K-mart Auto....

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Yep drove to Repco, bought $20 repair kit and fixed it myself, I can do 4 more, so I should be good for the next 20 odd years, as the last one I had fixed must have been 5 or so years ago.

I did the same thing after being told plug type repairs are now illegal.

Got a kit for $15 and have done 3 tyres now with no issues.

[csv8]

This seems a grey area ? are plugs illegal??
"When looking at this enquiry it must be held in the highest regard as being a major safety item a tyre repair done the wrong way can result in major accidents that can lead to serious injuries or even death.

The Australian Standard 1973 – 1993 is still current and states that a minor repair on a passenger tyre being used on the road can only be done by applying a mushroom plug or a separate plug and appropriate tyre patch to the inside of the tyre.

The Standard also states that a passenger tyre that is being used on the road must be removed from the wheel rim and inspected for internal damage before any minor repair procedure is applied.


Repairing a punctured tyre using a string type plug is not illegal, however as this method of repairing punctures does not require the removal of the tyre from the wheel rim and inspecting for internal damage, it is a procedure which goes against the Australian Standard recommendations.
Should a tyre that has been repaired with a string type plug then fail at a later date and this failure is proven to be due to the failure of the string plug or the internal damage caused by the original puncture, the repairer may be held liable in a court of law."
http://journal.mtansw.com.au/10/june/div_nb_june10.php
My comment : maybe thats why they are saying they are illegal???

[gozzaxr6t]

I went into kmart auto for a quote to get my wifes cx7 serviced. Did you know mechanics charge $104 an hour labour. Wtf is that about. There are much more technical trades out there like machinist/ fabricators that have to actually use their heads to do a job, not just drain oil and change and oil filter, and they struggle to get $75 - $85 an hour. Just dont understand.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by FTRXR8

I went to use Airport West K-Mart for a nail in tyre.

They said we will call your shortly, 4 hours later I called, they said it was Unrepairable and they couldn't get that size tyre for two days.

They had destroyed my tyre before I returned, left me with a bare rim which was scratched, left that lying on the WS floor (lucky I checked), lost my valve cap and had just thrown the lock nut in the console, scraping that in the process too.

Bob Jane at Maidstone, dealt with Ash, couldn't have had better service.

I got an interview there at Airport West KTAS in 2010 to continue my motor mechanic apprenticeship with them and it was going really well, i pretty much had it in the bag until i let slip id also had an interview for an auto electrical apprenticeship a few hours before.

Then the topic changed to how id make a good auto electrician....

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by gozzaxr6t

I went into kmart auto for a quote to get my wifes cx7 serviced. Did you know mechanics charge $104 an hour labour. Wtf is that about. There are much more technical trades out there like machinist/ fabricators that have to actually use their heads to do a job, not just drain oil and change and oil filter, and they struggle to get $75 - $85 an hour. Just dont understand.

A Melbourne LV mechanic is on anywhere from $17.50 to $20 an hour, so us auto tradies arent rolling in your $$$ dude.

Hoist, scan tool and tools cost big $ which is why you pay so much.

[ratter]

Originally Posted by gozzaxr6t

I went into kmart auto for a quote to get my wifes cx7 serviced. Did you know mechanics charge $104 an hour labour. Wtf is that about. There are much more technical trades out there like machinist/ fabricators that have to actually use their heads to do a job, not just drain oil and change and oil filter, and they struggle to get $75 - $85 an hour. Just dont understand.

yep cause that's all they do

Mechanics do not earn that amount of money, workshops may charge that amount and infact there are local dealers near me that charge $154.50 per hour, but the mechanic does not get paid that, have you ever considered the operating cost of a shop?

what does a machinist do? push buttons and turn knobs, what's a fabricator do? bends bits of metal and sticks them together.
It's easy to simplify what somebody else does for a job but what other trade has changed as much in the last 20 years or so?

[gozzaxr6t]

Wow wow no need to get touchy just because you own a shop. Your not the only person on this forum with a workshop so theres no need to try and educate me on costs of running a shop. One of my cnc lathes is worth more than your whole fitout. You say what trade has changed in 20 years? Toolmaking is one. Its advanced to cnc. Thats one example. And I am aware of operating cost of a shop because I run a business also.

I calculate my hourly rate on type of job. Manual lathe, cnc machining, maintenance, cylindrical grinding etc etc the list goes on. My point in my comment is that a general service which dosent require any high level of skill should not be charged at 100+ bucks and hour. Thats just wrong. Other more technical aspects of the job, possibly.

