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As I was mentioning in my previous post, I had replaced the cam seals and top end sealer and reassembled everything only to find that I was not getting sparks while trying to start. After a lot of frustration I towed it to Volvo so they can hammer me with another $115/hr labor cost. Guess what? It was the stupid cam position sensor. It got bad while I was working on the seals I guess (I don't know why). They plugged into the OBS and $388 later, I was back on the road.
Now I need to vent: Why is is so !#$%^& expensive to get anything done by volvo. $115/hr !!!!! to change a stupid cam sensor (two bolts and a plug right on to of the engine block!) They charged me for 1.5hrs of labor! I did it so manytimes in 5 minutes that I get seak just looking at the invoice.
Also, why is my OBS code reader not reading a faulty sensor that I have to take it to Volvo for them to read it. BTW, if they read and you decide not to do the work, $100!......... PER READING!!!!! I did it once on the ABS sensor and the airflow mass sensor. Same visit, TWO READINGS, $200!!!!!!!!!!
I'm in the wrong business. I fly a 50 passengers jet and I make $32/hr. I think I'm gonna throw up.....
Thanks for letting me vent
Nick
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posted by
someone claiming to be sumpmold
on
Fri Dec 10 11:23 CST 2004 [ RELATED]
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Thanks for helping turn the airline business into something less than a bus driver job. I f you fancy yourself skilled labor on the scale as a mechanic then start demanding a living wage to do it. A decent mechanic is making $65,000 of better. You are raking in about $33,000. That ain't the mechanics fault. Can you say "prostitute"?
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I can not agree more with you. It is a shame that I only make that little. He's is the problem I'm facing though: before v. after 9/11
Before, 9/11 I trained for many years and did low "time builder" jobs to get hired by a regional airline. Back then they were considered "stepping stones" to get to major airlines (united, delta...) 2 to 3 years of yet another low salary to finally make it big and be set for life. Then, 9/11.....
Major airlines furloughing people, going into banckrupcy, unions putting their pants down in fear of loosing more people.
I didn't make this industry. I don't make the rules, I just play by them, and they changed on 9/11. I don't like them so I guess I will change career... again. When you spent several years training and building time and experience, it is tough to simply walk away from it though.
Food for thoughts: Volvo code reading $100, New York - Ft lauderdale $64
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posted by
someone claiming to be Herb
on
Mon Dec 13 05:52 CST 2004 [ RELATED]
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"Food for thoughts: Volvo code reading $100, New York - Ft lauderdale $64"
Hmmm, try comparing overall cost of living between those two places as well. EVERYTHING costs more on the east or west coasts. Any dealer will usually try to be competetive on pricing with other dealers nearby or a shopping customer will go to the others. As for just code reading ONLY (no diagnostics), many parts stores today read codes for free.
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posted by
someone claiming to be Sam
on
Fri Dec 10 00:31 CST 2004 [ RELATED]
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Sure, you can sometimes read your own codes or take it to a parts store that might try BUT at ANY shop, dealer or indy, the $$$ you're paying is a flat rate fee and is theoritically paying for more than reading codes, the tech should be going a tad further into any needed diagnostics, checking sensor readings, wiring, etc. For the most part, a code usually means 'bad part' BUT not always and that's why there's the 1 hour diagnostic fee. It's also not just cars, it's everything else in this world that requires an experienced, educated person to properly diagnose any problem (IE: computers, heating and AC equipment, plumbing systems, TVs, appliances, etc, etc).
The dealers have to charge more because they have higher overhead than the little guy at the corner but should then also have better service, or at least in theory. Yes, I know that people also have bad dealership experiences too so let's not go there.
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If a dealers primary income is from selling cars, don't charge me for additional overhead because they have a service department and a small parts inventory. WE are still the customers, used or new, who would like to be recognized as brand loyalists, not sheep to be fleeced. $110 per hour would be OK if it really took the mechanic 1 hour. But $110 for less than 5 minutes of "work" is unaceptable and wrong. Charging 3 hours for a job that the "book" says takes 3 hours and getting your car back in 90 minutes is a crime.
Klaus
--
98 V70Rawd(101Kmi), 95 854T(85K mi), 88 245(165K mi)
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posted by
someone claiming to be Sam
on
Fri Dec 10 06:03 CST 2004 [ RELATED]
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A flat rated (book) time is going to be the same anywhere and although there are times when a tech makes profit by beating the time, there are also other occasions when he loses. Does anyone then pitty the guy, highly doubtfull. Let's also realize that we're all in it for a buck in this world or why bother getting up every morning and drive to work? I'll bet that whatever you do, you also profit at someone elses expense vs working for free, right?
