Just because you know better, doesn't mean you act like it

*clyde* · 10-22-2014, 02:08 PM

I just got a $535 quote from a Ford dealer for replacing front pads and rotors on the FoST. Not including tax on the parts.

Dealer website parts department has rotors at $56 each and front pads for $87. That's $199 total. The next closest Ford dealer has them for about $170 total. I haven't bothered looking elsewhere for better pricing or figuring out where these two dealers rate on pricing locally.

Dealer's labor rate is $124/hr.

So, even at full MSRP pricing on the parts ($236) that leaves over 1.5 hours labor. For front rotors and pads with power tools on a lift.

Wow.

I explained I was a little confused about the pricing. He said he could look to see if there's an active special where he could take off 5% or 10%. I said, "I can come pick up my car, stop at the other dealer to pick up the parts for $170 and change them myself after work and before dinner. Or, because the car is there, I'll pay you $200 for the parts, an hour at your labor rate and you can comp me an oil change and I'll give you 5s on the survey." He said he could give me 10% off. I asked if there was someone else I could speak to about pricing. He asked what I wanted. I said, "$350 for the front brakes and an oil change." He put me on hold for about five minutes before coming back to say he could do it.

I feel kinda dirty paying this much for something so simple. But, the parts cost what they cost and five quarts of synthetic oil and a filter isn't free*, so...meh. My bad for just not doing the brakes myself up front. I'll see what it looks like when I get it home and go from there.

What a fucking racket.

* Of course, these are the guys that left the oil cap off the car last time which had already put one free oil change coupon in my pocket that gets to stay there for now.

bren · 10-22-2014, 02:14 PM

Nice job on the haggle.

I've found that doesn't work so well when you had to have the car towed in to fix your own stupidity.

Every time I've worked on something lately I've regretted it, I'm really starting to think it's just not worth it. I'm getting ready to pull the engine out of the C4, so I'm sure that's going to go double over the next few weekends.

*clyde* · 10-22-2014, 03:07 PM

Meh. There's probably a note in my file about them leaving off the oil cap and my past response.

Easier to justify paying someone to do the work on your daily transportation than on the weekend fun/race car. It just comes with a bit of pride swallowing and anxiety over whether it will be done right (no matter whether you're likely to do it right yourself) and whether what you spend is reasonable or you're being taken. $535 for front brakes on the FoST?

$300 for the same thing when I know the parts cost for me wouldn't top $175? Okay. I guess. Plus $50 for a 5 quart oil change (which is how I'm doing the mental accounting)? I can live with it, but still feel like I left some on the table. Then again, I'm not sure what price would have made me feel good.

TD · 10-22-2014, 03:29 PM

Ford doesn't include free maintenance?

*clyde* · 10-22-2014, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TD

Ford doesn't include free maintenance?

I think they do for some cars, but not across the board and not for the FoST.

TD · 10-22-2014, 03:38 PM

My cars are either old enough that I'm either doing it myselfand/or taking it to an indy shop or new enough that I'm under maintenance (the VW).

I haven't dealt with dealer overcharging in a while.

John V · 10-22-2014, 04:23 PM

1.5 hours labor for front brakes doesn't sound too terribly bad to me. They have to get the car in the shop, get it on the lift, find where you hid the wheel lock key, get the wheels off, clean the new rotors, bust loose the rusty retaining screw on the rotor, ...

I did front brakes on my co-worker's Prius two weeks ago. It took me about 45 minutes, but that car, like every Toyota, is really easy to work on. Maybe the Focus is too.

But congrats on the haggle. I don't love doing boring maintenance work myself, but I like it a hell of a lot more than paying someone else to do it. having said that, I don't have kids or any major responsibilities other than my job.

kognito · 10-22-2014, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TD

Ford doesn't include free maintenance?

For that much money, you could buy the parts, and drive up to FC and use his lift

Biggins · 10-23-2014, 09:38 AM

Ugh, $535! Congrats on getting them to the price that it should actually cost to do the job. I'm not that great at negotiating service.

I paid to have front pads/rotors/fluid and RTABs put on the CRV last year and cringed at the labor cost, but it would have taken me a whole weekend...or a weekend and failure then taking to the shop...

The brake pads on the FRS are not as easy to change as I'd prefer, but it still takes about 45 mins to an hour.

The CRV's muffler fell off last week, so I have a new midpipe, muffler, and gaskets/hardware in the mail. I'm hoping very much that I can do this job myself (and without jacking it up). I've hit all the relevant nuts and bolts with PB Blaster a few times; what could go wrong?

ff · 10-23-2014, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biggins

The CRV's muffler fell off last week, so I have a new midpipe, muffler, and gaskets/hardware in the mail. I'm hoping very much that I can do this job myself (and without jacking it up). I've hit all the relevant nuts and bolts with PB Blaster a few times; what could go wrong?

Don't know if the CR-V would be any different, but I replaced the same on a late 90's Accord a few years ago. Simple enough job. Given the additional ground clearance of the CR-V, it should be just that much easier.

