My Rx8 was involved in a hit and run about a month ago so whilst getting it repaired I decided to get an after market front and rear bumper and a rear wing. I was told I would just pay the difference in time it would take to fit the after market part rather than the stock parts. However I am now getting charged about an extra 20 hours labor. I think the total bill will be many more hours then the car has been in the shop.

How do I get out of paying for so many hours when the job blatantly takes less time?????

 

Ask to see the mechanics time stamps on your work order.

 

You didn't get an exact quote prior to authorizing the work? And you are saying that they are charging you 20 hours total, or 20 hours extra due to the aftermarket parts?

 

some aftermarket kits have terrible fitment. if you bought a cheap fiberglass bory kit i could see the extra time being legit. who makes the parts? what are they made of? fiberglass or frp takes a ton of prep

 

And did they just install it, or did they have to prep and paint everything?

 

i work in a body shop, if u want aftermarket parts to fit right they do take time, we have already had 18 hours into just a front cover, involed litteraly cutt a 10 inch V out of the top so we could get the cover to fit.

not saying thier right or wrong just saying aftermarket parts suck to fit sometimes, unless u want it to look like complete ****,

 

I hear ya, Heero... I guess my question about prep and paint was rhetorical.

While I've never worked in a body shop, I was an auto mechanic for a dozen years before I changed careers. So, I've worked with body shops, and have installed countless aftermarket parts.

So yeah, sometimes aftermarket parts are very difficult.

 

I get that after market parts take longer, however my problem is that the car is going to be in the shop for 5 days, working 8-5 is 9hours per day. Total time they have the car is 45 hours. I think they are going to try and bill me for more then that. The bill is split, insurance pays for the repair of the rear bumper, tunk/boot, rear wing, front bumper spoiler and a few other parts.
I bought after market Front bumper, rear bumper and wing I get about a $600 credit for the parts My Bill for the difference is about $700 on top of the $600 credit. I am getting charged about $1300 for the difference between installing a stock and after market rear bumper a front bumper instead of a lower spoiler and the rear wing. It is all labor and paint so it just seems very expensive to me.

The front and rear bumper are rubber (Duraflex) at about $300 a piece so not cheap and the wing was about $200. They are Madzaspeed Replicas and are not drilled but fit pretty well.

Also the hourly rate at the shop is $35/hour

 

if im not mistaken duraflex is still frp (fiberglass re-enforced plastic) which is not rubber. urathane is usually better fit and easier to prep for paint. $300 each is not really alot for aftermarket bumpers and you get what you pay for. that being said what you save on the kit pieces usually comes back to bite ya in the *** in body shop labor. who makes the bumpers?

 

well there are also taxes involed.
also paint is rought 15-200 per bumper maybe 75 for the wing, as i said im not defending them just maybe helping justify, also $35 is dirst cheap going body labor rate is $46 here

 

Sorry you are right they are urathane bumpers that I purchased but the wing is frp

 

I thought $35 was great for the labor and could not understand where the bill came from. Remember that the insurance is covering the repair I am just paying the difference.

I think getting the mechanics time stamp is the way forward. I don't mind paying if the work is good. I don't want to pay for 80 hours of labor when the car is only there for 45 hours.

 

When mine was hit, the total bill was close to $6,000. Rear quarter panel, rear door, corner of bumper and new wheel and tire were damaged. I paid $40 for the new tire (difference for wear from old tire).

Don't let the total quote scare you. I'm sure they will deduct the insurance amount at final billing.

 

Unless you purchased an authentic Mazdaspeed kit, you're going to have to pay A LOT extra for fitment. So 20 hours seems about right as not only the bumper has to be fitted. Duraflex and extreme dimensions usually aren't the greatest with aftermarket kits.

 

Was only one guy working on it?

 

I'm guessing you have a couple guys on the car.

 

I have not seen the invoice yet, but from what they told me when I went in on Monday it was all being done by one guy. Well one fitter and one painter but obviously they can only do one thing at a time as the whole car would have been in the paint booth.

I think I will just check it out and ask to see the Mechanics time stamp on the order.