M550i downpipe installation

Moe2Moto · 08-22-2024, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SXY550

Hi guys I just got an ARM motorsport's G30 downpipe for my car. I'm wondering how long it should take to install it? Someone here tried to charge me $800cad for 6 hrs of labour.... also if you are in Vancouver BC area lmk where is your trusted tune shop!!! Thx in advance!!!

How’ve the Downpipes held up so far?

Moe2Moto · 08-22-2024, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoeMo87

I got ARM downpipes installed for 300 US

And how have they held up on your M550i so far?

DrVenture · 08-22-2024, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FenixMike

As a previous shop owner, mechanic, etc, I dont know a single shop that would do that. The whole purpose of book time is to create a fair common rate for labor across the board. If a tech does it faster, you dont charge less, you pat the tech on the back for being more experienced. The majority of techs get paid by flag hour, meaning each hour of labor they flag pays them an hour of labor. Most decent techs will flag 10-12+ hours in an 8 hour day, which is beneficial in getting work done in a timely manor (while not paying for having to redo things, which prevents hacking jobs to get them done) and achieving a living wage. Its not about honesty, its the way shops work. If someone had come into my shop and told me "it only takes 3 hours to do that job, not the 6 youre trying to charge", id just say fine, go do it yourself then. If a tech is taking longer for a legitimate reason, generally the shop will compensate them, but they dont pass it on to the customer unless the reason is the vehicle or another issue causing the delay (rusted parts, broken bolts, aftermarket parts etc).

If you dont like what a shop charges, learn the task yourself and buy your own tools, but its insulting to tell a technician to do it for less when you aren't capable or interested in doing it yourself. By the way, BMW doesn't write the labor books, 3rd parties do, and they do so for all dealerships based on fair marketing practices. It's the length of time a common technician would take to do the work, not just a certified and trained BMW tech that does the same job multiple times per week. Again, paying the techs less takes away from the techs pocketbook.

I agree with all of this. And do my own work, unless it is a PITA, then I am happy to pay someone. I'm that way with all things though, cars, fixing computers, landscaping, painting my house, appliance repair, I just laid 1000' sq. feet of LVP.

At my job I do things in hours that others cannot even complete in weeks. If my experience and abilities allow me to fix a problem, in a quarter hour,that the customer was unable to repair after throwing 40 hours at it, I don't book 15 minutes. It goes on my timesheet as 8-16 hours. That keeps the bean counters off my back. I don't get paid more, but it eliminates a lot of stress.

I've always considered DIY work sort of a part time job - on my own terms and I am the customer. I tip pretty good too! lol