Mechanics Rates?

[Auslayne]

Greetings all,

I feel obliged to express my opinions regarding this thread- after all I am the ‘person-of-interest’ some have so eloquently dished out on.

First things first, I should point out that the owner and I have already resolved the matter and we’ve moved on. I know that Dave will be very happy with the end result. Secondly may I remind everyone that there are two sides to every story and this thread appears to be devoid of some major facts.

To address the ‘general nature’ of the above comments I’ll simply point out that this job centres around a steering conversion with factory style finish. The ‘misguided’ feedback assumes the stated work was simply tearing an engine and transmission out and disconnecting a few items. Thanks for not jumping the gun there chaps!! Anyone who has done similar work knows everything-  I mean EVERYTHING must be removed to reduce the possibly of damage during cutting, welding, fabricating and modification. Linkages, wiring harnesses, interior, etc. Similarly, many of those items and their locations/mounts need to be relocated or reconfigured. This work involves completely removing and recreating a right hand drive firewall, then adapting and mounting  RHD steering plus dash/instrument swap. We are NOT mechanics, we restore vehicles to a high standard and the process is way more involved than any work a mechanic performs.

The work you are attacking is actually thorough dismantling and stripping of everything prior to major reconstruction….do you all get that?

I’ve been a member of this forum for nearly 8 years and have chimed in from time to time especially if I’ve felt I had something to offer. I have been a member of the Queensland chapter of MOCA and have supported/advertised in the club newsletter for the past 6 years. I’d like to think I have good friends in all corners of the industry. I’m a Ford and Mustang guy through and through. I can now announce without hesitation I’m done, I’m leaving this forum for good. Enough is enough.

I’ve a pretty thick skin when it comes to social media and the crap that often gets flung around. Yeah, I know that’s the way of the world these days. Well, maybe yours, but not mine.

To simply jump on board and start bagging someone- anyone, (without all the details) is just plain wrong. Calling for ‘naming and shaming’ and the like is so prepubescent school boy it’s not funny. The fallout from this kind of ‘witch-hunt’ can be quite damaging, not to mention borderline slander!

Still I’ve nothing to hide and I’ll save you all the trouble, Restored Classics is my business and I’m proud of the way we conduct our business. Always have, always will. I’m old school, you have an issue with me or a question- give me a call, email me, we’ll sort it out. We have amazing clients and wonderful suppliers, most of who know I bend over backwards to make things right- regularly!

I’m totally disgusted by the way this has blown way out of proportion. Nothing but frigging school-girl mentality here and I’ll no longer be a part of it!

Good luck and farewell! 

[Stimo]

Well said Layne... There is always 2 sides to the story before you go on a keyboard witch hunt which can adversely affect ones business and livelihood.

[peter9231]

Well said,
I think everybody that went off half cocked and bagged you, owe you a very sincere apology.
Peter.

[Husky350]

The 'negative' responses were in regards to someone paying a huge sum for a small amount of work. That was it, simple as that. If the person who started this thread had been honest in the first place and simply mentioned the phrase 'steering conversion', I assure you it would be a totally different response. There was no need for more details, he said he has charged x amount for y amount of work. He actually confirmed it multiple times.

The work you are attacking is actually thorough dismantling and stripping of everything prior to major reconstruction….do you all get that?

No one was attacking your work, infact, no one even knew about it. The response of 'it is way too expensive' was right, and I don't apologise for that. If I actually knew the it was a steering conversion, guess what, I wouldn't say much because I don't have much knowledge in that area, apart from that can get quite expensive.

I could only imagine your frustration, but it shouldn't be taken out on anyone apart from the person who didn't tell the full story.

[rp1966]

Just paid my mechanic in thomastown $1000 to remove my old engine from a 65 mustang and drop in a new reco engine. This price also included all new fluids and a tune up as I used the old manifold and carby transferred to new engine. Took them just over a day.

[GLENN 70]

Auslayne you have a apology from me . But the details put down on here were not quite right about the work done and that's why people said what they said . Sorry mate .

