Exhaust leak

[Cactusmonkey]

Our 2021 Ram 1500 developed an exhaust manifold leak, the dealer replaced both sides January of 2024. I took the truck back 3 times to the dealer telling them it had an exhaust smell in the cab. They could not find it. Last week took it to a local Auto repair shop, they ran a smoke test and found the problem. The shop charges $160 per hour. The bill before tax was $112. I asked him if the shop rate is 160 how could the bill be only 112. He said it took him less than an hour to fix it. How about an honest, quality shop? I took the invoice to the dealer to show them what was done, he said he would talk to the shop to see what they did but have not heard back from them.

 

[CamperMike]

What did the independent shop find was the issue?

 

[Art_in_CO]

Most shops charge by the unit and a "unit is not necessarily an hour." In other words, if the shop works on your truck, a book tells them how many units to charge for that work. Then they just multiply the units of work times their rate per unit.

 

[rzr6-4]

$112 / 160$perhr = .7hr = 42 min

A) The book says it takes .7 hours so they charged you for .7 hours.

B) Regardless of what the book says, it didn’t take them long to do so they were honest and charged you a lower amount accordingly. In such case, consider yourself lucky. I had a local shop look at an issue on mine that I couldn’t figure out and I know good and well it took them maybe 15 minutes but they charged me for a full hour.

I’m not really sure why you getting an invoice for a not-nominal amount and you immediately become suspicious. It’s either by the book or them actually being nice, I wouldn’t try to jump down their throat about it, they’re certainly not trying to screw you.

 

[Cactusmonkey]

Not jumping down their throat at all. I am so impressed with honest high-quality people. It refreshing to see it.