Is $130 P/H Labour for Mechanic Reasonable?

AussieDaddy on 26/10/2022 - 23:45

I've an old lemon (Holden Astra TS, 2002) that's due for a timing belt + water pump change. I rang an independent mechanic that I've dealt with a few years ago (this is in Adelaide) and he quoted me $130 per hour labour cost, and it will take up to five hours to do the work. So just the labour cost will be $650, on top of the cost of the kit, as well as coolant etc. So all will be between $900 to probably a grand. I just said thanks after he told me the labour cost.

The last time I had it done was about eight years ago, and that cost me a little bit over $500, including the timing belt, and service (oil and coolant change), but that was a Midas branch that has gone out of business. Is that $130 p/h labour cost reasonable?

Automotive

Comments

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 26/10/2022 - 23:49
    +22

    8 years ago

    Hmm where to start…

    Anyway-

    Get two more quotes and if they are in same ball park, there’s your answer.

  • bobbified on 26/10/2022 - 23:51
    +5

    Is that $130 p/h labour cost reasonable?

    Ring another two or three mechanics in your area and you'll soon have an answer.

  • UnternamenBernhard on 26/10/2022 - 23:58
    +6

    $130 is reasonable. the going rate for independents is anywhere from $110 (avoid) to $140. Timing belt- big job. Water pump- big job.
    Pump- empty cooling system. Specialist removal charges for waste. Remove pump, clean gasket and adhesive area, clean parts(?), repair/replace parts as needed, 2nd hand or new replacement fitting +gasket +sealant.
    Mate, pretty sure timing belt is cambelt- should have been done at 5 years/150,000km.
    Look up ZIGgassedUP on YouTube. Your exact job: " Z18XE Holden Astra water pump and timing belt job."

    Lesson of the day- don't be penny wise and pound foolish, if you can avoid it.
    Edit: cambelt to be replaced every 60,000km on Astra. Sometimes water pump has to be SMASHED out. Cambelt needs two new idlers and tensioner. He will be charging whatever the book gives as a guide.

    • AussieDaddy on 27/10/2022 - 00:07
      +4

      Really appreciate the detailed answer. I'm mechanically challenged, and the best I can do is the regular oil + filter changes once a year. And other minor works like air filter, sparking plugs, coolant change etc. Anything more than that and I'm useless. I thought the $130 was too much, but now it makes sense. Thanks

      • tomlikesbeetroot on 27/10/2022 - 01:17
        +6

        You are not just paying for the mechanics time, but the thousands of hours spent on training, tens of thousands worth of tools, workshop rental, then profit margin

      • UnternamenBernhard on 27/10/2022 - 01:26
        +3

        well, we all do as best we can. Good luck and modern cars, it's been near 25 years I've wrenched on a motor, so a lot of the new stuff is well beyond me- too many sensors and stuff, codes and all this crap. It was much easier when everything was mechanical, even if it was British.

    • brendanm on 27/10/2022 - 08:50
      +1

      Sometimes water pump has to be SMASHED out

      Absolutely correct, can be a nightmare. Stupid astras.

  • spackbace on 27/10/2022 - 00:00
    +8

    Pretty normal

    Even 8yrs ago a timing belt would've been close to a grand

  • Hybroid on 27/10/2022 - 00:06
    +3

    Get a quote from Mycar for comparison: https://www.mycar.com.au/repairs/timing-belt-replacement

    The final timing belt cost really depends on the make and model of the car, but generally ranges from $500-$1000. This also depends on whether a full timing belt kit is replaced. Some of these kits include idler bearings, timing belt tensioner and oil seals.

    A timing belt generally takes about 1-4 hours to replace, this varies depending on the make and model of the vehicle.

    • AussieDaddy on 27/10/2022 - 00:08
      +1

      Thank you. Will give them a call tomorrow.

      • Fizzydrink on 27/10/2022 - 10:26
        +2

        dont forget your flybuys at mycar!

  • Euphemistic on 27/10/2022 - 01:11
    +3

    Price normal, but …. hear me out. . It’s a 20yo astra. Not a lot of love in resale value. Just keep driving it and save the money for a replacement. If the timing belt goes, bummer. If t doesn’t you’ve lost nothing. They pick a conservative number for when to replace a timing belt. Some will last a lot longer.

