$2000.00 service charge( don't know if it is fair or am I being hosed)

[eucharistos]

Are you serious? Do you duct tape all your broken hoses?

yeah really - gorilla tape much better

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[Camfab]

Add a couple hours for a vipertech who doesn't frequently work on Vipers and your up to 1600.
Alfred, ask for a parts/labor breakdown. I think most would be able to get all that done in 5-7 hr's. So thats 500-700 labor plus parts which are a fixed cost. Do the math.

However, I think some shops like to charge you per job. By this i mean if you have 5 things to do that are each listed in the book as a 2.5 hr job's then that would add up to 12.5 hrs. But in each of those separate time estimates includes putting the car on the lift, disconnecting the battery(which for some techs is a 20min process...) and other random prep stuff. In reality all 5 of those jobs share the same prep work(unless he is taking the car off the lift and parking in the parking lot between each task then starting over, LOL) so the 12.5 by the book hr job ends up only taking the tech 8hrs. Get it?

This is where your knowledge & negotiating skills as a consumer come in to play. Let them know what you think is reasonable and fair to both parties. I personally would not want to pay someone for 12 hours of their time if i drop my car off at noon and pick it up at 6pm...

I agree 100%, I do just about everything myself, however that doesn't mean that a cost was not associated with the job. Yes $2,000 seems high, but if you aren't familiar with auto maintenance your likely to cause more than $2,000 in damage trying to do what some of us might consider a simple task.

 

[alfred77]

I really appreciate all your comments and advice let me tell you what happened. I asked the local Mercedes dealership in town for an estimate and there price was $2600, so not being mechanically inclined, I'm letting the Dodge dealership make the repairs for the $2000. They haven't completed the work yet. Seems like it was more difficult than anyone imagined or they just don't know what they are doing. Will keep you post

 

[chorps]

Mercedes service = $250 service charge just to pick up the phone.

 

[BigMrE]

Mercedes service = $250 service charge just to pick up the phone.

Jokes aside, the best service I've ever had has been the local MB dealership (DISCLAIMER: I have never used any of the VCA forum sponsors, since I haven't owned a Viper...looking at one though hopefully soon). Having loaner cars on-hand is a huge plus.

 

[02ViperTodd]

If you can get it to Alpharetta, give Russ a call 678-925-5248. He was the Viper tech at another shop and just opened his own place. Great Viper Tech!!

 

[DrumrBoy]

X2 for Russell. Without question the best Viper tech in the metro area. My race car is there right now.....didn't say it before because I thought you weren't inclined to come that far for the service.