The fine line on mechanic work

[aschen]

Two head gaskets for a flat 4 and engine certainly has to come out, I can only assume timing parts, spark plugs and every other PITA flat 4 items were replaced as well.

3800 is a bunch but doesnt seem crazy for a subaru........therein lies the issue. Give me a transverse i4 for sub 40k cars, or at least make sure the car doesnt eat head gaskets.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Superman

Who decides what work the shop will perform?

CarShield? Being in the ins. business, I'm just shocked the OP isn't covered ....

$hocked ... I tells ya !

My man Ice-T recommends them ...

[David]

I do most of my own work (otherwise, why would I be on Pelican ) but I have the dealer do warranty work and some stuff I don't feel like and an independent for stuff like alignments and stuff I've gotten too lazy for in my old(er) age.

Both the dealer and the independent know I do my own maintenance and small items so they don't even ask anymore. The first time I took my Cayenne to the dealer (at least the one I use now) they gave me a big long list of maintenance items. I told them I do all that myself. The next time I took it to the dealer there was no list. I thanked my service advisor for that and he said, "no problem, we know our customers"

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by aschen

Two head gaskets for a flat 4 and engine certainly has to come out, I can only assume timing parts, spark plugs and every other PITA flat 4 items were replaced as well.

3800 is a bunch but doesnt seem crazy for a subaru........therein lies the issue. Give me a transverse i4 for sub 40k cars, or at least make sure the car doesnt eat head gaskets.

If it was a complete job it would include fly cutting the heads, new head studs, high end gaskets, complete timing belt/WP/pulley kit. Around $750-$1,000 retail for parts.

I did it to my sister's 2006 with engine in. Pulling would heve been easier overall.

[LWJ]

^^^BobK. I wasn’t asking if this was reasonable, but is it? Not sure the hourly rate. It’s certainly not low.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by LWJ

^^^BobK. I wasn’t asking if this was reasonable, but is it? Not sure the hourly rate. It’s certainly not low.

$3,800 is a lot of money

To put all the new parts in for a comprehensive job with pulling the engine and running heads to the machine shop I would think it would be $3,500, maybe more.

However, when I did research for the job there were guys on this board that could do the job in a day. I have to think that job is alloted 16-20 hours and a good wrench can beat it.

[LWJ]

Thank you. I will review my invoice.

[SCadaddle]

I thought subaru head gasket problems was a thing of the distant past. My little Legacy wagon is old enough to vote.

Struck up a conversation just last night with a young man who owns a really nice VW super beetle that was in the parking lot of the restaurant where he busses tables. He just had a local indy foreign car shop perform a valve adjustment and change the oil in his VW super beetle. $400. Four Hundred Dollars! I told him that's insane.

[greglepore]

Originally Posted by Jeff Alton

We provide a detailed digital inspection showing what was good and what requires attention. The CLIENT decides what work they would like performed. Declined/deferred work gets stored in our system for future reference.

This is what I'd expect from any indy that I trusted with my repairs.