engine and drivetrain what about this rebuild estimate?

[robsanab]

a hard question... I hate asking this but here goes...

my car is being put back together by a well-respected old european car specialist... he's done work on my car and I know a lot of people who know him for his honesty and quality work and his '02 racing. He does things right and he is picky like I am! I do want him to do this car... but... that being said I am a little sticker shocked at his estimate to put my car back together.

He took out the engine, trans, radiator, exhaust system, gas tank and pedal box. I took it to a shop for body and paint... I rebuilt the heater box (all ready to just slap back in), powder coated and partially re-built the pedal box and he has ALL the parts he needs. I already bought the 5 speed from him and he has the complete Aardvark kit. Other than the 5 speed there are no other significant mods. Interior is still out of the car other than the driver's seat, belts and dash. Now he has it back and this is what he is estimating (he said he was being liberal with his hours):

12 hours for suspension (shocks, springs, control arms, sway bars)

24 hours for engine/trans conversion/various new seals in engine and trans/fuel line/radiator, all that

4 hours to install and hookup pedal box

4 hours for heater (that i could install in probably an hour)

4 hours for the fuel tank (again an hour or 2)

4 hours for brakes (reconnect master and flush new fluid)

4 hours for tuning, driving, misc.

IF it takes this long, with tax it is over $5000!

All the existing parts on the car are in good shape and it was a well running car before... so I don't expect he'll run into too many odd issues or things that he'll find above and beyond this stuff. I expect that it will come in at less... but do these numbers seem to be VERY liberal to you? or are they really realistic? Seriously, it's about TWICE as much as I expected (also his rate went up 10/hour since I used him a couple years ago... that alone is $560 more).

Do I just need a reality check or maybe I need to talk to him about this?

[EWN2002]

56 Hours of work for about $5,000?

You said this guy is a respected professional. I would say that, unless you are willing to do the work yourself, that level of trust is worth the price.

You will know the work is done right and who did it. This is his living...he spent his whole life learning to do this job, and do it well.

How much would you pay a lawyer or an accountant?

If you don't like the price, learn to do it yourself, or take it somewhere else and maybe get ripped off.

[ifayeoh]

Not to be rude but you should have gotten THAT estimate BEFORE they started on it.

5k sounds about right, even cheap!! they will be doing 2/3 of the resto!

sounds like it will be a great daily driver! love that Aardvark!!

[EWN2002]

56 Hours of work for about $5,000?

You said this guy is a respected professional. I would say that, unless you are willing to do the work yourself, that level of trust is worth the price.

You will know the work is done right and who did it. This is his living...he spent his whole life learning to do this job, and do it well.

How much would you pay a lawyer or an accountant?

If you don't like the price, learn to do it yourself, or take it somewhere else and maybe get ripped off.

[wegweiser]

I'd say I've put about twice that many hours into the same tasks on the tii I'm currently building*. there is a huge difference between simply "assembling" a car and "restoring" one. Slapping in a heater box is just that: "slapping it in". What are your true expectations for the car? How refined are your tastes in proper assembly and long term functionality? Those ultimately decide what you should pay.

*examples: hours upon hours of cleaning, media blasting, sanding, painting, polishing, cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, re-wrapping, un-bugging previous repairs, soldering, repairing, re-clipping, adhering...etc...etc.

Like any other respected profession (Physician, Dentist, Attorney, Architect...) - you pay for what the person KNOWS - not just what they do.

Overall - those numbers are realistic for a decent petina'd "driver" - NOT a concours level resto..

Paul Wegweiser

[MrNvgtr]

Sounds like a fair price to me, based on the work described.

[robsanab]

OK cool... that's what i was looking for... i guess i need to readjust my expectations. I've been through this with my Mustang so you'd think I'd get it... of course that one did take twice the estimate after all was said and done... but it had lots of well done custom work.

This will be a driver, but like yall said it will be built to last and done neatly and correctly.

thanks for the pep talk

[Poon]

Just curious, but who's working on your 2002?

-Andrew Poon

[robsanab]

Andrew, same guy i think i told you about once before... Ron Ager, see info at northwesteuropeanautoworks.com.

He's really great and his staff is wonderful too. like I said, guess i just underestimated from the start on all this... plus sometimes i tend to penny pinch.

[c.d.iesel]

12 hours for suspension (shocks, springs, control arms, sway bars)

24 hours for engine/trans conversion/various new seals in engine and trans/fuel line/radiator, all that

4 hours to install and hookup pedal box

4 hours for heater (that i could install in probably an hour)

4 hours for the fuel tank (again an hour or 2)

4 hours for brakes (reconnect master and flush new fluid)

4 hours for tuning, driving, misc.

= i'd say he's SPOT ON - and even a little short on

his time - your lucky if that's all he charges you - really.

I've been writing machanical estimates since 1972

[mattmcginn]

That is more than fair-there are so many problems that will be encountered and will need to be solved along the way that no one can anticipate.

Just like body work, there are varying degrees of success, you need to make sure him and you are on the same page. Invariably, when there is a judgment call to be made, what do you want his guys making decisions based on, budget or expected result?

Now, imagine what its like to be even in the ballpark about a full (body and mechanical) estimate. End result can easily be double estimate. That's why they're called estimates.

[TobyB]

Ron's a good guy-

what you WON'T see are all the little and big problems

that he 'just takes care of' as he puts an ancient car back together.

And his numbers are realistic.

Sounds fair, and knowing Ron, will be more than fair when it's done.

Which will be quickly and professionally.

t

[robsanab]

agreed... i have no issues with his abilities and honesty... he's wonderful. Have you seen some of his past work as a building contractor? very meticulous.

I've had a few big projects (car, house and other) this year and as much of a detailed planner as i am, they were just all much more than expected or estimated at. That being said I've been happy with the work... i usually am very pleased with the contractors that I choose... not just good workers but good people.

I'm just being a whiney crybaby about money right now... isn't everybody? I should be glad i have the funds to complete this project... many are having to do with much less.

thanks for the reality check everybody!

[FunElan]

suspension took me 6 hours!!