Found out a local shop charges $150 for a brake job I've been losing money on at $100

Was bsing with the parts guy at Napa yesterday and he let it slip that All-Star Auto down the street bills brake pad swaps at $150 flat rate. Then I did the math on my own pricing and realized I've been giving away labor for two years. Anybody else accidentally undercut themselves for way too long before noticing?

3 comments

3 Comments

margaretc4216d ago

Wait, did the parts guy actually say that or did he just mention their shop rate? I read somewhere that a lot of smaller shops dont realize theyre pricing themselves into a hole because they look at what the big chains charge and try to beat it by too much. But $50 difference on a brake job is wild, thats like a 50% markup you were missing out on. Ive seen posts on other forums where guys said they kept their prices low for years thinking they were being fair, then a customer told them theyd pay more for the same work. You gotta factor in all the hidden stuff too, like shop supplies and disposal fees that eat into that $100.

anna71716d ago

@margaretc42 that's exactly what happened to me, raised my brake jobs to $180 and nobody blinked lol

garcia.cameron16d ago

Raised my labor rate by 25% across the board and only lost one grumpy customer in six months. Your mileage may vary but most people value speed and reliability over saving a few bucks.