<VV> You're a fool NOT to Pay someone else ?Corvair?long

Mon Aug 9 18:28:16 EDT 2010

Ok Charles, I've followed this thread for awhile and it's time to comment.  I've worked for a Mercedes dealer for 33 plus years mostly as a service manager and the flat rate is pretty much here to stay, these are set up by the manufacturer based on the experience of a tech that has done the job more than once.  If you paid them by the job there are oftentimes a  tech that will drag the job out and production in the shop declines.  If you pay on flat rate most good techs can beat it but the shop can produce more hours vs the tech running the clock.  I find that, like in any other business, there are skilled honorable people but also incompentent ones (you seem to have gotten your share of the latter) as well as dedicated ones who go above and beyond for the customer, I have found it these days in all walks of life.  We have some so so tech and we try to keep an eye on them but in this imperfect world you are not going to get 100% perfect people.  There is a thing out there called" intermittant" which can destroy the best flat rate times even on a Corvair.  The best of the techs still have to use a "best guess" approch to some repairs, does this make them bad, I don't think so and they can loose their a** trying to figure this out.  If we make mistakes we fix it for free not "it's something else" and not more money .The dealer spends a lot of money on equippment and training( $32,000 for diagnosis computors. We have 7).  There are people out there that are bad also, many cases people come in and say we dented their car but there is already rust in the dent but that is the cost of doing business.  When I have a problem I take my Corvair to the experts (lclc) knowing they have the best chance of fixing it right the first time.  I know there are other people out there who can "work' on Corvairs but I look to the experts.  My 2cents.

Regards,

Guy Brandes
65 VAIR 140.

Nope.  Back in, in about 15 minutes (that rod kept giving me trouble lining 
p.)
OK, it must be the bleeding of the brakes that's hard (it is if you're 
orking alone), so I left it to an "expert".
So, I did it all again on my driver Vair, and another half hour to walk down 
nd buy the part (for half what the mechanic wanted for it), plus less than 
0 minutes to do it again and I had my car good enough to drive (carefully) 
o the brake place for the bleed and paid $9.95 to have it done.
So, all in less than half the Flat Rate estimate and half the cost for the 
art, about one quarter the cost, plus I learned how to DO IT !!!!
Oh, yeah, I had my car finished that day, not a week later.
So, I guess I am the fool you say, but I'm a little smarter fool, albeit 
till a fool in some books ?
Thanks for listening ...
harlie
----- Original Message ----- 
rom: "shortle" <shortle556 at earthlink.net>
o: "Charles Lee" <Chaz at ProperProper.com>
ent: Monday, August 09, 2010 1:32 PM
ubject: Re: <VV> Pay someone - Flat Rate Manual is science fiction

 You are a fool if you are not a mechanic. Anyone that can beat the times 
 by 75% or more without the right tools and is not a mechanic... As I said, 
 you are a fool.
 Timothy Shortle in Durango Colorado

 -----Original Message-----
>From: Charles Lee <Chaz at ProperProper.com>
>Sent: Aug 9, 2010 11:53 AM
>To: virtualvairs at corvair.org, Matt Nall <patiomatt at aol.com>
>Subject: Re: <VV> Pay someone - Flat Rate Manual is science fiction
>
>That's why the Flat Rate Manual is the mechanic's best friend !
>
>Look up a few jobs that you've done and compare.
>
>I find that, as a novice without the right tools (lift, pit, etc) working 
>on
>my back in the driveway, I can do most jobs in about 1/4 of the time or
>less.
>
>Yes, there are jobs, like an infamous Corvette engine that "flat rates" at
>10 hours but dealers can't do it (at their own expense) in less that 20, 
>if
>their defensive stories are to be believed.
>
>Service manager at Fritz Ford said he charges Flat Rate even if it takes
>less time, because  sometimes it might take longer, due to rusted, broken
>parts or whatever.
>
>He was stunned when I asked, "So, my well cared for car that takes less 
>time
>subsidizes the guy who doesn't take care of his car, and at my expense ?"
>
>He had no response, but did admit that he hires mechanics by "how many 5
>hour jobs he can do in 5 hours" !
>
>When I pulled my car out, the tow driver charged an extra $50 because the
>dealer "couldn't find my car" - that was right there when I said I wanted 
>it
>back !
>
>Talk about "frosty" !
>
>Charlie
>
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Matt Nall" <patiomatt at aol.com>
>To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
>Sent: Monday, August 09, 2010 8:10 AM
>Subject: Re: <VV> Pay someone
>
>
>>
>>
>>
>> Over the decades...I've never been burnt....as far a "fixing", etc.
>> My biggest burn is the TIME  ...
>> $300  labor at $85 per hour to R & R a Chevy 4.3 Vortec  Injection
>> module...
>>
>>
>> 5 years later I did it myself....   45 minutes!
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Matt Nall
>> Charleston, Oregon
>> http://mysite.ncnetwork.net/reswr0kp/
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
> _______________________________________________
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