    8 years ago it had plenty of life left and was probably worth doing. Now it’s near enough scrap value.

    • AussieDaddy on 27/10/2022 - 01:40
      +3

      Not a lot of love in resale value. Just keep driving it and save the money for a replacement. If the timing belt goes, bummer. If t doesn’t you’ve lost nothing.

      Exactly what I was thinking for a while. It's just that cars are very expensive now, and this old lemon has just clocked 180,000 kms, so I thought I might just have the timing belt & water pump changed and drive it for a few more years, as I live on my own and don't a fancy or a bigger vehicle. But you're right, it's starting to fall apart, so I might need to look for a replacement sooner than later, even if that means a push bike or an electric one.

    • z0s0 on 27/10/2022 - 09:29
      +7

      Yeah I agree with this. Spend $0 on it and drive it into the ground; but ONLY if you can afford the hassle/cost of a quick replacement when it becomes necessary.

      Try an e-bike; it might just change your life.

  • USER DC on 27/10/2022 - 01:25
    +1

    Have gotten this sorta job (whole timing belt kit, including drivebelt, water pump) done for under $500 a couple years ago, Buy parts myself from reputable seller, give to mechanic charged about $250 in labour for Baina XC. Prices probably gone up with inflation.

    But yea get multiple quotes dude. I don't really care what mechanic charge per hour, What I care is how much total they gonna quote for the full job, and quality of their work. Most mechanics generally got no incentive to be competitive, just want to charge customers more.
    Your kit's is def less than $180 https://www.alliedautoonline.com.au/timing-belt-kit-water-pu…, add $30 for coolant, and may be $15 for oil. Easily parts under $220

    • AussieDaddy on 27/10/2022 - 01:45
      +1

      Yeah, actually bought the timing belt + water pump kit for $171 from online, so it's just that the labour cost shocked me. Didn't know that mechanics charge that much per hour, but as others pointed that out above, it's a reasonable price for a good mechanic. Will give a few more mechanics a call in the morning and see what they quote me. If it's around the same $$ then I'll go to the one I called yesterday and hope for the best. If it all will cost about a grand or less and I can get a few more years of life out of it, then it's worth it. Just don't wanna buy another car now in this insane market.

  • pegaxs on 27/10/2022 - 07:52
    +1

    I wouldn’t touch a 2002 Astra for $130/h. Replacing the timing belt and water pump on this car is going to make it an economic write off.

    All that aside, it sounds about right. The price of the parts is about right, the price of the labour is about right. Time to do the job seems a bit long, but still seems reasonable. I think if you ring around and get quotes, you are not going to save a hell of a lot, and if you do, what is it actually costing you in terms of quality.

    Be warned though, before you start buying all the parts yourself to supply to do the job that your chosen mechanic may not fit them, so ask before you buy anything to make sure they are ok with you supplying your own parts.

    • salmon123 on 27/10/2022 - 08:33
      -5

      I think if you ring around and get quotes, you are not going to save a hell of a lot

      Put it up on airtasker. You'll find a mobile mechanic who's just starting out to do it for $50/hour.

      • pegaxs on 27/10/2022 - 10:13
        -1

        And that is what you get, a mobile “someone” that only values their time at $50/h.

        Then OP will be back next week because some airtasker backyardy bloke messed the job up, cam belt jumped a tooth, lunched the engine, water pump leaked, lost all the coolant and cooked the engine…

        But, hey, I guess you can leave negative feedback…

        • salmon123 on 27/10/2022 - 10:36
          -2

          a mobile “someone” that only values their time at $50/h.

          Someone that's starting a new business that's keen to build a client base. Someone that doesn't have the same overheads of running a full workshop.

          Then OP will be back next week because some airtasker backyardy bloke messed the job up

          I never suggested getting someone that isn't qualified for the job.

          But, hey, I guess you can leave negative feedback

          What's your plan when the $130/hour mechanic messes up the job? Go to xCat? Courts?

          Guess what, you can still do that with a mobile mechanic.

          • brendanm on 27/10/2022 - 11:28

            @salmon123: Someone doing that sort of work for $50 an hour, is doing it because they can't get work anywhere else. Only the most desperate of the desperate go on airtasker.

