• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

Cost for front suspension refurb right/wrong?

Share this page

J

Jimflorida

Jedi Trainee
Offline
I took my wishbone/stub axle/hub assembly off my Bugeye, got the bushings out of one wishbone, but the outer bushing on the other wishbone was a bear. So I took the assemblies to a local british car shop to let them have a go at that bushing and to replace the swivel pin or kingpin (I understand it needs to be reamed to fit new bushings) and put on a new hub and bearings. (I had all of the suspension rebuild parts that I purchased from Moss.) The said they would look at it and give me a call with the estimated price. Well, the next call that I got was that it was done, and took 6 hours of labor at $80.00/hr. That's $500! Plus, they said that they did not have to ream it because everything fit tight. Does that sound reasonable to you?
 
Shop labor rate is accurate, but if they did not solder in new threaded bushings, then what did they do for 6 hours?
And why did they not give you an estimate before doing the work?
I do not like the sound of it.
 
I'm not sure about Florida, but in Minnesota if a shop does the work without an estimate/owner agreeing to the price, the shop cannot charge the person. I'd check it out because it should be illegal for them to do a bunch of work and then say it'll cost $$$$ without telling you first.

And when I say can't charge, I mean the owner can dispute and will win. I think if falls under the Lemon Law in MN but I'm not sure.

EDIT: So in MN it is the Truth in Repair Law. I couldn't find anything for FL but it might be called something different. Sorry I couldn't help.
 
Sounds fishy to me. :nonod:

Go over there and have a nice business discussion with them. Ask them specifically what they did for 6 hours. Then, come back here and tell us, if you think that's helpful.

There aren't too many excuses that would warrant 6 hours for such a job, unless they did something else.

Good luck, let us know.
 
vagt6 said:
S

what they did for 6 hours. There aren't too many excuses that would warrant 6 hours for such a job, unless they did something else.

Good luck, let us know.
Click to expand...

Did you sign an invoice w/ a price? If not I believe they don't have a case...but they do have your parts. Tricky spot. I'd try to reason w/ them and if not, threaten litigation, BBB and the DA or whoever in the state that is supposed to go after fraudulent businesses. Remind them the world is now a VERY small place w/ the internet and you'll be sure EVERYONE knows. Not only in the area, the whole freakin' planet!!! Matter of fact, direct their attention here. I'd love to chat with them. (I don't know too much about things like this, my family has only been in the automotive repair business for three genrations. :/) Oh please oh please oh please send them here!!! I'd love to thrash them for you!!!! I've never done work w/o SIGNED an authorization and never will. Without that they have no contract, not even a verbal one.

It does sound fishy and very unethical.
 
I think anything goes in Florida.

I have an aunt that lived in Florida that left me a trust. It's never been distributed and I have never been able to get anyone to do anything about it. The lawyers are about the worst I've ever encountered.

Good luck
 
Okies, tell ya what, that just upsets me to no end.

Now I have a set of A frames, disc brakes, and spindles you can have for comming and getting them so you can tell that guy to stuff it. All needs rebuilt.

I bet that Peter C can rebuild these for one heck of a lot less.

At the very least go see the chamber of Commerence and the BBB and see what your options are.

Does he not need an authorization signed to do work??
 
I'm going to go talk to him tomorrow. I always want to believe that people are dealing straight and honestly, but we'll see. I am not thst experienced with this job, but I can't see how it took that much time and money, especially when there did not seem to be any complications. Plus, there is the problem that I did not get the promised estimate. But, i'll find out. Jim
 
Jimflorida said:
but I can't see how it took that much time and money, especially when there did not seem to be any complications. Plus, there is the problem that I did not get the promised estimate. But, i'll find out. Jim
Click to expand...

Time or money isn't the point. The fact you didn't get a quote is. His price is his price regaurdless, however; you should have been told up front PERIOD!


The shaft cometh your way me thinks.
 
Back
Top