bbo wrote:
who work for a dealership as a tech for 15$ an hour with no benefits?
.
Most techs get about $15-$20 per hour depending on certifications.It can take a long time before you start to see $15+ a hour working as a tech.
Like stated they use a standard labor guide for labor.Sure alot of those labor times seem high and most techs will beat it easily but you also run into alot of times that stubborn job that pay's 1 hour and takes you 6 hours.The biggest reason for the longer labor times you see charged is due to corrosion on vehicles.Take a outer tie rod end,pay's(and your charged) on average 0.9 hours and many times can be done in 0.2 hours but about 2 in 5 will be so corroded that it will take well over a hour to remove.
Plus the fact that techs must buy there own tools those who buy the correct tools can do jobs faster but tools cost big $$$ and those cheap tools like from harbor freight and sears just don't cut it.I have now about $65,000 worth of tools at work alone,and that's before adding in my toolbox which is another $12,000.
I completely respect the commitment that the techs must make when outfitting there boxes with tools. Honestly I had no idea what Snap On, Matco and Blue Point charges for some of there basic hand tools until I started talking to my buddy who is also our local mechanic. I was shocked too hear some of the prices on some of the items. When he showed me his green screw driver set and then told me that the cost was $180 from the tool truck, I think I almost fainted. But I guess if you rely on these tools every day to make a living, you're going to go with a quality tool.