Thread: Shop Rate

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Anyone know what the shop rate is (in hours) for changing the spark plugs and wires in a '93 Vette? The local Chevy dealer just hit me for 5.8 hours and $417.00.

I normally would have done this myself, but got jammed up and needed the car asap.

What did they have to do, pull the engine?

That is absolutly sickening. Talk about frustrating and there's probably
nothing that can be done.
Ron

My kid lives in NE he just paid $489.95 to have his altinator changed on his Tarrus and its probably an early 90s Bend over here it comes

I can buy the altinator here for 127. with out trying to find a deal.

Shop rateswhere I live are $60.00/hr. If they charged you that amount for 5.5 hrs. they must have taken a dozen smoke breaks and charged you for them

Sounds like my F150 with 5.4 engine - you have to remove a bunch of pieces even to see the top of the engine - and the plugs are coil over which I believe your 'vette may be as well. Think about it this way - you're paying for (an) experience (yuk, barf, hak-hak).

If it's the ol' standard 350 with HEI, they saw a man with money - he has a 'vette and is loaded !!

I've changed plugs myself, and nothing needs to be removed from the engine. You have to be a contortionist, but it can be done in a couple of hours max. I'm calling the service manager tomorrow. The service writer just ummmmed and uhhhed through my questions.

They're not coil-over on a 93. However, I have the famous optispark distributor, and I had to have that replaced today also. This is the second replacement. The first one lasted 10 years. The last one lasted a little short of three years. (sorry, the warranty is only 12/12).

Yep ummmmmed and uhhhed means ummmm well sorry but thats what it cost. and uh,uh means no your not getting any money back. Thanks for your business and come again.

Originally Posted by Henry Rifle

They're not coil-over on a 93. However, I have the famous optispark distributor, and I had to have that replaced today also. This is the second replacement. The first one lasted 10 years. The last one lasted a little short of three years. (sorry, the warranty is only 12/12).

Didn't think so but what does a Ford owner know !!

Why not carefully preserve the Optispark dist for the next owner and consider an MSD or DUI??

Sorry about the ummm and ahhh - that means we gotcha. Good

I'd save the Optispark, but there won't be another owner unless it's a part of my estate. I'm not particularly worred about keeping this one original.

If I had the time to do it myself, I would have gone MSD this time. The sad part is that it's $175 cheaper than the GM replacement.

Originally Posted by Henry Rifle

Anyone know what the shop rate is (in hours) for changing the spark plugs and wires in a '93 Vette? The local Chevy dealer just hit me for 5.8 hours and $417.00.

I normally would have done this myself, but got jammed up and needed the car asap.

you mean the flat rate? there is a little book of flat rate charges, book stores and some librarys have it, it covers a wide range of vehicles. we have it in our autoshop class.

That's what I was talking about.

Originally Posted by Henry Rifle

I'd save the Optispark, but there won't be another owner unless it's a part of my estate. I'm not particularly worred about keeping this one original.

If I had the time to do it myself, I would have gone MSD this time. The sad part is that it's $175 cheaper than the GM replacement.

if that included the dist. that was a good price. the dist. is about 400.00. if thats just labor, then pulling the water pump, dist, wires, and plugs could very easy take 5 hrs. i've done it a few times, but its been awhile. the dist is behind the water pump right?

Mike,

Nope, that was just for replacing the spark plugs and wires. Here's the breakdown:

Replace water pump and dist - 4.40 hours
Replace spark plugs & wires - 5.80 hours

The distributor was $674.15
The water pump kit was $329.08
The wires were $93.55
The plugs were $56.00 ($7.00 each)

Total bill, with tax: $1,959.83

I've worked on this car, and it makes no sense that changing the plugs and wires takes more time than replacing the distributor and water pump.

The water pump is behind the distributor - cam driven.

Originally Posted by Henry Rifle

Mike,

Nope, that was just for replacing the spark plugs and wires. Here's the breakdown:

Replace water pump and dist - 4.40 hours
Replace spark plugs & wires - 5.80 hours

The distributor was $674.15
The water pump kit was $329.08
The wires were $93.55
The plugs were $56.00 ($7.00 each)

Total bill, with tax: $1,959.83

I've worked on this car, and it makes no sense that changing the plugs and wires takes more time than replacing the distributor and water pump.

The water pump is behind the distributor - cam driven.

where he screw you is after he got to the dist., the wires is not all that hard to get to. he charged you full labor on the wires and it should have been a add on to the dist. its been done before.