[Tomasz]

I've just have to vent the steam to not explode. Last Saturday my Range lost it's water pump on the interstate while doing 70mph. Looks like three of the fan blades disintegrated and the imbalance caused by this destroyed pump's bearing (this is my diagnose after looking at it for 5 minutes). Being in the middle of the trip and already 200 miles from home I've just towed it to the shop suggested by the tow truck owner, rented something on moved on. I was thinking - OK, towing Range back home will run me about $300. Then I will have to spend time replacing the water pump anyway. So maybe it's wort to just let the shop fix it and I'll pick it up fixed on my way back.

Today I've got the call. The estimate for: water pump, fan blades, serpentine belts and labor - $1100. It took me about 5 minutes to regain my calmness and not call the mechanic names. Eleven f**** hundred f***** dollars for water pump replacement!

I really don't feel like to replace it myself so I've started a conversations along the line:
ME: how about I order the parts and you just quote me the labor
mechanic: no, we do not accept parts as we are making our living by marking up the prices on parts (can you believe that?)
ME: OK, I understand that, so how about I give you the address which is roverparts.com, you go there and get the parts yourself, mark them up whatever percentage you need to and quote me again?
mechanic: no we won;t do that - we buy parts only in our sources so we can provide warranty on them.
ME: But those will be OEM parts from Rover itself
mechanic: doesn't matter, no is no.

At this point I calmly asked how much do I own for diagnose and storing the car for few days and thanked the guy nicely.

$1100 for water pump replacement. Unbelievable. The parts at roverparts.com will total to about $200. That leaves $900 for labor. alldatadiy.com quotes 1.8h shop time for water pump replacement which gives us $500/h!

Sorry, just had to vent. I don't mind paying $100 per shop hour, that is reasonable. I don't mind paying up to 25% markup on parts - that is reasonable too - they have to spent time and invest money ordering them too. But nothing pisses me off than people who thinks they can steal from me because it says 'Range Rover' on my hood.

 

[leftlanetruckin]

I did the water pump in way under 2 hrs, most time was cleaning the old gasket off.
How much is a new fan though, as well as the water pump?
I totally agree, gouging in its purest form when they see the Range Rover badge :evil:
What do they want for the diagnosing etc then?

 

[Tomasz]

I did the water pump in way under 2 hrs, most time was cleaning the old gasket off.
How much is a new fan though, as well as the water pump?
I totally agree, gouging in its purest form when they see the Range Rover badge :evil:
What do they want for the diagnosing etc then?

According to roverparts.com water pump is $99/160 (aftermarket/oem), fan blades is $64 and belt $30. Going with aftermarket pump totals ~$200 with shipping.

They quoted me $42 for 0.5h of diagnosing. Which seems reasonable - that would give $84/h of shop time. But if that really is their price than I can't imagine where they were getting parts from (overnight from UK? Still probably would be cheaper!)

 

[leftlanetruckin]

Well they cannot force you to buy their parts.
Their only option, if they insist on it, is to turn the job down. Sounds like they arent gouging you too bad though for the diagnostic time.
Where is it stuck at BTW?

Martin

 

[Tomasz]

Well they cannot force you to buy their parts.
Their only option, if they insist on it, is to turn the job down. Sounds like they arent gouging you too bad though for the diagnostic time.
Where is it stuck at BTW?

Martin

They refused to get my parts, they refused to order parts from source I provide. So I _had_ to refuse the estimate and cancel work order.

The shop is in Des Moines, IA

 

[leftlanetruckin]

Wow!
Shame it didnt go south or west of there, as I am in Mo, and Dennis is in Omaha,Ne!

Martin

 

[Tomasz]

Wow!
Shame it didnt go south or west of there, as I am in Mo, and Dennis is in Omaha,Ne!

Martin

It was going to, but it did not make it. I was on my way to Salt Lake City, where I am now.

Oh well. As I said - now I'll have to spend $200 on u-Haul to get it home. Plus $200 on parts still leaves me with a lot of change.

Side note - while picking up the rental I specifically asked about mileage limit. The guy at Enterprise said 'no limits, you can drive it around the world if you want'. I think he'll be a little surprised when he figures I put 2500 miles on the truck that had only 1800 when I got it `) .

 

[RaleighRover]

Dealer quoted me $875 for water pump replacement today. I had two independents quote me, $575 and $280. The last guy said he can do the job in 1 hour and would only charge me for his actual time.

 

[Tomasz]

Dealer quoted me $875 for water pump replacement today. I had two independents quote me, $575 and $280. The last guy said he can do the job in 1 hour and would only charge me for his actual time.

I'm going to ask the dealer in Des Moines for quote just for the fun of it.

What actually bothers me is that this is clear example of him trying to rip me off and I can't really do anything about it. Because so far he actually did not do anything illegal - he quoted me what he though he could charge me and I refused the work. He's like a thief walking through the parking lot checking cars - if your car is locked he did not do anything illegal, and if you left yours open - you're screwed.

 

[SID]

"$1100 for water pump replacement. Unbelievable."

