That shop in Phoenix that charges $200 an hour for labor

I pulled into a dealership in Phoenix last month for a simple alternator swap on a 2015 F-150. They quoted me 4 hours of labor at $200 an hour before parts. I laughed and walked out, did it myself in 45 minutes with a socket set and a breaker bar. Stuff like that makes me wonder how they sleep at night charging people who don't know any better. How do you guys handle customers coming in after dealer quotes like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

david_adams12h ago

@ivan230 nailed it with the YouTube and basic tools thing. Honestly, I used to think dealer shops were just more thorough or used better parts or something. But that alternator quote changed my mind completely, and now I see it for what it really is. They’re charging that much because they know most people won't question it, and it's just sad. Now I always tell my buddies to watch a couple videos before they even call around for a quote. It's amazing what you can handle with a little patience and the right socket size.

ivan2302d ago

Yeah, "I laughed and walked out" is exactly what I did last year when a Honda dealer quoted $600 for a simple brake pad swap. Got the parts for 80 bucks and did it in my driveway with a C-clamp, a socket set, and some YouTube tutorials. It's wild how they bank on people not knowing that most basic car work is just bolts and YouTube.