Average labour rate in garages?

fifib

Can anyone tell me whats the average rate per hour most garages/mechanics are charging these days?
Got my car serviced yesterday and turns out theres 2 other jobs need doing on it..timing Belt and replacing a spring coil thats broken. I got quotes from the garage for both jobs - timing belt €160 - which my dad tells me is a 4-5hr job? and replacing the spring coil ~€120 (part is €60+VAT) mechanic said it would take less than hour so i guess they charge €60 labour p/h? I think this is quite high
thanks

Mr Benevolent

fifib wrote: »

Can anyone tell me whats the average rate per hour most garages/mechanics are charging these days?
Got my car serviced yesterday and turns out theres 2 other jobs need doing on it..timing Belt and replacing a spring coil thats broken. I got quotes from the garage for both jobs - timing belt €160 - which my dad tells me is a 4-5hr job? and replacing the spring coil ~€120 (part is €60+VAT) mechanic said it would take less than hour so i guess they charge €60 labour p/h? I think this is quite high
thanks

What model and year is the car? If you're getting the timing belt done you'll need to get the water pump replaced as well or you'll be looking at much bigger bills down the line.

fifib

Confab wrote: »

What model and year is the car? If you're getting the timing belt done you'll need to get the water pump replaced as well or you'll be looking at much bigger bills down the line.

its a Citroen C3 2002. can you explain why I need to get the water pump replaced too? Ive no clue about these things..just learned what the timing belt was this morning!

Mr Benevolent

The timing belt drives the water pump. A new timing belt puts more strain on the old water pump and can break it. When it breaks the engine will probably overheat and could be damaged.

Viper_JB

There doesn't really seem to be any regulation when it comes to garages charging policies espically when it comes to labour - general rule of tumb is that they'll charge you as much as they think you'll pay.

DublinDilbert

fifib wrote: »

Can anyone tell me whats the average rate per hour most garages/mechanics are charging these days?
Got my car serviced yesterday and turns out theres 2 other jobs need doing on it..timing Belt and replacing a spring coil thats broken. I got quotes from the garage for both jobs - timing belt €160 - which my dad tells me is a 4-5hr job? and replacing the spring coil ~€120 (part is €60+VAT) mechanic said it would take less than hour so i guess they charge €60 labour p/h? I think this is quite high
thanks

Prices actually look ok. I would guess that the €160 is without changing the water pump. You should definitely get the water pump done too.

mullingar

Confab wrote: »

The timing belt drives the water pump. A new timing belt puts more strain on the old water pump and can break it. When it breaks the engine will probably overheat and could be damaged.

That is the silliest reason I have ever heard as the cause of a water pump failure.

A new timing belt does not exert more pressure on any cogs, its all regulated by the tensioner.

The number 1 reason for water pump failure is simple, wear & tear.

On average these usually start to fail at 100k miles, so if the average t/belt is changed at 60k miles, that means the pump will fail mid life of the second belt.


And when it breaks, it MAY sieze which will shread the t/belt = destroyed engine!

Tragedy

fifib wrote: »

Can anyone tell me whats the average rate per hour most garages/mechanics are charging these days?
Got my car serviced yesterday and turns out theres 2 other jobs need doing on it..timing Belt and replacing a spring coil thats broken. I got quotes from the garage for both jobs - timing belt €160 - which my dad tells me is a 4-5hr job? and replacing the spring coil ~€120 (part is €60+VAT) mechanic said it would take less than hour so i guess they charge €60 labour p/h? I think this is quite high
thanks

With the right tools, coil spring should take about 20mins to change fwiw.

unkel

mullingar wrote: »

The number 1 reason for water pump failure is simple, wear & tear.

On average these usually start to fail at 100k miles, so if the average t/belt is changed at 60k miles, that means the pump will fail mid life of the second belt.


And when it breaks, it MAY sieze which will shread the t/belt = destroyed engine!

+1

In most cases it just makes economic sense to change the pump when the belt is done

Confab

Confab wrote: »

What model and year is the car? If you're getting the timing belt done you'll need to get the water pump replaced as well or you'll be looking at much bigger bills down the line.

Confab wrote: »

The timing belt drives the water pump. A new timing belt puts more strain on the old water pump and can break it. When it breaks the engine will probably overheat and could be damaged.

The timing belt drives the water pump on many cars, not all though.
The post about the new belt putting more strain on a pump is sheer looney talk.

DaveJac

Tragedy wrote: »

With the right tools, coil spring should take about 20mins to change fwiw.

Unless the spring is mounted seperatly from the shock will take alot longer than 20 minutes, most cars you will have to take the complete strut out remove the spring refit the new spring and put it all back together.

The prices are fairly good in my opinion

Captain Slow IRL

Viper_JB wrote: »

There doesn't really seem to be any regulation when it comes to garages charging policies espically when it comes to labour - general rule of tumb is that they'll charge you as much as they think you'll pay.

No, if you ring up the garage, they should be able to tell you - it should be printed on your reciept as well.

€60 (+ vat) would be the going rate for a lot of main dealers in my area, some of the more upmarket ones would charge more.

Tragedy

DaveJac wrote: »

Unless the spring is mounted seperatly from the shock will take alot longer than 20 minutes, most cars you will have to take the complete strut out remove the spring refit the new spring and put it all back together.

The prices are fairly good in my opinion

With the right tools and experience, that should take 20-30minutes.

Unless the pinch bolt holding the shock into the hub seizes and then snaps >.>