Book time check

[Fordman7795]

2000 Blazer 4.3 Auto 4wd Radiator changeout.

Thanks

 

[Outlawmws]

No clue what you just asked...

Is it the period between coolant changes?

 

[jrherald420]

Im guessing hes wanting to double check the time to replace a radiator.

 

[Fordman7795]

Automd.com says 1.8 hours. Im guessing this is pretty accurate.

 

[Fordman7795]

I just changed the radiator on my uncles blazer. I charged him $109 for the radiator and cap (ordered from rockauto, no markup) and $75 for me to swap them out. Total of $184. He came over to pick it up and thanked me for the help and then said

"you are right on the money with your price. Local shop down the road said $180 for the repair"


me "You mean $180 for the radiator, then labor to install it"

him "nope, complete changeout"


I dont believe that was a complete changeout price. So now he thinks i charged him "full price" when in fact i did it for about 1/2 the cost of any shop. I called a different shop and they estimated it at $400 for the remove/replace. How do i politely tell him i cut him a big deal without sounding like a jerk?

 

[Bikes&Bowties]

Book time and real time should not be the same for any decent tech. That's how shops make money...

 

[The Frisco Kid]

Sounds pretty darn fair to me. I find it hard to believe that a shop would do that for $180.

 

[Lotek]

1.3 + .2 for a/t, + .2 for oil cooler, + diag.

I'd probably quote 2.0 total, given that it is 12 years old, and rec thermostat and flush the rest of the cooling system for good measure.

 

[Fordman7795]

1.3 + .2 for a/t, + .2 for oil cooler, + diag.

Thanks

 

[purplezr2]

That is a sticky situation. Not matter what you are going to look like an ***. If you say something it will look like you took the time to prove him wrong. At this point I would let that dog lay. It appears your charge an hour of labor and actual part cost, seems fair.

 

[JKady]

How do i politely tell him i cut him a big deal without sounding like a jerk?

You don't. 180 sounds about right for a chain store type shop (Mineke/Pep Boys type places). Unless he's pushing it as you over charging him, let it go.

 

[Link-Belt]

I'd tell him to take it to that shop next time and we he gets the actual quote from them then come back to see me oh yeah when you come back I hope you like the taste of crow. Have a nice day .

 

[Fordman7795]

You don't. 180 sounds about right for a chain store type shop (Mineke/Pep Boys type places). Unless he's pushing it as you over charging him, let it go.

$180 price he mentioned was from a radiator specific shop. Local over the counter price for the radiator is $140. You know the speciality shop is charging more. Plus 2 hours of labor ($80-$100/hr). I dont see how $180 can be correct. Buy 2 hours of labor get a free radiator?

 

[balane]

On this note; what do you guys do with old coolant? Neither of the close oil change places will accept it.

 

[purplezr2]

On this note; what do you guys do with old coolant? Neither of the close oil change places will accept it.

Ponds/lakes the water is already green. kidding


I take it to the local county garage that has oil, filters, coolant dump stations.

 

[Lotek]

Next time charge him the going rate, mark up the parts and turn a little profit on the job. If he thinks that's what you are doing anyway and is ok with it.

 

[lwlobo]

$180 price he mentioned was from a radiator specific shop. Local over the counter price for the radiator is $140. You know the speciality shop is charging more. Plus 2 hours of labor ($80-$100/hr). I dont see how $180 can be correct. Buy 2 hours of labor get a free radiator?

I could be wrong, but I'd expect a radiator specific shop to have a better price on the radiator, since they get excellent pricing on radiators.

I bought a radiator from a radiator place and it was a lot less than Kragen, etc. If they were using a cheap radiator and have an aggressive book time, that could be the correct price.

Unless he's really pissed, let it go.

 

[bcradio]

Before I got into working on cars, I got my radiator done from a friend for $150. The part was about $110 also.

I think $180 is a good deal myself for 2 hrs of work plus parts.

 

[gsmornot]

Coolant. I take mine to a small repair shop we have here in town. My oil goes to Autozone. I called the city to ask if they have a place and was told no. Seems like they would have something setup if they want people to do he right thing. Growing up I remember people using the oil to kill grass on fence lines.

