When do you get dirty again?

[Water Romper]

So my old Chevy Silverado is leaking antifreeze, I think its the water pump, maybe the lower radiator hose, can't complain, the motor has 280k miles, so I go purchase the pump and hose.
I call around to some local shops and ask how much to install the new parts- keeping in mind, I am supplying the NEW parts- $975.00 was the high, $700.00 was the lowest. This is JUST labor and fluid.
In my younger days I wouldn't even blink before I would start tearing down a motor, got a bit older, and a bit lazy, but now, looks like I'm going to the install myself, Its not that I don't know how, I just didn't feel like "getting dirty" - getting fat and lazy in my old age I guess but at these prices, I'll do the damn thing myself.

You guys feeling the pinch as well ? maybe do the home "honey do's" instead of hiring out? Crawl under the car when you used to just take it to your local shop?

 

[squirtnmyload]

When i get calls from customers wanting to supply their own parts i either don’t respond or quote it so high that they go somewhere else….just something to think about.

 

[Ziggy]

When i get calls from customers wanting to supply their own parts i either don’t respond or quote it so high that they go somewhere else….just something to think about.

Lol, so you were the $1325.00 bid eh?
I leaned the other way and gladly took the work, I didn'thave to worry about warrantying it.

 

[Sleek-Jet]

I've found a shop that let's me BYO parts. He says he doesn't mark parts up and I want to bring my own, OK with him.

AFA spinning wrenches, it depends on the job. Water pump is a break even depending on the car. FWD? No question I'm paying someone for their labor. RWD depends on the car and if I've done the same job before. My old BMW I could swap a water pump in a couple of hours.

 

[Ziggy]

So my old Chevy Silverado is leaking antifreeze, I think its the water pump, maybe the lower radiator hose, can't complain, the motor has 280k miles, so I go purchase the pump and hose.
I call around to some local shops and ask how much to install the new parts- keeping in mind, I am supplying the NEW parts- $975.00 was the high, $700.00 was the lowest. This is JUST labor and fluid.
In my younger days I wouldn't even blink before I would start tearing down a motor, got a bit older, and a bit lazy, but now, looks like I'm going to the install myself, Its not that I don't know how, I just didn't feel like "getting dirty" - getting fat and lazy in my old age I guess but at these prices, I'll do the damn thing myself.

You guys feeling the pinch as well ? maybe do the home "honey do's" instead of hiring out? Crawl under the car when you used to just take it to your local shop?

I totally understand not wanting to get greasy again. I regretfully sold a car cuz I just didn't want to get dirty and partly because I was around cars all day already.

 

[Ziggy]

I've found a shop that let's me BYO parts. He says he doesn't mark parts up and I want to bring my own, OK with him.

AFA spinning wrenches, it depends on the job. Water pump is a break even depending on the car. FWD? No question I'm paying someone for their labor. RWD depends on the car and if I've done the same job before. My old BMW I could swap a water pump in a couple of hours.

How many times did your knuckles get sliced by the radiator?

 

[lbhsbz]

Lol, so you were the $1325.00 bid eh?
I leaned the other way and gladly took the work, I didn'thave to worry about warrantying it.

Customer gets screwed a lot of times in these scenarios….and actually, yes…you do have to warranty it, legally (but the customer doesn’t know that)

Shop doesn’t much give a shit about the job since they think they don’t have to warranty it, then something goes wrong…shop blames the parts, parts manufacturer blames the shop, and round and round we go.

If the shop supplies the parts from their trusted source with whom they have a relationship…then everyone supports each other and stands behind the parts/labor.

Everybody loses when customers supply their own parts.

 

[wallnutz]

So my old Chevy Silverado is leaking antifreeze, I think its the water pump, maybe the lower radiator hose, can't complain, the motor has 280k miles, so I go purchase the pump and hose.
I call around to some local shops and ask how much to install the new parts- keeping in mind, I am supplying the NEW parts- $975.00 was the high, $700.00 was the lowest. This is JUST labor and fluid.
In my younger days I wouldn't even blink before I would start tearing down a motor, got a bit older, and a bit lazy, but now, looks like I'm going to the install myself, Its not that I don't know how, I just didn't feel like "getting dirty" - getting fat and lazy in my old age I guess but at these prices, I'll do the damn thing myself.

