the Cost of General Auto Repair

I needed to get my van inspected for the coming year. The above price doesn't include the inspection, just the work needed to be done to inspect the van. It needed to have the front and rear brakes replaced and the rotors were recommended. This is the first time they needed replaced so I felt it was a justifiable service. The shop replaced the rotors on the front and back and then replaced the brakes with lifetime ceramic brake pads. These brake pads are guaranteed to last the lifetime of your car ownership so I felt it was a better product than to have to face replacing them again in the future. The rotors were worn from normal wear and tear, but were not required to be replaced as of yet, just sometime soon in the future. I decided to go ahead and have them replaced instead of trying to come back in the future. The material cost was obviously the least amount of the total price, with labor being the higher price. The price was broken down for me on my quote sheet. Tax was at the current Pennsylvania rate of 6 percent. I did not leave a gratuity or tip as I felt the service was very costly already.

The quality of the service I received was good. The work was done in a timely manner and the parts were installed correctly. I felt I had received the right parts and I had time to decided which ones I wanted to choose. The nice part about the service was the options that I had to choose from. I could choose several different brands and styles of brake pads depending upon my desires. I chose the lifetime brake pads due to their warranty so I do not have to face getting them replaced again in the future. What was not good about the service was that I was not able to buy the pads myself at a more reasonable cost (maintenance shop prices are always higher than purchasing them yourself) and then have them installed. I had to purchase them from the center or they wouldn't be able to do the required repair. The same thing holds true for the rotors. The initial price I felt was a little exorbitant and I was able to get a much more reasonable price after haggling a little. The end price was very comparable to other maintenance shops that I was able to obtain a quote from and in some instances much less than some shops.

I would say the most important advice I can give someone on maintenance and repairs on their vehicle is to never accept their final price. You can negotiate with a repair shop just the same that you can negotiate with most other companies that offer you a service or product (such as when you initially purchase your car). It took several times for the shop to understand that I was only willing to pay a certain amount or get the work done elsewhere. In the end though they did the work and did it well because they don't want to lose such a high amount of money. The shop will usually negotiate with you, they would rather lose 50 dollars than lose the entire amount if they do not perform the repair or maintenance. Secondly, I would say know what your options are. There are many different brands and styles to choose from. Choose the one that fits your budget and you needs. If a shop tells you that they have one particular part, do the research and find out what all is available. They can usually get the part ordered and then do the repair so you are not forced to accept a part you do not wish to have or can not afford. Lastly, if you can do these repairs or know someone who is capable of doing them, it is much cheaper. The labor is the highest cost of your invoice. Also shop around, you can always call the shop back with a quote from another shop and that usually will be enough for them to lower their quote. I wish I had known these things when I was younger and I could have saved a fortune on repairs and maintenance.