Hi Guys,

Small question on labour as I think my garage probably took the a bit last time.

How many hours should it take a competent garage to replace the rear suspension bushes?

Also my door locks stopped working on two of my doors (common?), they said it needs new latches and have quoted 2 hours to take the door apart and replace them.


I understand that jobs sometimes take longer than expected but im just after a rough idea.

Thanks

I think the problem is not how long it actually takes but how long the book says they should charge which are 2 completely different things.
Might only actually take half an hour but they still charge you for 1 1/2 hours it could only happen in the motor trade I'd get lynched in the NHS if I tried that  MY2011 HSE Santorini/Ivory/Piano Black/Privacy Glass/TV .Sadly gone.
Audi A5 Sportback Black Edition 3.0 tdi quattro S Line

A couple of hours to strip a door to replace a latch doesn't sound a rip off to me, and rear suspension bushes could run into days rather than hours,cos there are so many of them. Most are so rusted in, the bolts etc. have to be cut just to get things apart, let alone pulling out and pressing in the new bushes in the correct orientation. It could work out cheaper possibly, to remove the worn out rusty old rubbish, and fit complete new suspension arms with bushes already installed, and then of course an alignment check / adjustment afterwards, which would be required in any case. RRS TDV8 Buck Blue (no, not now in my dreams). ..........D3 TDclankety clankV6 ............BMW 318i

2 hours to do 1 door is excessive.....10 mins max to remove door panel then 20 minutes max to get to the latch to get to the latch...always quicker to put back together...1hr max

Ok some differing opinions here then.

I gues I Will just have to see what the final bill comes to

Texstar wrote:

It could work out cheaper possibly, to remove the worn out rusty old rubbish, and fit complete new suspension arms with bushes already installed, and then of course an alignment check / adjustment afterwards, which would be required in any case.

ronniet101 wrote:

10 mins max to remove door panel then 20 minutes max to get to the latch to get to the latch...always quicker to put back together...1hr max

So the bill came today and was not pretty

4 hours fto replace O/S/R Top rose bush, guess you cant really argue that, as someone already pointed out that job just takes as long as it does.

2 Hours to do the doors which looks about right

£25 + vat for the bush
£46.69 + Vat for one door latch and £61.50 + vat for the other?

So about right then?

The real insult was on top of the £450 for that little lot. a labour charge of £9.88 + Vat to fit an 80 pence light bulb!?

It wouldnt be so bad but the banging is still there, now they tell me the ARB bushes need replacing and also the top wishbone bushes *sigh*

Now the really painful bit... When I got home I noticed a massive scratch down the roof (well just above the doors) of the car. I know that damage wasnt there before, I've been washing it pretty much every other day and would have noticed it but the garage will never take responsibility for it as I didnt notice it until I got home