And I thought prices in England were high :!:

Maybe the guy was getting the work done at the dealer and then adding his 25% :?:

Or maybe he knew you were from out of town and stuck.

Seems he's a crook to me, sad thing is some will pay his high price and then think running a Range Rover is too rich for them.

Sid.

 

[NachoMan77]

What a crook !

You should post his name/address/etc... to warn everybody about this guy. Maybe we should start a hall of shame thread ?

N.

 

[Tomasz]

What a crook !
You should post his name/address/etc... to warn everybody about this guy. Maybe we should start a hall of shame thread ?
N.

I respectfully refuse so. Posting his name will only provide him publicity (black PR still is a PR).

Plus in current era of very selective Google search posting his name here will associate it with Rovers which is the last thing I wish him (and us).

 

[hammerma]

i had my waterpump replaced in Mpls. at a independant shop. $650usd. I have warranty so it cost $250usd
out of pocket. 3 gals anti freeze, oem pump, fan, belt. labor. $1100 sounds like alot but not over the top if
they use oem parts.

 

[hammerma]

If I have any work done by LR dealer here in Mpls. The dealer lends you a new lr2 or lr3 or if none
available they have free car rental at dealership. My wife actually likes it when my 99 breaks.

 

[Tomasz]

i had my waterpump replaced in Mpls. at a independant shop. $650usd. I have warranty so it cost $250usd
out of pocket. 3 gals anti freeze, oem pump, fan, belt. labor. $1100 sounds like alot but not over the top if
they use oem parts.

Actually I know a little bit more than I shared so far. During the exchange I've asked why so much and the guy told me that the water pump alone is $350 for remanufactured unit (yes I know what you want to say - he intended to put reman unit without letting me know had I not question his quote). So I got a little suspicious and googled around. It turns out that there is a O'Reilly auto less than 100 yards from the shop just around the corner and they offer remanufactured pump for $149 street price. Knowing shop rebates I assume they simply took prices from oreilly and multiplied them by 3, then added 3h of labor and that pretty much adds up to $1100.

Not knowing how to use google can cost you fortune this days.

 

[Tomasz]

If I have any work done by LR dealer here in Mpls. The dealer lends you a new lr2 or lr3 or if none
available they have free car rental at dealership. My wife actually likes it when my 99 breaks.

Do you think they would let me keep it till 17th and put 2500 miles on it? Maybe I should have tried it....

 

[viperover]

Abit much for a repair of this nature, I would have asked him how he came to those prices vs what others are charging.

For this kind of repair its not essential it goes only to someone who repairs LRs but it does help.
As far as reman goes I'd keep far away if its not clear what bearing they use etc for example certain roller bearings do not last if they have a continuos load on one side which is the case with the belt setup, there again the aftermarket waterpumps are no much better, made in fong kong land......

As for pricing I mark up from 15 to 35% depending on amount of work and what part it is, I do not accept parts from customers for fitting apart from Arnott GEN IIIs cos they are over the top to mark up, quiet simply you dont go to a steak house and and take your own steak, or go to a pub and take your own beers.
Its like banks dont fix cars and I fix vehicles so I dont do credit.....
2nd hand parts I'll fit but no cover of any sort what so ever.

just abit of insight on how some of us operate

 

[Tomasz]

As for pricing I mark up from 15 to 35% depending on amount of work and what part it is, I do not accept parts from customers for fitting apart from Arnott GEN IIIs cos they are over the top to mark up, quiet simply you dont go to a steak house and and take your own steak

Can you provide reasoning why you agree to put used parts on and deny to put new ones?

Anyway I was more than willing to provide him with phone number to roverparts.com where he could: open shop account, order the pump much cheaper than I did and add his _reasonable_ markup. But 3x is far beyond reasonable. I was willing to accept bill in $600 range - $200-250 for parts and $350-400 for his "effort". That's how far I count my comfort of not having to do it myself.

Oh well... he lost a potential client and I'll save about $700 by doing it myself next week. Looks like win-win to me

 

[viperover]

I only install 2nd hand parts like ECU's, Diff components, transfer boxes (depending) and so on
Agents prices on parts like ECU's are way over the top, for example a new EAS ECU at dealers is R10 000 thats roughly $700.. other than that when it comes to HT leads I insist new and then its genuine from dealers, including spark plugs most of the time.

How about a idle control valve at R3700 ($493)
Or the EAS Valve block diaphragm at R870 ($116) I now import my own as these are a fast moving item
Certain aftermarket parts are a keep away item, HT leads is one of them where as some are ok, oil filters are another area and here I use agents or GUD/Fram if available.

Prices for new Parts here are mind blowing from dealers, yesterday I got a price for lower tail gate latch, R2300 ($300)
Being doing this for many years and so you get used to knowing whats ok to use from a scrap vehicle but the most important criteria with me is quality, be it parts or workmanship.

 

[Tomasz]

I've just got an official quote from LR Dealership in Des Moines - $805. Almost $300 cheaper than independent shop. And I always thought stealers are the most expensive.