Technical how much to charge for oil change - Help

At my place we get .2 hour labor for an oil change. That works out to about 21.95 plus parts and disposal fees.

there's two ways to look at it.
1) you're providing a premium service (convenience), charge accordingly.
2) you're not a professional, charge accordingly.

 

I use to change my moms o/t car oil for free, now she goes and pays for it because she does not want me working for free.

 

I charge friends and family members a 12 pack and they buy materials.

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I would do it for free. If he asks how much he owes you, tell him "what he thinks it is worth." If he has any integrity, he will pay you a reasonable fee. If you feel it is a fair amount, then this is what you will charge him the next time, if there is a next time. If he is driving a 1929 Model A pickup, he is probably financially comfortable. I don't believe he will let you do the work without paying you.

 

Lol, nothing stays around long enough after we build it to get to oil change. But when we did service work I charged our hourly rate which is $85.00/hr plus parts. Oil changes if we did them we're 3x what other shops charge, but it takes that for me pull something on the hoist, a $30,000.00 build could have been parked there.

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I think I can help us get to 100
My take is if you are in the business of working on or servicing autos that's one thing then charging is ok and you have or should have insurance for anything you cannot absorb money wise.
Now lets go out on a limb here and let's say by strictly a coincidence, nothing you did mind you...but the motor, tranny or rear end locks up soon after you did the work, now he's back blaming a shoddy service that you charged him for?
You say not my fault.. he says it is ....Judge Judy will be sorting it out.

 

Do it for free. And probably his yard could use mowing, you could help him out there, it's not that big a job. And probably his laundry needs doing, maybe the washer's broken and needs a quick, simple repair. Etc. etc.

 

Some of you guys remind me of a buddy in Texas that owned a tire shop. Sold his mom a set of tires at a loss so she could have decent tires and all the sudden all of her Sr Citizen gal friends started showing up wanting a set o those 80 bucks for a set of 4 tires and he had to explain about six times that he couldn't give them the same discount he gave his mother. ld
I'd say have the owner supply his own oil and gear oil and 50/60 bucks should cover the labor. I always figured that when I did side jobs I wanted to get a little bit better than my percentage in the shop but didn't need to charge full shop price to most guys. I wouldn't take on a job on someone elses car for any price now.

 

No good deed goes unpunished.

(And if you don't like California, please leave.)

 

I think $50 would be fair for my time. he is not one to stand around and swap stories, he tells you what to do and leaves and expects it done when he returns. so its not a neighbor, .[/QUOTE]

I "liked" a couple of the Do it for free posts until I read the above ^^^^^.
" He is not one to stand around and swap stories, he tells you what to do and leaves and expects it done when he returns".
Sounds like you know him better than a guy you just met at a car show or you think that is what he will do and say.The above to me are all chargeable statements,at whatever cost you reckon is fair to you.
Personally,I am very selective about who I would let tighten my Oil pan,G/box or Diff bungs.
101

 

I would assume you have sorted it out with all the replies ditto for me by the way. thanks for participating..


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Odd......someone posts a cool build it gets a few replies slowly. Post something like this and there is already over 100 replies. Facebook nation.

Can someone post something we all can "share"?

 

Start a thread; don't read this one
I told someone every time I read the newspaper I get pissed off. His advice? DON'T read the paper!
It works! Now I don't watch TV either.

 

Sorry you don't like my reply.

 

Dumb thread. You answered yourself with first paragraph.

 

That's not true, my friend- I DO like your reply ( I'm agreeing with you). There are too many F-book type posts on what used to be a good site for info. Now it's more;

"What kind of music do you listen to in the garage?
What color is your car?
What is this? How much is it worth?
Can you drive with flip flops ?"

The point I was making is , just don't read this stuff.

 

if he was closer I would do it for free

 

Doing free stuff usually bites you in the ass. I painted my golfing buddy's truck for cheap. I had it blasted. Fixed all the rust Painted it and had one spot that I wasn't satisfied with so I reshot it and the paint didn't match. Went to 3 places and for some reason they couldn't get the paint color right.
So I repainted the whole truck so it matched at my expense and so I was satisfied .
My so called friend said he felt bad for me and would pay for the materials. He is the one who made the offer. He said I will send you a 50 dollar check each month to cover your costs. He sent 2 checks and stopped. I called him to ask him about it and he wouldn't take my calls or answer my text's.
So I am holding my hand over my ass for the money he offered to pay after I discounted the job 2 thousand dollars , because he was a so called friend.
So you guys do all the free work you want to and then go someplace else and ask for free stuff and see how much good will is out there. This ain't 1960 and it is a dog eat dog world out there.

 

We had an old lady in Portsmouth, NH who had a 40 Ford 2 door sedan. This was back in the 60's, so anyone from that area and time frame, should know who she is. She would take the car to the guy down the street that ran a bicycle shop and he would perform the maintenance for the cost of the parts. When she past away, in her will, she didn't give the car to the guy but gave him first refusal on buying the car with him setting the price (because he was always honest with her). Well he didn't buy the car, but did sell the car at a fair amount to someone, for the family. So, in summary, you might not obtain you rewards (for helping the old guy) today or tomorrow, but you will never know, that car that you are putting in your free labor might be sitting in your garage someday.

 

Let's hurry and go for 200 before someone wants to know if sbc are traditional.

 

I would only do it for free if I knew the guy was a charity case, or if it was a good friend (that does stuff for me).
The fact that he's 80 has no bearing on my decision. As the saying goes "you can't take it with you".

I know a guy who mowed and did yard work for free for an elderly couple for many years. The old man said that certain items (tools, guns, tractor) would go to him when the old man passed. Well eventually he passed and since there was nothing in writing my guy got goose egg and the cold shoulder from the widow.

 

O K Guys...I.m 85 years old and have always tried to help the less fortunate...All I can offer you here is be very careful when dealing with a preacher or an attorney..they are the two classes that ALWAYS wanted something for NOTHING...

 

well, for an update: I charged $50

Last night I went and changed Mr.80 year old's Engine Oil & Transmission Oil. found out that his 1929 Model A Pickup was converted to 12V and that the Alternator was not providing a charge.
I took off the alternator and took it to auto store where they told me they could not test it, so today I am taking it to another shop that can test old Delco-Remy alternator's.

Then I will go back to Mr.80 year old and re-install the alternator at which point I may ask for another $20 for my gas and any extra funds for the cost of the work from the alternator shop.

I was hopeful I could just find a new alternator and swap it, but it turns out the alternator is 40 years old and Mr.80 year old does not know what vehicle the alternator came off of.

 

sounds cool and fair

a GM alt that old is not hard to identify
but I understand that chain parts stores ask all that goofy info before they can sell you a part

now sell him on a chop and drop

 

There is an old saying what goes around comes around.

 

This man is well informed on all facets of the retail marketplace.

 

OK, sorry I misunderstood. I agree in general with you. I understand that the HAMB needs clicks to keep it fed (which does have to be done) but sheesh. This is what is the HAMB is becoming.

 

If any of you can help identify this Alternator, that would be helpful, there are some part numbers on it but it does not show up on the Google cave or at auto store computers.

 

This may sound nothing like what anyone wants to hear and I apologize in advance.

I have been known to do work for certain people for my cost on parts and labor equals zero. I will probably be poor for the rest of my life and I don't care, it never hurts to help someone out. especially an old person.