Core charge for wiper motors...really? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Core charge for wiper motors...really?

motc777

Active Member
Joined
September 14, 2010
Messages
90
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City, State
Longview, TX
Year, Model & Trim Level
2004 Mountaineer
A core charge for a wiper motor? I need a rear wiper motor since mine is shot and they want to charge 30 bucks at RockAuto.com for a core? Can somebody explain to me the logic of this?
 



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Even salvages charge a core these days. They have figured out how to make more money while blaming the customer for it. I kinda get it, they can rebuild your motor and re sell it to someone else. But I think it is mostly just a scam by vendors to make more cash.
 






That often happens with older models. When the supply of new parts (OE parts and most of the aftermarket) drops off, there is a larger market for rebuilt parts. The rebuilders need cores back in order to create those rebuilt parts. Supply goes down, core charge goes up. (And they make more money from all the people who don't return the cores.) E.g. I have seen a starter motor core charge of $12 on a three year old car and $80 on a 15 year old car. This is especially true for low-volume parts (like wiper motors) that are not cost effective for aftermarket suppliers to continue manufacturing new. Any kind of motor, alternator, steering rack, etc. that can easily be refurbed can be expected to have a core charge, and $30 is pretty typical. When they starting charging cores on shocks, ball joints, etc., then you know they are ripping you off.
 






Not to get off topic, but this is a complaint blog now. Used tire fees, or often as I've been told, fees for the eventual end of your new tires life. That's a scam. $1-$2 a tire. Tire shops get paid to have the old tires picked up. When I installed tires at Sam's Club (they suck) over a decade and a half ago, we'd get a check for about $80-$100 dollars from the people that took our old tires.

Bam! First post redirect. I mean tb142 pretty much explained it.
 






Not to get off topic, .

Not to get further off topic, but repair shops charge a surcharge to parts they order for your vehicle from their area parts stores/suppliers, even though the parts stores deliver the parts to them for "free". They've been doing this for decades. They also now charge you for the cleaning rags they use and list it on your bill receipt as "shop supplies". I've argued these charges a few times with them over the years and they defend it by saying they have "shop overhead" and I always came back with, "well doesn't the shop hourly rate of $70-$100 per hour cover shop overhead"? We're in a no win situation these days. I also remember the days as a kid in the 60's and 70's riding my bicycle up to the gas station to put air in my bike tires, it was free back then and every gas station had a free air pump outside of them for the public to use, not anymore! Better have 4 quarters in your pocket these days to operate those under powered, pay air pumps that only give you 4-5 minutes of use. It's all about the almighty dollar in todays world.
 






Yes, it is all about the almighty dollar these days. But the surcharge to the parts is not about delivery, but more about bookkeeping costs and overhead in general. Such as if a customer writes a bad check or has a complaint about the repair, the parts supplier still has to get paid by the repair shop. And shop supplies such as rags is a long standing practice. But what gets me is the 'lubricant' charge that makes an appearance now and then. In other words, the mechanic needed some WD-40 for the job so he gets a can from the parts dept that charges for the full can -- I can pretty much assume the rest of the can I paid for went home with the mechanic. In California, they made it a law that the gas station cannot charge for water and air. I still see some coin operated machines but they work all the time without dropping in any coins. And recently I was in a car that was in bad need of water and I was in a rural area -- their gas station had no air or water, they had removed the valves and hoses, but they had the signs for it. Apparently they didn't want to supply such stuff.
 






California is a bad example. They are horrible for businesses. Big brother decided it was a safety issue and was better for society if air was available free (to you and me.). There is still a cost to the business (machine maintenance, electricity, water) for which they must now bear the burden.

California made it law that partial can charges were not legal. So they mandate that you either charge the whole can or none.

Any consumables a shop uses to fix your vehicle (not tools) is a legitimate charge to the consumer. Shops pay a cheaper price than retail for parts. After a shop marks the part up, it may end up being more than retail. Shops are in business to make money. They should make a profit in most everything they do. You would. Marking up a part not only allows them to pay their expenses (rent, utilities, mechanics, service writers, shuttle service etc) but it also allows them to cover partial expenses for labor claims (ie. part failures.)

The labor rate pays the mechanic and shop depending on pay schemes. The book value is based on morons like us doing the work. So if book value is 2hrs., that's what they charge in labor hours. Good mechanics will complete the job in less time, perhaps 45 mins to an hour. Doing so, the shop could be profitable. Some jobs though, may have issues which turn a 2 hr. book value into 6 hrs., you still get the 2.