[ratter]

yep cnc machine, push a few buttons and the programming does the rest for you pretty easy isn't it, huge change rather than the tradesman having to manually do it all, he has just had to learn how to write a programme and then set up the material, sounds pretty easy to me ;)

we've all seen how much billet parts go for because of the machining, yep seems like someone is making a killing

[Eaglexr]

Kmart tyre and auto Penrith.
Stay away from them, complete amatures and pathetic service.
All franchises are quite expensive compared to other workshops even for an identical repair.
My experience was that bad I won't be going back to any kmart tyre and auto.

[gozzaxr6t]

Originally Posted by ratter

yep cnc machine, push a few buttons and the programming does the rest for you pretty easy isn't it, huge change rather than the tradesman having to manually do it all, he has just had to learn how to write a programme and then set up the material, sounds pretty easy to me ;)

we've all seen how much billet parts go for because of the machining, yep seems like someone is making a killing

Unfortunately for me that is not the case and you clearly have been stuck working on cars for far too long and dont seem to know much. If it wasnt for my people in the engineering trade, making and engineering everything you install on cars, you would not have a job. S

I also blame myself here for having a debate with a person whos most technical part of the day is reversing a car on some rollers, tying down a car and revving the rings out of it, and you call yourself a tradesman. And then when something goes bang, you can just put it down to lack of maintenance on the customers behalf and sting him again. Wish I had that luxury in my TRADE.

So this comes back to my original point of charging/ quoting a job based on actual skillset, not just job title.

[ratter]

the more you post the more you prove ,like a great deal of engineers that you have no idea about what goes on in the real world

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by gozzaxr6t

Unfortunately for me that is not the case and you clearly have been stuck working on cars for far too long and dont seem to know much. If it wasnt for my people in the engineering trade, making and engineering everything you install on cars, you would not have a job. S

I also blame myself here for having a debate with a person whos most technical part of the day is reversing a car on some rollers, tying down a car and revving the rings out of it, and you call yourself a tradesman. And then when something goes bang, you can just put it down to lack of maintenance on the customers behalf and sting him again. Wish I had that luxury in my TRADE.

So this comes back to my original point of charging/ quoting a job based on actual skillset, not just job title.

If it wasn't for engineers maybe I wouldn't have to yell and swear every time I turned spanners on modern cars because how much of a pain in the *** it is to do the basics now

[gozzaxr6t]

Ok mate..... Facts seem to hit a soft spot. You shouldnt engage if your not ready for the truth.If i dont know whats going on in the real world then you must be totally dillusional. Just keep on making peoples cars go sssspppewww, enjoy.

[BIONIC MAN]

Yes Ratter, can you tie me down and rev my rings out (of my car) sometime please!?!?
what is that guy on?... ha ha ha

[gozzaxr6t]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

If it wasn't for engineers maybe I wouldn't have to yell and swear every time I turned spanners on modern cars because how much of a pain in the *** it is to do the basics now

Lol. Its true. But engineers have also provided us with 5 star safety, comfort and a kazillion kilowatts from an everyday car you can take shopping or on a long trip with the family. Id sacrifice struggling to do basics for all the technology and performance you get so easily now days.

[tut0r]

Gay^ :P

Come on guys lets get the topic back on track, you both said things who cares, interwebs etc etc

[ratter]

Originally Posted by gozzaxr6t

Ok mate..... Facts seem to hit a soft spot. You shouldnt engage if your not ready for the truth.If i dont know whats going on in the real world then you must be totally dillusional. Just keep on making peoples cars go sssspppewww, enjoy.

Facts??

You have no idea about what is in my business, how much is tied up in my business or how we go about doing things in my business and yet you assume 1 piece of machinery you have is more valuable than everything in it.
You are a typical snobist, you think for some reason that you are above other people because of the job title you have and they should not be earning/charging the money that they do.

Engineers also rely on lesser people to test the things they have designed and then give feedback on what is wrong, isn't this why any car manufacturer spends years of developmental testing to give the customer a good product. If engineers were perfect then this would be a wasted exercise.

[goldxrdamo]

Kmart tyre and auto aren't a franchise they are all owned by wesfarmers. And like any other business they are only as good or bad as the people who work there. Some of the managers are great and some are just idiots.

On another note I'd like to give a big thank you to all the engineers who give us the kizillion kilowatt engines and then a bugger thanks to the people like ratter who improve on the engineers work and give our engine a kizillion kilowatts plus a heap more.

