE. One hour and <$20 in parts. And people wonder/complain that techs in DFW make $70K/year?? Shoot, with shop rates at $60-$75/hr by the book, not the clock it's no freakin' wonder. If you don't have the confidence to DIY, you're bound to know somebody like a bunch of us here that have gladly help out a friend for the modest price of a burger and a few beers (or many, depending on the job). Wally
dragrdan Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/07/2002 21:36:57	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: "im not sure i see your point. i dont really care what repair shops have for bills. if they have to charge verry high rates to stay in business, they shouldnt be in business!" - my point is NOTHING is cheap anymore, and it may be different in your neck of the woods, but most shops charge about the same as any other professional (plumber, electrician, electronics repairman) and i dont see anyone here kickin them down, and we do the jobs of those three plus more. "what do you consider a "tune up" that costs over $400?" well these prices are about average from the shop i work at and for a v-8. parts labor spark plugs 10.00 65.00 ignition cables 50.00 45.00 cap and rotor 20.00 32.50 air filter 15.00 fuel filter 20.00 32.50 fuel injector service 30.00 40.00 auto trans service 40.00 40.00 (or manual trans service) 20.00 20.00 pcv valve 10.00 pcv breather filter 7.00 accessory drive belt 50.00 25.00 total = 532+tax and i didn't just pull these things outta my a$$ these are all the things my owners manual said to inspect or replace at 60k mi(not saying they would all be bad or need replaced but still a possibility). "And people wonder/complain that techs in DFW make $70K/year?? Shoot, with shop rates at $60-$75/hr by the book, not the clock it's no freakin' wonder." i make about $40k/year(averave pay for the position around here), i would suggest you double check those figures and compare them with the cost of living in that area too.
kota on 20s GenIII 8/07/2002 21:51:06	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: you make it seem like you are giving people a deal! what kind of plugs do you give for $65?? the pos $5 bosh platinum plugs only add up to $40 for 8 of them i can see charging more money for a big job (engine over haul, ect.) but come on, hundreds of dollers for 1 1/2 hours worth of work? (tops) Eric, 98 5.2 5speed, K&N gen II, 50mm TB, 2bbl M-1, 1.7RR's, JBA ciramic headers, carsound cat, dumped gibson, and a lot more
Steve Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/07/2002 22:53:11	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: DragrDan What kinda of tech are you only making 40K. My pops was a tech and made alot more then that. Granted i am in i High cost of living area but still. Ever sell a water pump to a guy driving an old VW bug?? Ever sell a muffler bearing?? hahahaha just pulling ou chain i mean techs cant work for free, and alot of time that is what people expect.
WallyR Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/07/2002 23:11:46	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: missed the point entirely, didn't you?? this is about a tuneup, not the 60K service so nix about half the things on your list. a dealer quoted jad based on plugs, cap, rotor and wires. if you're only pulling in $40K a year you need to either relocate or get off your duff. kick-a$$ techs in plano, texas are making as i stated. huge demand+high turnover+high shop rates=fat salaries. fly more tickets and you might make some more money. as for the cost of living in this area it is lower than east coast, west coast and upper midwest. face it, most dealers and shops are a ripoff because they prey on people.
dragrdan Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/08/2002 01:38:09	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: no, actually you missed the point(s), until jad reposted, we didnt actually know what they were quoting him for as a "tune-up" or brake work. i do agree that for plugs wires cap and rotor, $425 is high, but we didnt know. reread my first post, i rarely turn a wrench anymore(down to about 20-25 flat rate hours/wk), i am a manager, however when i was only a tech i averaged about 55-60 hours/week. i have checked around and been around(in the field for 20 yrs) and unless i wanna drive an hour and a half or more each way, 40k is about average for the area.
