"02996ttx50

Shop labor prices are ridiculous.

My buddy who moonlights as a Porsche tech changes my plugs and coils and oil for about 300 and does it in less 2.5-3 hours start to finish.

But then he isn't the wizard of OZ either. Sheesh.

32krazy!

spark plugs 100? header bolts labor 500? i hope that came with some oral satisfaction. even drilling a bolt oput shouldnt be more than 1 hr labor. no way i ever pay 16$ for a spark plug!

Fishey

Bosch FR-6-DPP-332 S are $10 each at the cheapest internet prices which means normal retail is around $12.50 with markup your looking at around $15 for plugs.

I have to give you blind optimism but removing the manifold is a 1.6 hour labor time strait up book. Then you got another hour and a half to remove the bolt and that is assuming it goes to plan. Your drilling steel from aluminum and more importantly your dealing with dissimilar metals. So lets say in a perfect world you get it drilled dead strait (Free hand) and then you work your way up to the correct size and are able to pick the threads out you basically hit the mechanical jackpot. That of course still takes time its not a fast process. There is a much better chance you can't pick the threads out as they have galvanic corrosion so your then stuck with over drilling and repairing the hole. All of that chance for what you think should be an hour of labor? This is why so many techs botch jobs.

Signalmtb

thats a damn good estimate ... $1900. Little less time on plugs and bolt extraction but everything else is pretty spot on. Bolts were $100 just for the parts. Wasn't expecting that price tag though, gotta be honest. Parts were $900 with tax, labor was $1000. He couldn't get around the turbos so had to remove them.

FRUNKenstein

Are we still guessing?
Hmm, I'm gonna say $1,899

g-50cab

911mhawk

I told you those bolts are brown tax...nice to see someone post what they actually paid for someone else to do the work.
The mechanic's should be happy to hear this wasn't a $500/beer/pizza/buddy deal that makes the uninitiated with no mechanical ability think these cars are inexpensive and devalues honest hard work.

"02996ttx50

agree, probably very happy. also i would imagine, they'd happy to hear that there is nothing in this anecdotal report that might help to encourage any notion that most mechanics charge highly overinflated labour costs as the norm. certainly can't have the "uninitiated" believing that either.

a spark plug is a spark plug. oil is oil. etc etc. and this isn't rocket science. it doesn't take six fkn hours to change any of that stuff lol

"pay no attention to that man behind the curtain"! - Wizard of Oz - Frank Baum 1900 .

Quadcammer

on a 6TT? I've heard that about the 7TT (even though I did them without moving the turbos), but from what I read, the 6TT plug change is almost straightforward.

You trust this guy? That pricing is very high.

BillZ260

I wanted to see the curve!

NoogaSparrow

I think he was referring to the exhaust bolts and extraction

Signalmtb

I'm assuming it's because my turbos are larger kkk 24/26's instead of the 16's. I do all my own wrenching on my Rovers (engine, suspension, most electrics, etc.), and even most everything on my old 951S...but this 996tt I'm not touching. Screwing around on a $15k car is a helluva lot different.


Do I trust him? I suppose that's why I'm posting...and originally posted it as a "guess" to get some unbiased opinions from the forum. As with anything there's wide variability.

Signalmtb

yeah me too, only had 5 legitimate estimates though, need at least 30 for a good old fashioned histogram. But here are some fun summary stats of the estimates (with outliers and any Price is Right bids removed):


n=5
min: $1000
max: $2362
avg: $1557
MAPE: 28%


our n=5 estimate even demonstrates the 'wisdom of crowds'

911mhawk

Go ahead and start learning your turbo, not much more difficult to work on than other cars from the same era, certain things just take more time.

​​​​​​Just search here and another site for whatever problem or project and you'll usually find pictures and other help that can save you headache and $.

uwrasta

If you've been wrenchin your rovers I would dig into the turbo.

I have replaced my own exhaust, plugs, coilpacks, fuel filter, boost leak tested, and cleaned the throttle body and I have "never" done work on a car before this one. I did have the luxury of being able to buy a mid rise bendpak which has made life much easier.

If a guy like me with virtually no mechanical experience can do it. So can you!!!

Just take your time, study the diy threads as you go, buy a PDF repair and parts manual (or find one online).

As for the bolt. I would give it a stab. Also just make sure you have the right tools. If you get into it and f up the threads you can helicoil it

Did that on my air filter threads and now it's golden. Just do an google search.