[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by brslk

That's how flat rate works. If the Book rate is 2 hours and the mechanic does it in 1 hour, you still get charged 2 hours. If the book rate is 2 hours and it takes the mechanic 3 hours, you still get charged 2 hours.

Basically expecting to only pay for an hour when the book rate is double is punishing the mechanic for being good at what he does.

I can replace the blend doors in an Impala in about 1.5 hours. The book rate is 8.something. The customer gets charged book rate. Either that or I can have an apprentice take all day to do it and charge an hourly rate... lets say it takes the apprentice 12 hours, you cool with that?

Maybe they had two or three guys working on your boat to get it done quicker because you were waiting.

I'm not trying to argue with you Ken, you're a pretty reasonable guy, I just hate it when people think they're getting ripped off by flat rate.

I am fully aware on flat rate. I would never pay flat rate for winterizing.

When I walked through the door I had already called and asked how much to winterize my boat. They said $125 per hour plus oil, filters, antifreeze, stabilizer, fogging oil. Estimate was $300 done, I agreed so away we went.

It was 1 young guy. Not 3. I watched the entire time. I started and shut off the engines. I was charged for time they spent cleaning the mess they made on the deck of my boat. $125 per hour to spray windex on the deck.

If they had told me it was $125 per hour plus plus and i agreed then handed me an invoice for 2.5 hours flat rate they would have been sad at the outcome.