Car Mechanic | Car Repair Shops | Why Prices Vary So Much?

It is common knowledge that car mechanic repair prices are not uniform across all car repair shops and it will interest you to know that the variation has very little to do with hourly rates. Yes, the hourly rates of car mechanics are also important, but the greatest determinant in the car mechanic prices is always the cost of parts. Labor costs only play a huge role when the car mechanic service you need does not require any replacement parts, and it is something straightforward such as changing the engine oil.  Typically, hourly rates of car repair shops in the same area are the same due to many factors including county regulations, rent cost, competitiveness between shops, etc..

With regards to the car mechanic repair costs varying due to the costs of parts, it is essential to understand that there are three primary levels of parts quality, and since these don’t sell at the same rate, the overall costs of the repairs must also vary.

• Original manufacturer parts

At the very top of the parts hierarchy, are the original manufacturer parts or the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts. These refer to parts made originally by the car manufacturer and not any third party. They are designed to fit the specifications of a particular make and model, and they will always fit perfectly fit for your vehicle. Due to this, you can expect their cost to be slightly higher than the rest.

• Generic parts

The second category features generic parts, also known as After Market Parts. These parts are manufactured by a company other than the original manufacturer of the car, produced in mass and designed to fit different types of vehicles and not just one particular make and model. They may be similar to original parts kind, quality and like only that they may not be the perfect match. They will also cost cheaper than the original parts because you are technically getting something that is slightly less quality.

• Unregulated Chinese Parts

At the bottom of the category, you find the unregulated Chinese parts. Just like with the generic parts, Chinese parts are also manufactured by third parties in China and exported to the United States. They bear all the similarities of generic parts, except that since they are not regulated, they are never of the best quality. They are also very cheap and though installing them in your car may provide a temporary solution, they won’t last long, and you will sooner or later find yourself back at your car mechanic for more repairs.

Nature and Extent of the Service Needed

The other reason why the car mechanic repair prices may vary the various car repair shops are the extent of the car mechanic repair or replacement needed. For instance, replacing disk brakes and brake parts can be done within a short time compared with detailed works such as repairing a broken radiator.

Presence of Warranties on the Available Parts

Finally, the presence of warranties on the parts and services offered by the car mechanic shop may also cause the prices to vary. With warranties, you can expect the rates to be slightly higher as opposed to when no warranties are given.

You can trust that Sonoma Auto Tech only uses bests OEM parts unless specifically requested by the customers to do otherwise.  Sonoma Auto Tech only recommend OEM parts to make sure the job is done right.