Just got quote for car repair $150-200 per hour

[glenn walker]

Thst anmou

Needed to have my fun car alternator replaced to get it out for summer, Just got a quote for car repair which worked out to $150 to $200 per hour by an independent mechanic in a normal medium-cost area of Cincinnati Ohio, others at $100-125 an hour booked for months.
I think I am just going to the dealership, which is about the same price; for now.

My buddy got a quote for $125 an hour for a RV repair, waiting a few weeks. Then a second mobile repair person said $195 an hour if they came to him, starting at when they left the shop until they returned or went to their next job. For the 3-4 hour project, labor was going to be over $1,000 with mobilization costs.

What are you seeing for skilled trades in your areas?

That amount does not go to the mechanics. Do you know how much it costs to lease rapier buddings and equipment etc ? In my area in one City it only has a small area allowed for auto truck or RV repair shops. A seasoned mechanic makes between $25 to $27 per hour so that $150 to $200 per hour is covering leases, equipment and overhead. The same gibberish when it comes to plumbers-the average Valery for a plumber in CA is about $58,000 per year but those trucks building and gasoline etc cost between $300 or more per hour. Most appraisers have almost no over head. To days mechanics are really electronic technicians who also know how to use wrenches . A vary hard life and one teh average appraiser would most would not last one hot summer day under the hood. Having rehabbed and built homes I can attest to the fact that appraaiers have one of the easiest lifes and many are way over paid and actual pay and salary for skilled trades is very low for what they have to deal with 40 or 50 hours a week. This is the same with home owners who thinks the appraiser $500.00 fee is for two hours of work because all they see is some guy walking around for 30 minutes with a clip board and camera. In reality if it takes that appraiser 6 hours from start to finish he grossed $83.00 per hour-less gas, office supplies etc and thats if he works out of his house.

 

[Elliott]

Russ said,

"Finally, be sure that your hourly rate is commensurate across all your similar complexity appraisal projects. You cannot charge the court a magnitude of what you get for lending or REO work. If you are doing lending work billing the normal $50-100 per hour, stop it, or it is going to throw shade on your legitimacy and truthfulness when you testify that whatever you are charging for this project is customary for your practice. Nationally expert witnesses in real estate are $200-500 per hour (plus more for court and prep time) with outlyers on the top and bottom end of the spectrum."

So truth and competency is a function of fee per hour? So better mechanics should charge more?

 

[Russ Kitzberger]

If you charge $80/hour they might just pay for your day and have you sit in a chair all day doing nothing. I know someone that happened to and he stared at his watch all day thinking about how behind he was getting with his other work. I will tell you fees of $200/hour and up for a professional are not uncommon in court. Nobody is laughing, they're pocketing the savings.

Court time is more, usually with a minimum plus travel and incidentals.

I have sat in hallways and waiting rooms. Tax board takes cases in any order they desire.

Nationally expert witnesses are $350+ per hour.

Thst anmou

That amount does not go to the mechanics. Do you know how much it costs to lease rapier buddings and equipment etc ? In my area in one City it only has a small area allowed for auto truck or RV repair shops. A seasoned mechanic makes between $25 to $27 per hour so that $150 to $200 per hour is covering leases, equipment and overhead. The same gibberish when it comes to plumbers-the average Valery for a plumber in CA is about $58,000 per year but those trucks building and gasoline etc cost between $300 or more per hour. Most appraisers have almost no over head. To days mechanics are really electronic technicians who also know how to use wrenches . A vary hard life and one teh average appraiser would most would not last one hot summer day under the hood. Having rehabbed and built homes I can attest to the fact that appraaiers have one of the easiest lifes and many are way over paid and actual pay and salary for skilled trades is very low for what they have to deal with 40 or 50 hours a week. This is the same with home owners who thinks the appraiser $500.00 fee is for two hours of work because all they see is some guy walking around for 30 minutes with a clip board and camera. In reality if it takes that appraiser 6 hours from start to finish he grossed $83.00 per hour-less gas, office supplies etc and thats if he works out of his house.

There is money in auto repair margins solid even after the managers are six figures and more salary. I ran the shops in the management program, I got out of it because the appraisal was more lucrative and it used my degree more.

