Quote:
Originally Posted by ctd
Flat rate is such a joke. Originally was based on a time estimate for the average time so the customer knew what to expect the bill to come to. AKA quote.
Them the industry said yup that's the charge.
I can honestly say I have never been charged flat rate unless it came under the hours. But over the estimate and it was lots of well this happened and that happened. We had to replace this also and that also. But we have you a deal.
For example replacing a clutch, changing tranny/transfer case fluid.
Flat rate shop
Replace clutch 8.5hrs
Rear main seal 1.5hrs
Tranny fluid 1.5 hrs
Transfer case 1.5hrs
Replace slave cylinder 1.5hrs
Shop rate $165hr
Total book hrs 14.5hrs
Labour only book cost $2392.5
Parts flat rate shop
Stock clutch $3500
Slave cylinder $700
Tranny/Transfer case fluid $162
Rear main seal $210
Total $6964
Local shop quote 8 hrs
replace clutch 8hrs (actual time 6hrs)
rear main seal .5hrs
tranny fluid .5
Replace slave cylinder 1.5hrs
After market clutch $1775 slave kit included
shop rate $110hr
Total book/quote time 11hrs
Tranny/transfer case fluid $72
Rear main seal $110
Total $2892
actual labour only charged 8.5hrs flat rate shop charges me to change out my tranny oil but actually didnt do it, stating it was life time.oil in there. But they took my money. The clutch they were installing was not guaranteed to hold anymore power then my stock one and it was going to use the same fly wheel. Wheres the after market included a new fly wheel.
Local shop quoted 8 hours to change out the clutch which included the changing the slave cylinder. Actual time change 6 hrs. Tranny and transfer case drain and fill was done while performing other tasks. They charged me .5hr extra for the rear main seal because it wasnt originally in the estimate. Since it took no time at all since everything was already out.
Difference between flat rate shop and local hourly/quote shop is
$4072 difference for the same job.
When questioned on the cost at the flat rate shop they stated that's how we charge.
To go further the local shop actually worked at the flat rate place and were tired of unfair practices and customers being ripped off.
So they started their own shop and have only grown substantially since then.
Its funny. I was always told the Journayman was working on all my trucks and had inspected everytime an apprentice asssited to fix anything. Turns out the apprentice worked on their own with little to any supervision until somthing went wrong.
After many many hours of frustration and major screwups I stopped going to the flat rate shops. Guess what i have not been over billed and under serviced since.
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The first shop isn't using flat rate properly, some of those operations are repetitive and the time needs to be combined. That's why there's add's in the guide.