“How much”
to,
I get asked
this question so many times a day, I wish there was a single answer to the
question.
How much to
do ” head gaskets” ? How much to replace the engine, how much to replace my
brakes, how much to do the struts, how much to do a ” timing belt” etc. etc.
etc. You get the idea.
Some shops
may choose to quote the lowest possible price to get the vehicle in, figuring
they will add all the other necessary items once the vehicle is in the shop,
the work being done and the client has little choice.
Some will
give you a more realistic price and not compromise their integrity,
Let’s use
the example of a 2002 Cadillac SDV with the North star engine.
The initial cost
to answer the question on the phone is $2090 in labor and $665 for a head
gasket set, Total price of $2755 and
that could conceivable be the quoted price over the phone. But now, let’s look
at the actual price, the one you would get once the job is half way done and
you have little choice.
Add $500 for
machine shop work (necessary to assure no damage to heads)
Add $380
worth of radiator, thermostat and cooling system hoses
Add spark
plugs $100
Add cooling
system clean and flush $165
Add Head new
head bolts $180
Add head
bolt inserts along with the work to retrofit (necessary on about 90% of the
instances this job is done) $800
Suggest new
radiator since most head gaskets blow due to overheat $525
So now,
imagine you get a quote of $2755 and a day or two later you are asked to spend
another $2650 at a time when there is no
going back.
So back to
the original question, would you rather get the realistic price or the “come in
to the shop” price?
Let’s take
it one step further.
You make the phone call to Shop 1 and the quote is $2755 ,then you call another shop and the quote is $5400 but they explain to you that it is a
realistic out the door price. So, which shop is going to get your business, shop 1 or shop 2?
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