Finding a reliable mechanic these days can be about as hard as finding your way through a dark room barefoot, blindfolded in broken glass. It’s at best difficult, and almost guaranteed to be painful. I think that’s why so many people out there just decided to become price shoppers.
After all, if so many people out there can fix cars it can’t be all that tough? Right? Why not just make a bunch of calls and head off to the shop with the lowest bid? Simple!
Sorry. But no. Having a competent and trustworthy mechanic is worth his weight in gold. And in many cases, spending more on a shops hourly can save you money over all!
Sure price is important, but what is even more important is the quality you get for that price. In situations where you only need an oil change why spend $30 when you can spend $15 to get the same oil? Is there extra value in the $30? Check it out, you may be surprised.
However, when your car needs some real work, price should be the last thing on your mind. Let me explain:
Frequently my subscribers will ask what a reasonable hourly rate is for auto repair. I don’t have a straight answer. This is because I’ve seen quality technicians charge anywhere from $85 to $150/hour for their services. And what a good rate is depends completely on their training and experience!
So naturally you would want shops charging the least per hour, right? Wrong.
In many cases you will get what you pay for. Frequently a lower price technician is offering that lower hourly to get more cars though their front door. More cars = more profit for the shop.
But at what cost?
In many cases a shop charging a lower hourly rate is doing so because they lack training, and/or proper equipment. Not always, but in many situations, I’ve seen shops like this take over twice as long to repair the same problem a more skilled mechanic can fix quickly.
Let’s do the math.
The difference is in experience, equipment, training and industry knowledge. What would happen (and I’ve seen this many times) if a “cheap” shop charges $55/hr and takes 3 - 4 hours to do the same job the “expensive” shop ($110/hr) could do in 1?
In this instance your hourly bill from the “cheap” shop would be between $165 - $220.
Your hourly bill from the “expensive” shop? About $110.
So before you ask how much, make sure you ask if the shop has invested in the latest equipment and training. Make sure they know how to diagnose the problem and are able to communicate the information to you in a way you understand. Only then will you know the true meaning of quality and price.
Drew Turnbaugh is a communications expert and founder of IanAuto.com. IanAuto is a free website allowing drivers, for the first time ever, to submit online service requests and receive repair quotes from live, local mechanics. IanAuto currently services the greater Chicago and Rockford Illinois metro areas.
Tags: auto repair, automotive repair, automotive service shops, car repair
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