Thread: Ridiculously priced clutch replacement?

Here's what I reckon is at the bottom of this feeling of dissatisfaction that so many customers feel when faced with a big bill:
Repair shops are in business to make money. Now some people are going to squeal like a stuck pig, as soon as the bill goes above the amount of loose change that they have in their pocket at the time (and the boat service customer above comes to mind here). There's not much that can be done about these characters and every business will have met them - you just have to get over it.
The ones that I think we are discussing in this thread are a bit better informed and know (or can find out with a bit of effort) what the going price of some of the bits being used in their repair are likely to cost. These guys (and I'm one of them) are a bit ****ed off at paying the full retail price to a business which (if my experience is anything to go by) do not actually carry the parts in stock. You know the drill - "we'll be able to get the parts in by xxx, so I'll have it done by yyy".
These businesses will then order the parts with a substantial discount from the retail price and simply slam the customer for top dollar.
I think that to expect to earn the mark-up without having to bear the cost of buying and holding the stock, is the problem. Businesses not carrying parts in stock are really selling their service only and are picking up a windfall profit by marking up things that they can buy cheaper than the man in the street and not really adding any value to those parts.
Good luck to them I guess but, if their whole business model is based upon exploiting this windfall, then they are going to have to get used to people accusing them of exploitation.
Our good pal Mario (among others, I'm sure) invests in stock and bears the cost of holding it - and he seems to be able to provide quality parts at a reasonable price.
PS: I've got nothing against charging some kind of mark-up and I'm sure that AULRO members who are in the business are all very fair, but I thing we are all aware of the sort of percentages that are being applied by some operators.

Well a good example of that. I went to buy an additional uni joint today and thought for one I will buy local and thought try local so i dont got to drive 80kms. Well got quoted a little over $120 for 1 unit when $41 from Hardie Spicer, so needles to say not buying from them. Now I get they are a retailer and Hardie Spicer are a manufacturer / wholesaler but 300% mark up?? Now at most they would be paying the same if not slightly less. I would get $60-$80.