Lookin for some help, got some work to do for 2 of my vehicles.

on the 94 Volvo 940
- replace shocks and struts (a place called Atlantic Tire & Service wants to charge me 434 just for parts, and 414 for the labor for a total of 848. Fuck that. Time to break out the tools.
- replace left front inner tie rod. shop wants to charge 126 for the part and 135 for the labor.
- replace the fuel injector o-rings.
- fix a wobbly headlight
- the alignment after installation of shocks, struts, and inner tie rod I dont mind paying for the shop to do.

on my durango
- shocks all around.


essentially the shop is charging a huge markup on the prices (I checked advance/autozone websites for prices, they're substantially lower).

Its not a big deal if one car has to be done one weekend, and another car the other weekend.

I got some tools, and I can pay in dollar bucks and beer. I just don't want to spend the $Texas that this shop wants to charge me.

6/8/2010 4:05:14 PM

I'll do it all(except the alignment) for $500 labor.

6/8/2010 4:34:17 PM

Why do you not do this yourself?

6/8/2010 4:52:37 PM

there is a huge range of price/performance/quality in shocks/struts. are you comparing apples to apples here?
dont forget to replace the front upper strut mounts while you are in there.

did the 94 volvo have efi (most likely) or was it that cis bullshit?

how many dollar bucks are we talking here?

[Edited on June 8, 2010 at 5:02 PM. Reason : ..]

6/8/2010 5:01:59 PM

^efi

6/8/2010 6:25:31 PM

Quote :

"Why do you not do this yourself?"

I think that I will. I just need to get a good jack and some jack stands. the parts that I priced with advance were the same parts that the shop was quoting me, and they were hella cheaper at advance.

I guess it's time to buy up some parts, find a weekend, and start fixing stuff.

6/9/2010 10:17:58 AM

Part of running a shop is figuring out how to make enough money to keep your shirt on your back...and part of that is parts markup. If a shop charged for labor alone without marking up parts, then you'd shit gold bricks at their labor charges alone.

Shop's gotta pay for the equipment they have, the building they're in, the business management and logistics, labor, etc. It all adds up...and to be financially solvent (and hopefully successful) the money's gotta come from somewhere.

6/9/2010 2:16:28 PM

^ thats the truth.

edit: especially with the internet and parts retailers that have huge warehouses/inventories/buying power. i cant tell you how many times i've had some lowballing customer come in to try to negotiate the price down to what the big internet sites sell it for.

[Edited on June 9, 2010 at 2:49 PM. Reason : .]

6/9/2010 2:47:17 PM

hey I understand a shop has got to make money, but charging me 119 for the exact same struts I can get at the same parts store for 45 is one helluva markup. I definitely understand the labor cost; but still, fuck it I'll just do it at home.

I will say though, every one of their bays was full.

6/9/2010 3:47:45 PM

some pretty easy stuff on those lists

6/9/2010 3:49:21 PM

if you have the tools and the time, go for it.

that markup is a bit much, especially considering they almost certainly get it for less than you could buy it at auto zone/advance.

6/9/2010 4:58:39 PM

lots of parts are double mark up.

6/9/2010 10:32:18 PM

smc's offer seems more than fair. I mean, 8 shocks with all the rusted bolts and shit that goes along with that + a tie rod and some fuel injector o-rings for $500 is a pretty good deal IMO. If you're like most of us you'll spend money on spring compressors and other tools that will add up to a decent chunk of change just to do it yourself.

6/9/2010 11:23:49 PM

^ you can borrow a spring compressor from auto zone (with deposit, you basically buy it and return it when you are done)

6/10/2010 9:55:08 AM