You guys feeling the pinch as well ? maybe do the home "honey do's" instead of hiring out? Crawl under the car when you used to just take it to your local shop?

Do you bring your own eggs to Denny’s?
I bet those prices included parts with their mark up, that’s how they make money. Plus they don’t or won’t trust the parts you brought.

 

[nowski]

A buddy of mine who's a fabricator / painter had a request from a customer to use his own paint to paint the car. Lets just say the customer provided a bad batch of paint and that choice cost him dearly...

 

[squirtnmyload]

Lol, so you were the $1325.00 bid eh?
I leaned the other way and gladly took the work, I didn'thave to worry about warrantying it.

Actually quite the opposite!…..it is usually cheaper for us to provide parts when you take in to account a customer overpays for a retail or especially a used part when they think they are getting a “deal”.

I know you have plenty of experience in this, and there was a time when i would take that work. But all it took was one person to shout from the rooftops that we were the assholes because his part was defective.

 

[Water Romper]

Hmmm, guess I see both sides of the situation....

 

[squirtnmyload]

Hmmm, guess I see both sides of the situation....

My business is auto glass but i do know quite a few mechanics shops that will install customers parts and it’s usually cash only. Sometimes you will get a better deal that way?

As far as the getting dirty part, now a days anything more than a oil change or tire swap/rotation i am getting someone else to do it (more of a finding time issue for me). A small block chevy water pump though is side of the road fix level so i’d probably still do that lol

 

[FreeBird236]

I must be out of it. I'm thinking small block water pump @ $100 to $200's.

 

[Riverbottom]

I refused to use customer supplied parts. Never knew the quality, and I could always buy OEM parts cheaper than the customer paid for Autozone crap parts.

What motor is in the Truck ? $ 1000.00 is probably a bargain on some Chevrolet trucks.

 

[79 HUSTLER]

Never stopped getting dirty...

 

[COCA COLA COWBOY]

My business is auto glass but i do know quite a few mechanics shops that will install customers parts and it’s usually cash only. Sometimes you will get a better deal that way?

As far as the getting dirty part, now a days anything more than a oil change or tire swap/rotation i am getting someone else to do it (more of a finding time issue for me). A small block chevy water pump though is side of the road fix level so i’d probably still do that lol

Shoot! It's hard to find an auto glass company that will use OEM glass instead of the Chinese stuff. I want a new windshield and Safelite said they won't use OEM...

 

[Riverbottom]

Shoot! It's hard to find an auto glass company that will use OEM glass instead of the Chinese stuff. I want a new windshield and Safelite said they won't use OEM...

Sadly, most OEM glass is Chinese these days. Not many auto glass manufacturers in the U.S. anymore.

 

[lbhsbz]

Sadly, most OEM glass is Chinese these days. Not many auto glass manufacturers in the U.S. anymore.

OE branded chinese glass is still leaps and bounds better than the shit that comes out of factories that produce strictly for the aftermarket.

 

[squirtnmyload]

Shoot! It's hard to find an auto glass company that will use OEM glass instead of the Chinese stuff. I want a new windshield and Safelite said they won't use OEM...

Don’t go to safelite, problem solved!

If the vehicle is more than 3 years old, for OEM logo’d glass, You will need to pay out of pocket and submit the invoice to your insurance company directly for reimbursement. You will be reimbursed everything minus any deductibles.

 

[squirtnmyload]

Sadly, most OEM glass is Chinese these days. Not many auto glass manufacturers in the U.S. anymore.

There are a couple and one of them is a Chinese company (Fuyao) and they are in Ohio. They are currently oem manufacturer for gm, bmw and quite a few others right now.

Windshields all come out of the same factories. Legally the aftermarket non oem logo glass can’t be produced from the same mold so they are molds of a mold. Some suck some don’t. I’ve had aftermarket parts with the oem logos etched out.

