I just thought that I would share my experiences with a "reputable" independent shop in Seattle, so that users would have an idea of the costs and times involved with some repairs that they might need. My car is a 2003 Passat 1.8T Wagon. It has 137,000 miles on it. It is stock and my wife puts about 20,000 miles per year on it, but lately she has been pushing the 30,000 miles per year mark. She started leaking coolant recently, so I decided to take it in to a reputable independent shop here in Seattle. This shop is Fine Tuning in North Seattle. It had been a while since she had taken the car in, so it had a fair number of items that needed fixing. I know that I could have done some of these items myself and saved a bit of coin, but I just don't have the time to do this kind of work right now, because of my job and home life. The entire repair took 4 days from start to finish.
Here are the particulars. The quoted costs are what I was quoted on the phone.
Shop: Fine Tuning Seattle
Labor Rate: $90.00 per hour
Total Repair Time: 4 Days
1. Replace Leaking Coolant Flange
2.3 hours @ $90.00 per hour = $207.00
Coolant Flange: $22.00
O Ring: $3.98
Sensor O Ring: $1.35
Total Cost: $234.33
Quoted Cost: $199.00
2. Replace Timing Belt
8.8 hours @ $90.00 per hour = $792.00
Valve Cover Gasket: $29.18
Timing Belt for 1.8T: $47.66
Timing Belt Tensioner: $90.21
Tensioner Damper: $110.23
Timing Belt Roller: $32.65
Water Pump: $165.24
G12 Coolant: $29.60
Tensioner Gasket Kit: $9.60
Suction Jet Pump: $49.50
Alternator Drive Belt: $25.78
AC Drive Belt: $18.50
Total Cost: $1400.15
Quoted Cost: $1200.00
3. Replace Fuel Injector O-Rings
1.0 hours @ $90.00 per hour = $90.00
Injector O Ring: $16.96
Total Cost: $106.96
Quoted Cost: $0.00 (Originally I was told that this was not enough to worry about, but they must have thought otherwise)
4. Replace Front Brake Lines
1.0 hours @ $90.00 per hour = $90.00
Brake Hoses: $75.00
ATE Super Blue Brake Fluid: $12.50
Total Cost: $177.50
Quoted Cost: $190.00
5. Replace Sway Bar Links
1.0 hours @ $90.00 per hour = $90.00
Sway Bar Link: $50.00
Sway Bar End Link: $50.00
Total Cost: $190.00
Quoted Cost: $181.00
6. Replace Both Engine Mounts
3.2 hours @ $90.00 per hour = $288.00
Left Engine Mount: $90.00
Right Engine Mount: $125.00
Total Cost: $503.00
Quoted Cost: $552.00
7. Replace Exhaust Downpipe
.9 hours @ $90.00 per hour = $81.00
Downpipe: $201.00
Cat Gasket: $11.25
Total Cost: $293.25
Quoted Cost: $282.00
8. Replace Fuel Filter
.4 hours @ $90.00 per hour = $36.00
Fuel Filter: $15.00
Total Cost: $51.00
Quoted Cost: $0.00 (Originally I told them I had replace this filter not more than 1 year ago, and that it didn't need replaced. They must have felt otherwise.)
9. Replace Thermostat and Housing
2.0 hours @ $90.00 per hour = $180.00
Thermostat Housing: $13.50
Thermostat: $29.10
Total Cost: $222.60
Quoted Cost: $200.00
10. Hazardous Waste Disposal: $95.36
Total Cost: $95.36
Quoted Cost: $0.00 (Not told about this fee, but that is not uncommon)
Total Cost of Labor: $1854.00
Total Parts: $1324.79
Hazardous Waste: $95.36
Tax: $302.00
Total Cost out the door: $3576.15
When I spoke with Mike at Fine Tuning, their service rep after picking up the car. He says that much of the work that was done which I found extra (such as the fuel filter replacement and the orings) was due to miscommunication on his part with Chris in the shop. He also said that he called University Volkswagen and verified the costs would have been over $600 more if I had gone to that dealership to have the same work done. They even offered me an $80 oil change for free, and 20% off of their $1300 control arm bushings replacement job that will eventually need done on my wife's car.
The work was well done, but I will let you decide if you think these costs are out of line. I don't think an $80 oil change and 20% off future work is very good compensation for charging above a quoted cost, or performing work that I specifically told them not to do. From now on, I will be taking my work elsewhere.
