11–20 of 21 posts
I'm impressed, and made an account. The service cost estimation is slightly useful to me, but it's the other information they have (and future feature potential) that has me hooked.
Anything that keeps mechanics honest is a great idea in my book. However, I think this misses the crux of the problem: diagnosis. It's easy enough for me to call a mechanic or two to find out how much they would charge to replace my transmission, but how do I know that my car actually needs a new transmission? My primary fear when going to the mechanic is that they'll claim that my car's problems are much more seriou…
However, I don't even think most doctors know what is charged for their services.
Anything that keeps mechanics honest is a great idea in my book. However, I think this misses the crux of the problem: diagnosis. It's easy enough for me to call a mechanic or two to find out how much they would charge to replace my transmission, but how do I know that my car actually needs a new transmission? My primary fear when going to the mechanic is that they'll claim that my car's problems are much more seriou…
I agree. What would prevent something like 20q.net? Compile a database of make/model/year, symptoms, and eventual repairs... People enter their car type then answer questions like "Did the car start? Yes/No/Sometimes?" "Does it make a grinding noise when you turn the key? Yes/No"... then using past results it tells you it's 85% likely to be the alternator, etc...
Really interesting concept. I'm curious how a mechanic would react when confronted with an iPhone that showed their estimate to be much higher than the "average."
A busy mechanic will give higher quotes because he doesn't need your business. His worker utilization is high, and that is what drives his profits. Markup on parts is small, if not zero. Taking on the extra work means he has to bring a guy in on Saturday, usually his best and highest paid one, and pay overtime.
Now the idle mechanic knows the market rate and will quote that or lower, based on how much he needs the work. But there is a reason that he is idle.
You don't necessarily have to do all of your own work (tools and time dependent), but once you learn how to do a lot of it, and have gotten your hands greasy enough, you can talk to mechanics intelligently and straight, and can tell BS when you hear it.
For example over the years I've replaced several water pumps on vehicles that I have owned. Most of the time it's pretty straight forward but on my 88 Toyota pickup the water pump was burried and I had to remove the timing belt to get at it. Long story short it took a lot longer then the other water pumps I've replaced in the past.
When I plugged it into RepairPal, they accurately reflected the difference in labor and as a result the price quoted to change the water pump on the yota was about 2x as much as the one that I replaced on a chevy.
Really interesting concept. I'm curious how a mechanic would react when confronted with an iPhone that showed their estimate to be much higher than the "average."
The mechanic will tell you, "Fine. Go to the average costing mechanic then." At that point it will be up to you to find him. A busy mechanic will give higher quotes because he doesn't need your business. His worker utilization is high, and that is what drives his profits. Markup on parts is small, if not zero. Taking on the extra work means he has to bring a guy in on Saturday, usually his best and highest paid one,…
The first and third paragraphs are right on, btw.
Internet research is grand and all, but if you don't want to get ripped by your mechanic try going to the same one for a few years and getting to know the guy. Go to a local shop and chat the guy up, do not go to a Jiffy Lube where s stoner fills out a questionnaire on a computer and reads back to what it says.
Anything that keeps mechanics honest is a great idea in my book. However, I think this misses the crux of the problem: diagnosis. It's easy enough for me to call a mechanic or two to find out how much they would charge to replace my transmission, but how do I know that my car actually needs a new transmission? My primary fear when going to the mechanic is that they'll claim that my car's problems are much more seriou…
I agree. What would prevent something like 20q.net? Compile a database of make/model/year, symptoms, and eventual repairs... People enter their car type then answer questions like "Did the car start? Yes/No/Sometimes?" "Does it make a grinding noise when you turn the key? Yes/No"... then using past results it tells you it's 85% likely to be the alternator, etc...
Earlier quoted context omitted.
The mechanic will tell you, "Fine. Go to the average costing mechanic then." At that point it will be up to you to find him. A busy mechanic will give higher quotes because he doesn't need your business. His worker utilization is high, and that is what drives his profits. Markup on parts is small, if not zero. Taking on the extra work means he has to bring a guy in on Saturday, usually his best and highest paid one,…
I was parts manager at a six-bay auto shop for over a year and our parts markup was 30%. (Springfield, Missouri.) The first and third paragraphs are right on, btw. Internet research is grand and all, but if you don't want to get ripped by your mechanic try going to the same one for a few years and getting to know the guy. Go to a local shop and chat the guy up, do not go to a Jiffy Lube where s stoner fills out a que…
For mechanics or other non-insurance work, they can charge what they want, but their prices always end up below retail. If there is markup, it isn't much. It costs me less money to pay someone to change my oil than it would if I bought the oil and filter myself.