Re: struts and mounts, 91 100, a bit of a rant.

[John Larson <jdlarson@ix.netcom.com>]

Good evening. I've got a little advice about strut inserts, strut
mounts, and Midas. If you do in fact need these parts, they shouldn't
cost that much installed. We often provide customers with good German
shock inserts for about $75 to $100 each, and the list price of the
mounts is $26.70 each. Labor for the job shouldn't be much over an hour
per side. Inserts only, an hour for both, and that's high.
Now, on to Midas. Nothing personal, but you have to be a little gullible
to let them touch your car. I had an 88 VW fox in here last week for an
oil change that had a receipt from Midas laying on the seat. Two outer
cv boots, front and rear brakes. $650, and they didn't flush the system.
When I asked him about it, treading very lightly to avoid appearing too
nosy or rude, he showed me the $10 mail in rebate slip. He wasn't real
happy to hear my price of $450.00, including new rotors, not resurfaced.
He paid $130.00 labor for the outer cv boot replacement, a job that
takes less than 45 minutes for both sides, and $300 complete for rear
brakes, including $49.95 for brake shoes that retail for $26.70 at the
VW dealer, and  $35.00 apiece for wheel cylinders that retail for $22.40
each. In addition, I think you'll find that the highly touted lifetime
warranty covers only the friction materials, and you'll have to buy all
the other stuff they include in each job in order to get the "free"
replacement of the warranted materials. The "free" replacement of the
rear shoes, which usually last well over 150K, would then cost you $250.
Rear shoes damaged by leaking wheel cylinders would not be covered, and
the cylinders account for about 99% of the rear shoes we replace on
these cars. You go back for front pads and they'll sell you new rotors
(and not at the $30.55 that the dealer sells them for) and maybe
calipers, telling you that they're not going to be able to warranty the
replacement pads without it.
When I purchased my 90 20v last spring, it had a Midas catalytic
converter installed. Not only had it failed within a year, but had an
inlet/outlet diameter of 3/8" smaller than the pipe. In order to get my
5 year/50K federally mandated warranty honored, I had to pay the labor.
Total BS, IMHO. I don't do business that way, and I choose not to do
business with companies that do. If I hadn't been a little strapped for
cash at the time, I'd have just bought a real one-piece bolt in unit.
Somebody's paying for all that advertising that bombards our radios and
TVs, telling us how cheap these large chain parts and service places
are, and it's NOT coming out of the stockholder's bottom line. Kragen's
Rabbit front wheel bearing at $56, 1.75 times the list price at the VW
dealer, Midas' $50 brake shoes and $130 labor for a 45 minute job, those
come out of YOUR pocket.
Find a good Audi shop and get a price from them. Find out whether you
really need those parts and services, and what it would cost with GOOD
parts. Price a good alignment, you're gonna need that too.
Many of the techs and shop owners that work on Audis are owners too, and
some of us are lurking around the list. We know these cars, network to
aid in problem solving, and sell quality merchandise. We've developed
good ways to make jobs easier, and often are able to pass on significant
savings to the customer while providing high quality work. If you don't
know any one like us in your area, ask the list. If you want to do the
work yourself, ask the list.
Lord, that felt good! Haven't had a good rant in a while. Support your
local Audi tech, and thanks for listening. If you did.
John