Did I get over charged??? Please help

[DamianJP]

Hello

Just got this statement back I and think not only did they add more hours that it should have took, I think they over charged. $5,905.58 !!!

First off only 1 engine had a slight overheat prob so I was expecting a water pump change on that engine. And the other engine had a problem with tilt/trim but I though it was just a pump/motor which should have not been $1298.

And they broke the alternator bracket on the last "work" (I use that term loosely) they did, and charge me to buy another bracket.

Please If you can go thru this invoice and let me know what is too much and what is right .

On hours...

Day-1 8hrs of 'work'
Remove both lower units, reseal them, water pumps

Day-2 8hrs of 'work'
Install new alternator bracket , 4 thermostats, replace belts

Those hours to me are a JOKE!

There is more stuff they did but it all could not add up to $6k.

Heres the invoice...

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk233/damianjp_photos/DSC01071.jpg

Lemme know what you think,
DamianJP

 

[1961_lonestar_holiday]

Re: Did I get over charged??? Please help

did you take it in with a cocky attitude and say do whatever it takes? sounds like an expensive boat, they must figure you got money to burn.

isnt the law that all work has to be approved by the owner? so you must have approved all this stuff...................

 

[DamianJP]

Re: Did I get over charged??? Please help

Hi 1961_lonestar_holiday

This is really brothers boat and yes he lives in an area with money so I guess the mechanics get used to "EASY" money. And why would you think we had a cocky attitude?

We just thought the 1 water pump(or cooling issuse with 1 engine)
Tilt and trim on the other motor and bracket for alternator was mentioned.

He's kind of checkmated because he keeps his boat there but that will change shortly. And these "mechanics" know it. So they take liberties with doing other work and taking there sweet time with stuff and charging for the extra hours on it.

What do you think about the hours?

What about the $1300 tilt/trime fix part?

What about the re-seal of 2 L/U's how much is that? And hours it should take?



DamianJP

 

[1961_lonestar_holiday]

Re: Did I get over charged??? Please help

not accusing you of being cocky just wondered if the shop guys could have taken it that way? i have a buddy who is NOT rich that when he deals with technitians he takes this "hey man do whatever it takes" attitude. it usually gets him ripped off......

that invoice is nasty. maybe ashton kutcher will pop out and tell you that you are being punked!

 

[DamianJP]

Re: Did I get over charged??? Please help

Hello again

maybe ashton kutcher will pop out and tell you that you are being punked!

I wish that would happen.

But I'm trying to find out how much we should pay them (the right amount) .
Whats the right amount of hours it should have been and the right price for those parts.

The mechanics didnt get paid yet and I dont think they will ever get the full amount they are reaming us with.

Lemme know please.


Thanks,
DamianJP

 

[riptide09]

Re: Did I get over charged??? Please help

Comment on the power tilt/trim.

$1298 for a complete unit sounds correct. I replaced the electric motor on my unit and it was $264 for the motor and 2 hours labor @ $99/hour.

I mean that invoice is bad for the wallet but when you read it and look everything over it seems OK if they did everything on it. The only question then is did you authorize all the work.

I mean for instance I kind of refuse to believe they washed the bottom of the boat and repainted it without even discussing it with you.

Every boat dealer I have ever dealt with had me sign a work order stating what was going to be done and getting my authorization. If you did not sign for the work and they did not call and get a verbal authorization then by all means contest the bill for that work.

 

[DamianJP]

Re: Did I get over charged??? Please help

Thanks riptide09

Well what about hours spent with what was mentioned for both days?

Day 1
8 hours to
Remove both lower units, reseal them, water pumps


Day2
And another 8
Install new alternator bracket , 4 thermostats, replace belts
I know this should have taken mabey 30mins.


DamianJP

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Did I get over charged??? Please help

If they did all of that work on the boat, then you're getting off easy at 16 hours of labor on the motors. They put in a complete tilt and trim unit, which requires completely removing the motor. They also had to remove and rebuild both lower units, which is a real joy to do with saltwater motors.

"Install new alternator bracket , 4 thermostats, replace belts
I know this should have taken mabey 30mins."

You lost me there. Maybe working on your own motors for awhile would change your perspective.......

 

[DamianJP]

Re: Did I get over charged??? Please help

Hi tx1961whaler

Well the complete tilt/trim is understandable I guess and the salty L/U's , I didn't know you had to take off the whole engine to service. I can see it being around 8hrs here I guess.


