Old days vs. now

[427TJ]

My buddy had to replace the fuel pump in his wife's '99 Suburban. He's a civil engineer and he complained to me about who would have thought up locating a fuel pump inside the gas tank. (He also has a '67 SS 396 Camaro.) Here is my reply to him:



What do you mean "whoever came up with putting the electric fuel pump inside the gas tank?" An ENGINEER thought that up! Jeez!!! Well, an engineer who was tasked by the corporate bean counters to figure out a way to force owners to have to bring their cars to the dealer to get the fuel pump replaced at $70-100 an hour. We used to be able to change a Chevy fuel pump ourselves in about an hour. Then the corporations figured out that it was more profitable to force owners to have the dealership service department do the work so fuel pumps got a lot more complicated and relocated inside the fuel tank. Who wants to take that on in their home garage on a Saturday? Therefore: KA-ching! goes the GM cash register.

Fuel pump for a 1967 Camaro: $25, in stock at Grand Auto
Misc. parts needed for job: $5
Time required by owner to swap at home on Saturday: 1 hour, $0
Total: $30 plus one hour of owner's time.

Fuel pump for 1999 Suburban: $150 (back-ordered for three weeks)
Misc. parts for the job: $50 (certain parts back-ordered for three weeks)
Dealership hourly labor rate: $80, rounded to next hour at one minute after previous hour
Hours required by the manual: 2
Hours actually spent on job: 5 (4 hours, two minutes = 5 hours charged = $400)
Hours your car sat at the dealership before work began: two days
Cost of having car towed back to dealer after installation of wrong pump stranded owner on freeway: $75
Hours spent back at shop after wrong pump was installed: one day (parts delay adds two days)
Total cost less charge for replacement of wrong pump: $600 (Dealer also ate towing charge) plus five days without car
Profit to dealer, even with mistake: $400

[Hank Williams Jr]

Actually you are comparing a mechanical style pump to an electrical one. Apples and Oranges. Electrical ones need to be mounted near the fuel supply. They do a much better job of pushing fuel than they do 'pulling'

I will not even begin to explain why GM has far far bigger things to worry about than planning on how to make an extra 400 bucks for their dealers in service fees.

[SS427]

Just curious if things have changed regarding hourly rates as well. When I was a mechanic you got paid flat rate. (the rate listed in the book telling us how long it should take to replace a fuel pump on a brand new, cool, not dripping in snow, not rusted fuel pump) If it took you 4 hours on a 2 hour flat rate, we only got paid for 2 hours. Has that changed now and they can actually charge us for the amount of time that it really takes them?
Rick

[Kim_Howie]

I think it's about the same cost. By the time you buy 2 cases of beer for you and your friends and lunch and oil dry to clean up the mess. You have the same time and money involved!!!

[3macs1]

I worked flat rate also Rick in the late 70's. The only job I can remember doing much better on was replacing those soft GM cam shafts. Boy were they a back yard money maker. Mind you I think I did a hundred or so before I got fast. At the time we all wanted to kill the guy that wrote the flat rate book. Seemed he kept forgetting the fact our fingers had to go around the wrench and to do that some other items may have to be removed.
I know up here now they actually punch a clock and you pay actual time within a quarter of a hour. Under 7 minutes NC 8 minutes you are hit for 15 and 16 you are hit for 30 and so on.

[PeteLeathersac]

It's still flat-rate around here as much as I understand also 'Bill 22' has a buncha' provisions to protect the 'innocent consumers'...not the Techs or Shops! .

The worst thing I remember from my days in the dealership was the cursed 'Warranty times' paid by the Manufacturer...it was like flat-rate book time multiplied by about 40%? .

A lot of Canadian and Northern US Techs have had it rough as the flat-rate books are for all going well...snow, salt and rust add up to seized parts, broken bolts (and dreams) w/ little provision for extra unless you can call it an obstruction! .

Betcha' those soon invading Chinese cars and their high quality metals will be holding up real well in the salt climates!? .

Mac...those cam jobs bring back a lot of 'fun' memories? . Were you dropping the pan fronts or doing the t-chain cover mod-job? .

~ Pete

[3macs1]

UhMMMMMMMMMM. They were all done according the the manufacturers's recommended specifications unless we could develop alternate methods with approval of course.
I will just say we had it down to doing two on saturday and be in the house on time for supper.
Man we did a lot of those.

[flyingn]

exactly. BTW I can change the fuel pump (in the tank) on my GN in 45 mins.. If you know what your doing its not hard..

[ QUOTE ]
Actually you are comparing a mechanical style pump to an electrical one. Apples and Oranges. Electrical ones need to be mounted near the fuel supply. They do a much better job of pushing fuel than they do 'pulling'

I will not even begin to explain why GM has far far bigger things to worry about than planning on how to make an extra 400 bucks for their dealers in service fees.

[/ QUOTE ]