dragrdan Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/08/2002 01:40:29	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: kota, the first price is parts (ie for the spark plugs, 10.00) the second is labor
kota on 20s GenIII 8/08/2002 01:50:22	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: ROFLMAO!!! YOU ARE SMOKING CRACK!!!!!!!!!!!! Eric, 98 5.2 5speed, K&N gen II, 50mm TB, 2bbl M-1, 1.7RR's, JBA ciramic headers, carsound cat, dumped gibson, and a lot more
kota on 20s GenIII 8/08/2002 01:51:00	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: jeez dude, i put in plugs, took them out and regaped them, and put them back in.. total time = 1/2 hour you are telling me that would have cost $130 for labor?? how much to change the plugs on a 2000 camaro? Eric, 98 5.2 5speed, K&N gen II, 50mm TB, 2bbl M-1, 1.7RR's, JBA ciramic headers, carsound cat, dumped gibson, and a lot more
dragrdan Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/08/2002 15:11:32	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: kota actually i would have only charged 65( you must have been smoking crack, I would have gapped them right the first time) 2000 camaro plug replacement- 3.8l= 1.9hrs 5.7l= 2.7
Chris Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/08/2002 17:12:11	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: (I'm reeeally bored at work and reading this stuff) My friend has worked as a mechanic at Chrysler in Ontario, CA for 5 years and gets paid not much more than 40 G's a year. He does not like warranty work because gets very little for it. This wasn't warranty work though. I know he would do it right. Yeah that was definitely a waste of kizzash. But, they give you an estimate before doing the work. If you didn't like it and knew better you could have gone to another dealership. Those jobs are the ones I like to do myself.
puffer Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/08/2002 18:21:03	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: (kota 20) ROFLMAO!!! YOU ARE SMOKING CRACK!!!!!!!!!!!! are soon to be awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
alex Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/08/2002 18:26:06	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: It's funny what soem people will pay a mechanic to do. Out of that $532 list of repairs, the only one that I wouldn't do in the driveway is the auto tranny service. Because I have a 5-spd. Leave out the labor completely and the parts that aren't necessary for a 4.7 L coil-on-plug motor, and you are down to $147. That's with the parts prices listed in that post. Whew. I just saved $385!! Hahahahha!
kota on 20s GenIII 8/08/2002 19:33:54	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: dragrdan, here is why i had to regap them... friday i put a MSD 6BTM in the truck, and gapped the plugs per msd's instructions (a wide gap) on saturday, i installed a supercharger, and had to narrow the gap back down. total time for installing them 2 times = 1/2 hour since i HAD to regap them, you would have charged me $130. Eric, 98 5.2 5speed, K&N gen II, 50mm TB, 2bbl M-1, 1.7RR's, JBA ciramic headers, carsound cat, dumped gibson, and a lot more
dragrdan Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/09/2002 02:10:50	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: personally kota, i would have just gapped them for the s/c knowing that it would be installed soon thereafter(saving some work, and knowing that it would have no adverse effect). btw hope those plugs werent platinum(never regap platinums, it loosens the platinum tip). but still, it took you 15 min to change the plugs(one time) now add in the time it took to pull the vehicle in, talk with the customer, type the estimate, get the tools and parts, and test drive the vehicle afterwards(all part of doing the job) which took you say 30 min( you do work fast right?). you just made $9.00 (the techs that i work with make $9.00 per flat rate hour). then you move to the next job which say is a plug replacement on an aluminum head 4cyl (say flat rate .7 or $6.30) that hasnt had the plugs changed for 90,000 mi and it takes you 1.25 hrs(the plugs are corroded into the head, and all the other parts of the job) so between the two jobs you still didnt break even. but hopefully with the next jobs you can catch up or come ahead. flate rate is set up to keep techs workin in a timely manner, after all, you dont want them gabbing at the water cooler, or takin a smoke/coffee break on your dollar, do you? being a manager i dont work flat rate anymore, just a $500/wk salary plus $50-100 bonus(depending on the volume of business). the owner takes $3.00 per flat rate hour for each tech or $15.00 per hour(5 techs). all of the rest of the $65/hr labor + parts markup goes into operational costs, employee benefits, equipment repair, upkeep, and replacement etc. one of my techs did a $637 tune up(plugs, wires, cap, rotor, air filter, and fuel filter) today, pretty steep huh? i would have never paid that much, but then again i would have never bought a vehicle that you need to remove the intake manifold to get to the spark plugs and wires, or drop the fuel tank to get to the fuel filter. not to mention that the parts were so exorbitant ($87 retail for a distributor cap, without rotor).