In my opinion the best aftermarket glass company right now is Fuyao and 10 years ago i wouldn’t even put that brand in a customers car….

 

[Sharp Shooter]

So my old Chevy Silverado is leaking antifreeze, I think its the water pump, maybe the lower radiator hose, can't complain, the motor has 280k miles, so I go purchase the pump and hose.
I call around to some local shops and ask how much to install the new parts- keeping in mind, I am supplying the NEW parts- $975.00 was the high, $700.00 was the lowest. This is JUST labor and fluid.
In my younger days I wouldn't even blink before I would start tearing down a motor, got a bit older, and a bit lazy, but now, looks like I'm going to the install myself, Its not that I don't know how, I just didn't feel like "getting dirty" - getting fat and lazy in my old age I guess but at these prices, I'll do the damn thing myself.

You guys feeling the pinch as well ? maybe do the home "honey do's" instead of hiring out? Crawl under the car when you used to just take it to your local shop?

Those prices are insane. I replaced my entire cooling system on my 2006 Silverado about a year ago. Bought everything from Rock Auto including a new radiator and installed it in a day. If you have the right tools it's pretty simple.

 

[fast99]

Our shop wouldn't use customers parts. We tried it but what can be done when the part is incorrect or doesn't work correctly? The bay is tied up, and have to contact the customer for a replacement part. One time I can remember a customer supplied a starter. Took 3 to get one that worked. When we presented a bill for 3 labor charges the fur hit the fan. It just wasn't worth the headaches and if taken into account with overall costs today, loosing the part profit really amounted to doing it at a loss.

 

[dspracing]

I don’t know what year you are working with but I did a 2011 and it was crazy simple. Pulled it for a roadside fix once outside of baker and installed a new unit in the Park MGM parking lot. It’s a good 30 min job.

 

[RogerThat99]

The last time I went to change a water pump myself (around 2007) was on a 97 F350 Powerstroke. I bought the water pump ($600 ouch), drained the system, them then realized you needed 2 special wrenches to complete the job. The wrenches were around $125 each, and only good on that year Powerstroke.

I ended up having a shop do the job, as it was only about $75 more than me buying the pump, and the wrenches.

I was going to have the shop install the pump I had bought, but it wouldn't be warrantied. I ended up having them do the whole job.

 

[Sleek-Jet]

How many times did your knuckles get sliced by the radiator?

I got my technique down and everything,.don't even tickle. Loved that car but the cooling system was the weak link... LOL...

 

[Water Romper]

Its a good ol' 1998 Chevy Silverado, 5.7 Vortex Z71- nothing fancy, just a motor, easy to get access to the front end. I have worked on the motor in the past- new spider injectors, tune ups, that kind of stuff. But for 700-900 dollars, I will buy a 12 pack and do it myself. I just figured a guy (mechanic) could knock this out in 2 3 hours and make a couple hundred bucks, I would pay cash, the warranty on the parts is between me and where I purchased them. Guess Times are so good for the mechanics 2 or 3 hundred bucks isn't worth their time.

 

[Water Romper]

The last time I went to change a water pump myself (around 2007) was on a 97 F350 Powerstroke. I bought the water pump ($600 ouch), drained the system, them then realized you needed 2 special wrenches to complete the job. The wrenches were around $125 each, and only good on that year Powerstroke.

I ended up having a shop do the job, as it was only about $75 more than me buying the pump, and the wrenches.

I was going to have the shop install the pump I had bought, but it wouldn't be warrantied. I ended up having them do the whole job.

An F350 Powerstroke is a monster of a truck, much MUCH bigger than my little ol' small block chevy. No special tools needed, I just need to not go fishing one weekend and pony up and do it myself. Problem is, right now its 20 degrees outside and the garage isn't much warmer, I must be getting soft because I get cold the older I get- but that's what jackets are for haha

 

[dribble]

I will be 66 next month. I don’t pay anyone to do anything I can do myself. That includes car/boat/motorcycle repair, plumbing, electrical, framing, concrete, floors etc. If I could get the anesthesia, I would do my own outpatient surgery. If you were local I’d do it for a hundred bucks and a 30 pack.

