Thank you all for all the help you have given me in figuring out if this was
or was not a fair quote. From some of the email I've received I have been
reminded of the extent of the work and that they should charge that much, or
that I should be ready to pay that much because the car is old and it has
some rusty parts. I would say that this describes 80 to 90% of the cars on
this list, or at least the way they used to be before we (list members) got
our hands on them. In my business (computers) we charge 95-125 per hour and
get upset when customers ask why we charge so much, the fact that we keep
their multi-million dollar businesses running does not usually cross their
mind.
The whole purpose of the original email was not to undermine the need or
value of LBC mechanics. I just wanted an opinion on the quote as I've done a
lot of the work myself in the past, but I own 12 vehicles so I am no
stranger to large bills, with cars like a BMW 750IL, Mercedes 380 SL,
Porsche 914... I apologize if my message came across as 'mechanics are not
worth the money, they are all out to rip us off' it was not meant that way.
Jack
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Albert F Jones [mailto:fisher@hctc.net]
> Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 1999 10:27 PM
> To: Andrew Mace; Jack Levy
> Cc: Triumph List
> Subject: RE: Quote for repairs, a rip?
>
>
> Just as a matter of interest, and bearing in mind that Andy
> has already
> pointed out that these figures are not intended for vehicles that have 25+
> years of dirt, oil, rust and etc. on them, I thought you might be
> interested to see what Mitchells lists as times for GT6.
>
> I would just like to add that the labourer should be
> worthy of his hire,
> and I expect that none on this list would want their salaries cut because
> someone else thought that they were overpaid. If we decide to do
> something
> ourselves, then we can take whatever time we want or need, to do it, but
> if we are paying someone, and lets face it, we don't want anyone
> to skip on
> brakes, then we should be prepared to pay for it, as any other job that we
> undertake to have done for us.
>
>
> At 01:44 PM 3/23/99 -0500, Andrew Mace wrote:
> >
> >On Mon, 22 Mar 1999, Jack Levy wrote:
> >
> >> ...I wouldn't even blink if I got this estimate form
> >> my Merc 380SL, cause I know how much the parts are....
> >
> >Ever try to buy parts for the Merc, shopping around as we all seem to do
> >for our Triumphs? I'll bet there's some stuff (at least non-dealer-only
> >items) that can be had much cheaper away from the sign of the
> >three-pointed star.
> >
> >> but I've done most of this on my Spit
> >> and it seems like 2.5 to 3 hours to rebuild a slave cylinder is kind of
> long
> >> specially if you don't have to crawl underneath to get to it, and have
> >> pently of space.
> >
> >You might well be correct about that one. According to a 1961 Triumph
> >Herald flat-rate manual: "Clutch Slave Cylinder. Renew, adjust rod [yes,
> >earlier Heralds had some adjustment built into the clutch
> hydraulics] and
> >bleed" is assigned a maximum time of 1 hour. I say maximum in that the
> >book notes that the times quoted were the maximum allowed for warranty
> >work compensation. FWIW. Note that the time quoted to overhaul a clutch
> >M/C (no mention of overhaul of a slave cyl.) is 30 minutes.
> >
> >So, 2.5-3 hours might be a bit long for the more accessible GT slave
> >cylinder, but I still wonder if the estimate might not present a "worst
> >case scenario"?
> ******************>
>
>
> Mitchells states
>
> Clutch Slave cylinder GT6 R & R 2.0 hrs
> " GT6 O/H 2.4 hrs.
>
> {R&R Rebuild Clutch Slave 2.5 - 3.0 hrs}
>
> Clutch Master cylinder GT6 R & R 0.9 hrs.
> " GT6 O/H 1.5 hrs
> {R&R Rebuild Clutch Master 1.5 hrs}
>
> Brake Master cylinder GT6 R & R 1.1 hrs
> " GT6 O/H 1.7 hrs
> {R&R Rebuild Brake Master 2.0 hrs}
>
> Rear wheel cylinders GT6 R & R (2) 1.5 hrs
> Shoes R & R Rear GT6 2.0 hrs
> {Replace rear wheel cyls & shoes 2.0 hrs}
>
>
> Replace (4) brake hoses 1.7 hrs
> Mitchell doesn't list the clutch line
> {Replace all 4 brake hoses & steel clutch line 2.0 hrs}
>
> Elizabeth Jones
> Comfort, TX
>
> >> There are less and less people that work on our beloved
> >> Triumphs everyday, I guess if you're the only one in town you can
> overcharge
> >> and you'll have enough business.
> >
> >But even if you're the only one in town and you overcharge, you might no
> >longer have enough business. On the other hand, if you're the
> only one in
> >town and you're good, honest and fair, you'll probably work long hours
> >and be fairly well compensated without gouging your customers
> (whom you'd
> >like to see return, right?).
> >
> >> Can I use anything from my 80 Spit parts
> >> car on the 70 Gt6?
> >
> >Not a lot, really. Some of the front suspension -- wishbones upper and
> >lower, ball upper ball joints if they're salvageable; also various odds
> >and ends, but not a lot of major stuff.
> >
> >As I said before, good luck, and I certainly hope the shop turns out to
> >be an excellent one! Let us know the outcome, please!
> >
> >--Andy
> >
> >* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> >* Andrew Mace, President and *
> >* 10/Herald/Vitesse (Sports 6) Consultant *
> >* Vintage Triumph Register <www.vtr.org> *
> >* amace@unix2.nysed.gov *
> >* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> >
> >
> >
>
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