Your inaccuracies have been pointed out by EEE several times so far, so why should I waste anymore time debating an issue with you when you can't seem to get it right. And the beginning of your reply leads me to believe your wife, girl friend or maybe both edit your posts. I'm through here it is obvious EEE has control of the situation.
It doesn't totally clear it up - it sounds like EEE is supplying his own front-end parts kit (steak). Shops that tend to stay in business either don't allow this practice or use what's referred to as a "recovery labor rate", to make up for the lost revenue by not making any money on parts. Again, knowing the WHOLE story really sheds light on the situation. And yes, speciality shops and Lexus dealers charge more than the muffler monkeys do. It's unfortunate that not everyone can afford premium-service shops. As in any industry, there are good apples and bad apples. We ALL know this. Just the same, there are good customers and bad customers.
Bob, I'm drawing off a life-long experience of automotive service that spans 3 decades. I don't even know how to respond to the wife/girlfriend comment - it's that ludicrous. This isn't the 50's anymore. Women are much more capable than they were years ago. Savvy service providers cater to women's needs, as their buying power has skyrocketed in the last decade or two. I treat ALL my customers with respect. I know I won't defend shoddy shops. On the same note, I won't stand by and let "us" get dragged through the mud when I see questionable threads like this one.
Just a note from the dealership side of things. You may not like it but this is the way it is. Labor can be anywhere from 50.00 an hour to 150.00 an hour depending on your state. I believe some San Francisco area dealers can be near 180.00 (not sure though). Labor is divided into time units from the labor guide. At the dealer, front brakes pay 80 time units and rear brakes pay 100 time units. (100 time units is 1 hour of labor and 50 time units is 1/2 hour of labor). When you throw in a set of factory pads that cost near 120.00 you will find with tax, labor and a can of brake clean..you'll end up near the magic 250.00. It is good that you can do your own labor which saves a great deal of money. For me, I like the way factory parts fit and perform. Also, there is a model out we currently work on that uses a scan tool to reset the rear brake pads. Some shops and most like me don't have that kind of tool in our boxes. Anyway, just wanted to shed a little light on the "stealership"
