Was I ripped off??
11-13-2003, 11:08 PM
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Was I ripped off??
Need to know how hard is it to change the #6 upper spark plug on my 89 C4. Reason I ask is that since I was pressed for time and had already changed the rest of the plugs, I went ahead and took her in for the front end alignmentn figuring to get it done there. Low and behold I was charged 1 hr. of labor~ $82.50 for this. Now I did my own struts, shocks, rotors, pads..... and an hour to take this plug out seems a little excessive to me. Am I wrong??? Want some good input before I go back to this new shop I was giving a chance to.... Steering wheel not centered after alignment, ride height in the back left a little off.... I hate to do the "go back" thing!!
Drew
89 c4
86 930
Drew
89 c4
86 930
11-14-2003, 01:19 AM
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Hey Drew,
a lot of shops will bill a full hour no matter what, especially to a guy driving an expensive european car. Its also possible that they decided to take out a few things to get to that spark plug - which might take a little more time. The bigger issue is that it doesn't seem like they did all the work they should have done in that hour, which makes me wonder how long they really spent on it. I replaced my alternator myself after a local shop told me it would be a 9 hour job and a $1,000 part - I did it myself in 5 hours, so I knew it was b.s. Getting frustrated with repair shops is what got me into the DIY thing to begin with. Generally I'd say its probably not worth arguing about maybe $41.25, considering how expensive working on a Porsche can get. I would just take it back and get the work you wanted done completely at no further charge. Trust your judgement, and if you don't have faith in their work, find another shop.
Ken.
a lot of shops will bill a full hour no matter what, especially to a guy driving an expensive european car. Its also possible that they decided to take out a few things to get to that spark plug - which might take a little more time. The bigger issue is that it doesn't seem like they did all the work they should have done in that hour, which makes me wonder how long they really spent on it. I replaced my alternator myself after a local shop told me it would be a 9 hour job and a $1,000 part - I did it myself in 5 hours, so I knew it was b.s. Getting frustrated with repair shops is what got me into the DIY thing to begin with. Generally I'd say its probably not worth arguing about maybe $41.25, considering how expensive working on a Porsche can get. I would just take it back and get the work you wanted done completely at no further charge. Trust your judgement, and if you don't have faith in their work, find another shop.
Ken.
11-14-2003, 03:06 AM
#3
Drifting
I think 1 hour is not that bad for replacing the no plug. The rekon also drive in to the garage, prepairing for work and test drive. So I think youre not ripped off.
11-14-2003, 07:10 AM
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Andrew
IF you have already removed the secondary muffler & heat shields (which you need to do for valve cover removal to adjust valve clearance) #6 plug takes a few minutes. IF you drove the car in there, they would have removed all that stuff to get to it & then put it all back on after replacing the two plugs in #6. I reckon it would take at least 30 to 45 minutes to do all this. So, NO I don't think you were ripped off. They're not going to charge for, say 37 minutes - they will charge this at an hour.
IF you have already removed the secondary muffler & heat shields (which you need to do for valve cover removal to adjust valve clearance) #6 plug takes a few minutes. IF you drove the car in there, they would have removed all that stuff to get to it & then put it all back on after replacing the two plugs in #6. I reckon it would take at least 30 to 45 minutes to do all this. So, NO I don't think you were ripped off. They're not going to charge for, say 37 minutes - they will charge this at an hour.
11-14-2003, 06:59 PM
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Andre
the top plug is best removed from below. I hat eto tell you this (though 1 hr labour bill won't kill you) but with all the heat shields etc off already, if you work from below with a 4" extension and uni-joint, its no harder than all the rest. Really. It took me 5 mins working from below.
the top plug is best removed from below. I hat eto tell you this (though 1 hr labour bill won't kill you) but with all the heat shields etc off already, if you work from below with a 4" extension and uni-joint, its no harder than all the rest. Really. It took me 5 mins working from below.