dodgeit97 Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/09/2002 16:56:15	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: I got shafted once when I was 16, um about 7 years ago at a place called Just Brakes. I didnt know what the hell was going on, it was my first truck and I didnt know how much rotors or brake pads were, or how to change them. Your all gonna (insert forbidden word here) yer pants, but they ripped me for $650 to resurface the rotors, replace brake pads and replace a brake line.... Talk about being taken. My first mistake was going to some place called "Just Brakes" my second mistake was approving the labor. So, mister auto tech, dont tell me time/labor is that precious cause like Kota said, I could have done all that work for free and learned something from it. I got ripped off and I was a nieve victim. And thats the soul purpose of all these places that "offer" auto repair "services"... to rip people off, charging an arm and a leg hoping theyre too dumb to realize the work isnt worth it and that there arent any choices as far as parts go. And those parts. HA! thats funny... what kind of spark plugs ARE you using anyhow. and what all goes into checking a PCV valve? making sure its there? Dragrdan, looks like everyone here pretty much works on thier own trucks and I'm sure just about everyone here has either been ripped off or is close to someone who has been... so theres no point in trying to justify such rediculous prices (wich i will admit were pretty comical)... I Dont mean to sound like a peter, but thats the way it is. he he. But, do you not agree that the way to go is to pull the labor on your own if you can? have a good one dodgeit97
WallyR Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/09/2002 17:37:17	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: That's why we call it "Just Raped". Wally
dragrdan Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/09/2002 21:15:24	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: dodgeit97- if you look at my first post, first line says it all. $650 to resurface the rotors, replace brake pads and replace a brake line? you definitely got hosed, but wait, you approved it? so you got hosed by YOU!!!! they inspected the vehicle, told you what it needed(in their opinion), gave you a price(a bend over and take it hard price at that), and you said yes. now dont get me wrong, i have heard numerous horror stories about "just brakes" and have also heard them called just raped. they overcharged that job by far, but you, not knowing any better, paid it willingly. so who is more at fault, them for saying we want $650 to do this job, or you for agreeing that it was worth it? you got screwed one time by two people( them and you) so now EVERYONE in the auto service industry is out to rip people off? you ripped yourself off in that deal, also, so you must always be trying to pay too much right? BTW, lets hear some of your proffessions, if youve got a pair, THAT would be hilarious(pot calling kettle black)
kota on 20s GenIII 8/10/2002 00:48:53	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: "but then again i would have never bought a vehicle that you need to remove the intake manifold to get to the spark plugs and wires, or drop the fuel tank to get to the fuel filter. " so you dont have a dakota? FYI, the fuel filter is in the tank. Eric, 98 5.2 5speed, K&N gen II, 50mm TB, 2bbl M-1, 1.7RR's, JBA ciramic headers, carsound cat, dumped gibson, and a lot more
dragrdan Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/10/2002 04:31:25	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: yeah, i have a dakota, 1988, filter is on the frame rail.
dodgeit97 Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/10/2002 19:02:14	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: You want to know about our professions, like what we do for a living? well, I'm not an auto tech, nor would I really ever want to be one. I like getting my hands dirty and reveling in my accomplishments though. I'm a Coastie and I work on computers/web design in my spare time and will persue such a carreer after my enlistment and schooling. Does that cover your inquiry? And at 16 years old, not knowing any better, what would YOU have done providing you(myslef) didnt know sh!t about automobiles? maybe you grew up working on your $200 dollar cars the whole weekend just to get to school and work thru the week like my dad did. Luckily I didnt have such hardships. Oh and another thing. The A holes at Just Brakes charged me $250 to inspect and diagnose the "problem". that was pretty sneaky. So, since I had the money I just told them to fix the damn thing and that I was never comming back to them and would never recommend them to anyone. Dragrdan, I'm not tryin to sling mud in anyones eye, so lighten up huh?
dragrdan Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 8/11/2002 23:20:26	RE: Dealer Repair Quotes IP: Logged Message: dodgeit- a quote from your post- And thats the soul purpose of all these places that "offer" auto repair "services"... to rip people off now mind you, i run one of these places, so according to your post, i am one of the biggest thieves there is, and you are not trying to sling mud? for not trying you did a pretty good job. as for being 16 and not knowing about auto repair, i honestly couldn't tell you what i would have done, because i have been workin on em since the ripe old age of 12. and in school i wish i could have afforded a $200 car(they were more like $50 pos's, lol). and as i have said before, i have heard stories about just brakes but i would wager that for every bad shop(or tech) out there, there are at least 5 good ones. but of course bad events get heard while good ones dont. computers/web design? i have seen some of their prices, and you think i overcharge? come on now. two of the computer shops i buy parts from charge $68 and $72 per hour for computer repair, and when we had a web design company contact us they wanted $3500 to set up a website for us and it would take them about a week, that works out to over $85 an hour. not that i think these prices are high, because EVERYTHING is expensive in today's economy but according to what most people have posted on this thread they are ripoffs too.
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