I was just chatting with my friend who left electrical for medical repair years ago; a journeyman-level electrician is projected to be a 200-250k job in the next decade. (not sure if that included running the business).

Everyone is working from home now, so that is no longer a sole benefit for appraisers. No 401k, etc. No paid vacation, all your own expenses, and risk.

Russ said,

"Finally, be sure that your hourly rate is commensurate across all your similar complexity appraisal projects. You cannot charge the court a magnitude of what you get for lending or REO work. If you are doing lending work billing the normal $50-100 per hour, stop it, or it is going to throw shade on your legitimacy and truthfulness when you testify that whatever you are charging for this project is customary for your practice. Nationally expert witnesses in real estate are $200-500 per hour (plus more for court and prep time) with outlyers on the top and bottom end of the spectrum."

How is that laughed out of court? Not being found to be truthful or credible is different than mockery or ridicule isn't it?

Are you saying that that is too much relative to an auto mechanics rate or too little?

 

[Elliott]

How?

"it is going to throw shade on your legitimacy and truthfulness when you testify"

If you were on the witness stand and the other appraiser was charging $100 per hour, and an attorney asked you, about the competency of the other appraiser would you agree to what you wrote? I'm sure they could then turn to the judge and ask him what he is charging per hour, then ask the bailiff and the court reporter.

 

[WestMichiganCG]

Russ said,

"Finally, be sure that your hourly rate is commensurate across all your similar complexity appraisal projects. You cannot charge the court a magnitude of what you get for lending or REO work. If you are doing lending work billing the normal $50-100 per hour, stop it, or it is going to throw shade on your legitimacy and truthfulness when you testify that whatever you are charging for this project is customary for your practice. Nationally expert witnesses in real estate are $200-500 per hour (plus more for court and prep time) with outlyers on the top and bottom end of the spectrum."

So truth and competency is a function of fee per hour? So better mechanics should charge more?

There's a lot to unpack in that comment. If you are getting a bid from a bank, you are working for $50-$100 per hour in my area and there is not enough private work to drive the rate up. Charging more just means you loose the bid. That is the reality. I have no problem charging $200/hour for court time because I was specifically selected. Tax tribunal work and county work falls in the $50-$100 per hour range. Court is a lot of stress and justifies the premium. Nobody has said anything about that rate compared to what I make per hour because they don't know if it takes me 8 hours or 33 hours. Better mechanics do charge more per hour as they have a book that tells them how long repairs take. If pulling an engine is 13 hours according to the book and the rate is $200/hour then you are paying $2,600 to have your engine pulled. If the mechanic is better and does it in half the time, you are charged $2,600 and the mechanic made $400/hour off of you.

 

[Russ Kitzberger]

How?

"it is going to throw shade on your legitimacy and truthfulness when you testify"

If you were on the witness stand and the other appraiser was charging $100 per hour, and an attorney asked you, about the competency of the other appraiser would you agree to what you wrote? I'm sure they could then turn to the judge and ask him what he is charging per hour, then ask the bailiff and the court reporter.

There's a lot to unpack in that comment. If you are getting a bid from a bank, you are working for $50-$100 per hour in my area and there is not enough private work to drive the rate up. Charging more just means you loose the bid. That is the reality. I have no problem charging $200/hour for court time because I was specifically selected. Tax tribunal work and county work falls in the $50-$100 per hour range. Court is a lot of stress and justifies the premium. Nobody has said anything about that rate compared to what I make per hour because they don't know if it takes me 8 hours or 33 hours. Better mechanics do charge more per hour as they have a book that tells them how long repairs take. If pulling an engine is 13 hours according to the book and the rate is $200/hour then you are paying $2,600 to have your engine pulled. If the mechanic is better and does it in half the time, you are charged $2,600 and the mechanic made $400/hour off of you.

The post was in regard to if you are testifying to the court that your hourly rate is your normal hourly rate. So I would totally welcome that because I work ethically.

I would say the expert is able to set their rate based on their business practice focus and how they view their market value.