[Husky350]

Just paid my mechanic in thomastown $1000 to remove my old engine from a 65 mustang and drop in a new reco engine. This price also included all new fluids and a tune up as I used the old manifold and carby transferred to new engine. Took them just over a day.

Maybe read the rest of the thread, wasn't as simple as it was made out to be

[GLENN 70]

rp 1966 ,its around $800 for a R&R plus odds and ends ,so $1000 is a good price .

[rp1966]

Thats what I thought. I was happy with the price and he done a really good job.

[mert]

... the $1000 for the engine removal and replacement, not a bad price at all for drive-in, drive-out ... 

[mert]

and +1 on...

The 'negative' responses were in regards to someone paying a huge sum for a small amount of work. That was it, simple as that. If the person who started this thread had been honest in the first place and simply mentioned the phrase 'steering conversion', I assure you it would be a totally different response. There was no need for more details, he said he has charged x amount for y amount of work. He actually confirmed it multiple times.

The work you are attacking is actually thorough dismantling and stripping of everything prior to major reconstruction….do you all get that?

No one was attacking your work, infact, no one even knew about it. The response of 'it is way too expensive' was right, and I don't apologise for that. If I actually knew the it was a steering conversion, guess what, I wouldn't say much because I don't have much knowledge in that area, apart from that can get quite expensive.

I could only imagine your frustration, but it shouldn't be taken out on anyone apart from the person who didn't tell the full story.

[walbjj]

i had a power rack and pinion rrs system installed in my boss. the brochure says 10 hours or something like that. it took about 25 hours, and even then i went through 2 failed power steering pumps which were replaced by rrs but i still had to pay to get the pump removed and installed.
on top of this, i had a custom powder coated exhaust system installed which also added to the complexity of the power steering coversion.
anytime u do conversions and custom work, time and fiddling around blows out. a "mechanic" wont be capable of doing the work necessary to complete the work.
the original post was vague at best, and i agree, always 2 sides to a story.

[VHS]

thanks Auslayne, yes everything is sorted now with us, appreciate the post.
to those that replied; apologies..my original posts weren't trying to be deliberately vague or misleading I genuinely didn't know what going rates/ work etc was therefore I started the thread to get some input. 

[MACH_ONE]

My two cents...If you are a mechanic you will probably hate me because I have encountered numerous rip off so called mechanics over my life time these leeches are scum I am sick to death of seeing people get ripped off for example I know of 1 woman who a mechanic wanted to charged over 140 bucks per valve for a head change over..that was not including labour that was only the cost of 1 valve that same valve was 14 bucks. I know because I ended up fitting the head for the woman. I can give more examples in fact my wife's car years ago the transmission was playing up now Ill admit Im not the biggest guru on transmissions I was told by a very nice mechanic it would be the clutches gone and I would be looking at 2500 for it to be re`coed lets try a dirty filter and an oil change.

My point is there are some real low life scums out there..........Rant over.

