There’s No Standard For Hourly Automotive Repair Pricing in the Industry
Typically (but no always), auto centers will calculate their automotive repair pricing by the hour using a labor guide or by the job performed. The labor guide lays out a simple equation for billing based on the job performed (Time Worked x Type of Job = Hourly Rate). For example, let’s say you need to have your thermostat repaired. The labor guide calls for thermostat work to be billed at $100/hour and it takes the technician just over 40 minutes to repair, or roughly .7 hours, giving you a total labor cost of $70.
Using Repair Complexity as The Pricing Method vs. A Labor Guide
In contrast, the practice of charging by the job takes a few more factors into account. Auto centers come to their prices by factoring in the difficulty of the job, their experience with that particular type of labor, and the make/model of the vehicle.
At Paul Campanella’s Auto and Tire Center we value both a labor guide and job complexity and that’s why we utilize both systems. For jobs that can be timed, we bill $61.32 per half hour of labor and factor in all necessary materials for the overall rate. Meanwhile, menu items at our shop are charged per job and include services like an oil change , transmission flush, or tire replacement. One thing to remember is that these menu items will vary in price based on the type of vehicle. Simply put, it will cost a bit more to replace a thermostat in a BMW 535xi than in a Chevrolet Silverado.
