What is the most outrageous price you have been given for a small amount of work? I called to get an estimate for rust repair on my rocker panel. The guy quoted me at 65 an hour (not bad labor) but went on to say something like that would take 15+ hours!!! $975 not including tax to cut and weld 3 holes in my rocker!!!! Is this over the edge or am I just dumb?
Demi Moore got a million bucks for sleeping with Robert Redford in that movie and Ana Nicole cuddled with an old gummer for 8 figures...top that
totally over the top.at that price ,send me a airline ticket and have a cooler full of suds...one weekend and it's done...did i mention a slab of ribs?
and thats why one should learn basic skills for themseleves. Always help to have a friend with a shop, too!
is your rocket down to bare metal? you wouldnt believe some of the things ii have found after stripping something and down that didnt look to bad before and totally screwing myself. if it s stripped then yes thats way off!!
Two days worth of work, without seeing the part that needs repair it's sort of hard to judge but sounds pretty reasonable to me. Our shop rate is $75.00 and the last "small" rust repair in a rocker took three weeks!
How can something like that take 3 weeks? Is this on and off between different cars or that particular car straight? I cannot see 15 hours to patch 4 holes no bigger than 2 inches. Especially when I can get a new rocker for under 100 bucks.
I own a shop in kansas, and when someone CALLS for a PRICE It is hard to quote over the phone, so I just take em for being tire kickers. If you are serious you will have the have the car where the guy doing the work can look at it. I can't count how many times someone calls me tells me there is no bodywork needed just wants a price on a paint job. If it is in such nice shape why do you want to paint it? well it has rust and the paint is peeling off..............now genious we are getting somewhere.but the best thing is bring it bye and we will look it over. Do you really want someone to give you a price sight unseen? and if so I will always quote way high, to cover my ass in case you haul it in and leave it with me, at which point I tell you the real cost. And yes it probably will take 15 hours to remove, and rebuild a new rocker so it doesn't rust out in 2 weeks. It is kinda like CALLING around to see if anyone is hiring, I have never hired anyone over the phone, cause if they are too lazy to come check in person most likely too lazy to work. Good work takes time , and you get what you pay for.!!!!
it may look like 4 small holes now , wait until you get into it and see how bad it really is. if you have 4 holes now , more holes will be coming out soon how are the inner rockers , or rocker box as some call it?
The inner rockers are fine, it's just the outside right under the back of the door and a little behind it.
I tell you waht the best thing to do is............buy the rocker for under 100. and replace it yourself!! if youcan't weld, use the panel bond glue.. be sure to undercoat the inside first, cut the old rocker off completely and replace with the new one. be sure the doors fit, gaps are good , everything supported, weld/ glue it one, do the body work ,block sanding, taping ,primer, block again , clean up the mess and keep track of your time. I PROMISE next time you will pay the guy to do this for you. I also gaurentee the new rocker won't fit right and needs about 5 hours tweeking to make it right. I have yet to see a rich HONEST bodyman.
Mazooma, Your kill'n me with the pictures!!!! You must have a large hard drive stuffed full of this stuff!!!
yep... I always get asked for estimates... I try to be fair, but I tell them that it takes what it takes. I'd be interested to see the holes. What state of finish did you want it in? What kind of quality work does the guy do? But if he quoted you just over a days work I'd say he may have been over estimating to be safe. Sounds like you need to do it yourself to be happy.
Especially when I can get a new rocker for under 100 bucks. I have to agree. What's the problem then? Unless you want to have $24,000 in a $8000 car your going to have to figure out how to do things yourself. If you can easily afford the $24,000 then there isn't a problem either. Body shops have to pay their bills also.
I think that everyone should do their own work, it will make ownership that much better. Also when someone pays the car a compliment you can proudly say that you did it yourself. "Just remember that if it was easy then everybody would be doiung it!!" Ronnie
Sounds like you are on the fence. On one side a vicious barking dog and a big ol' steak in your wallet. And on the other side. Some rockers, a welder and a willing to do it yerself. Good luck!
Sounds like he's just making sure any extra work that it will probably need will be covered. BUT I will tell you to beware of any cheap labor that sounds like a good deal, I took my car into "Supreme Kustoms" here in so cal for some body work and a paint job, got a good price, 2 years later my car is back in my yard with no paint and a dent that was never there and did I mention the guy still owes me my money ? The body work that he did do is cracked. Gotta love a good deal, huh ? Seems like you either pay good money and watch the deal closely to make sure it goes right, or you pay cheap cash and watch the deal even closer and watch the deal fall through.
had a guy bring over a 72 chevy suburban with a few paint bubbles around in different spots as well as a couple of small rust holes. I told him it would be AT LEAST a grand, because I knew there would be more to patch up besides what we could see. I ended up replacing about 75% of the bottom six inches of the car all the way around. I stopped counting hours when the bill hit $3500.00 but I know I ended up with 120 - 130 hours in that truck. most of the time the car rusts from the inside out. what you see as a 3" rust hole could easily become 20" long and 10" high by the time all the bad metal is removed. you got to be real careful who you take it to. lots of hacks out there who have no problem taking your money and giving you crap repairs in return.
overpriced is up to you if you want to pay its just right other wise go to some one else .If I do not want a job sometimes I bid high .And if I do not like someone I add 30% .Free market My 2 cents
For $100 I'll stuff the holes with wadded up newspaper and bondo over the top... Presto! Fast and cheap. May fall out the first good bump though.
Well I sanded it down to metal and the current holes are the only rust. Nothing else around it at all. I started cutting it out and will be having a buddy come by and show me how to weld it up. The only reason I didnt want to just go at it is I have never welded. I dont want to cause a bigger mess than is there. I know working on cars isnt cheap but i couldn't justify 1000 on one piece. Maybe if it were to take out many of the small dents and repair floor pans, but not this. This is before I sanded it to bare metal. The only extra rust was on the right where you cant see a hole but there is. I will lift her up on Friday and take a look on the backside of the panel just to make sure but I am about 95% sure that's the only rust. Even between the holes is clean metal.
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