Do auto shops not need work right now?

In reply to lnlogauge :

Don't try to pry ball joints out. Use opposing hammers. Pop them out like a pimple. Remove the nut and washer and holding one sledge hammer firmly dead center of the taper against the lower A arm use the other sledge hammer to hit it hard right at the center of the lower A arm. The taper on the ball joint will cause it to spit out like a pimple 

Easy peasy. But no timid taps. Really swing hard. 

spitfirebill said:

In reply to Donebrokeit :

time to ask for a raise.

Waiting for a reply.

So what is the reason some shops are doing really well and others are sucking wind?

Maybe related to this: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/08/19/finance-202-economists-talking-up-k-shaped-recovery-stocks-surge-inequality-widens/

In reply to CrustyRedXpress (Forum Supporter) :

It's definitely a local thing here.  All the shops within one or two miles are deadzo.  Busy elsewhere.

The phone rang twice today so far and both times it was telemarketers.  Did one oil change on a new car, a safety inspection on a car they have decided they will scrap, a 10 minute repair on a failed emissions, and brake pads under warranty on a Volt.

I'm so bored that I am trying to decide if the Volt is a hatchback or a liftback.  It LOOKS like a liftback, but the back door doesn't close against the rear seatbacks, so the cargo area is never separate from the cabin.

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

I wish you were closer. I have 4 cars needing oil changes. Another with a noisy wheel bearing and another that seems to need rear brake pads. 

In reply to John Welsh (Moderate Supporter) :

Oh, when we do get cars in, they decline services.  This week there have been a lot that frankly should have been scrapped, but the rest have been wait and see.

In reply to z31maniac :

The problem is the Indy shops labor rate isn't that much less than the dealer.  So you're not really saving that much money and it's a PITA to deal with the Indy as they don't have loaner cars like the dealer. 

I do most of my own work, so the cars really only go in for warranty stuff, which is dealer covered.  I have one really good VW/Audi Indy that I use for jobs I don't want to do and I just deal with the inconvenience of no loaner car because I really, really like them.

docwyte said:

In reply to z31maniac :

The problem is the Indy shops labor rate isn't that much less than the dealer.  So you're not really saving that much money and it's a PITA to deal with the Indy as they don't have loaner cars like the dealer. 

I do most of my own work, so the cars really only go in for warranty stuff, which is dealer covered.  I have one really good VW/Audi Indy that I use for jobs I don't want to do and I just deal with the inconvenience of no loaner car because I really, really like them.

Regarding labor rates, that may be true in your area but it isn't in mine. THE shop to take your BMW/Merc/Ferrari/etc is $105/hr labor. The BMW dealer is $155/hr. I think the book time on replacing the valve cover gasket on my 135i was 6 hours? So, for me, a loaner car wasn't worth $300 to make some small adjustments to my schedule and use an Uber one-time. Drive car to shop, Uber home, have girlfriend drop me off the next morning to pick up.

But I also understand convenience is worth more/less to different people in different situations. 

When I did take it in for the airbag recall though, I did really enjoy the loaded X5 I got as a loaner. Until I got online and did a guesstimate on the costs based on what I saw........and thought "Who in hell would pay $65k for this and it doesn't even have a V8?"

In reply to z31maniac :

Dealer rates here are $160-200 per hour...

The problem with Shops around here is that when they want to hire a tech and you have experience, You get there and they don't want to hire you. So any shop that are hurting for business shows a sorry management shop.

CrustyRedXpress (Forum Supporter) said:

So what is the reason some shops are doing really well and others are sucking wind?

Maybe related to this: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/08/19/finance-202-economists-talking-up-k-shaped-recovery-stocks-surge-inequality-widens/

Bingo! If you WFH you're doing fine, most likely, and you're driving way less. Hence the crickets at the shops in Santa Barbara.

Meanwhile if you have a job that you need to get to, you need that car. And you're probably making less money, so you're keeping the old car on the road longer.