Flat Rate Labor charges

[auroralover]

OK, evervbody, call me naive, but here's what happened today. Took my 01 in for a noise in the front end to Joseph ChevyOlds in Cincinnati. Told them it could be the ISS or maybe something else(last time I took it in for the ISS it turned out to be a tie rod end).
As he was writing the order, he mentioned the "book time" was 2 hours. I figured, ok, couple of hours to do this. Well, they were done in 45 minutes. They did the ISS lube job, I went to pay the bill and yes, they charged me for 2 hours labor($74 per hour by the way). I told them I would pay them for one hour labor, since it only took them 45 minutes. He said thats not the way it works. I told him I consider that a form of theft, and it went downhill from there. Well, as I was driving home, it still made the noise in the front end on right turns. I called them back to let them know, and they said to bring it back. I asked them if I was being given an hour and fifteen minute credit since they didn't fix what I brought it in for but yet PAID for two hours labor. He said no. I talked to the service manager and even one of the owners of this dealership. I even called Oldsmobile and they said this was the way it was done. Am I completely off my rocker here? Has this happened to anybody else. They all said it is done on averages, that what if a rusted bolt broke off and it ended up taking them three hours, that I would only be charged for two. Who does business on what if's? I certainly dont. Someone please explain to me how this is right???

[JimW]

Yea, it does suck in that way, however any repair job is listed in a factory issue manual, book time for the ISS is listed at 2hrs, thats what they log it in as. The factory determines the amount of time would be required to do any fix and assigns a time to it. Then the dealership (being a GM run facility has to follow the book). If the job takes more then 2hrs, they arent allowed to charge anymore then book time.

However if they take 45 mins, rush the job, dont do it correctly, they shouldnt be charging you for the labour and/or parts if that applies. (afterwards)

I sorted learned this the hard way like you have as well, however I have run into cases where book time says 2 hrs and it takes 4, I only get charged for 2hrs. In the end it balances out.

Its hard to accept, but I try to be as nice as I can at the dealership. I go there to get my car fixed and they have been very fair, eventually I get free service like light replacements etc. Its the way it goes ya know?!

There are worse forms of legal theft insurance comes to mind

[Aurora40]

Yup, it's crazy. Just look at it as paying a fee for a repair, not for the time. However, the fact that they didn't actually fix the problem is another story. They should either still fix it for free or apply what you paid to the real fix, etc. They are the professionals, they should be able to diagnose the problem properly.

In regards to the 45 minutes. If you find that crazy, then all they have to do is spend 45 minutes fixing it and 1:15 keeping it on the rack doing nothing. I'd rather just get my car back sooner. Like I said, look at it as a fee for service, not as an hourly charge.

[auroralover]

update-I talked to Oldsmobile, who talked to the dealer while I was on the the other line, and they agreed to 2 hours labor for free towards whatever is making the popping noise. I took the car to Car X for a free front end inspection, and it turns out the strut bearing plate is cracked. I can't believe that part is plastic. They want $211 to fix it, but obviously will use my "free" time at Joseph Chevy Olds.