Auto repair up front diagnnostic charges

[getbush]

The main blower fan for the HVAC in my GFs Aurora is dead. She called and they want $80 just to look at it. I know this place is shady because I've dealt with them before. Shady in that they charge way too much, and want to replace everything under the sun even remotely related to the problem in question. A few years ago the distributor in my Altima went out. (which i found out from another place after the fact) This place looked at it and came back with a $1000 laundry list of parts and labor, that didn't even include a distributor. Either they were incompetent, or shady, Or a bit of both. I took it to another guy and it took him 30 seconds to figure the distributor had oil leaking into. It was that one part that was broken.

It's a small college town and there aren't many options. I realize when they are diagnosing a problem they are working and it deserves a fee, but $80 bucks for an "Electrical Examination"? Auto repair is fvcking highway robbery.

 

[Nutdotnet]

Typically one hour shop time is pretty normal...where that charge will be deducted if you get the work done by that shop.

 

[RagingBITCH]

She can't wait/go somewhere else? She can survive by wearing a coat when she's driving

 

[Thorny]

I think the most expensive is around $85 here. But if its a shop you don't trust you need to avoid them all together. Those places will milk you for all you're worth. I would walk before I'd have my car fixed at some shops.

 

[getbush]

It'll probably just go to the stealership. Like I said, it's just a small college town. These guys make the dealership look great.

 

[IGBT]

..a shop manual is worth it's weight in gold. see if you can get one at a local library.

 

[FeuerFrei]

Dealership charges me $70 to find the problem. If they fix it at the same time it's just part of the overall price, i.e. no separate diagnostic fee.