ATLR just lost a customer

[twentyfooteighty]

I got lazy with changing the spark plugs on the Tacoma, and ATLR is close to the house and has been great on previous work. I have sent them customers in the past because they are straight up, do great work, and weren't taking advantage of customers. I dropped the Tacoma off with them this morning, and they got back to me after doing the inspection. Here is the estimate:

Let's break this down...

Spark plugs: there are 6 of them, retail on the plugs is roughly $15 each. They wanted roughly $250 in parts. Yeah, you have to move a few things out of the way to get to them, and it take about an hour or so to do the job, but is that really another $500 in labor on already overpriced parts??? FWIW, Stevinson quoted less than $300 for the same work.

Drive belt: There is one of them, and it can't be more than $20. Last time I changed the belts on the 80 it took about 3 minutes, and it's roughly the same level of effort on the Tacoma. Not sure what their hourly labor rate is, but assuming that they charge an hour minimum for this that makes their labor rate somewhere around $230/hour.

Steering rack: Yes, it needs to be replaced. No doubt about that. 5-6 hour job and a $750 reman rack should be less than $2k, so they aren't completely absurd on that one.

Transmission fluid service: 1 hour, and some fluid. Again, are the labor rates $230/hour?

Skid plate R&R: $200? Are you fucking serious? It's 6 bolts, and takes less than a minute. Oh, we need to pull the transmission one if I get that service? Ok, 2 minutes and 2 more bolts.

Coolant replacement: This is just laughable. $300? How many vehicles are you doing a drain and fill on?

Air filters? Assuming they use OEM filters, we are at about $50 for the engine and cabin. Most Jimmy Lube shops will do this for free if you buy the filter.

This is absolutely bonkers. I know costs of everything has gone up, but this is just dumb. Sorry for you guys who are fans of the place, but Jesse has just lost a customer and advocate.

 

[twentyfooteighty]

the estimate for the plugs is between $200 and $800 labor. There is nothing about that that is even usable as an estimate. When they dealer said they will do it for 1/3 of the price. they are GROSSLY overcharging.

I understand what book hours are. The plugs are a 2 book hour job. $500 for 2 hours is asinine.

 

[twentyfooteighty]

just talked to ATLR: “our invoice system handles the price matrixing for parts. There is a little markup, but it’s certainly not 2x.”
"but Nikki, it was actually more than 2x."

She referred to them as a "specialty shop." What is "special" about changing oil on a RAV 4?

 

[Lastresort576]

Does your truck look all decked out in offroading accessories? Lots of people see that and think deeper pockets than brains. they will absolutely charge through the roof assuming you wont know any better and will agree to the invoice because you dont want any vehicle failures on trail. They will also up talk the severity of what needs to be done and why in order to get in your head...that way you bring your truck to the shop for every single little thing.

My buddy has a jeep and I swear they get in his head. Every single little thing he gets paranoid about to the max...Thankfully I think ive hazed/helped him enough to believe in himself and his abilities more as he just successfully swapped d44 axles under his jku.

 

[DaveInDenver]

the estimate for the plugs is between $200 and $800 labor. There is nothing about that that is even usable as an estimate. When they dealer said they will do it for 1/3 of the price. they are GROSSLY overcharging.

I understand what book hours are. The plugs are a 2 book hour job. $500 for 2 hours is asinine.

You should definitely have the dealer do it then. ATLR clearly doesn't want your business and you aren't being forced to give it to them.

 

[twentyfooteighty]

Does your truck look all decked out in offroading accessories? Lots of people see that and think deeper pockets than brains. they will absolutely charge through the roof assuming you wont know any better and will agree to the invoice because you dont want any vehicle failures on trail. They will also up talk the severity of what needs to be done and why in order to get in your head...that way you bring your truck to the shop for every single little thing.

My buddy has a jeep and I swear they get in his head. Every single little thing he gets paranoid about to the max...Thankfully I think ive hazed/helped him enough to believe in himself and his abilities more as he just successfully swapped d44 axles under his jku.

Does a truck having some parts on it make it ok for them to take advantage of people? Because people aren't educated, it's ok to rip them off?

 

[twentyfooteighty]

You should definitely have the dealer do it then. ATLR clearly doesn't want your business and you aren't being forced to give it to them.

I couldn't agree more.

 

[BritKLR]

In general, I understand and agree. I'm sick and tired of getting $3,000 - $4,000 quotes on brakes and front CV joint repairs on a 25 year old Chevy 4wd truck.

 

[Lastresort576]

Does a truck having some parts on it make it ok for them to take advantage of people? Because people aren't educated, it's ok to rip them off?

Never said it did my man…but it’s no different than shops over selling and taking advantage of women when they bring their vehicles in for service. They’ve just found a new avenue to extort revenue from the masses.

 

[twentyfooteighty]

I just found this review, and it is basically the same as my experience. I used to think they were a great shop that cared about their customers.