One day years back my wife rang me and said her car was playing up its broken down at the side of the road...I was at work she said what can I do? I told her can you drive it?? she said another driver stopped to help her he got on  the phone and said it will start but it looks like the car has done a head gasket as he opened up the radiator top and saw some pink oil but no water??? Pink oil?? luckily she had water in her car I asked him if he wouldn't mind if it was cool enough to put some water in it and thanked him very much. I then told my wife hang on I will try to find a mechanic so she could take it to. In luck a guy I rang said sure he will look at it and was only down the road...cool.....she drove there he actually took her home...cool. I get home from work she said what a great guy this guy was hes a little Indian guy his work shop is really messy and there are cars everywhere but she goes the place does look dodgy but he was nice to bring me home ...I'm thinking yeah i bet hes nice anything for a buck that 5 min drive is going to cost but to late now oh great here we go again another rip off mechanic...I ring the mechanic and ask so mate whats up with the car he said you have a transmission line that runs inside your radiator he was pretty sure it was the problem...ok I say how much expecting it to be thousands he goes about 380 I'm like huh?? wont it need a new radiator and the transmission flushed if water has got into it he says yes correct...it should be ready tomorrow ..I'm like ok thinking I cant wait to see what shonky work this guy has done......the next day arrives he rings me all good he said cars finished I go after work to collect the car he starts telling me he had to drain the trans 4 times to make sure all the water was out and put in the new radiator...he actually shows me the old trans fluid...I'm like ok still expecting this price to go up...so I go how much mate he goes 380...hmmm I pay expecting to be back in 5 mins because of his shonky work....nothing the cars perfect no leaks nothing. hey what do you know all good...2 weeks later I notice also on my wifes car that the power steering boot sleeve had gone..I couldn't be bothered taking out the tie rod so I rang this mechanic again can you fit this for me..he goes yep bring it down (this was a Saturday) I drop it off I say how long he goes about 2 hrs ok I said..I go shopping with the wife I get a call I swear only 1/2 hr later its the mechanic all good finished...I'm like already?? yep he goes I drive over there yep its done... how much i say ? He goes 45 bucks I'm like huh? 45 ?? Yep he says ...ok I now go to him how much was the part he goes 25 dollars why??? looking  at me like hes over charged me I turn to him and said 45 bucks so you just charged me  20 dollars for labour?? yes he says it only took me 1/2 hr...I'm stunned I can not believe this guy so I said how in hell do you stay in business your way to cheap...he said hes been doing this job for 30 years now he owned a place in Clayton but out grew it so he brought this place and now all his clients from Clayton who btw are about 30 klms away still come to him and now he has more clients in this suburb he has cars everywhere his shop is always busy and messy he needs another place.

So guess what he has been now my mechanic for years this Indian guy who i thought would rip me off his staff all great at there jobs and they are the best at what they do... only the other day  another of my wife's car the transmission was more than actually slipping it was kaput (seems to be a theme here) well I said maybe time for a new car this trans will be costly and its not worth fixing but ill call around...I did actually ring a transmission place how much for a second hand trans or reco ?? 1600 bucks a reco 3000 .fitted..I ring Ravvi my mechanic hey ravvi how much.. he goes I will call you back in 5... in 5 I get a phone call 600 bucks fitted Andrew. That is 1 grand difference takes a day to fit cars perfect with a 3 mth wty.

Ravvi has worked on my cars for years now if its something I can not be bothered with doing as he charges a more than fair rate, he is an honest guy and I have sent many friends and people to him ..they and I can not speak more highly of his work and prices, he can fix any car from old to new.

So why all the long story... sorry about that btw... but I wanted to tell how I have hated mechanics and pretty much any one who works on cars as a living... being also an ex car sales person for a long time I also know of shonky deals and quick fixes just to screw the unknowing that's why all my life I have always worked on my cars whether its restoring or fixing and whilst I still stand behind why I hate some mechanics...

BUT!

 There are some really honest guys out there and I think we should all not assume and jump to conclusions we are getting ripped off .

btw plug for Ravvi ...Cranbourne Mechanical Repairs tell Ravvi I sent him another customer :) I need to be on commission again

[A67PNY]

My 2 bobs worth.
When I had my workshop I had people leave cause I wasn't charging enough.
Yet their cars were running perfectly. Go figure.
Even after nearly 26yrs I still remember who those customers were.
Also I had no hourly rate. As you could not start and finish on one car.
There were lots of cars on the go at any given time.
On most big jobs only charged on what it was worth to do. No matter
How long it took. I think back then was @100 bucks labour to R&R a motor.

[BAC]

My 2 bobs worth.
When I had my workshop I had people leave cause I wasn't charging enough.
Yet their cars were running perfectly. Go figure.
Even after nearly 26yrs I still remember who those customers were.
Also I had no hourly rate. As you could not start and finish on one car.
There were lots of cars on the go at any given time.
On most big jobs only charged on what it was worth to do. No matter
How long it took. I think back then was @100 bucks labour to R&R a motor.

Mate, there's not enough people like you left in business these days!