Repair Times

[FTOny]

Just out of interest, how long have repairs taken in your experience?

The job list on mine at the minute is:
1. Change tappets
2. Fit lowering springs
3. Change steering rack boots
4. Replace window motor in drivers door
5. Gearbox repair, possible recondition

How long would you expect to be without your car for the above repairs???

[gfalls]

TOO long...

[Black Magic]

FTOny... is that your real name?

Have you been tempted to get the ny stamped on the back?? Honestly...

[colm_mcm]

I'm thinking:


1. Change tappets (guessing 5-6 hours)
2. Fit lowering springs (3 hours)
3. Change steering rack boots (1 hour, less if springs etc are being done)
4. Replace window motor in drivers door (1 hour)
5. Gearbox repair, possible recondition (god knows)

[gfalls]

I'm thinking:


1. Change tappets (guessing 5-6 hours)
2. Fit lowering springs (3 hours)
3. Change steering rack boots (1 hour, less if springs etc are being done)
4. Replace window motor in drivers door (1 hour)
5. Gearbox repair, possible recondition (god knows)

No I don't...

[FTOny]

Nah my real name is Tony, don't think I'd be too mad about getting the "ny" stamped on the back

I found out today that the gearbox will take a week to get reconditioned. I was hoping to have the car back before I go on holiday next Tuesday, but that's not gonna happen.

Has anyone fitted a short shifter before, not sure if i should give that to Paul to fit too while the car is with him?

At least I'll have something to look forward to on the long flight home from Orlando.

I was very surprised how reasonable the price Paul Nolan gave me for the repair was.

[d_dan]

1. Change tappets
2. Fit lowering springs (60-90 min)
3. Change steering rack boots
4.Replace window motor in drivers door(10-20)
5. Gearbox repair, possible recondition (i dont know about reconditioning but it woudl take me +1, 2-3 hours to change a gearbox and do a clutch. (less if you had lifts and stuff)

[colm_mcm]

Dan, I duno how big your team of mechanics is, but if you can change a set of springs and shocks on your own in 60-90 minutes, you're wasting your time selling phones, you'd make a garage loads of extra cash if you can work that fast.

Same with the window motor, I know you've swapped window regs before, but 10-20 minutes including stripping the door and refitting everything properly is optimistic to say the least.

[gary d]

Dan with pace setting times like these, you missed your calling. maybe if ralliart had you on their team Mitsubishi would still be in the WRC

[d_dan]

Dan, I duno how big your team of mechanics is, but if you can change a set of springs and shocks on your own in 60-90 minutes, you're wasting your time selling phones, you'd make a garage loads of extra cash if you can work that fast.

Same with the window motor, I know you've swapped window regs before, but 10-20 minutes including stripping the door and refitting everything properly is optimistic to say the least.

most big work i do at my friends so there woudl be 2 of us for any big jobs.
but we got my new coilovrs on and the old springs off the old shocks in about 2 hours.

the window.... really now an hour. maybe thats why so many garages are going bust where they are charging an hours labour to do a window motor. (like seriously theres no work in it)


Heres one,
How long would it take ye guys to
strip back the complete head on a V6?
and build it back up with new water pump & timing belt done.
along with new cam gears done (15 min job which you would never normally do so ill give you that one)
But really,
If your doing a job for the sake of getting it done and you want to do it,
Or are you looking to make a quick buck from average joe who dosnt have the time or tools to do it?
the times that it takes are alot different.


Another case is in the blue FTO,
The gearbox cables seized and stretched and we needed to;
take apart the centre console, take get the shifter detached, remove them from the gearbox, feed them through the firewall, and replace them.
Id like to see what your local garage would say how long it would take.
our time approx 45 min.

Last but not least,
im sure some of you might remember i put diesel into the white FTO a few months back.
so I called a Local main dealer (willing to collect the car a Toyota dealer just off the Naas road)
I couldnt believe what I was told,
I would have to pay for the desposal of an entire parrel of fuel,
A tow truck to collect my car, (€100)
it woudl take a full day to get the diesel from the fuel lines & tank,
the plugs would need to be changed (would be charged sepperately for labour)
price at the end of the day was working out at about 550-650, not including the plugs

I did this myself with a fuel pump hooked up to my car battery,
cleaned out the tank completely and the lines,
and changed the plugs.
cost me the price of the plugs(E100) & 90 min.



I am in no means a mechanic and never worked on a car till I got my FTO.
Its all down to the research you put in and the effort you are willing to put in.

[d_dan]

Maybe its because im young, fit and agile

[gary d]

[/Itsdown to the research you put in

Would it not be fair to include this research time as part of your overall time to complete the job in your case? as when you go to an established garage this is what you pay for in the labour costs, experience/expertise. I appreciate what your saying though a lot of garages take the piss with their labour charges. I like yourself hate paying a garage for something I can do myself.

[d_dan]

no wouldnt really count it as its something I do. I go through the technical forums on any owner clubs im on.
I didnt look up how to do the wondow motor.
nor how to do my plugs. just keep unbolting tings that are in your way till youve found what you looking for

[colm_mcm]

most big work i do at my friends so there woudl be 2 of us for any big jobs.
but we got my new coilovrs on and the old springs off the old shocks in about 2 hours.