If you are charging 90% of your clients $50-100 per hour; Then $200 per hour for the project; the attorney is going to say, why did you charge so much for this case? The answer is either going to fall into it is more complex or just because it is litigation and either is a trap. Worst case, they hear it is more complex than what you normally do; perhaps out of your league. Second worst case the judge or jury may reduce your requested rate to reflect what you charge most of your clients. They have some latitude when it comes to awards of expert fees.

As far as the judge, appraisers are so cheap, I am a member of trial expert groups that easily are thousands an hour. Judges give up $400+ an hour billings in practice. Offhand, I can't say what the court report is receiving as an hourly rate, but I can assure you there is a rate or a rate per page with a minimum.

Reasonableness of Expert Witness Fees | Barrett McNagny LLP

For many types of litigation, parties will need an expert or experts to either meet their burden of proof or to respond to an opposing party's claims and evidence.

www.barrettlaw.com

 

[Stantheman]

Needed to have my fun car alternator replaced to get it out for summer, Just got a quote for car repair which worked out to $150 to $200 per hour by an independent mechanic in a normal medium-cost area of Cincinnati Ohio, others at $100-125 an hour booked for months.
I think I am just going to the dealership, which is about the same price; for now.

I take our newer cars to the dealership. I have a nice older truck, I found a guy that works for a dealership (he works on the side at home) I leave the truck there and he spends his spare time working on it. He also helped me purchase parts at cost.

Most dealerships and shops make money on the labor and the backend (parts).

 

[WestMichiganCG]

The post was in regard to if you are testifying to the court that your hourly rate is your normal hourly rate. So I would totally welcome that because I work ethically.

I would say the expert is able to set their rate based on their business practice focus and how they view their market value.

If you are charging 90% of your clients $50-100 per hour; Then $200 per hour for the project; the attorney is going to say, why did you charge so much for this case? The answer is either going to fall into it is more complex or just because it is litigation and either is a trap. Worst case, they hear it is more complex than what you normally do; perhaps out of your league. Second worst case the judge or jury may reduce your requested rate to reflect what you charge most of your clients. They have some latitude when it comes to awards of expert fees.

As far as the judge, appraisers are so cheap, I am a member of trial expert groups that easily are thousands an hour. Judges give up $400+ an hour billings in practice. Offhand, I can't say what the court report is receiving as an hourly rate, but I can assure you there is a rate or a rate per page with a minimum.

Reasonableness of Expert Witness Fees | Barrett McNagny LLP

For many types of litigation, parties will need an expert or experts to either meet their burden of proof or to respond to an opposing party's claims and evidence.

www.barrettlaw.com

My clients always ask for a quote, not a $/hour. I wish I could pull that off but the business does not work that way here. My fees average slightly over $2,600 for all work types and my appraisal time is slightly over 30 hours a report. An attorney is not going to know what my hourly rate for other work types, I've never had an attorney question my rate. I have had the DOT try to negotiate it downward though. The reason fees are where they are is due to the loss of direct engagement. That ship sailed before I was licensed. I'm not sure where the industry is headed as far as fees are concerned.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

I had my first repair to my Terrain. It was a sensor in the steering column related to the stabl-track system, The part was $89. $15 to throw it away("environmental" charge).
And the labor was $325...They called at 1:30pm to say they diagnosed it (which my mechanic already had done) and the cost would be about $500. Authorized, by 4pm they called to say the car was ready. My mechanic said the part needed to be calibrated with the dealership computers not his. And apparently it was because it reset all my totalizing and averaging gauges.

 

[Restrain]

I had my first repair to my Terrain. It was a sensor in the steering column related to the stabl-track system, The part was $89. $15 to throw it away("environmental" charge).
And the labor was $325...They called at 1:30pm to say they diagnosed it (which my mechanic already had done) and the cost would be about $500. Authorized, by 4pm they called to say the car was ready. My mechanic said the part needed to be calibrated with the dealership computers not his. And apparently it was because it reset all my totalizing and averaging gauges.

I have a Nissan Titan, clock spring inside the steering wheel went out. Got it changed out, but then it was $100 just have the dealer hook up their computer to reset the system. This proprietary stuff is just to make dealerships more money