I love how people complain about "mechanics ripping them off" when in fact the mechanics have nothing to do with it. Where I work, we charge $100 an hour as our labor rate- yes, that's expensive, I know- and we catch flak from the customers who resent the high price. They seem to think that because they are charged $100 an hour for the work, we get paid $100 per hour. Yeah right. Even the shop foreman barely makes one fifth of that. And rarely do we ever get a thank you, let alone a tip, from a customer whose car issues we just resolved. Instead, they leave angry and with the notion that it's the mechanic who ripped them off.
Let me tell you, mechanics do not make much money, and they're not the ones ripping you off. The shop makes all the money, and sometimes we get stuck on a job that takes longer than what we get paid for due to rust, dirt, or something along those lines. In all honesty, the labor times charged are not nearly enough for 90% of repairs. Most guys in my profession work 45 or more hours per week, and only get paid for 40 because of that system. Chances are, the mechanic is the one getting ripped off, not the customer. And it's the shop that's making out big time. Keep that in mind next time you have a complaint about labor times or the cost of car repairs.
