Going rate for a bit of car work

[Lawnmowerboy]

Hi all, After getting my bosses neighbours car running after a flat battery yesterday and taking it up the road it handles like a ride on mower and bounces all over the road, on closer inspection both the rear shocks are stuffed and with a bounce rather than 1 and a half bounces it bounces up and down 3 or 4 times!! looking at the service history it hasnt had an oil/filter change since 2008 either! also the entire rear wiper arm and blade needs replacing. they have asked me to do the work for them and wanted a price there and then, being only 16 i havent really had to price many jobs up yet

oh and patch and finish a small rust hole on the rear door about 2 x 3 inches
the car is an r reg golf gti

so

replace x2 rear shock abosrber. oil and filter change and rear wiper arm and patch and finish rust hole


whats a rough quote bearing in mind it's sort of mates rates and im only 16 and keeps me up for the work in the future

will

 

[BrokenBiker]

price up the parts, either new or second hand, depending on the owners feelings, and then charge around 15pc labour. thats how i do it for mates. they usually go second hand on the parts and i usually take around 30 quid for the bigger jobs as long as they pay for all parts, and if i need more welding wire they buy that and i keep the surplus, and all the naff bits that have come off, so i can try and salvage them.

if its a first job and you expect there to be more and want to keep the business go easy on em first time

 

[Robotstar5]

Don't forget on a car that old that fasteners will be rusted so if you break anything, you have to repair it at no extra cost to your original quote.

 

[Lawnmowerboy]

Yeah that's what I was thinking. I wouldn't ever go 2nd hand on things liek shocks as say they fail in the first year or before then it looks bad on me. Theyre going to get all the bots off ebay in the next week or so. they wont do 2nd hand. they like there quality hence why they drive a golluf!

 

[BrokenBiker]

Don't forget on a car that old that fasteners will be rusted so if you break anything, you have to repair it at no extra cost to your original quote.

yes, i forgot that bit, take it easy undoing rusty bolts, snapping them means replacing them at your cost. wd40 or the likes is always handy as a pre work squirt in my experience.

a good stock of common nuts bolts and washers too, but that will eventually build up over time

 

[Robotstar5]

they like there quality hence why they drive a golluf!

Pity they don't look after it a bit better!

 

[BrokenBiker]

i know a lad with a mk2 golf. spends ages polishing the paintwork and wheels, tuning the engine, all that sort of stuff, then the other week had to scrap it cos the chassis literally crumbled while he was driving.

as the saying goes, lots of chrome wont get you home

not relevant i know but i thought id share lol

 

[Lawnmowerboy]

True that, I suppose if it's got progressively worse to drive they won't have noticed it so much!
i have plety of old odds and sods from my grandad (by the filing cabinet full) LOL


unfortunately there mcpherson struts on the back (spring around shock) so time to get the old spring compressors out!!

any ideas as to what to charge?

 

[BrokenBiker]

my mate with the mk2 had coil over mcphereson struts, and paid 15 quid a corner to have them done by a pro, so 15 quid for both backs sounds reasonable

 

[Lawnmowerboy]

Yeah its what half hour a side the welding will prob be an hour the oil and filter is minuets as is the rear wiper arm so ill say what £40 or £50 quid? including gas wire and grinder consumables

 

[BrokenBiker]

yeah id say 40 quid and consumables. its far cheaper than having shocks and weling done in a garage, and the arm is just undo the nut, and replace the arm. services are easy so it should look like a bargain to them. dont forget to post pics of the panel repairs though

 

[triumph]

HI hope job goes ok yer fees sound ok to me ,may be worth as stated call round on job a few days before and soaking any bolts to be undone which look rusted up allow fluilds time to soak into nuts and bolts, may help with undoin them,just be careful if they have a mint white driveway or summit oils can stain floors when working all the best c

 

[Lawnmowerboy]

Ill do it in the bosses garage he said its alright if i clear up after!

the only tricky bolt might be the wiper one. the bottom shock bolts have been soaking in the oil that should be in the shock for god knows how long

 

[mrcheese]

Can I suggest that you don't give a quote, but supply an estimate. Explain what could go wrong and then you are covered if other issues come up.

My local garge has a sign that says broken bolts may incur additional charges.
Important for them as they work on older cars.

 

[BrokenBiker]

HI hope job goes ok yer fees sound ok to me ,may be worth as stated call round on job a few days before and soaking any bolts to be undone which look rusted up allow fluilds time to soak into nuts and bolts, may help with undoin them,just be careful if they have a mint white driveway or summit oils can stain floors when working all the best c

if you manage to spill any oil or get any on the floor, cover it with a hefty coat of sand straight away, let it all soak up then sweep it away