Customer purchased parts

[Jack Patteeuw]

I was watching the “Day at the Shop” video and it brought up one of my “pet peeves”. That is MARK UP on parts.

Case in point. I needed the catalysts replaced on my ’98 E150. No shock that they were no longer available and need to be fabricated. I also need a new exhaust manifold. The price I was quoted was high, but less than other shops so I had the work done. When I got the bill, I was charged “book time” to R&R the manifold and cats. There was no charge for the pipe and welding up the cats and pipes (?!!!). The manifold and cats were marked up about 400% over online retail. :angry:

Some of that mark up goes to the parts store (warehousing, handling, delivery, etc), but the rest goes in the owners pocket. Now I understand that no shop is going to order online parts for me, but also I have not found a local shop that would allow me to bring in my own parts. I am not talking bottom level odd ball brand parts. I only buy top of the line (Moog, Raybestos, etc). Shop owners/managers just don’t even want to talk about it. Yes, customer purchased parts have the risk of being incorrect and then the car would be out of service for a couple of additional days.

Now Eric’s shop is not your “typical” repair shop. Many (most ?) of his customers are friends and the rest (I am guessing is word of mouth). Customers bringing “dealer only” parts might actually be better because Eric’s low volume would likely mean dealers would not deliver so that would be time ($$$) out of his day.

I would love to get Eric’s feedback as well as feedback from other. especially shop owners/managers/

Topic

[Caleb Stovall]

[quote=”Johnny Stang” post=173179]Agree. Telling the customer there will be additional charges for things like that would avoid some of the sticker shock when they get the final bill. We would always get the “What is this shop supplies charge? Isn’t that stuff part of doing the work anyway?”

I had wheel bearings pressed out of knuckles at a tire shop a couple months ago. Would really love to have a 20 ton press in my garage at home but don’t have room for one. They charged me for “shop supplies”. All I could figure was they had to use rags to clean the press after the work, maybe a shot of PB to get things sliding easier. It was only five bucks so I just grinned and paid it. They’re good people and I don’t mind helping them stay in business.[/quote]
Most shops I’ve had business with just do a general 20 dollar charge to press something in.
Wheel studs, flywheel bearing, etc.

[John]

[quote=”CrazedAssassin” post=173244][quote=”Johnny Stang” post=173179]Agree. Telling the customer there will be additional charges for things like that would avoid some of the sticker shock when they get the final bill. We would always get the “What is this shop supplies charge? Isn’t that stuff part of doing the work anyway?”

I had wheel bearings pressed out of knuckles at a tire shop a couple months ago. Would really love to have a 20 ton press in my garage at home but don’t have room for one. They charged me for “shop supplies”. All I could figure was they had to use rags to clean the press after the work, maybe a shot of PB to get things sliding easier. It was only five bucks so I just grinned and paid it. They’re good people and I don’t mind helping them stay in business.[/quote]
Most shops I’ve had business with just do a general 20 dollar charge to press something in.
Wheel studs, flywheel bearing, etc.[/quote]

It was Sunday afternoon. Not a single little garage open in town (I don’t live in a big town much less a city). Ended up at a major tire shop. I’d have waited for Monday and had it done for a lot less but my customer needed the car back to drive to work Monday.

[Christopher Wilson]

I had someone bring in a starter they had bought. Put it in, crapped out. Truck was towed back to the shop a week later and did it again. The second time, I ordered the part through our shop. Customer realized it’s easier to pay the mark up and have the protection than cheap out. It depends on the parts as to what you should buy and bring vs let the shop order and cover. I put 5 crank sensors in a stratus before we bought from the dealer, the customer was covered each time. Hoe expensive would that have been otherwise had we not waived the labor and we’re reimbursed by the parts store?

[Author]

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