Auto Gossip

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31623, 8 March 1968, Page 7

Auto Gossip

by

A. J. P.

Labour Costs

The major cost in almost any car repair job is the labour charge, and for this reason motorists are wise to ask their garages how much they charge an hour for labour. These charges vary very greatly, and more than one motorist, having work done at an unfamiliar garage for the first time, has received a shock when he saw his account. In the City It is quite understandable that the hourly rate at a large mid-city garage will be higher than that for a suburban business for the city firm must face higher overheads. Such firms say that although their hourly rates are higher, they have the correct tools and experienced men, so the job will be done more quickly and efficiently. But each motorist must decide on his own experience if this is indeed so, and whether he thinks the extra hourly rate is entirely justified by results. Different Rates The rates can differ greatly. One Wellington garage, for instance, charges $5 an hour. A typical mid-city Christchurch firm charges $3.20 an hour, while a typical smaller firm on the outskirts of the city area charges from $1.50 to $2.70 an hour, depending on who does the work. Traps for Unwary But there can be traps for the unwary. A motorist who had a screw on the dash of his car replaced a twominute job—was billed 80c

for labour by a city garage, the explanation being that this was the minimum charge, equivalent to 15 minutes. There is some foundation for the explanation that by the time a mechanic has left another job, collected the part from the store, done the minor job and returned to his first job 15 minutes have been lost, but had the motorist concerned known about the minimum charge, he would certainly have done the job himself. A garage on the outskirts of the city told me its minimum charge was 50c.

Rates Shown? I feel motorists would be better served if the hourly rate being charged by a garage was shown on all its accounts this would also enable an experienced motorist to estimate how much time had been spent on a job, and if this expenditure of time was justified. I would also like to see each garage display a sign showing its hourly rates this would aid motorists, particularly strangers, when looking for a garage to do a job. Motorists would have to keep in mind the argument about big gar-

ages having all the necessary tools, although hourly rates might be higher.

In Britain Some car companies in Britain have issued charts showing approximately what common repair jobs on particular models should cost, barring unexpected problems, but such a scheme might be more difficult to arrange in New Zealand because of the great diversity of models. In any event, all motorists should check their garage and repair bills carefully. Even asking a garage to obtain parts can cost you money; I have been charged 55c “freight” by a garage which I asked to get me a fan-belt and radiator hoses worth a total of $2.75. The parts were for a common make of car, but the garage was out of stock when I first called.