            • salmon123 on 27/10/2022 - 13:45
              -1

              @brendanm:

              Someone doing that sort of work for $50 an hour, is doing it because they can't get work anywhere else

              Not sure where you got that gem from. I'm pretty sure person start a business charging $50/hour could walk into any mechanic shop and become an employee for $30/hour any day of the week.

              Only the most desperate of the desperate go on airtasker.

              That doesn't make the work inferior.

              Your forgetting that even at $130/hour the shop will just get an apprentice to do the work at $16/hour.

              • brendanm on 27/10/2022 - 14:11
                +1

                @salmon123: There is a shortage of mechanics at the moment. $50 on airtasker, minus the fees, minus insurance, minus super etc etc is way less than you would get just walking in and getting a job anywhere. I sure as hell wouldn't be working on someone's astra timing belt in their driveway for $50 an hour.

                • salmon123 on 27/10/2022 - 14:18

                  @brendanm:

                  I sure as hell wouldn't be working on someone's astra timing belt in their driveway for $50 an hour.

                  You're obviously doing better than lots of other people that would be willing to do it at the prices I mentioned. Good for you.

                  • brendanm on 27/10/2022 - 14:19

                    @salmon123: As I said, anyone who isn't absolutely terrible would be able to do better, hence, the people doing it for $50 on airtasker are likely terrible.

                    • salmon123 on 27/10/2022 - 14:23

                      @brendanm: As I said, the mechanics charging $130/hour in a shop and paying apprentices to do the work for $16/hour are human traffickers.

                      You have no basis to assess the quality of someone else's work.

                      • brendanm on 27/10/2022 - 14:29

                        @salmon123:

                        As I said, the mechanics charging $130/hour in a shop and paying apprentices to do the work for $16/hour are human traffickers.

                        Hahahahahahahahahaha

                        You have no basis to assess the quality of someone else's work.

                        Yes I do.

                        • salmon123 on 27/10/2022 - 14:30

                          @brendanm:

                          Yes I do.

                          Only in your mind, as warped as is it.

                          • brendanm on 27/10/2022 - 15:29

                            @salmon123: No, in reality, where I have a much better knowledge of these things than you, unless you are one of these sketchy airtasker mechanics.

                            • salmon123 on 27/10/2022 - 15:43

                              @brendanm:

                              in reality, where I have a much better knowledge of these things than you

                              In reality you're a dodgy tradie who's barely been to school for 5mins and thinks his time is worth $130/hour. There's plenty of honest people around that'll do the same job for less than half the price.

  • Overclocked91 on 27/10/2022 - 08:27

    Toyota mechanics are $165 per hour.

  • brad1-8tsi on 27/10/2022 - 09:17
    +1

    hourly rate is fair but the time sounds fat.

    • pharkurnell on 27/10/2022 - 10:09
      +2

      Must be hard for mechanics to pull quotes out of their arse all day… So many things can go wrong and change the time it takes to do a job.. snapped bolts, broken parts they werent told about (yes this happens shit loads)… etc.

      I'd rather the spannerman over quoted than under quote… so you actually know how much you are up for when you go to pick it up

      • brad1-8tsi on 27/10/2022 - 11:05
        +3

        I did the trade in for 10 years and know exactly what the pitfalls of a fixed price quote and book times are. Sometimes you make a motza, sometimes you take a bath.

  • JimB on 27/10/2022 - 10:58
    +2

    It's probably not a lemon if you're considering thinking of changing the timing belt :)

    Having said that, if you have a 2nd car in the family, as above I'll be risking it and not doing the timing belt. That repair is worth more than the car.

    In the wise words of Ivan Drago, if it dies, it dies.

    Otherwise, shop around for a fixed price. There may be a few mechanics that don't mind working on the Astra. That quote you received, perhaps the mechanic hates working on it.

  • koplik8 on 27/10/2022 - 11:01

    The plumber I had out was $137 an hour in Darwin

  • jar-unit on 27/10/2022 - 11:09

    The $130 has to cover overheads such as rent, workshop tools, employee leave etc..

  • ECE on 27/10/2022 - 11:37

    That is dirt cheap

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