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is $65/hr reasonable labor rate? (d)



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 13th 04, 07:15 PM
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Default is $65/hr reasonable labor rate? (d)

I called a local independent mechanic and asked him how much
labor he'd charge for working on the master brake cylinder and
he told me it'd be $65 an hour.

Is that a reasonable rate or is it too much? I don't really trust the
auto repair franchises like Midas even though there are about 3 of the
auto repair franchises in my area (tuffy midas meineke).

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  #4  
Old December 15th 04, 11:04 AM
Ted Mittelstaedt
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> wrote in message
oups.com...
> I called a local independent mechanic and asked him how much
> labor he'd charge for working on the master brake cylinder and
> he told me it'd be $65 an hour.
>
> Is that a reasonable rate or is it too much?


You need to take your car to him and have it fix it because that one
response tells me that he knows what he's doing.

His response didn't tell you anything. He told you the shop rate but
not how many hours he would need to fix it - because he wisely
knows that since he doesen't have your car right there that he can
look at, he cannot estimate anything on it.

And this is the part that matters - why SHOULD he bother giving
your lazy ass an estimate when you haven't even got off your
lazy ass and taken the car down to him? Calls like yours are a
waste of his time - and he only gets his $65/hour when the hours
that he's getting paid for are being spent working on a customer car -
not answering your questions.

This is a mechanic that knows the importance of not wasting time
with you - someone who is not even a customer of his. After all
how would you like it if he is in the middle of pulling your brake cylinder
and he gets a phone call that distracts him from working on your
car?


Ted


  #5  
Old December 20th 04, 03:41 PM
HLS
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>
> > I don't really trust the
> > auto repair franchises like Midas

>
> Smart. They don't deserve trust.


The quality of work the mechanic performs may be the issue more than the
franchise. Midas used to be a good muffler shop. I doubt they would
intentionally do substandard work, BUT if their quality mission
is not well defined and championed, they will eventually and inevitably
turn out crap.

Same with dealerships. Some of the worst work I have ever seen was done at
dealerships, which should have the mission to do quality work.

$65 per hour can be a very reasonable rate, if the work is well and quickly
done, but can be a waste of money if a cornercutting flat-rating
jakeleg mechanic does the work.



  #6  
Old December 20th 04, 07:00 PM
Daniel J. Stern
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On Mon, 20 Dec 2004, HLS wrote:

> > > I don't really trust the auto repair franchises like Midas


> > Smart. They don't deserve trust.


> The quality of work the mechanic performs may be the issue more than the
> franchise.


The quality of the work is poor.
The quality of the parts is poor.
The fact that Midas, Inc. has to keep shareholders happy by paying
dividends means the company is not to be trusted to do good work.

> Midas used to be a good muffler shop.


Midas has never been a good muffler shop. A popular one, yes, but not a
good one. They have always installed substandard parts.

> BUT if their quality mission is not well defined and championed


You sound like an MBA. Here, let me finish your "thought" for you:

"If their quality mission is not well-defined and championed in a context
where team players think outside the box to work smarter not harder, all
while valuing diversity and actualizing their core competencies in the
global marketplace, then they will fail to have enactified their mission
statement."

> Same with dealerships. Some of the worst work I have ever seen was done
> at dealerships


Naw ****. Really? Y'think?

> which should have the mission to do quality work.


Say "mission" a few more times; it might start to mean something.

  #7  
Old December 20th 04, 09:39 PM
Brian
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"Daniel J. Stern" > wrote in message > You sound like an
MBA. Here, let me finish your "thought" for you:
>
> "If their quality mission is not well-defined and championed in a context
> where team players think outside the box to work smarter not harder, all
> while valuing diversity and actualizing their core competencies in the
> global marketplace, then they will fail to have enactified their mission
> statement."
>



Daniel, you mind if I use this the next time I have to go to one of "those"
strategy meetings? This could get me off the hook big time...

Brian


  #8  
Old December 20th 04, 09:50 PM
Daniel J. Stern
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On Mon, 20 Dec 2004, Brian wrote:

> > "If their quality mission is not well-defined and championed in a
> > context where team players think outside the box to work smarter not
> > harder, all while valuing diversity and actualizing their core
> > competencies in the global marketplace, then they will fail to have
> > enactified their mission statement."


> Daniel, you mind if I use this the next time I have to go to one of
> "those" strategy meetings? This could get me off the hook big
> time...


Sure thing. There used to be a Mission Statement Generator somewhere on
the web; perhaps it still exists, though it's scarcely necessary. About
the only buzzwords I left out of the above are "paradigm shift" and "walk
the talk".

-DS
  #9  
Old December 20th 04, 10:58 PM
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Default

On Mon, 20 Dec 2004 15:39:51 -0500, "Brian" > wrote:

||
||"Daniel J. Stern" > wrote in message > You sound like an
||MBA. Here, let me finish your "thought" for you:
||>
||> "If their quality mission is not well-defined and championed in a context
||> where team players think outside the box to work smarter not harder, all
||> while valuing diversity and actualizing their core competencies in the
||> global marketplace, then they will fail to have enactified their mission
||> statement."
||>
||
||
||Daniel, you mind if I use this the next time I have to go to one of "those"
||strategy meetings? This could get me off the hook big time...

Heck, I can use it next time we play Buzzword Bingo!
Texas Parts Guy
 




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