 

[Fordman7795]

Next time charge him the going rate, mark up the parts and turn a little profit on the job. If he thinks that's what you are doing anyway and is ok with it.

I made enough outta the deal to be happy. Ive done work for him before and hes always happy. But I want him to know I gave him a good deal.

 

[chris142]

those are super easy. we charge 1hr.

 

[Outlawmws]

We have local Houshold Haz waste drop off for homeowners, limit is 10 gallons per drop off (I think to keep us "civvies" from carrying more than 10 gal on the road w/o a lic...)
A couple of times a year I go and drop that sort of stuff off. (oil old house paint pesticides/fert. I don't want...

 

[BD1]

Not sure about what type of radiator they have, but maybe they just replaced the ends instead of complete radiator

 

[dwp99]

According to Alldata's website.

 

[Skin]

1hr + part could be $180 easy. They arent factoring shipping and tax which im guessing is some of that $109. Depends on how honest the shop is and what their labor rate is. Really simple solution would be to just call the shop your uncle asked, confirm if that was their price or not. If it was forget about it, if it wasnt you can casually bring it up next time you see him, something along the lines of 'so i was worried i overcharged you when you said my price was the same as a shops so i double checked and....'

 

[Need4racin]

I dont believe that was a complete changeout price. So now he thinks i charged him "full price" when in fact i did it for about 1/2 the cost of any shop. I called a different shop and they estimated it at $400 for the remove/replace. How do i politely tell him i cut him a big deal without sounding like a jerk?

"hey you *******, it was 180 for just the part at the shop, apparently you can't understand english. I gave your *** a deal, now be happy.

kthnxbye"

That's the nice version, the other version you insert "you stupid mofoer".

 

[Fordman7795]

1hr + part could be $180 easy. They arent factoring shipping and tax which im guessing is some of that $109. Depends on how honest the shop is and what their labor rate is. Really simple solution would be to just call the shop your uncle asked, confirm if that was their price or not. If it was forget about it, if it wasnt you can casually bring it up next time you see him, something along the lines of 'so i was worried i overcharged you when you said my price was the same as a shops so i double checked and....'

That sounds like a good way to bring it up. I talked to my dad (his brother) and he said not to worry about it. I'll give the shop a call on Monday to get the real price. He is a small time shop so he could have lowballed it to round up some work.

 

[Fordman7795]

1hr + part could be $180 easy. They arent factoring shipping and tax which im guessing is some of that $109. Depends on how honest the shop is and what their labor rate is. Really simple solution would be to just call the shop your uncle asked, confirm if that was their price or not. If it was forget about it, if it wasnt you can casually bring it up next time you see him, something along the lines of 'so i was worried i overcharged you when you said my price was the same as a shops so i double checked and....'

There was like $8 in shipping but it was still $40 cheaper than autozone

 

[Fordman7795]

"hey you *******, it was 180 for just the part at the shop, apparently you can't understand english. I gave your *** a deal, now be happy.

kthnxbye"

That's the nice version, the other version you insert "you stupid mofoer".

Haha

 

[Fordman7795]

I called the shop my uncle told me quoted him $180 for the R/R of the radiator. The guy said $170 for just the radiator. I feel much better now just need to mention it next time i see him.

 

[jhelrey]

Coolant... Pour it down the drain assuming you have City

 

[Outlawmws]

Coolant... Pour it down the drain assuming you have City

Wrong. Its toxic...

Sewage treatment plants are not magical places that clean up toxic waste. They are for processing biodegradable human waste, TP, & garbage disposal waste...

We lost a cat to it drinking the damn stuff, and many others lose cats or dogs annually as it has a sweet smell they tend to like.

 

[jhelrey]

The water dilutes it and makes it safe...

 

[Outlawmws]

The water dilutes it and makes it safe...

Yes the water dilutes it. Diluting it does not make it "safe". Something downstream will get to ingest it. Tell you what, since you think it's so safe in diluted form, why don't you dilute it and drink it? Serve it at your dinner table...

No? Don't tell me how safe it is. Certainly any mammal getting it will suffer kidney damage, and with enough damage, its a painful messy death.

