View Single Post
  #65  
Old 03-12-2011, 01:51 AM
amacman's Avatar
amacman amacman is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: glasgow,scotland
Posts: 1,462
amacman is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by Weasel View Post
amacman, you can't lump all mechanics together in one group... Sure there are some all over that inflate labor times for extra profit, but when that is caught at my work it is instant final notice if not termination depending on the situation. Book time in general is deemed as what the job should take an experienced mechanic to do the job properly with hand tools while not taking any shortcuts. I own LOTS of expensive tools to help me get the jobs done quicker, and have developed many time saving shortcuts that still allow the job to be done properly. (including one this thread is about) But there are still plenty of jobs that take full length as there simply aren't shortcuts that can be performed... especially when it comes to electrical diagnosis work where there is no book time. If you sell two hours diagnosis but it takes you 5 hours to track down the problem (which happens often on these complicated beasts we call modern BMWs, just look at an E65 wiring system/bus chart) Basically some you win, some you lose.
fair play to you
most garages and mechanics play more than fair . some will cheat slightly .
I know most jobs take full length and sometimes longer , hence the the occasional shortcut can balance things out . fair enough .
I had the dealer replace a cv boot first time around and quoted 90 minutes so I waited and watched as a rookie took three and a half hours to fit an inner boot to the outer cv joint . the service manager told me the most incredible bullpoop as to why all this happened , in front of other staff who also knew it was bullpoop , some folk have no shame .
I paid 90 minutes as per quote . I no longer deal with that service dept . I have since fitted the correct boot because the plastic boot fitted by the dealer squealed with steering turned .
as per this diy it was a 30 minute job instead of the 380 minute waste of time at the dealer .

now if you were my local tech I would be a very happy customer .
Reply With Quote

Sponsored Links