Matt300ZXT

iTrader: (2)

I'm just curious...there's a local performance shop here in Chattanooga I emailed about having the headers installed on my 93 SC400. He said going by the books, it says 6 hours per side, but he'd do me a favor and knock it down to 10 hours, so $750. I said there's no way it'd take a shop with experience working on import performance cars 6 hours per side, so no thanks. I'd as soon sell my headers and trade the car for something else than pay him $750 to do what'd probably take them 3 hours of work to knock out. From what I've read, it takes beginners about 10 hours to change them in their driveway on jackstands. Professionals with high dollar toys should take less than half of that.

p.s. this is the same shop that wanted $400 to install some new shocks/springs on my car and re-align it afterwards.

SChema

iTrader: (2)

"Flag Hours" and "Actual Hours" are two completely different measurements of time in relation to labor. What he quoted you may or may not be the actual time called for by the book; I don't know the true "Flag Hours" for that particular job.

This "Flag Hour" is more of an average amount of time required to do a particular task. Some do it in half the time and some in double the time, in the end they are paid the exact same. It's not unheard of for experienced technicians to log 60 - 80 hours a week while only doing 40 hours worth of work.

Matt300ZXT

iTrader: (2)

I know how mechanics get paid, and it's totally lame. I was just curious because I know the town he's in and it's not very high up on the performance car market scale, you think he'd hook a fellow forumite up (from the forum I know him from) instead of trying to wring every penny out of me he can. Now he's not going to make any money.

account2x

iTrader: (5)

I've had the pleasure of replacing the engine mounts on a SC400. I could explain how much of a nightmare it was but this sentence will suffice.

Working on the floor it could easily take 10 hours or more. If I was going to do the job i'd pull the engine and remove the headers outside of the car. With experience the whole engine could be pulled in 1 or 2 hours. A maximum of 5 hours total install.

5 hr @ $80 per hour is $400. I think most shops would want double that so 750 seems about right.

stockhatch

iTrader: (12)

$400 for shocks/springs and an alignment is not THAT bad. A 4 wheel alignment around here is around $100 on its own. 10 hours for headers seems excessive, but long tube headers on pretty much any V8 can be a pain. Still, I would rather spend all day Saturday installing my own headers than drop $750.

SChema

iTrader: (2)

I only posted because I did it for a living for a while. It's a different perspective from my side. There's a reason these shops have fancy equipment and tools, that's why they call themselves a shop. The average person doesn't even consider the overhead, let alone the insurance required to run a shop.

Yes, $400 for replacing shocks/springs and alignment is not bad of a price at all. Figure in roughly 1.5 hours per corner equates to $450 in labor without the alignment, tack on another $75 - $100 for that.

Matt300ZXT

iTrader: (2)

I would take the headers to be installed by my friend who runs a Budget Brakes shop, but he doesn't have experience with import v8s cramped in an engine bay. He did get my shocks/springs on in about an hour and a half total though. So I know it can be done quick if ya don't **** around.

SChema

iTrader: (2)

Never said you can't get done faster than the proposed time. All successful technicians probably finish jobs in half the time. Time is money, and people who finish jobs fast with good quality work should not get a deduction in their pay. It that was true, everyone would milk every last minute.

You're not only paying to get your car fixed. You're paying for their service, reliability and most important of all, their experience. Hence you're asking for a shop that has the experience to service your vehicle. All I'm saying is don't expect free labor.

MrBrock

Agreed. Of if you want free labor, buy the tools and learn to do it yourself. That's why I do most of my own work. But when there's something that's beyond my abilities, I have no problem paying my mechanic to do the work.

scENFORCER

^ I dont think the OP expects free labor, but $750 seems excessive for headers. Thats more than the headers cost themselves.
If I were you I'd shop around, it might be worth it to make a day of it and drive a few hours to get it done for a few hundred bucks less.
I am a DIY guy myself, but unfortunately dont have the tools or space to do work like this myself. But that whats friends are for

VinnyQH

iTrader: (2)

book times does say 6.0 hours per side.

stockhatch

iTrader: (12)

I agree with most of that, but you can't base labor on parts cost. I mean a rod bearing is like $20, but should the mechanic have to install it for less than that? :P

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

try asking them to change your starter. its excessive but realistic unfortunately if the book says 6 hours a side. Im sure you can find a cheaper shop if you shop around.

Sullen0313

Exhaust Manifold
Replace
Right Bank B 3.9 5.2
Left Bank B 4.2 5.9


quit being a cheap ***. a shop is a business. people aren't in business to give out deals. people like me are in business to make money. if you pay me for a 10 hour job and i get it done in 4, i still get paid for 10. if i know any secrets of the trade and i apply them, then i make more money. more cars in the shop and out of the shop in the same time means more money for me. thats what the book calls for. thats what you are going to pay.



to summarize... don't be a cheap ***. pay the man what it calls for. you get what you pay for...

Matt300ZXT

iTrader: (2)

So I'm a cheap *** because I think $750 is too much to pay? Well I guess I'll never question any restaurants prices or gas prices anymore because I think they're too high. Sorry to have even voiced an opinion, damn.