Of course, some shops allow you to bring parts in yourself, but won't cover parts or labor if there is a problem.
 






Actually, it sounds as California is a good example -- free air and water, unlike New York apparently.
 






I can't remember the last time I saw an air hose at a gas station--even a full service station (but you can always ask...).
I DO still see air hoses at tire stores. I would think they'd be embarrassed to charge for air when their 20HP compressor is running all day anyways.

Local Discount Tire stores here have posted signs for "Free 3-minute Air Check"--whatever the heck that is.
 






California is a bad example. There is still a cost to the business (machine maintenance, electricity, water) for which they must now bear the burden.


Any consumables a shop uses to fix your vehicle (not tools) is a legitimate charge to the consumer. Shops pay a cheaper price than retail for parts. After a shop marks the part up, it may end up being more than retail. Shops are in business to make money. They should make a profit in most everything they do. You would. Marking up a part not only allows them to pay their expenses (rent, utilities, mechanics, service writers, shuttle service etc) but it also allows them to cover partial expenses for labor claims (ie. part failures.)

The labor rate pays the mechanic and shop depending on pay schemes. The book value is based on morons like us doing the work. So if book value is 2hrs., that's what they charge in labor hours. Good mechanics will complete the job in less time, perhaps 45 mins to an hour. Doing so, the shop could be profitable. Some jobs though, may have issues which turn a 2 hr. book value into 6 hrs., you still get the 2.

Of course, some shops allow you to bring parts in yourself, but won't cover parts or labor if there is a problem.

California is a bad example on just about anything these days. The people running the state that is. I figure when a shop charges anywhere from $75-$140 an hour labor depending on where you live, that cost should include any shop overhead expenses. Shops always over charge (or surcharge) you the customer for the parts they order for your vehicles repair. I don't have a problem with a shop making a profit, just don't gouge me on the parts cost since the time spent ordering your parts by phone, is covered under the hourly rate and time spent working on your vehicle. The actual parts they order for your vehicle, costs them nothing in delivery since they are delivered to them by the parts supplier free of charge as a courtesy. Years ago (few decades), repair shops had to send their own workers out to pick up the parts they ordered, which slowed them down and cost them money, but not anymore. The parts suppliers are the ones making huge profits on the parts price mark ups. For example in 2000 or so, I had a 1992 Explorer that needed a front hub and I have an old friend who works at a local Ford Dealership in the parts dept there. The hub sold over the counter at this dealership for $309.00, but with my friends employee discount, he got it for me for $209.00 and told me the dealership was still making a 20% profit on the part. This just shows you the kind of mark up parts suppliers are making off of the parts they sell.
I agree with you on the mechanic job rate or book rate hours and how a mechanic who hustles and knocks out the repair jobs in less time than the book rate calls for, can make more money. A good mechanic that hustles thru his work can work 40 actual hours and take home a paycheck worth approx. 50-60 hours or more of job rate pay hours. This is how they make their money.
 






I can't remember the last time I saw an air hose at a gas station--even a full service station (but you can always ask...).
I DO still see air hoses at tire stores. I would think they'd be embarrassed to charge for air when their 20HP compressor is running all day anyways.

Local Discount Tire stores here have posted signs for "Free 3-minute Air Check"--whatever the heck that is.

You pull in to an outside bay, someone comes out and checks and fills your tires for you... Some people just don't know how to do it or know where to get air for free...

~Mark
 






I DO still see air hoses at tire stores. I would think they'd be embarrassed to charge for air when their 20HP compressor is running all day anyways.

Local Discount Tire stores here have posted signs for "Free 3-minute Air Check"--whatever the heck that is.

There is a tire shop (Mauvis Tire) near me that has a "pay" air compressor outside of it for people to use. Costs $1 or 4 quarters to use and you get approx. 4-5 minutes of air time before it shuts off and you have pony up some more dough to get more air. Unless you want to spend more than a buck to top off air in all 4 tires, you'd better learn to be as quick as a NASCAR technician during a race. ;)
 






Local Discount Tire stores here have posted signs for "Free 3-minute Air Check"--whatever the heck that is.

It's so they can review your tire wear and your brake/rotor conditions and make recommendations to you in the hopes of generating sales.

Good shops will take advantage of any opportunity to make sales generating recommendations.
 






Looks like I don't need a new wiper motor. I looked up and saw the wiring harness cover was hanging down. When I looked more closely, I have a cut wire.
 






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