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John Dare
Grand Master
Username: jgdare
Post Number: 111
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, 25 January, 2005 - 14:29: |    |
I have today spoken to a very long experienced R-R specialist domiciled in our "Premier" state ("aware" readers will know WHICH state that is!) to learn that his hourly rate is A$90 per hour, but LESS if there are a LARGE number of hours involved due to the NATURE of the repair. That base rate is certainly reasonable by U.S standards;San Diego at US$125 recalling that 6 years ago, an appointed local agent here was charging A$100 per hour for Shadow work. This current local rate (A$90) is VERY reasonable provided you dont conveniently overlook the fact that you arent just paying for the personal TIME of the knowledgeable and experienced service specialist, but also for his attendant facilities (plant/equipment etc) and his holding of spares stocks, since you DO expect him to have on hand, parts to READILY fix "your" car dont you?. But wait there's MORE!. Some specialist repairers have ALSO gone to the trouble and expense to develop replacement parts which are arguably as good (Yes they are!)and CHEAPER than "genuine" R-R parts (probably sub-contracted likewise) so that you the owner, will have a CHOICE, whereby your decision can amount to savings of hundreds of dollars. Professional repair work is also warranted (incl.car insurance whilst on premises etc) and much shop time is saved in DIAGNOSTIC procedures often accelerated by long and dedicated "shop floor" experience and/or Dyno. deployment. A repairer also once reminded me that MANY repairs take much LONGER than R-R scheduled times (I have the Factory "man-hour" Schedule for Shadows) but that he rarely charges those "full" (extra) hours because he "doesnt feel he should". Very noble, but IF the CAUSE is due to rusted/corroded parts incl. fasteners (nuts/bolts etc) and/or someone "elses" previous attempt to execute the same repair (only to have created more "problems") then one could well argue that billing the FULL time expended would not be inappropriate; certainly not from a legal perspective. Fortunate we are that some repairers still embrace what might remain of the moral dimension and for that we should be grateful. |
Bill Coburn
Grand Master
Username: bill_coburn
Post Number: 318
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, 26 January, 2005 - 13:57: | |
Yes John for all those reasons I could never go into the business. I have seen the ashen faces of some owners when presented with a bill which to me having some idea of the work involved, thought was very reasonable and wondered by what measure these people calculate what they think is a reasonable payment. You mention manhour schedules published by the Factory which I have now discovered were a means of limiting what it would have to fork out for warranty work. From one who worked on the Crewe floor I learnt that the procedure was to have the task, say changing rocker cover gaskets, done 6 times by their best mechanic. The least time of course was the one recorded and reimbursed. The schedules of course were guarded like gold since a persistant customer having seen a scheduled time could insist on it blithely ignoring, rust, dirt, heat seizure and damage. As to rates, many customers have no idea or interest in the overheads for such a business particularly staff and various imposts they bring to the books. As to the interminable job it is seemingly impossible to find an answer. I know of two cases where people have had their cars 'brought up to scratch' only to get a bill that exceeded the value of the car by anybody's standards. That sort of chicanery fortunately is rare and if an owner is so trusting to allow it to happen he should wear it with the best stoicism. Scrupulous repair people warn ahead of impending charges and it is the customer's onus to decide whether to proceed. Even that can be fiddled. Many years ago a fellow pulled up at my place with a coachbuilt R Type on a car trailer and the back of his ute full of parts. His man had cheerfully pulled the engine out and reduced it to pieces then announced some ridiculous fee for reassembly and an even more ridiculous fee to overhaul what he had done. The owner who was not short of the legendry sheckel stormed off, bought the utility and hired the trailer and literally shovelled the lot into the back winched the car on and told his malefactor to practice some high diving at the local creek. The latter I was interested to note subsequently answered some fairly serious complaints about similar practices and had difficulty explaining his holdings of numerous automotive stocks on which he couldn't lay his hands on the invoices. He subsequently enjoyed quite a spell of free accomodation as the guest of Her Majesty. But as to the 'R' type yours truly finished up with the literal heap and I completely rebuilt my first 'R' type engine. As you say thank God there are scrupulous people and honest customers among us - as to the rest - caveat emptor as my old friend Brutus used to say! |
John Dare
Grand Master
Username: jgdare
Post Number: 120
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, 26 January, 2005 - 19:46: | |
Thank you Bill. I have long suspected that the times indicated in the official R-R "man-hour" schedule presumed the existence of ideal conditions; see recent details of my "R" type fuel pump saga. I now note with interest the other factors which you quote from your own experience. All the more reason that I will remain reluctant to volunteer it "in evidence" if you like, preferring to retain it for an occasion where it may serve to provide some measure of resolution. |
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