On the 1 new alternator bracket , 4 thermostats, and 2 belts

1) So what your telling me is those things constitutes 8hrs of work???

2) My perspective is just fine , I do all my own work on my engines Thank You.
Thermos should have taken what.... 5 min "mabey" for each thermo, and thats with a quick boil bath to make sure there good.
So I guess it took 7hrs and 40 mins to get that Alt bracket and belt on?? I think not.


DamianJP

 

[Fed]

Re: Did I get over charged??? Please help

Day2
And another 8
Install new alternator bracket , 4 thermostats, replace belts
I know this should have taken mabey 30mins.

But they only charged you 3 hrs for that work, what motors are they?

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Did I get over charged??? Please help

They only charged 3 hours for doing the bracket, 4 thermostats, and 2 belts.

 

[DamianJP]

Re: Did I get over charged??? Please help

Hello again

Well I messed up. Plain and simple.

I mid read the invoice thinking the '2' 8hr sessions were just for the new parts install and not thinking one was the 8 hr troubleshooting.

Sorry for wasting time and space on this forum , and also for getting defensive.


-DamianJP

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Did I get over charged??? Please help

You were charged $125/hr plus marked up prices on parts.

Standard flat rates by the book. As an example if it is stated in the "book" that to install X part takes 1 hour...... you are charged 1 hour plus parts...... even if it only takes the mechanic 20 minutes..... you get charged for a whole hour.

I agree it can be confusing.

 

[Ki Ki]

Re: Did I get over charged??? Please help

I'm no mechanic, that's for sure, but the price breakdown looks typical for a Marine shop. There hourly rate is extremely high compared to some places around here *$60-$80, but that must be a high priced area. That being said, they definitely put a lot of work into it.

If the boat is worth double the price of the work, then it's okay. Otherwise, sometimes with that kind of work I'd consider scrapping it and looking at another boat.

 

[Brewman61]

Re: Did I get over charged??? Please help

$125/hour is the going marine labor rate around here too. And most shops use flat rate charts. Very few I know of charge for the actual time spent.
Parts are parts, if they put them in.
Not sure what recourse you have. The time to deal with this is when they call you with the repair estimates before they do the work.
After the fact is a bit late, unless they violated some local law that requires them to get your go ahead prior to doing the work.

 

[riptide09]

Re: Did I get over charged??? Please help

Right now the shop I go to is charging $125/hour. I had them do some work for me last Feb during the off season to get a cheaper price and it was still $99/hour.

No partial hours either. Each job itemized by the job, labor + parts. I had a broken windshield support and when they called with the estimate he asked if I wanted them to replace it. In a moment of stupidity I said OK. There was an hours labor for a 5 minute job. I am not kidding, undo 4 screws, toss the old one in the trash and screw the new one on. 10 minutes max if you milked it and it cost me $99 in labor.

 

[westexasrepublic]

Re: Did I get over charged??? Please help

yes

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: Did I get over charged??? Please help

By doing it yourself you could have saved $3,526.76

Then the parts bill would have been only $2,378.82.
See why I do my own boat work

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Did I get over charged??? Please help

I simply gotta ask. what the heck outboards are we disscussing?
can have an intelligent debate when we dont know what we are debating.
you got hit for 16 spark plugs on two outboards
you either have yamaha f300,F350 or an antique pair of V8 jonnyrudes.
kinly post us some engine details.
flat rate isnt used much in my area due to saltwater corrosion and not all T ststs can be changed in 5 minutes.
try an F250 or an F225.

 

[Kender]

Re: Did I get over charged??? Please help

I can't say much for the cost of labor or parts since my boat is small and I do all my own work. What I wanted to comment on was going back to them after the first issue with the alternator bracket. I know that accidents happen and any mechanic shop could have broken it but the treatment after that is what would decide if they get my repeat business. If it was an old motor with a rusty bracket that was weakened already then I could see them charging you for part of the replacement. Maybe charge for the cost of the bracket (their cost) and they eat the labor and if you respectfully decline then they should eat the cost of the part in the name of customer service, especially since it's just a bracket. If however it was in good condition and they broke it then they should replace it and not even mention any cost to you. They broke a solid bracket which takes some force. If they are the type of business that is going to screw up and then charge you for their screw up then I would not return to them.