Headlight Fitting

[cqae]

I just wanted your opinions guys. I am an auto elec in the inner city area of melbourne. In the last few days I have had a few little run ins with fitting headlights to BAs. They have all been driver's side globes, knowing how annoying they are to change I have told my customer, it will be $20 for me to supply & fit a new globe while they wait. 3 times I have been told this is too expensive & they have driven off. I think this is fair & reasonable for a fully qualified auto elec to charge for this I am just wondering what you guys think? I am using good globes which I buy in bulk, not quite your exclusive premium type, but I do stock these & offer them at additional charge. Also I am not just talking XR6s one was the other was a stock falcon & one was a cab.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Considering ford charged me $13 for a rhr tail/stop globe...(parts only not fitted) i dont think $20 is too extravagent. Whats the headlight bulb cost $10? you have to remove the battery to change it dont you?

[Fat-Tony]

seriously I dont blame you for charging 20 dollars, its your time and you have to get paid for it either way

[Paradoxx]

$20 is bugger all really for someone's time. If they dont want to fork out for it then it's their loss and possibly their fine for a headlight out.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Nothing 's me more as a trades person than having somebody who doesnt have the knowledge/skills to do a task try and beat you down on price....anybody here every tried to bargain the price or surgery down with there Doctor....

[Turbo6man]

No I wouldn't think $20 was too expensive for supply and fit.

Nowadays the hourly labour rate for a workshop is at least $80 - I know when I was Service Manager in a large Ford dealership we charged a minimum of 15 mins labour for those kinds of "while-u -wait" jobs.

If a guy whinges about $20 you don't want him as a customer anyway - he'll just keep coming back with "no-profit" items and whinge every time. When he wants something big done he'll probably go elsewhere.

For $20 if he wants to skin his knuckles good luck to him I say.

[Fat-Tony]

if they dont like the price do it them f*cking selves I say

[tab]

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[cqae]

guys, I serioulsy thank all of you for your input. I didnt think it was too much-I have done heaps of these & can do them in a few minutes-lots practice on mine! I agree these are not the sort of customers I want but was starting to worry a little with a few in a couple of days.

I gotta admit they suck to change, but still you get used to it-I changed mine a half a dozen times in 2 weeks when I first got it experimenting with different globes & got plenty of practice.

and I agree I think a tradesmen should be paid what they are worth. it takes years to become qualified and even though a headlight globe is pretty easy, there are still things that can go wrong.

anyways I will stick to my $20 charge & hope no-one else whinges!

thanks again guys

[Cro]

I'd pay ya $40 to change the drivers side one, and I'd supply my own globes.

On the condition you could do it without disconnecting the battery so I don't loose my average consumption figures.

My hands are a bit too fat for the job... (I'm leaving myself open to this one)...