"Affordable? I don't think so. I was charged $840 for a part that I could buy from the dealership for $630. When I asked why they up charge 20 plus %. They said that's just the way it is these days. The service was good but they overcharge a good bit. I have never heard of someone charging him more than dealership pricing for parts at a reputable service center. I would think twice before going here again. I bet I could've gotten the same work done at the dealership for hundreds of dollars less I will not be back."

 

[DaveInDenver]

the estimate for the plugs is between $200 and $800 labor. There is nothing about that that is even usable as an estimate. When they dealer said they will do it for 1/3 of the price. they are GROSSLY overcharging.

I understand what book hours are. The plugs are a 2 book hour job. $500 for 2 hours is asinine.

Are you sure the book time on a 2GR doesn't estimate based on removing the intake manifold. Plus there's a couple of brackets you have to deal with. Not saying you actually have to do all that but AFAIK the book calls for 3 hours because of that.

 

[twentyfooteighty]

Are you sure the book time on a 2GR doesn't estimate based on removing the intake manifold. Not saying you have to do that but AFAIK it calls for 3 hours because of that.

It can easily be done without removing the intake manifold. Just called the dealer, they are still around $300 for the same work out the door, and $160 less on the parts alone. It's 6 spark plugs. The plugs for a Lambo cost less than what they want to charge.

https://www.scuderiacarparts.com/part/45881/lamborghini/400905619/spark-plug.html

 

[DaveInDenver]

It can easily be done without removing the intake manifold. Just called the dealer, they are still around $300 for the same work out the door, and $160 less on the parts alone. It's 6 spark plugs. The plugs for a Lambo cost less than what they want to charge.

https://www.scuderiacarparts.com/part/45881/lamborghini/400905619/spark-plug.html

I'm sure it doesn't and 99.9% of mechanics won't I assume.

Surprised what Toyota wants for plugs, 90919-01263

2016-2024 Toyota Spark Plug 90919-01263 | Toyota Parts|Toyota Online Parts

2016-2024 Toyota part # 90919-01263 - Spark Plug

parts.ourismantoyotaofrichmond.com

List is $18.47, good price $12.41, and not even iridium. Pretty soon they'll be stealing cats and plugs for the platinum. Even so it's still "only" $75 for half a dozen of them.

 

[J Kimmel]

:shakesfistangrily:

 

[mcgaskins]

I won’t say which shop, but I had requested a quote to get a whole bunch of stuff done on a Cruiser a couple years ago when it was approaching 200k. It was all preventative maintenance, and I looked at old invoices and searched forums to get a ballpark on what might cost. My buddy who knows this stuff and I estimated around $3k in labor alone at $200/hr x 15 hrs. We both agreed that was on the high side but wanted to be conservative. The estimate came back at over $7k in labor - before parts - and was clearly quoting some jobs at 3x the normal book rate. After a good chuckle, I just said it was more than expected, they agreed and basically suggested the shop was so busy they didn’t really want this job. The next quote I got was for $2,400 in labor for the exact same job.

FWIW I’ve noticed every shop has materially increased prices over the last few years. I totally understand and get it, but it makes it hard on the consumer to constantly have to evaluate multiple quotes for everything or risk trying new shops where you don’t have a relationship.

 

[AlpineAccess]

Shop prices have gone through the roof in the last few years. My perception is there's just so much volume coming in the door at well reviewed shops, that even if they don't have the time on their schedule currently, they will still throw you a high quote to see if it's worth bumping someone else. If not, they have plenty of current stuff and they will get the next guy who will pay $200 an hour

 

[nuclearlemon]

fwiw, they lost my business after the first time i took them a truck and i feel bad for referring a friend.

when i had puff, the engine need to be replaced. i took it to them to get the engine based on their reviews. told them it also had a shimmy at speeds and said i wanted them to quote whatever that was.

never got the quote. had cooling issues from day one that they couldn't figure out. took a kid on this forum about 12 minutes to respond to my post that they used an aftermarket thermostat. i put a new oe in and never had cooling issues again. their cheap chinese engine didn't make it one year before the head gasket blew.

referred a friend to have the oil pump seal on his 80 done. they broke the notorious nipple on the radiator and denied it.

 

[timmbuck2]

I have been hearing more and more bad stuff about them, I have posted up my bad experiences here. I would stay far away. There are too many good shops in town to waste time with these guys.

 

[Burt88]

This is the reality we face throughout the service industry. This isn't just inflation, its the result of our unquenchable desire for perpetual economic growth. We all want more until something bites us in the ass. Rates took a big jump in the past couple years but we never stopped spending money. Feed the beast or become self reliant. I choose the latter.

There's also software programs that are now being used by most of the automotive industry that do most of the parts sourcing and estimating. Common programs throughout the country that utilize common sources and share information. The financial sector is behind it all. All feeding the beast.

 

[rushthezeppelin]

The worst part of all this is the actual techs aren't getting payed all that much more despite the extreme inflation on labor rates...