 

[Water Romper]

I must be out of it. I'm thinking small block water pump @ $100 to $200's.

Yeah, me to, thus the reason for this post. Of course, if I was making 300k a year like a lot of these members, I would have a new truck and not have to worry about it.

 

[endobear]

I do 95% of all my maintenance and repairs to all my junk. I couldn't afford to have what I have if I didn't.

 

[Water Romper]

I will be 66 next month. I don’t pay anyone to do anything I can do myself. That includes car/boat/motorcycle repair, plumbing, electrical, framing, concrete, floors etc. If I could get the anesthesia, I would do my own outpatient surgery.

I like this... Im heading this way myself. I am tired of over-priced shabby work, flaky people acting like they are doing me a favor- I need to get back to my old self and man up.

 

[lbhsbz]

Those prices are insane. I replaced my entire cooling system on my 2006 Silverado about a year ago. Bought everything from Rock Auto including a new radiator and installed it in a day. If you have the right tools it's pretty simple.

At $125/hr for shop labor, is less than a day...only 5.6 hrs.

 

[lbhsbz]

Its a good ol' 1998 Chevy Silverado, 5.7 Vortex Z71- nothing fancy, just a motor, easy to get access to the front end. I have worked on the motor in the past- new spider injectors, tune ups, that kind of stuff. But for 700-900 dollars, I will buy a 12 pack and do it myself. I just figured a guy (mechanic) could knock this out in 2 3 hours and make a couple hundred bucks, I would pay cash, the warranty on the parts is between me and where I purchased them. Guess Times are so good for the mechanics 2 or 3 hundred bucks isn't worth their time.

Ok, lets break this down.

I won't do a water pump without a thermostat... Customer didn't bring a T-stat and gasket...gotta call customer for approval before anything even happens, then call parts house, order T-stat....wait to start the job until all the parts are in hand. So...let's start with draining...pull the truck into the shop, get it on the rack, and open the petcock...wait 15 minutes while it drains. Then get the water pump off...notice the belt is pretty old and cracked. Call the customer for approval on a belt, call the parts house and get a belt on order. Then scrape/clean the gasket surfaces, then clean the bolts, then install the new water pump and put all the shit back on...Oops, belt still hasn't showed up. Wait some more while the rack is tied up since the customer didn't bring all the required parts. Then a couple gallons of the correct coolant (coolant ain't $3/gallon any more like it used to be). Run the engine for a 20 minutes to burp the system and make sure the T-stat opens, then road test, let it cool, pressure test, etc...Radiator decides to pop during the pressure test or that stupid quick connect fitting on the intake and now we're calling for more approvals and waiting for more parts.

I can change a water pump on that truck in 30 minutes. The whole job takes several hours IF all the part are on hand.

 

[coolchange]

Never stopped

 

[hman442]

I call around to some local shops and ask how much to install the new parts- keeping in mind, I am supplying the NEW parts- $975.00 was the high, $700.00 was the lowest. This is JUST labor and fluid.

I explain calmly that we do not install customer supplied parts due to warranty reasons, as my supplied/installed parts come with a 3 year 36,000 mile parts and labor warranty in my shop, as well as a 2 year 24,000 mile warranty nationwide.
That being said, I can't guess how they arrived at the prices you were quoted. The labor guide most shops use, quote that pump at 1.6 - 1.9 hours. Add a little for the other end of the lower hose, at $125 - $150 per hour, plus 5-6% for shop supplies & disposal, plus your tax, you're still at about 1/3 of what these guys want.
I'm thinking they just gave you the "up yours, for supplying your own parts" quote, which was bad business on their part, as, next time you need a repair and aren't supplying your own parts, you won't call them, remembering that their labor quotes are three times what they should have been.

Edit: What IBHSBZ states is exactly correct, and what would typically happen, and why we typically don't do the customer supplied parts deal. I usually don't try to explain all that to the customer, as it's hard to do without sounding negative, it's just easier to explain the warranty deal, which can be spun legitimately positive, with the 2-3 year warranty.

