Paying for Car Repairs

The rates at which skilled labor is paid are affected by several factors. Among these are the level of certification the mechanic has reached, the type of repair to be done, the amount of time needed to effect repairs, the type of vehicle, the parts to be included in the repair and the general economic climate of the society. These factors will not affect all repairs but will affect most, whether in the long or short term. Employment rates usually go up and down in the market as long as the consumer can afford. It can be difficult to estimate what the repair cost will be based on the above factors.

However, the key thing to note is that the mechanic must be skilled enough to do the job properly and within a particular time frame. As a result, mechanics who charge by the hour should essentially be the best around and should be familiar with a wide array of problems in such a way that repairing a damaged car should not cause much headache. Your mechanic's level of familiarity with automotive problems will save you money even if the rate charged is high.

How much to pay

Rates for work in the US range from $20 per hour in some cases to as much as $240 per hour for others. Some simple jobs are charged at a fixed rate. These are oil or sparkplug changes, which usually can be completed in minutes. The downturn in the economy has also forced mechanics to look twice at the way they charge for work. The rates have gone down on most simple tasks that are done everyday. In doing this, the take home income of most mechanics has dropped but the chance and opportunity for increase becomes more likely when more tedious jobs are presented. This, in turn, gives credibility to mechanic shops and levels the playing field for both the mechanic and the car owner to still be able to benefit.

Employment rates calculated on an hourly basis are also lowered. Where a job would take 5 hours to complete at $100 per hour, a mechanic will lower the rate and dedicate his time to perfecting the job at hand. So although the 5 hour job rate is less than $100, extra attention might require an extra hour or half hour to ensure the work done on the car is completed properly. Such situations are likely to make the owner happier although the amount paid in the long run has not changed, the quality of the work has increased, thereby adding value to the money handed over.