2 guys, 2 hours. That's 4 hours labour Dan.

the window.... really now an hour. maybe thats why so many garages are going bust where they are charging an hours labour to do a window motor. (like seriously theres no work in it)

I'd imagine garages that charge 10 minutes labour for an hours work are the ones having difficulties.

so I called a Local main dealer (willing to collect the car a Toyota dealer just off the Naas road)
I couldnt believe what I was told,
I would have to pay for the desposal of an entire parrel of fuel,

I'd love to know what you did with the fuel you drained out of the tank, burning it, throwing it out, or sticking it in a diesel car aren't exactly viable options for a main dealer are they? they have to pay for the disposal of waste fluids, and they're passing this cost on to you.

A tow truck to collect my car, (€100)
it woudl take a full day to get the diesel from the fuel lines & tank,

It's quite common for garagers to charge for tow trucks, In fact, it's common practice, that's how they pay for them.

the plugs would need to be changed (would be charged sepperately for labour)
price at the end of the day was working out at about 550-650, not including the plugs

The labour rate in the garage you went to is running at around 90 per hour. I'm sure, with you having ties within a certain non-franchise dealer - that you knew that a main dealer wouldn't be the cheapest option.

Tony is looking for an idea of how much labour he's going to get charged, I think you're underestimating the amount of work involved. you also seem to think that garages are just in it for fun and aren't supposed to make any money.

[d_dan]

I actually got it recycled at this non franchise you speak of because they only charge for what fraction of the barrell you fill rather than this toyota garage charging me the price of a full barrel to be recycled with my 3 or 4 metres.


The non franchise i go to is expensive like any other garage. but the fact is they treat me like a valued customer. rather than this totota garage thinking cha ching, and flling me with bull taying the fuel tank had to be removed, and the lines changed etc.
where the other garage told me i could do it myself and even lent me the fuel pump to drain it. (and its not like no other garage does this because your man in north dublin lent me tools for changing my spark plugs the first time.)


and i know exactly what tonys lookin for and im trying to show him what he can do himself

[johntony]

this is going way of topic but you have to rember training to be a mechanic is four years of your life not to mention the thousands spent on tools its a job at the end of the day they are there to make money the price you pay for labour is payin for the time it took that mechanic to learn his trade and his excperience, a car can change very quickly into a death trap if you forget to tighten a bolt.

[colm_mcm]

just to clarify, I don't work for the Toyota garage Dan went to


I don't know of any garage who would lend a pump to a complete stranger, and I doubt the garage you got it from would have given it to just anyone.

[d_dan]

just to clarify, I don't work for the Toyota garage Dan went to

I didnt go to any garage in the end as i said i did iy myself.

thats mad cos you man ye all go to get work done on your fto's lent me his tools
must be my smile

[colm_mcm]

thats mad cos you man ye all go to get work done on your fto's lent me his tools
must be my smile

There's a bit of a difference between a spark plug wrench and an electric pump for extracting fuel Dan, I'm sure Paul Nolan has loads of these by now!

Interestingly, the guy that lent you the tools is the same decent guy you're trying to encourage Tony to stay away from

[d_dan]

im not im telling him how long it would take in my oppinion and that if he wants to save maybe he should start doing some of them jobs himself

[colm_mcm]

There are 2 types of people:

A) work at the job they normally do for x amount of time, earn the money and pay someone who's qualified to do it.

B) try it themselves, often take longer doing it than it would have taken to earn the money to pay a mechanic to do it, but come away with the satisfaction of having known they did it themselves (correctly or otherwise )

Not everyone is good at or enjoys fixing cars! (I'm type B by the way)

[d_dan]

me too,
but for those of you who wonder where to get the time.
I call them "days off"

[miss-enzo]

Heres one,
How long would it take ye guys to
strip back the complete head on a V6?
and build it back up with new water pump & timing belt done.
along with new cam gears done (15 min job which you would never normally do so ill give you that one)
But really,
If your doing a job for the sake of getting it done and you want to do it,
Or are you looking to make a quick buck from average joe who dosnt have the time or tools to do it?
the times that it takes are alot different.

so im dying to know here how long did that take ya??? cause you obv didnt ask it for the craic, im sure you have a great figure to tell us!


I think your times for Tony's jobs are unrealistic dan.... its not a competition for who can do the work the fastest..... fact of the matter is Tony prob (sorry for the assumption) hasnt any experience in doing this work before (unlike the lucky ones like you Dan who CLEARLY have some serious garage hours clocked up if you can do all that in those times!)


I apologise if I sound bitter but i really sick of people posting just to blow trumpets and make a point of how great they are/how fast their car is/how quick they can get stuff done!

[d_dan]

no as iv said im not a mechanic.

The time about stripping the head isnt important, (3 hours or so)
but a garage will more than likly an entire days labour.

Im just saying that garages are ripping people off for the crack

[TopCat]

..Im just saying that garages are ripping people off for the crack..

Maybe some Dan, but I'd mind making accusations like that!