 

[TimeBandit]

Time to get dirty. I do almost everything myself as well. I did pay to have my current 2 story house painted, at 61 I won't do ladders that high anymore.

I replaced the water pump and radiator (with new rubber radiator mounts for the bottom) in my Yukon in less than 2 hours. I could not believe how easy it was.

This is my fav tool for that kind of job: https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-24680-...ocphy=9031178&hvtargid=pla-436789109021&psc=1

 

[Sharp Shooter]

At $125/hr for shop labor, is less than a day...only 5.6 hrs.

I have no clue why you're telling me this.....

 

[Rajobigguy]

I've been a millwright for over 40yrs. there isn't much that I can't tackle and do as well or better than what a "professional" whatever does, so I will continue to get dirty until I physically can't do it anymore.

 

[obnoxious001]

So my old Chevy Silverado is leaking antifreeze, I think its the water pump, maybe the lower radiator hose, can't complain, the motor has 280k miles, so I go purchase the pump and hose.
I call around to some local shops and ask how much to install the new parts- keeping in mind, I am supplying the NEW parts- $975.00 was the high, $700.00 was the lowest. This is JUST labor and fluid.
In my younger days I wouldn't even blink before I would start tearing down a motor, got a bit older, and a bit lazy, but now, looks like I'm going to the install myself, Its not that I don't know how, I just didn't feel like "getting dirty" - getting fat and lazy in my old age I guess but at these prices, I'll do the damn thing myself.

You guys feeling the pinch as well ? maybe do the home "honey do's" instead of hiring out? Crawl under the car when you used to just take it to your local shop?

What year is that truck? Not terrible to change a water pump and bottom hose, do the top one while you are at it, maybe thermostat too. I have a 95, think the top radiator shroud comes off, belt is easy with breaker bar on the idler pulley, you may be able to reach radiator drain from the top like mine.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

When i get calls from customers wanting to supply their own parts i either don’t respond or quote it so high that they go somewhere else….just something to think about.

This used to happen a lot in the solar industry years ago. They would meet with contractors...the "man of the house" would think he could buy "everything" offline and cut down on cost. We wouldn't even touch it at that point.. not worth it and not worth being on the hook for years afterwards..

There was a chain of places here in TX that were a "bring your own" parts shop...idk if they are still in business outside of my area but the one here failed and closed. @lbhsbz nailed it on his synopsis.

 

[dribble]

Ok, lets break this down.

I won't do a water pump without a thermostat... Customer didn't bring a T-stat and gasket...gotta call customer for approval before anything even happens, then call parts house, order T-stat....wait to start the job until all the parts are in hand. So...let's start with draining...pull the truck into the shop, get it on the rack, and open the petcock...wait 15 minutes while it drains. Then get the water pump off...notice the belt is pretty old and cracked. Call the customer for approval on a belt, call the parts house and get a belt on order. Then scrape/clean the gasket surfaces, then clean the bolts, then install the new water pump and put all the shit back on...Oops, belt still hasn't showed up. Wait some more while the rack is tied up since the customer didn't bring all the required parts. Then a couple gallons of the correct coolant (coolant ain't $3/gallon any more like it used to be). Run the engine for a 20 minutes to burp the system and make sure the T-stat opens, then road test, let it cool, pressure test, etc...Radiator decides to pop during the pressure test or that stupid quick connect fitting on the intake and now we're calling for more approvals and waiting for more parts.

I can change a water pump on that truck in 30 minutes. The whole job takes several hours IF all the part are on hand.

Hmmm. My job would go like this. Get authorization up front for the coolant and to change the t-stat and the belt because I inspected the belt when the vehicle showed up and I didn't need to pull the pump to figure out. that the belt was shot. Document on the repair order that no warranty applies on customer supplied parts, have customer initial and have customer sign repair order that states " Replace water pump with customer supplied part, thermostat and drive belt at customer's request. I don't need to order the additional parts because they are super fast movers and either my parts store has them in stock or I do. When it's time to start the job, I put the vehicle on the lift and drain the coolant. While the coolant is draining, I lower the vehicle and I pull the shroud (if necessary), the fan, the thermostat and the belt. By now the coolant is drained and I pull the pump, scrape the gaskets and install the new pump, which is held on with four bolts. The very commonly available parts have shown up or I find a new parts store. Take 20 minutes to install those, button up the job, fill with coolant and test drive.

