Bobby,
It is indeed a standard practice in this and other fields as well. The
$35.00 per hour is extremely cheap since most mechanics now charge
upwards of $60/hr. It all boils down to how you feel about it and how
much extra he will charge for installing your parts.
I am in the computer business and usually I install upgrades free, but
when somebody wants me to install parts that they buy, My fee is $50/hr
and I don't (can't) guarantee the parts. So the whole thing sounds very
reasonable to me.
When I was a high schooler and worked in a Full service Gas Station, my
boss had a sign that read, "Flats fixed-$1.00, You help-$2.00, You fix
the flat with our tools-$5.00"
Regards,
Joe Curry
Bobby Whitaker wrote:
>
> I called the person I have chosen to do the floors and door sills on my TR-6
> yesterday to tell him I would be ready to bring the car to him soon. I told
> him that I had decided to take advantage of the TRF winter parts sales and
> already bought the parts. He said that he would have to charge me a
> surcharge because in addition to making his $35/hour for labor he makes a
> small profit on the parts he sells to his customers at a good price (he does
> have good prices when he is doing the labor, he just can't beat 30% off TRF
> prices).
>
> Is this standard practice and acceptable, and should I not be so bothered by
> it.
> He has worked on Triumphs for 20 years, is highly recommended and respected
> by all the members of my local Triumph club and has worked on my car once
> before and did a great job at a reasonable price. This is my first
> restoration and I don't have any experience farming out work like this and I
> just wondered if there were any opinions out there.
>
> Bobby Whitaker
> '72 TR6 CC78127
--
"If you can't excel with talent, triumph with effort."
-- Dave Weinbaum in National Enquirer
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