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Do anyone know where I might find a list of common costs for work like service to brakes, replacing clutches, tune-ups, replacing gearboxes, etc?

Ring a few mechanics up?
One of the main mech workshop franchises here (Midas) has a big pricelist for common things stuck up behind their counter. I'm sure most places won't be too secretive.

Phizinza wrote:Do anyone know where I might find a list of common costs for work like service to brakes, replacing clutches, tune-ups, replacing gearboxes, etc?

Yep, from the book of Common Times along with the hourly rate of the workshop you are using plus any "incidental" costs such as fluids etc.

Considering its a Subaru, I'm assuming it is anyway, why don't you call your local Subaru Workshop and ask them.

I've been doing more and more jobs for people and have a hard time figuring out how much my work is worth, or what to quote people on jobs. Just wondering if I could get my hands on this list or what ever. Not much good if I have to ring around every time I need to quote someone.

I guess the MTA might be able to supply one of these books? At a cost of cause I'd bet.

I think alot of mech workshops also bill their labour out at a standard hourly rate. You could quote people that with an educated estimate of how long a particular job will take. Naturally people would need to understand sometimes things can take longer due to unforseen circumstances, as with anything.
Difficult to quote fixed prices unless you are doing the same set of similar jobs on very common cars that you've done many times before.

Phizinza wrote:I've been doing more and more jobs for people and have a hard time figuring out how much my work is worth, or what to quote people on jobs. Just wondering if I could get my hands on this list or what ever. Not much good if I have to ring around every time I need to quote someone.

This might be a stupid question but are you a mechanic? Are you insured?

Phizinza wrote:I guess the MTA might be able to supply one of these books? At a cost of cause I'd bet.

Yeah if your a member, and to be a member you have to be licensed.

AndrewT wrote:I think alot of mech workshops also bill their labour out at a standard hourly rate.

Yep, my boss quotes $80/hr.

AndrewT wrote: You could quote people that with an educated estimate of how long a particular job will take. Naturally people would need to understand sometimes things can take longer due to unforseen circumstances, as with anything.

Be very aware that a Quote is a legally binding contract.

AndrewT wrote:Difficult to quote fixed prices unless you are doing the same set of similar jobs on very common cars that you've done many times before.

That is why organisations like the MVRIC/MVRIA and MTA have a book of common times. That is why dealerships have a manufacturers list of times for common jobs. There are also books like Relims and Gregory's that have job times in them.

Storm wrote:This might be a stupid question but are you a mechanic? Are you insured?

No, and for that reason I don't charge anywhere near the $80/hr. I however don't want to sell myself short.

Cheers for the info guys

Storm wrote:This might be a stupid question but are you a mechanic? Are you insured?

No offence... Since I am a service tech myself working for a firm, if you are un-insured and working on other people's cars and if they have an accident or something fails caused by your work or something that they'll shift the blame towards the mechanic they can be taken to court then you're *uc*ed, Public Libility Insurance is something like 500 -600 bucks depends the situation (that price is for single person not a company)
Cheers
AP

Phizinza wrote:No, and for that reason I don't charge anywhere near the $80/hr. I however don't want to sell myself short.

Cheers for the info guys

In NSW the going hourly rate of pay for a fully qualified motor mechanic is a little over $16/hr, I'm one of the lucky ones who is paid well over the Award rate.

AlpineRaven wrote:No offence... Since I am a service tech myself working for a firm, if you are un-insured and working on other people's cars and if they have an accident or something fails caused by your work or something that they'll shift the blame towards the mechanic they can be taken to court then you're *uc*ed, Public Libility Insurance is something like 500 -600 bucks depends the situation (that price is for single person not a company)
Cheers
AP

No offence taken.

I know what insurance costs, I have my own policy because I am a contractor who works for others while also having my own business. Between the two I only need to work 3 days a week. I also teach in NSW schools but don't need to.

I don't know what the legal requirements are in other states but NSW follows the national standards so what I post is based on that. I do have a fair bit of experience for SA as I did live and work there for a few years and the last I heard is it is not legal to work for renumeration (payment) without having the certificates for the work you are selling your labor for.

I suppose I'm the cautious type and base my responses on that cautious attitudend my knowledge of NSW and National standards along with what I know from living and working in other States and Territories.

Boyce's or some other company can probably do a times guide booklet. Keep in mind that the times quoted are not always correct. Look through the service booklet for a ra rodeo and see how long they give you to do certain services. Talk about cushy!!! some of the little services they give you 2.5 hours for, there is no way that it would take you that long, and we charge accordingly. If something is only going to take an hour to do, thats all we would charge...

That being said, a times guide is a good starting point if you have never ever done the job before, and will give you something to go off.

Robert.

no doubt Phizinza isn't running a registered business name, ABN or is giving tax invoices for his work either. Give the guy a break - this is Australia. People do cashies for each other!

works are done dodgey at 'authorised' mechanics too. illd rather P work on mycar that alot of Places.

AndrewT, I haven't gotten on his back to need to give him a break. Like I said, I'm cautious, he asked a question and I have answered it and asked more so I can give him the benefit of my experience.

Maxxair, no doubt, but dodgies do go out of business because of their work ethics. I'd hate for P to have one job go bad through no fault of his own and for him to lose everything just because a so called friend has taken advantage of him trying to get a job done on the cheap. And yes I have seen that happen to.

rob83ke70 wrote:Boyce's or some other company can probably do a times guide booklet.

Bookworks do a mail order catalogue for all of Boyce's automotive books. Bevin D. Young in Adelaide may do Boyce's current materials to.

Thank you Storm and AP, good info there.

im an apprentice plumber and if i didn't do cashies all the time my weekly wage would be pitiful. i don't see any difference in what phizinza is doing. its not like ya on the books giving written quotes and receipts. in the same way i don't charge full price amount and on the other hand when i do make mistakes and stuff up i learn a bit more on how to do things. theirs my 2cs anyway