Why Mechanics’ Fees Vary When Tuning Up Your Car

When a car rides roughly or manifests odd behavior, the first reaction many drivers have is to get a tune up. Oddly, most motorists have only a vague idea regarding what the job entails. As they hand over their money to the cashier at their local repair garage, they’d be hard-pressed to explain what they’re actually paying for.

The automotive repair industry has performed tune ups without observing universal standardized procedures. As a result, many drivers have inaccurate expectations regarding the work their vehicles undergo in the shop. In this article, I’ll explain why the price of tuning your car can vary wildly from one repair garage to another. We’ll also discuss whether the procedure is even appropriate for your vehicle.

The Labor Estimate Versus The Flat Fee

The auto technicians at the dealership and independent mechanics follow one of two pricing strategies when quoting tune ups. The first is based upon a labor estimate. Most dealerships and large auto repair facilities rely on shop manuals to determine how many hours the job will require for a given make and model. They’ll multiply the number of hours by their typical hourly rate to produce a quote.

The second strategy is to offer a flat fee. You’ll see this pricing method used mostly by small, independent mechanics.

Why Prices Can Vary Wildly

There are a few reasons why the quotes you’ll receive for a routine tune up can vary. The first, of course, is related to a repair garage’s hourly rate. The higher the rate, the higher the quote. The second reason is less clear and more important. Because the auto servicing industry doesn’t adhere to a standardized procedure, one shop’s job can be much different than another shop’s.

For example, one garage may quote a price that includes the air and fuel filters, distributor cap and rotor, PCV filter, spark plugs, and labor. Another garage’s quote may only include the spark plugs and labor. Were you to take your car to the lower-priced mechanic, you may find the original quote has been appended with the price of the additional parts.

In fact, a lot of repair shops routinely quote low prices just to motivate people to bring in their vehicles. Once owners discover the original quote was lowballed, the inconvenience of taking their car elsewhere dissuades them from leaving.

Does Your Vehicle Need A Tune Up?

This is an important related side note. As noted above, many drivers immediately think a tune up will resolve the problems they’re experiencing with their vehicles. Remember, tuning your car is a maintenance procedure; it cannot take the place of needed repair work. While the filters and spark plugs will normally be replaced, and certain parts may be recalibrated, there may be other problems that require attention.

If your car is experiencing recurring problems during operation, ask your mechanic to perform a diagnostic test. A standard tune up may not resolve the issue.