Car garage rip off is this normal?

[paredown]

I know this is a zombie thread--but I remember when shop rates were edging up, and computers were in their infancy. A local GM dealer (that was charging maybe $90/hr and was getting pushback.

Someone had a framed their last invoice from their computer provider (printed on a dot matrix printer--that's how long ago)--with the computer guy's shop rate highlighted--IIRC it was $250/hr. The point was clear...

My objection these days is that the work is often subpar at dealers--I had my front brakes done at a dealer when I was sick--job was ****. I pulled apart the fronts on my wife's CPO Acura--both calipers had cracked boots, were rusty and sticking--all they had done for CPO was stuff some new pads in.

If you are charging for the service, deliver the service.

 

[Wrench97]

I know this is a zombie thread--but I remember when shop rates were edging up, and computers were in their infancy. A local GM dealer (that was charging maybe $90/hr and was getting pushback.

Someone had a framed their last invoice from their computer provider (printed on a dot matrix printer--that's how long ago)--with the computer guy's shop rate highlighted--IIRC it was $250/hr. The point was clear...

My objection these days is that the work is often subpar at dealers--I had my front brakes done at a dealer when I was sick--job was ****. I pulled apart the fronts on my wife's CPO Acura--both calipers had cracked boots, were rusty and sticking--all they had done for CPO was stuff some new pads in.

If you are charging for the service, deliver the service.

Some of that is dictated by the sales department, we often have state inspections and used car prep sent to us by a couple local dealers sales departments because they want it done cheaper. I've had them tell me pads only if they are below 40% of new so unless it's real obvious the rotors or pins/boots are bad that's what they get on a car that really does not need a brake job.