If I'm in California, I don't charge for "shop supplies" as line item because it is not allowed. If I did use chemicals or other supplies (which is unlikely on this job) I itemize those supplies separately on the invoice so the customer is aware of exactly what he's paying for and I am in compliance with the applicable Statues and Regulations. That way, when the customer's $13.95 water pump from Rock Auto (that was assembled by a ten year old in some remote Chinese province) fails and the customer continues to drive the vehicle until he cooks his high mileage engine, the Jackass from BAR won't cite me for a paperwork violation in the ensuing complaint.

 

[Mcob25rg]

So, I always feel like I’m at LEAST as smart as the guys working on my stuff, but my “ give a shit factor” is much higher. When the warranty runs out, I start getting dirty. Close buddy of mine owns a car service center - just service, no sales used or new. We’ve debated this MANY times. He will only do jobs he controls start to finish - the “ ill bring the parts” jobs end up in the red EVERY TIME, and usually go negative viral. When I can’t do it myself, I take it to him, tell him to charge me full retail as if he doesn’t know me, because I want it 100% right - he does we’re best friends, all good. Just sayin

 

[HB2Havasu]

How many hours did these shops quote you for this job? It’s usually 2 hours at the most for even an average mechanic to swap out a water pump on a V8 Truck. $750-$900 sounds like they are quoting 5 to 7 hours

 

[Sharp Shooter]

That way, when the customer's $13.95 water pump from Rock Auto...

13.95? I got ripped off! I paid $80 for my AC Delco pump from Rock Auto.

2006 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 8.1L V8 Water Pump | RockAuto

RockAuto ships auto parts and body parts from over 300 manufacturers to customers' doors worldwide, all at warehouse prices. Easy to use parts catalog.

www.rockauto.com

 

[jetboatperformance]

When i get calls from customers wanting to supply their own parts i either don’t respond or quote it so high that they go somewhere else….just something to think about.

LOL I tell ask them "Do you bring your own steak to a restaurant" ............ Mark up on parts anymore is skinny and it makes up part of our profit , Same feeling I have when i get a Tech call for someone who bought parts on AMAZON (try to call Bezos on a weekend for Tech)

 

[LuauLounge]

I don’t understand why anyone would want to supply normal parts and have someone do the labor. I can see if you have an unobtanium 5000 something you want installed. In that case it’s a personal visit to the shop to see if you can convince them to help you out.

 

[Water Romper]

The issue with me is... I know how to change the pump, T-stat, hose and everything else that goes with this project-yes, even if something else needs replacing- I WAS JUST BEING LAZY, It's NOT a hard job, just takes a bit of time, it would have been worth it to me to pay someone else for a few hundred bucks, but I get it, maybe they wanted to use their parts or they know an old truck like mine ALWAYS has hidden surprises so they were just covering themselves.
So what this did was to get me motivated to get me off the couch and do it myself save over 700 dollars and who knows, maybe the breaks are next.

 

[Dan Lorenze]

I'm all about watching videos from A1 Auto on Youtube, then buying AC Delco parts for my Chevy and do the work myself. I have also become a pool guy too, everyone is just too expensive and too busy for my problems.

 

[240Hallett]

Did a little dirty work today to get rid of oil leaks. I did pay the shop last week to do the pan gasket which would be a real pain in the ass without a lift.

 

[Runs2rch]

Did a little dirty work today to get rid of oil leaks. I did pay the shop last week to do the pan gasket which would be a real pain in the ass without a lift. View attachment 1080858 View attachment 1080857

Time to replace those heater hoses, and the plastic connectors on the firewall. I bet they are original. Brittle and will fail when it is inconvenient.