Mechanic wants to charge 27% labor surcharge to install Banks headers

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
D

DaveInRI

New member
Joined
Jun 20, 2021
Posts
3
Location
Sturbridge, MA
After hours and hours of research I am convinced that replacing my bad exhaust manifolds with Banks headers is the best way to go. This is especially true since I can finance the parts if I purchase them myself. The problem is that the mechanic, who quoted me $3,500 for "3492.21 two manifolds hardware gaskets and muffler" and $1,500 for labor refuses to install the Banks stuff without a 27% ($405) labor surcharge. I understand a mechanic adding to a quote but he is saying the additional charge is firm.

Does any of this make sense? Is $3,500 reasonable for Workhorse OEM manifolds, with assorted parts, and one muffler?
 
The ball is in your court. For comparison, I had the broken OEM exhaust manifold replaced, it was impossible for the mechanics to put eyes on broken bolts but somehow they did an excellent job.
The final bill was $3,000, over half was labor. Now that required removal of and repair of broken bolts, but did not require fitting and any modifications of headers.
 
Even installing headers on a regular car can be a nightmare. You typically have to try fitting them through tight spaces from above and when that doesn't work try from underneath. Then figure out the only way is to remove the starter, then the power steering pump, then the inner fender well, etc. Then realize you have to use a short stubby wrench to remove a rusty bolt because there isn't room to swing a regular wrench. Then the rusty stud breaks off in the cylinder head and you have to drill it out and replace it. Then imagine doing all that inside a tiny undersized box called an RV engine compartment where you can barely reach and can't see the bolts even if you could figure out how to get light to where the bolts are.

It took me 4 hours to change the front left spark plug on mine. Of course now that I know how to do it the next time should only take 3 hours. Expect any work on an RV to cost double what you think.
 
Last edited:
I agree, he's not getting his parts discount and sticking you with a premium, so he's going to make the money somehow. I'd look for another quote, but most will not install your parts for above reason.
 
Hey there, New to the sight but I have a few mechanic friends and they have commented on customers supplying parts before and they do miss out on some profit.. Might I suggest you have this mechanic quote you inclusive and see what the difference is? If he is not willing then he shouldn't mark up the materials.
 
Side questions: What's the problem you're having, and does the header replacement have to be done right now? Financing RV parts is going to increase the price of the job even more over time, since you'd be going into debt and accruing interest over something that continues to lose value.

As others have stated, it sounds like this dealer's business model relies on upcharging for parts to make more money than the labor alone provides. Hence the 27% surcharge. I'd call around to some other dealers within driving distance and ask for general quotes + their policies on supplying your own parts. You might find another dealer that doesn't upcharge parts, but quotes you more for labor to the extent that the first guy's total price (even with the surcharge) doesn't seem so bad. ;)
 
When I ran my own service business and customers would bring in their own (usually cheap, discounted parts) I simply asked them if they would ever consider going to a restaurant and taking their own bacon and eggs.
 
After hours and hours of research I am convinced that replacing my bad exhaust manifolds with Banks headers is the best way to go. This is especially true since I can finance the parts if I purchase them myself.
Click to expand...

Bringing your own parts to a job to a true mechanical professional is likened to folks that tear their stuff down and find out that they are in over their heads and cannot get them back up and running on their own. Then they bring a bucket of parts to a professional. In most cases if you need to ask someone else to correct the problem, then I suspect that you will get outraged and probably refuse to pay if your bits and pieces do not correct the problem or if you still have issues after the job is done. Your original statement clearly states that your repair may be a crap shoot. And having the ability to finance your parts says that you are operating on the edge. These rv units are nothing more than a luxury, unless you are using one for full time work.
 
Last edited:
Dave, there is a guy over on the Trek Tracks (trek owners) forum that is a retired exhaust shop owner that was also a Bank dealer, and he still does some RV mechanic work, and generally summers on Cape Cod. If you PM your contact information I will forward it to him. Not sure how much he charges, etc.
 
If you have ever tried to do this kind of job, you will know that he is not charging too much. Some places they charge as much an amount equal to the cost of parts when jobs are tough. Headers are difficult because the space limitations and what could go wrong.
 
I used to turn wrenches for a mechanic shop when I was young. The boss would NOT take in a job when a customer wanted to provide their own parts. He had a number of stories for why that was his policy.
most of them involved the customer failing to bring ALL the parts and pieces that would be needed to complete the job, or buying the wrong part(s).
 
Totally legit and I would do the same.

1 - He applies a mechanic's time and/or his time - If he can do a job and make more money if he sells the parts, that is part of his business model. Labor is expensive. Not many folks make a killing selling labor.

2 - You are supplying parts and you are probably expecting those parts to work perfectly after he is done and expect some kind of backing/warranty. He is now assuming the liability that the parts are gonna work and if not he is going to have an unhappy customer, bad Yelp reviews and/or he fixes the problem.

I started life as a tradie. It is a tough business.

Someone owns a $200k motorhome, gets 8mpg and wants "free" maintenance.

Not saying that's you but I worked on airplanes. A doctor with a twin Beech bitching at me because my labor rate was $50 an hour (in 1980) and parts were expensive - Hey! You went to med school and get paid what you're worth. I went to trade school for 2 years to get licensed to fix your plane...
 
The fit of Banks headers and exhaust system is perfect. The tough part is removing the OEM parts.
I've installed 3 Banks Power Packs and never had to run to the hardware store, never had to break out the hammer or drill motor. Banks stuff just fits.

Richard
 
x hrs times x dollars an hr = $$$ Flat rate manuals you are paid for labor what the book says it should take a mechanic to do the job. There no parts markup, now days you can expect a supplies charge and poss disposable fee. If your not familiar with flat rate manuals your not a mechanic.
 
I was in the repair business for years. I'm not installing your parts. I made 10 -20% on parts and that covered a big part of the overhead so I could hope that labor income gave me a profit.

The other big reason was if I installed a part and the part was defective, I should hit the parts house up for a labor consideration. If your part is defective, neither you or I are going to be happy in the end.....
 
I'm in the repair business now (electronics not automotive) Let me give you the owner/operator perspective.

The best customer to have is the one who's time is worth more than yours.

When someone shows up with their own parts they may as well be carrying a large sign that says I can't really afford this job. I don't make as much as you do and I've already spent 6 hours trying to find a way to get something my pay grade doesn't normally allow me to have.

These are the kinds of customers who think that an estimate is etched in stone and that is what they will pay, if you go over the estimate they whine and argue and make a fuss, they really can't afford the job they want you to do and they are trying to find a way to get what they want without earning enough money.

I quote jobs like this really really high, like double. That way if there is a problem I don't have to fight with them to get paid. I can't be sure but that may be the reason for the 27% surcharge. I also do not warranty any job where the customer supplied the parts, even if they are brand new.

The calls I like are from guys way above my pay grade and they ask how long it will take, can I handle the job and when can they drop it off. When I hang up the phone I realize that they didn't ask how much - it's not important to them, they know they can afford me and I'm much cheaper than doing it themselves. Those are the customers I want.

Maybe you should save a few hundred dollars a month for four to six months so you can afford to pay the price of him installing parts he supplies and forget about trying to buy the parts yourself.

Sorry if this was rough on you but being on the other side of the coin on this one makes me want to educate you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 709 (members: 7, guests: 702)

Forum statistics

Threads
131,929
Posts
1,387,651
Members
137,677
Latest member
automedicmobile
Back
Top Bottom