> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 1997 14:31:36 -0500
> From: Robert Allen <boballen@sky.net>
> Subject: LBC Flat Rate Manual
>
> Does anyone know if such a critter exists?
>
> RE: A flat rate manual is used by repair shops to give repair estimates. For
> most cars it will list an 'average' amount of time it takes to install /
>repair
> something. EG: Water pump; '86 Honda Accord -- 9.5 hours when work performed
>by
> fully-developed adult American male.
>
> I'm wondering if something like that is published and available for MGs. I
>often
> get questions that distill to "How long should it take to fix. . ."
> - --
> Bob Allen, Kansas City, '69CGT, '75TR6, '61Elva(?)
> "I am an equal-opportunity bigot. I only associate with intelligent people."
>
Bob,
Even if you did find one, I'd take it with a grain of salt. Most of
the numbers in the flat-rate manuals are, shall we say, on the
conservative side. I've seen 45 minutes for an oil change, as well
as 30 minutes to change a tire. This practice was exposed a few
years back on one of the "60-minutes" type shows after a Mazda owner
was charged for 15 hours of labor. Problem was, the mechanic had
only had his car for eight hours. The numbers are supposed to
represent an average labor time, and if a mechanic can consistently
beat the time, it's supposedly because he's really sh*t-hot, but I
suspect that any mechanic working for a dealer that consistently took
the full posted time to perform the labor wouldn't have a job for
very long.
Scott
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