sound right to you guys?

[BonzoHansen]

Inner or out tie rods? If inner do you have the right tool to change them?

I wont even get into the difference in price. First you don't know what you are comparing - such as same brand?

Curious, what do you think is a fair markup? Do you expect and get any warranty? Do you pay employees, benefits, rent/mortgage, insurance, specialty tools, training, etc.?

It's always cheaper to do it yourself. Until you screw it up.

Waiting for the current pro-mechanics to chime in....

 

[dirtmod08]

Inner or out tie rods? If inner do you have the right tool to change them?

I wont even get into the difference in price. First you don't know what you are comparing - such as same brand?

Curious, what do you think is a fair markup? Do you expect and get any warranty? Do you pay employees, benefits, rent/mortgage, insurance, specialty tools, training, etc.?

It's always cheaper to do it yourself. Until you screw it up.

Waiting for the current pro-mechanics to chime in....

I didn't think it was too hard to screw up tie rods till I witnessed what my stepson had done. I refused to do it for him, but when he got in a bind I discovered that when you'd twist the adjusting sleeve - the sleeve would just go up/down the threads instead of lengthening/shortening the assembly. I didn't even think that was possible, lol.
And we had just sent him to - and graduated from aviation tech school. Guess they don't have tie-rods on airplanes.

 

[Mike N]

Based off my parts/labor catalog, $150 each is probably an inner tie rod and that price is for a Moog. My cost on that rod is $70. Labor is an hour each plus the alignment. My guess is the average car guy doesn't have the tools to do inner rods on that car.

If you want cheap, I can get you a Chinese tie rod for $14 each that I wouldn't trust for a cross town drive.

Inner or out tie rods? If inner do you have the right tool to change them?

I wont even get into the difference in price. First you don't know what you are comparing - such as same brand?

Curious, what do you think is a fair markup? Do you expect and get any warranty? Do you pay employees, benefits, rent/mortgage, insurance, specialty tools, training, etc.?

It's always cheaper to do it yourself. Until you screw it up.

Waiting for the current pro-mechanics to chime in....

What Scott said.

 

[TL73Z28]

Autozone will rent you the inner tie rod tool for free.

 

[LayZ]

Inner or out tie rods? If inner do you have the right tool to change them?

I wont even get into the difference in price. First you don't know what you are comparing - such as same brand?

Curious, what do you think is a fair markup? Do you expect and get any warranty? Do you pay employees, benefits, rent/mortgage, insurance, specialty tools, training, etc.?

It's always cheaper to do it yourself. Until you screw it up.

Waiting for the current pro-mechanics to chime in....

I could see 20% markup which would be $12 bucks using the $60 price. Sure as heck not 100%. They use mostly local guys either joy right up the road or they go to advanced or autozone. I know 1000% because I see the trucks there. Plus considering they order from there all the time, your not telling me they don't have a corporate account where they get a discount. So to really maximize the profit there you really think they are going to give me the Moug part or are they just going to say they are giving me moug and really giving me the $20 china crap but charging the same? I don't trust mechs i've been screwed by them before time and time again. Maybe I still have a sore taste from spending all the cash on the camaro to have them bend me over and not be right. Once i did it myself amazingly it worked out.
To be fair didn't say which tie rod but if it's outer, hammer and time is all you need. inner for that car, $30 and it's pretty much a clamp with teeth on it because it's smooth with no notch.

 

[ol' grouch]

I've got a Ford Expedition. It needed all four tie rod ends. The price with all four plus a 1 year alignment was $950. The tie rods cost me $200 and alignment $80. Several thousand miles later, the tires are wearing good.

 

[Knuckle Dragger]

Waiting for the current pro-mechanics to chime in....

Hell no. How many times have we seen this play out on here? Everyone should be able to make a living except the guy you're spending your money with. Then the dude should just give it to you and be happy you let him take a loss.


Mechanics= bad. Run right over to the zone, pull a code and put the o2 sensor in it and save yourself some $$$


When I worked in the retail end at the tire shops and such the mark up was 100% on the part. If we bought it for $25 we charged $50. Lots of expenses that you can't directly charge for. Keep in mind when looking at the labor the guy doing the job is lucky to get 10% of what you paid.

 

[Mike N]

Keep in mind when looking at the labor the guy doing the job is lucky to get 10% of what you paid.

And he should be happy with that 10%. If not, management has a line of guys ready to take his job.