I dont think he's bitchin - just explaining for people to get a better idea of things. I dont know why everyone always hates on others when they didn't even do anything....good grief

 

I like that!

Da don't teach dat'n dem dare colleges.

 

.

 

 

Phunk: I told you that I don't know much about prices yet since I have not ventured in building up my Z yet. I am sure that it is probably worth it for you to do it. I was just saying that I know there are acouple shops out there that like to charge you for stuff that has to be put back on in the first place while the motor is being built. I know there are other factors that are different between a single turbo kit and a tt kit. Also, like the pics of your new fuel system. I know can't make up my minded which company to go with, AAM or yours.

This is not refering to phunk but to someone esle that posted and said that he paid his helpers $30 hour. Man, where is your shop located at. I know alot of shops around here don't pay there helpers nothing, just give them good deals on doing up there cars. Maybe thats why all of them suck so bad.

 

johanna1: Very understandable... when you move up to more expensive cars it is almost as if there is a TAX for it... labor time is three-fold for operations performed on cars like the 350z when compared to basic FWD cars or almost anything with an inline engine.

As for the fuel system, I look forward to doing business with you if you make the decision to use our fuel system! I love when people see my stuff first hand because I just swim around in the momentary bliss of compliments.

$30 is a good fair rate. I pay almost that... I often wonder why (when someone is checking their email or working on their own car on the clock, or sometimes even watching court television in the waiting area), but I sure do pay for it. If you want quality help you have to pay someone what they are worth... there are many sacrafices made to do it, but I dont want bitter employees with a "its not my car" attitude.

-Charles

 

I'm only on the 4th or 5th page of this LONG *** thread, but as a guy who's had his share of adventures in paying others to modify cars, I have to say that reading Charles' statements below gives me a *seriously warm fuzzy feeling* because MOST companies/mechanics out there would really only care about getting PAID and not give a rats azz about customer satisfaction or their future relationship.

- Kos

 

More Kudos, Props, etc... After seeing way too many shops paying illegal immigrant laborers next to nothing to do all their work, this is a refreshing attitude.

 

That's because nothing builds goodwill and word of mouth about your capability than treating your customers well for a small business.

If you can be a big business, you don't care if someone doesn't come to your shop for the oil change. However, if you're small it sure adds up if they walk past you for a turbo install.

Fortunately Charles seems to be a good guy (from his posts) and you'll be lucky to find 1% of businesses going an extra mile for anything (it's just bad for the "business" ).

 

Charles,

As uncomfortable as this **** exam of your billing practices must be, I'm sure this will open a lot of eyes of future FI adopters to the real cost of an adequate build up and Turbo install. This is an education for many and I appreciate your candor and willingness to show examples of your actual charges.

Thx!

 

I agree. I was also thinking that he's got a great starting point for giving an accurate quote to anyone else that needs an engine build plus APS TT install. Just show anyone that wants a quote that invoice (maybe remove the peanut M&Ms tho').
--
Jeff

 

Actually, from my experience, most shops make very little on big jobs like engine work or a turbo install. They'd much rather do oil changes, brakes, exhausts etc.

Turbo'ing an NA car is most likely provided only because they'll receive a lot of after the fact work or because they want to be known as "full service".

 

"I know you are trying to defend yourself from earlier posts, but your defense of all of the hardships that doctors go through is pretty pathetic. I mean, first you mention how much school you've had and then go on to flaunt the fact that it costs you 300k. Which I seriously doubt you paid 300k and I am sure some of it was subsidized with financial aid of some sort and utimately came from the goverment or our tax dollars! After all that, now its time to b1tch about the daily hardships that you go through trying to collect payments for services you have rendered?! Then the part I really liked, when you went on to say that you work on a human being, not on inaminate objects. This is so ridiculus to try and put down someone's profession because its not a human body, lol. I have been responsible for a billion dollar Submarine and various nuclear power plants. Yeah, those are inaminate objects too btw.
The fact is you are in a very well paid profession and you knew what you were getting into from day 1. If you don't like being a doctor, then don't be one."


I wasn't "flaunting" just informing.

I got ABSOLUTLEY NO financial aid for my medical school education. I got approxamately 20K for college. My dad's income was considered too high for me to qualify for any aid. Even though I was over 18 and on my own, they still look at your parent's W-2's before you can qualify for aid. I have been in practice 11 years now and am still paying it all off. It's kind of like another mortgage!

I don't go through hardship collecting because as I said, they pay me what they want. I can't collect any more. It is the only profession in this FREE Capitolistic society that they get away with this. My point was that an auto tuner gets what he bills. That's all.

I am certainly not trying to put down anyone's profession. I couldn't do what a tuner does! That's why I went to one! If my posts implied that, then I apologize.

Finally, I never said that I didn't like being a doctor and as a previous poster stated, no one put a gun to my head when I started out. The profession wasn't like it is now when I started however. It is a helpless feeling when the government or an insurance company basically dictates what you make however.

I like the bull$hit to salary ratio concept though!

 

Mods give him a strike for reffering to my mechanics as HELPERS!!Just kidding My "helpers" are actualy a team of certified mechanics and 2 engineers that work for me part time around their real jobs.Most of our installs are done after hours and on weekends as I can not convince them to quit their day jobs,YET.. $25-35 an hour is the going rate in our area for a good certified,non illegal alien,english speaking mechanic that works on high performance cars and not mules

 

Well then, I guess I misinterpreted your original post and now realize you were just trying to compare the two professions.

 

Thanks for this thread. I now understand how people can say they have $20,000 in their engine. I didn't understand that until I just got to see how much people are actually willing to pay to have work done on their car.

 

Wow, even we don't charge that much........ouch

 

... READ THE THREAD BEFORE YOU COMMENT... thanks pal.

 

May I point A VERY important fact out here...this is a car website, for 350z enthusiasts, not the frickin AMA forum on how to conduct proper medical reinbursement, because if it was, I would have a lot to say as well-I'm a chiropractor and could share lots of stories about money written off and not collected!

But...wait, can you hear that...shhhhhhh, listen












that's the sound of nobody giving a f%$k!!!





Now, that we cleared that up, let's talk more about cars and less about MD's.

TODD

 

I agree Todd, let's try to stay on topic.

I would have commented a long time ago about my Dad's life with him going to medical school and etc. and times were hard, it's not relevant to the thread in any way.

Who started the thread? Jak...about prices for twin turbo kit installs with a built motor. Let's try to keep it to that.