Re: Clutch Replacement 90CQ

["Mike Del Tergo" <mdeltergo@hotmail.com>]

>You've probably seen the sign asking if you would bring your own bacon 
and eggs to a restaurant and have them cook your breakfast. Looking for 
a shop to install your parts may prove difficult.

I see John's point, to a point, but I also find the analogy overused and 
missing the mark.  I choose mechanics for their quality of knowledge and 
execution, (sorta the same reason I choose my restaurants) not their 
ability to markup parts.  My question is, if most places that do volume 
get jobber rates, (anywhere 10%-30%+ off) is there not already a profit 
built into the price I would see if I bought off the shelf?  I do not 
appreciate seeing generic parts priced 100% above what I just saw @ 
"autoparts store" If my mechanic does not carry or have access to the 
parts I want used you bet I'll bring my own, from oil & filter right up 
to Pistons etc, we all know the various qualities of after market Audi 
parts.  He tells me what it will cost and if it's worthwile to me I pay 
it.  I Recently blew out an oil cooler that would cost ~$400 from Audi, 
his only "real" source for this part.  I brought in a used one and paid 
hourly rate plus $2/qt for bulk oil and some miscellaneous shop charges 
but OK, I'm happy he's happy.

>I, for one, would never give a great labor deal under those 
circumstances as a percentage of my profit comes from the markup on
the parts. 

I have find this troublesome.  I don't expect a "great labor deal"  I 
expect to pay your hourly fee for as long as you work on the car.  Does 
this mean I now pay book hours even if the job takes lots less time.  I 
find it difficult to see how busy shops can't make a go of it on 
$50-$70/hr rates.  This is why I like smaller 1 person shops, where the 
$'s go to the proprietor, versus paying $50/hr to $10/hr labor and the 
rest going elsewhere.

>A shop needs the profit from the sale of parts to make it in this day 
and age, and the labor on a job like this would have to go up 20 to 30%. 

Fine, as long as we are all on the same page going in.  I'll usually go 
for the known quantity versus the unknown, especially with Audi's!

>Facts of life in the business, if you want to survive. And, when it 
comes time to warranty the unusual/freak parts failure, who are you 
gonna turn to? 

My part, my failure, my bag.  Looks like you'll be getting your hourly 
again to reinstall, on me.

>IMHO, buying the parts first and then looking for a shop to install 
them is shooting yourself in the foot.

I currently own 3 Audi's and spend many, many hundreds per year in parts 
and labor, not including my own, to keep them running and in the shape I 
like.  The wrench(s) who work with me to make this a less painful 
experience will get my biz.  Getting a job quote then obtaining the 
parts and expecting the parts side to be dropped from the bill with no 
adjustment is a little obnoxious, learned that lesson at a young age 
=:()  However a strict edict on no customer supplied parts will have me 
(and my 4 cars) going down the street.

Mike
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