All USA
I just thought that I would share my experiences with a "reputable" independent shop in Seattle, so that users would have an idea of the costs and times involved with some repairs that they might need. My car is a 2003 Passat 1.8T Wagon. It has 137,000 miles on it. It is stock and my wife puts about 20,000 miles per year on it, but lately she has been pushing the 30,000 miles per year mark. She started leaking coolant recently, so I decided to take it in to a reputable independent shop here in Seattle. This shop is Fine Tuning in North Seattle. It had been a while since she had taken the car in, so it had a fair number of items that needed fixing. I know that I could have done some of these items myself and saved a bit of coin, but I just don't have the time to do this kind of work right now, because of my job and home life. The entire repair took 4 days from start to finish. Here are the particulars. The quoted costs are what I was quoted on the phone. Shop: Fine Tuning Seattle Labor Rate: $90.00 per hour Total Repair Time: 4 Days 1. Replace Leaking Coolant Flange 2.3 hours @ $90.00 per hour = $207.00 Coolant Flange: $22.00 O Ring: $3.98 Sensor O Ring: $1.35 Total Cost: $234.33 Quoted Cost: $199.00 2. Replace Timing Belt 8.8 hours @ $90.00 per hour = $792.00 Valve Cover Gasket: $29.18 Timing Belt for 1.8T: $47.66 Timing Belt Tensioner: $90.21 Tensioner Damper: $110.23 Timing Belt Roller: $32.65 Water Pump: $165.24 G12 Coolant: $29.60 Tensioner Gasket Kit: $9.60 Suction Jet Pump: $49.50 Alternator Drive Belt: $25.78 AC Drive Belt: $18.50 Total Cost: $1400.15 Quoted Cost: $1200.00 3. Replace Fuel Injector O-Rings 1.0 hours @ $90.00 per hour = $90.00 Injector O Ring: $16.96 Total Cost: $106.96 Quoted Cost: $0.00 (Originally I was told that this was not enough to worry about, but they must have thought otherwise) 4. Replace Front Brake Lines 1.0 hours @ $90.00 per hour = $90.00 Brake Hoses: $75.00 ATE Super Blue Brake Fluid: $12.50 Total Cost: $177.50 Quoted Cost: $190.00 5. Replace Sway Bar Links 1.0 hours @ $90.00 per hour = $90.00 Sway Bar Link: $50.00 Sway Bar End Link: $50.00 Total Cost: $190.00 Quoted Cost: $181.00 6. Replace Both Engine Mounts 3.2 hours @ $90.00 per hour = $288.00 Left Engine Mount: $90.00 Right Engine Mount: $125.00 Total Cost: $503.00 Quoted Cost: $552.00 7. Replace Exhaust Downpipe .9 hours @ $90.00 per hour = $81.00 Downpipe: $201.00 Cat Gasket: $11.25 Total Cost: $293.25 Quoted Cost: $282.00 8. Replace Fuel Filter .4 hours @ $90.00 per hour = $36.00 Fuel Filter: $15.00 Total Cost: $51.00 Quoted Cost: $0.00 (Originally I told them I had replace this filter not more than 1 year ago, and that it didn't need replaced. They must have felt otherwise.) 9. Replace Thermostat and Housing 2.0 hours @ $90.00 per hour = $180.00 Thermostat Housing: $13.50 Thermostat: $29.10 Total Cost: $222.60 Quoted Cost: $200.00 10. Hazardous Waste Disposal: $95.36 Total Cost: $95.36 Quoted Cost: $0.00 (Not told about this fee, but that is not uncommon) Total Cost of Labor: $1854.00 Total Parts: $1324.79 Hazardous Waste: $95.36 Tax: $302.00 Total Cost out the door: $3576.15 When I spoke with Mike at Fine Tuning, their service rep after picking up the car. He says that much of the work that was done which I found extra (such as the fuel filter replacement and the orings) was due to miscommunication on his part with Chris in the shop. He also said that he called University Volkswagen and verified the costs would have been over $600 more if I had gone to that dealership to have the same work done. They even offered me an $80 oil change for free, and 20% off of their $1300 control arm bushings replacement job that will eventually need done on my wife's car. The work was well done, but I will let you decide if you think these costs are out of line. I don't think an $80 oil change and 20% off future work is very good compensation for charging above a quoted cost, or performing work that I specifically told them not to do. From now on, I will be taking my work elsewhere.