10-22-2014, 02:08 PM	#1
clyde Chief title editor Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 26,599	Just because you know better, doesn't mean you act like it I just got a $535 quote from a Ford dealer for replacing front pads and rotors on the FoST. Not including tax on the parts. Dealer website parts department has rotors at $56 each and front pads for $87. That's $199 total. The next closest Ford dealer has them for about $170 total. I haven't bothered looking elsewhere for better pricing or figuring out where these two dealers rate on pricing locally. Dealer's labor rate is $124/hr. So, even at full MSRP pricing on the parts ($236) that leaves over 1.5 hours labor. For front rotors and pads with power tools on a lift. Wow. I explained I was a little confused about the pricing. He said he could look to see if there's an active special where he could take off 5% or 10%. I said, "I can come pick up my car, stop at the other dealer to pick up the parts for $170 and change them myself after work and before dinner. Or, because the car is there, I'll pay you $200 for the parts, an hour at your labor rate and you can comp me an oil change and I'll give you 5s on the survey." He said he could give me 10% off. I asked if there was someone else I could speak to about pricing. He asked what I wanted. I said, "$350 for the front brakes and an oil change." He put me on hold for about five minutes before coming back to say he could do it. I feel kinda dirty paying this much for something so simple. But, the parts cost what they cost and five quarts of synthetic oil and a filter isn't free, so...meh. My bad for just not doing the brakes myself up front. I'll see what it looks like when I get it home and go from there. What a fucking racket. Of course, these are the guys that left the oil cap off the car last time which had already put one free oil change coupon in my pocket that gets to stay there for now. __________________ OH NOES!!!!!1 MY CAR HAS T3H UND3R5T33R5555!!!!!!1oneone!!!!11 Team WTF?! What are you gonna do?

10-22-2014, 03:07 PM	#3
clyde Chief title editor Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 26,599	Meh. There's probably a note in my file about them leaving off the oil cap and my past response. Easier to justify paying someone to do the work on your daily transportation than on the weekend fun/race car. It just comes with a bit of pride swallowing and anxiety over whether it will be done right (no matter whether you're likely to do it right yourself) and whether what you spend is reasonable or you're being taken. $535 for front brakes on the FoST? $300 for the same thing when I know the parts cost for me wouldn't top $175? Okay. I guess. Plus $50 for a 5 quart oil change (which is how I'm doing the mental accounting)? I can live with it, but still feel like I left some on the table. Then again, I'm not sure what price would have made me feel good. __________________ OH NOES!!!!!1 MY CAR HAS T3H UND3R5T33R5555!!!!!!1oneone!!!!11 Team WTF?! What are you gonna do?

10-22-2014, 02:14 PM	#2
bren lawn boy Join Date: Oct 2003 Carmudgeonly Ride: e46m3, f25x3,C5 Z06, C4 Vette, 06 CTD Ram, and a trailer Location: Maryland Posts: 14,029	Nice job on the haggle. I've found that doesn't work so well when you had to have the car towed in to fix your own stupidity. Every time I've worked on something lately I've regretted it, I'm really starting to think it's just not worth it. I'm getting ready to pull the engine out of the C4, so I'm sure that's going to go double over the next few weekends.

10-22-2014, 03:29 PM	#4
TD Founder emeritus Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Maryland Posts: 21,007	Ford doesn't include free maintenance?

10-22-2014, 03:38 PM	#6
TD Founder emeritus Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Maryland Posts: 21,007	My cars are either old enough that I'm either doing it myselfand/or taking it to an indy shop or new enough that I'm under maintenance (the VW). I haven't dealt with dealer overcharging in a while.

10-22-2014, 04:23 PM	#7
John V No more BMWs Join Date: Apr 2005 Carmudgeonly Ride: Ram, MS3, CX-5, RX-8 Location: Glenwood, MD Posts: 14,753	1.5 hours labor for front brakes doesn't sound too terribly bad to me. They have to get the car in the shop, get it on the lift, find where you hid the wheel lock key, get the wheels off, clean the new rotors, bust loose the rusty retaining screw on the rotor, ... I did front brakes on my co-worker's Prius two weeks ago. It took me about 45 minutes, but that car, like every Toyota, is really easy to work on. Maybe the Focus is too. But congrats on the haggle. I don't love doing boring maintenance work myself, but I like it a hell of a lot more than paying someone else to do it. having said that, I don't have kids or any major responsibilities other than my job.

10-23-2014, 09:38 AM	#9
Biggins Crotchety Join Date: Aug 2007 Carmudgeonly Ride: 22 Tiguan, 11 328i Posts: 912	Ugh, $535! Congrats on getting them to the price that it should actually cost to do the job. I'm not that great at negotiating service. I paid to have front pads/rotors/fluid and RTABs put on the CRV last year and cringed at the labor cost, but it would have taken me a whole weekend...or a weekend and failure then taking to the shop... The brake pads on the FRS are not as easy to change as I'd prefer, but it still takes about 45 mins to an hour. The CRV's muffler fell off last week, so I have a new midpipe, muffler, and gaskets/hardware in the mail. I'm hoping very much that I can do this job myself (and without jacking it up). I've hit all the relevant nuts and bolts with PB Blaster a few times; what could go wrong?