I had to have my cat put down because of it and afterward searched the neighborhood for any traces, in driveways, gutters etc. I found NOTHING. So wherever he got it, it wasn't in a standing pool.

 

[bgott]

Wrong. Its toxic...

Sewage treatment plants are not magical places that clean up toxic waste. They are for processing biodegradable human waste, TP, & garbage disposal waste...

Wrong. I spent a couple of hours searching wastewater treatment district websites one night and just about all of them said it was OK to dump coolant down the sanitary drain. The bugs at the treatment plant love glycol. There was one or two sewage districts out west that OK'ed dumping for homeowner amounts but didn't want commercial dumping. They weren't worried about the large amounts of antifreeze so much as the heavy metals contained therein.

 

[Carguy99]

Is it possible your uncle is yanking your chain?

 

[Outlawmws]

Wrong. I spent a couple of hours searching wastewater treatment district websites one night and just about all of them said it was OK to dump coolant down the sanitary drain. The bugs at the treatment plant love glycol. There was one or two sewage districts out west that OK'ed dumping for homeowner amounts but didn't want commercial dumping. They weren't worried about the large amounts of antifreeze so much as the heavy metals contained therein.

Not according to the US EPA:

http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/antifree.htm

Antifreeze is a substance added to a solvent, such as water, to lower its freezing point. Antifreeze is typically added to water in the cooling system of an internal-combustion engine so that it can be cooled below the freezing point of pure water (32 degrees F) without freezing. Ethylene glycol is the most widely used automotive cooling-system antifreeze, although methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, and propylene glycol are also used. In automotive windshield-washer fluids, an alcohol (e.g., methanol) is usually added to keep the mixture from freezing; it also acts as a solvent to help clean the glass. The brine used in some commercial refrigeration systems is an antifreeze mixture; it is typically a water solution of calcium chloride or propylene glycol.

Antifreeze is toxic to humans and animals. Waste antifreeze contains heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and chromium in high enough levels to potentially make it a regulated hazardous waste, so most states strictly regulate antifreeze disposal. Antifreeze generators and state and local programs should not dump spent antifreeze on land or discharge it into a sanitary sewer, storm drain, ditch, dry well, or septic system; dumping antifreeze can cause serious water quality problems and might harm people, pets, or wildlife.

 

[Outlawmws]

and in your own state of Texas:

State Rules
Currently, Texas has no specific regulations on the management of used antifreeze. Texas follows the EPA's regulations for disposal of used antifreeze (i.e., if it is intended for disposal, it is regulated as a solid waste and is subject to hazardous waste
determination).

http://infohouse.p2ric.org/ref/03/02579.pdf

 

[bgott]

http://lincoln.ne.gov/city/health/environ/pollu/antifrez.htm

Discharge to Sanitary Sewer
Discharging diluted spent coolant to a sanitary sewer is allowed in Lincoln. Used antifreeze that is poured into the sanitary sewer goes to the Lincoln Waste Water System (LWWS).

If you discharge your used antifreeze to the sanitary sewer, it should be diluted in a 3:1 water and antifreeze mixture (3 gal. water to 1 gal. antifreeze). No more than 10 gallons of the mixture should be dumped in one day under any conditions.


http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_view/gid,4057

Managing the Waste
Do not:
• Discharge antifreeze to a storm sewer
or septic system.
• Drain antifreeze onto the ground.
• Place antifreeze in solid waste.
• Mix antifreeze with used oil.
• Discharge to a sanitary sewer system if
you generate 600 gallons or more per
year.

That sounds to me like you can discharge used coolant to the sanitary system if you generate less than 600 gallons.

Tennessee and one of the other states I looked at said to ask your local local authorities if you could dump it into system.

I'm sure that there are others, I don't feel like searching this all night.

It's been a couple of years since I last did a search. A lot of places have gotten tighter on what they will allow. A couple of years ago most of them said to dump it down the toilet. If you read what most of them have written they are worried about the heavy metals in the used coolant, not the glycol. The bugs in the system turn the glycol into CO2 and water.

Currently, Texas has no specific regulations on the management of used antifreeze.

That is the important part of what you posted about Texas.

 

[geologist]

Just tell him that when you called, a local garage bid the job at $400, and give him the number.