What are acceptable charges from a diesel mechanic?

[RT46]

the relationship between an owner (or manager) and mechanic or shop is just that....A Relationshp

The Relationship is built upon communication, trust, confidence and competence.

The owner needs to trust the technician that he is not going to drop some surprise charges for a box of rags or 5 cans of WD40, cable ties, and other expendable items on a work order.

When an owner sees somethig like a box of rags or cans of WD on a work order on a bill, the owner tends to loose trust in the entire bill and the integrity of the bill writer, especially if the owner was watching the technican use a single rag and spray one or two sprtiz of WD when doing the job.

This is what I think, most owners are more than happy to pay a bill, and sometimes a premium bill, for a mechanic that is trustworthy and can to the job to the owner's standards.

Owners and mechanics need to communicate before and after the estimate and work is complete.

I have a mechanic that I trust and communicate with. He is an independent contarctor.
I get a very fair bill that is always on or close to the esitmate, and he usually gets a few extra greenbacks for the job just for doing the right thing.

The last time he came to the boat he adjusted the rack, replaced the airbox gaskets and replaced the front seal on one of the mains..... I think the bill was $400 or something like that.....

A good reliable, trustworthy DD mechanic is worth his weight in gold.

[Boatsb]

So is it wrong to be charged for the little supplies? A can of WD 40 or a few connectors add up fast. Don't forget the assembly lubes and sealants. I just got some shrink connectors in that we use regularly. I use nothing without shrink on marine electrical and electronics. The order was to refill the kits and was almost $500.00. consider the cost of a connector to start at $.50 and some are quite a bit more. How should I charge for them? Do I count them and look them all up or add in a supplies charge? Billing time would be billable if a mechanic needs to spend an hour doing that.

By the way in large projects we have had over $4k in wire, installation supplies and connectors. If I added the supplies on your bill would you flip out? It's easy to see the problem.

[krush]

Most times ignorance is bliss....thus itemized bills can be bad!

[saltshaker]

I recently received an estimate an eventually a bill from a mechanic I've never used before. Since I'm in NJ and the boat is in NC, our only interaction was over the phone and email. He told me how he planned on doing the job and what he thought it would entail. His approach was exactly what I would have done if I were doing it myself. Since I already did the exact same job on my previous boat, I knew what it would take to do it right. The estimate was reasonable and I figured another 20-25% on labor for the unexpected issues that can pop up when working on an older boat. I received a bill that was a few bucks under the estimate. I was billed for wire, connectors, cable ties and other misc. supplies. I was more than happy to pay the bill and would have done so even if it was just an amount due on a piece of paper with no breakdown. My point is I was satisfied with the job and the total bill. How he arrived at it isn't that important since I knew what to expect and received what was promised. My mechanic here in NJ isn't much for formal estimates or itemized bills. He tells me how much and keeps me informed on how things are progressing. In the end I pay him in full and never had to question his bill. When he did my rebuild, I was the one who kept asking if he needed some cash along the way. Same was true when I had work done in Fl. If they told me they needed 3K for parts, I gave them 4K. In the end they're going to get it anyway. When the job is done I'm the one who ask for the bill or a final amount ASAP so I can get them their money. This way everyone is happy and no one is surprised. When I call with a problem, I know both me and my boat will be well taken care of.

[sportfish 45]

The simple truth is we all have lots of choices with car repair, computer repair, home maintenance etc. There aren't to many choices for good diesel mechanics. If your lucky enough to find a good one especially a good independant then be a good customer it's in your best interest.

[mikfin]

Thanks for the polite and thoughtful replies. As a footnote, the mileage charge ended up being waived, as it was never discussed. The mechanic charges for driving to/from and eating lunch were never an issue, I was happy to pay them.

Cheers

[Danvilletim]

What certifications can be asked for? What kind of liability insurance should they have?

[Glory]

I would be more concerned with experince and refrances. There are many people who have documents that say they passed the test and in the end not so good. For example Captain Smith of the RMS Titanic.

In life you need to stay focused, at the helm or stuffing piston kits into an engine

JM

[saltshaker]

I'm currently having work done on one of my engines. I have to pay $122 per hour and $2.75 per mile for travel. Boat was 52 miles away from the shop. Estimate for travel expenses were $3200. I had the boat moved on one engine to spped things up and cut the cost a bit. I get the charge for the techs time, but $2.75 a mile for a van, not a fully stocked service truck, is a bit steep.