Now, as for that pesky $110 per hour, you're wrong. The dealers profits from selling cars aren't enough to cover the shops overhead as well. Price some modern day shop equipment today, the stuff that any car manufacturer requires the dealers to purchase in order to be a dealer. It's more complicated and costly than most people realize. Here's another thing, if you bought and drive a newer Volvo, you probably make decent income and know that owning a high line car is never cheap. The other Euro cars aren't cheap to keep either.
Parts is a whole different matter in itself but they also can't possibly stock everything for every car. They can overnight almost anything however.
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If a code reader costs a dealer $1,000, and he charges me $100 per code, 5 customers later he has recouped his cost! The next 3 or 4 years is pure profit. It is good business practice for a bartender to give a drink on the house once in a while, it is poor practice to nickle and dime your customers who have few options to go elsewhere for service.
My new indie checked the steering rack for leaks, after the dealer insisted I needed a new one on my 100,000 mile car, and gave me the car back free of charge! He said I will be back for other stuff, he is right. He will do my brakes on both of my turbos. He charges $92/hour, not flat rate or book.
I prefer honest business practices over greed.
Klaus
--
98 V70Rawd(101Kmi), 95 854T(85K mi), 88 245(165K mi)
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posted by
someone claiming to be Sam
on
Fri Dec 10 12:59 CST 2004 [ RELATED]
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No, Volvos VST costs a dealer $6K and the Vadis PC for newer Volvos costs many thousands more, NOT to mention the many hours of tech training needed to properly train todays dealer techs. That's still just the tip of the iceberg.
Do some Volvo dealer trainees or techs ever make mistakes? Yes, all humans do and I'll bet that you do too in your line of work. Most good techs try hard not to however.
The little guy in the corner shop, marginally getting by who's usually a disgruntled ex-dealer indy guy because he couldn't cut it as a dealer tech 15 yrs ago but hasn't had any modern day auto education? He has little overhead in comparison and can try working for less money but he won't be in business much longer. They aren't keeping up with modern technology and can't. As far as Volvo is concerned and in my area, I know that none of them have worked in any Volvo dealer, had any factory training in over 20+ yrs. What can they then really know about a modern day Volvos technology besides the basics?
Here's just another example of profit:
A plumber comes to your house, it's at least $50 for the service call PLUS whatever else is wrong. Let's say there's a clogged drain that needs snaking, plan on spending $300 and he'll be done in minutes.
Shall we try discussing "fairness" in the medical field? How about lawyers?
We could go on. In every walk of life, everyone tries to make some profit one way or another.
For those who don't like that, do it yourself. I do most things myself BUT there are times when I too need to hire someone who's experienced at what they do and I pay.
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The 2 minnesota dealers are only at $110/hr. Guess it's time for them to jack the rates up again. Next time you go to the dealer and he charges you an hour to read a code, fill one of those airplane barf bags with vegetable soup and make noises in the bag and ask if someone could please throw the bag away! Just leave it on someone's desk!
The dealers obviously don't want older cars around. They want us to buy new cars and have the factory pay for repairs. BTW, they never "repair" they just remove and replace. I need to raid their dumpster again.
--
98 V70Rawd(101Kmi), 95 854T(85K mi), 88 245(165K mi)
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I've been driving Eurocars for over 20 years and IMO it is not an economically rational decision to bring one to an official dealer out of warranty. There is a huge yacht anchored near here that's owned by a guy who owns several high-end Eurocar dealerships. At least none of my $$$$ are represented in that yacht!
I use an exclusively-Volvo indy shop, I've also used an exclusively-Saab indy shop for my Saabs and exclusively Porsche (mostly) indy Porsche shop for my Porsche. Sometimes the dealer can't be avoided, like for parts or when an indy is on vacation or backed up 2 weeks, but mostly it's an avoidable experience.
NEVER, EVER take a Eurocar to a chain like Midas, either!!!
The Japanese cars in our driveway I just take to the guy down the street for routine service even when they're still under warranty. If he can't do an oil change on a Honda he should give up and try another profession.
My $0.02
-BTC
'98 V70 T5M, 152k mi, front IPD stabilizer bar, rear factory HD bar, Bilstein HD, Volvo strut tower brace and skidplate, e-codes, V-1, Mobil-1 since new
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