Starter

Maintenance/Repairs
1

I have a 2001 Saturn wagon, The starter needs replaced soon, Can you estimate how much it will cost?

2

For parts , call Auto Zone, O’Reilley’s, Car Quest etc, check your local phone book…( Phone book ??? omg, what’s that? ) yellow pages / Automobile parts and supplies - new.

Are you installing or looking for labor prices too ?

Again, Yellow pages / Automobile - repairing and service.

3

Labor cost vary a lot from one area to another. You need to ask local shops. I would suggest looking for a locally owned and operated shop.

4

I have a handy Nephew who is going to install it. I just want a fair price on what to pay him. He always underprices his work for me I appreciate his love but for this I want to pay him what it is worth.

I had a mechanic whom I had used for all my car needs for over 13 years. They have changed hands and I don’t like the service I received the last few visits.

5

Labor rates at shops include the overhead that the mechanic nevers sees in his paycheck.
See how long your nephew takes and , if he seems to not be stuggling with it and is working earnestly the whole time, drop him about $20 an hour, give him lunch, and lots of koolaid.

Hopefuly someone in here can look up the flate rate time for this job,
if you’d tell us the engine size and transmission type we’d be more accurate.

( flat rate ; a price paid for a job done. A good tech can take less time and make more money fitting in more jobs per day. A slow tech who piddles the job out twice as long does not get paid for more time. )

6

Thanks for your help.

7

Very nice of you to let him learn the job on your car. You need to be aware that if any damage occurs your nephew cannot be help responsible, it will be on you to pay to have fixed.If you don’t think a car can be damaged from a starter replacement gone wrong, I will simply tell you you are mistaken

8

He has plenty of experience . I am not worried. I trust him.

9

If you call a local shop, they will give you an estimate. The charge to install the starter divided by their hourly labor rate is how long the job should take (book time). Pay your nephew what you consider to be a fair hourly rate multiplied by the book time to arrive at a pay rate for the job. Food and drink is also generally a much appreciated bonus for odd jobs.

10

Thaks for all your advice and help. My car is fixed and I am able to get on with my life.
Freaks me out when I don’t have my car.