In a message dated 8/16/0 10:25:41 AM, econrad@teal.csn.net wrote:
<<The mechanic labor rate in Denver seems to be about
$60 to $80 bucks per hour.>>
Eric, thank you for putting what labor rates for mechanics are in print.
Since you admit this is not your profession, I greatly appreciate this. When
I USED to work on/repair everyday, run of the mill daily drivers, you'd be
amazed at how many people had a problem with the cost of a repair. For
example, one lady begged me to repair her brakes on her Hyundai, both drums
had deep groves in them, the wheel cylinders were shot, the shoes on the
drivers side had been thoroughly soaked with brake fluid, one rotor had deep
groves in it and there wasn't much pad left, the caliper needed servicing
(read replaced) and the master cylinder was bad (I have no idea how the
entire brake system could have gotten like this). The fact that the woman
was tight with a dollar didn't help either (she could have squeezed a nickel
and got two quarters). At first she insisted that I reuse the drums and
clean the shoes as her "regular" mechanic had just overhauled her brakes a
week ago (overhauled her wallet is more like it) and that all the parts were
new (did I mention she had three children with her?). After my refusal to
put the car back together (I told her she was more than welcome to do this
herself, I would tell her where everything went, if you've worked on cars in
California, then you know about the liability issues here) she decided that
maybe she would go ahead and have the work done. After getting everything
needed for the job (new parts) and having spent five hours fooling with her,
she was highly upset and offended that I was charging $80 for the labor (I
just wanted her to leave) and all my time was only worth $20 if she included
a tip! But yet if she would have wrecked, I would have owed her a new car
because according to the state, as a professional, I should know how not to
make unsafe repairs. These are the same people who feel that when they sit
in an office, yacking on the phone to their friends, drinking coffee all day
and playing video games on the company computer, they are being underpaid at
$16/hour but I'm supposed to work my a$$ of all day having been through all
sorts of training and certifications for ten dollars a day because I'm "Just
a mechanic, anyone can do that". Ok, sorry about the rant, the frustration
gets to me sometimes, I'll be quiet now.
Michael
|