How much did a local garage quote you?
No, you weren't overcharged, but you need to re-think what it costs to run a car. ￡90 to supply & fit practically anything to a car by a pro mechanic is cheap.
You do not say what engine you have. Taking Clio's as a group with the various engine options a Crankshaft sensor can cost anything from about 8 quid for a piece if Chinese crap to an over priced 80 quid. neither you nor i know where in the range the mobile mechanic purchased ~ probably near the bottom. Whilst he may only have taken a few minutes to sort the problem his time expended on your behalf does not start when he opens the bonnet and closes' it again. He has to cover his travel time as well. His rates also have to take into account that unlike you, if he is sick or wants a holiday he does not earn anything so when he is working his rates have to cover the non working time as well. People tend to forget the obvious that a self employed person only earns during the time he works, no one gives him holiday pay or sick pay. It does seem a bit high but not a rip off.
Yea its tough being under educated and working for peanuts if working at all, So its easy to see your concerns about why someone could work so little time and make that much of your hard earned or free government money without feeling you've been ripped off, But the fact is your uneducated and could not have done this yourself, in which case you pay someone with the education to do the job for you, Not everyone makes the same wage you do, here in the US that price would be considered CHEAP!
Did you have an alternative? In the USA there are no mobile mechanics and trouble on the roadside means a $125, or more, towing charge to an auto repair station. A diagnostics test is close to $85 and the parts and labor costs need to be added. Some shops do not charge for the diagnostics IF the work is done there. For sure I would love to have a mobile mechanic come to repair my car and only charge the about $135 US for the repairs. Count your blessings, Agnes. Count your blessings. On an international note, in Japan, a tow is over $500!!!!
I was a Mobile tech for just over 8 years and stopped doing it because of people like you thinking I was ripping you off. I have recently been forced into retirement because of redundancy from a Toyota franchise dealer after 16 years and he got out of paying me redundancy. every time I open my garage i look at the tools I had to purchase which amount to over ￡4000 so that is where the charge comes from along with expertise and training. If you really want to ripped off go to a dentist or a solicitor or a vet their biggest expense is how much is their next pen going to cost them.
PRice the parts online and work it out for yourself
Obviously the guy has to charge for call out plus labour and materials
yes i do agree with evelyn.
You agreed to the price, what more is there to say?
I have been charged ￡90 for a new crankshaft sensor on a 2003 Renault Clio. This included a ￡35 call-out charge, running diagnostics on the car and the part itself. It took the guy about 5 minutes to change it, found it a bit too pricey...
