I don’t mind paying a reasonable fee to an auto repair shop, but I refuse to be gouged.
Our 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle convertible needed an O2 sensor replaced. I had Patty drop it off at the VW dealer next to her office in Silver Spring, Maryland. I don’t want to name the dealer, but their name starts with a D and ends with an ARCARS.
They wanted to charge a $120 diagnostic fee, an hour of labor at $126 and $231 for the sensor, for a total (not including tax) of $477.
I immediately balked at the diagnostic fee, which they immediately agreed to waive. It was very immediate. But that still left an estimate of $357.
I looked that O2 sensor up on the Web and found that a Bosch replacement costs less than $60.
So I’m going to pay the dealer the $120 diagnostic fee and have the car serviced somewhere else.
I’ll continue this saga here on my blog, because it’s mine and I can if I want to, and you’ll be hearing more as it happens!!! This should be interesting.
Jim's World and Welcome To It 
Jul 28, 2012 @ 15:16:12
This is an interesting challenge. You currently have an estimate of $357, of which you have already spent $120, which leaves a $237 target to complete the repair. How much would a reasonably-priced repair service charge for the part and labor? Would the $60 be considered the wholesale part cost? Could you get a repair shop to do it for cost plus labor? Could you purchase the part yourself and just pay for labor? Could you do the repair yourself?
AutoMD.com estimates dealer cost to be $264, (assuming I input your car model and repair correctly) shop costs of $253 and DIY costs of $138. I look forward to the outcome of this saga, (rooting for you get it done for $0 or less!) and to more tales and tips from the Frugal Consumer corner of Jim’s World.
Jul 28, 2012 @ 15:30:21
Hey!
Good research on your part, T-Man! I’m chalking the $120 off as an entertainment fee, and I plan to get my money’s worth.
I did offer this dealer $250 to do the job, but they didn’t want to play ball.
My goal is to find a good local repair shop and give them some publicity (such as it is). I could do the repair myself in less than an hour, if what I read and watched on the Web is accurate, but it would involve putting the Bug on jacks and crawling around under it.
I’m not willing to do that, but I’ll enjoy watching someone else do it.
I have an appointment with a repair shop for next Saturday. They have wonderful reviews on the Web and we’ll see if they live up to them.
Best regards–
–Jim
Jul 28, 2012 @ 18:32:57
Your VW dealer experience is about the same as my son’s. He had a Jetta that needed new spark plug wires. The dealership wanted exhorbitant fees for both the parts and the labor to replace them. He bit the bullet, bought the parts, and changed them himself on the dealer’s lot right next to the main entrance of the showroom floor. The dealership wasn’t at all happy. My son is now a happy Subaru owner.
Jul 28, 2012 @ 18:51:41
Hey, John! That’s brilliant!!!
Best regards–
–Jim