[gozzaxr6t]

Ratter. This isnt about whos got what tied up in their business and about job titles. I know whats involved to run a business, the ups and downs, just what your saying is making no sense to me. You call me a snobist why? Because I question the price of a basic non skilled duty that can be performed by almost any apprentice thats been in the game for a month? Dumping oil out of a sump and changing a paper element. Hence the reason I talk about pricing jobs per hour depending on the technical level of the job.

I also dont regard myself of a higher level than any other man or woman. Though on a work related level, I do regard myself higher than a motor mechanic, just like for example a doctor or an accountant regard themselves on a higher academic level than me. That is not a snobist. Thats a realist.

I hope for your business sake you arent faced with confrontations, because if a simple re buttle to a comment makes you call people names, then that makes for a bad businessman. Dont think because your on a car forum, and you have the backing of some of your customers here that like your posts, that you can intimidate others here like myself with comments that make no actual sense.

[gozzaxr6t]

Originally Posted by goldxrdamo

Kmart tyre and auto aren't a franchise they are all owned by wesfarmers. And like any other business they are only as good or bad as the people who work there. Some of the managers are great and some are just idiots.

On another note I'd like to give a big thank you to all the engineers who give us the kizillion kilowatt engines and then a bugger thanks to the people like ratter who improve on the engineers work and give our engine a kizillion kilowatts plus a heap more.

Relax mate your not gonna get a free tune from trying to kiss his ***.

[goldxrdamo]

Not kissing his **** mate. I'm just in the trade and worked at a good friends performance shop for 4 years and all of us who worked there were highly skilled at our jobs. If you think your so much better then a motor mechanic on a work level then so be but you seem to be coming across as someone extremely up yourself.

[gozzaxr6t]

And based on what am I coming across up myself? Because im comparing two different skill sets and two different jobs? Yes, some jobs are technically more demanding, meaning higher skill level, meaning better level of tradesperson. If you cant comprehend that then its past your bed time. Go to sleep.

Theres still no free tune for you.

[jpblue1000]

Originally Posted by gozzaxr6t

I went into kmart auto for a quote to get my wifes cx7 serviced. Did you know mechanics charge $104 an hour labour. Wtf is that about. There are much more technical trades out there like machinist/ fabricators that have to actually use their heads to do a job, not just drain oil and change and oil filter, and they struggle to get $75 - $85 an hour. Just dont understand.

Gozza, I think your looking at it from the wrong perspective. Its not what the job costs it's what you can charge for the job that's important.
It would seem that society values 'mechanic-ing' more than machining. Many people need a mechanic but few know what a machinist does.

JP

[gozzaxr6t]

Originally Posted by jpblue1000

Gozza, I think your looking at it from the wrong perspective. Its not what the job costs it's what you can charge for the job that's important.
It would seem that society values 'mechanic-ing' more than machining. Many people need a mechanic but few know what a machinist does.

JP

And I totally agree with you in some regards. I think when i try to explain something, certain people take it the wrong way because they dont understand. I just see it so many times on this forum where people are attacked by other members if they exchange words with other individuals, especially in this case where I exchanged words with a tuner.

[johnydep]

Originally Posted by gozzaxr6t

I went into kmart auto for a quote to get my wifes cx7 serviced. Did you know mechanics charge $104 an hour labour. Wtf is that about. There are much more technical trades out there like machinist/ fabricators that have to actually use their heads to do a job, not just drain oil and change and oil filter, and they struggle to get $75 - $85 an hour. Just dont understand.

Mmmm, pretty rough comment against mechanics. Most of these guys get paid between $20 - $40 hour to work on peoples pride and joy, sometimes the job can be very mentally and physically draining.

Then the business owner has to pay Super, Work Cover, insurance, various licences, advertising, rent/lease, taxes, warranty, etc.

Only fair if you post a price list of the products you sell.

[jstanovic]

As a rule of thumb, the charge out rate is approximately 4 times the wage. The theory is:

25% - tradesman wage
25% - tradesman costs (super, sick leave, uniforms etc)
25% - business overheads
25% - profit

So if the mechanic is paid $30/hr the workshop charges out $120/hr. This is how the dealerships work, also how many of the bigger named companies in any field operate.

I'm a sparky and deal with potentially deadly situations everyday. More technical therefore higher work level? Hmmmm, dunno about that, some of the fellow sparkies I have met shouldn't pick up horse **** let alone deal with 240V... Definitely depends on the individual, not the trade/job.

Anyway, Morley KTAS in WA were good and well priced last time I used them about 4 years ago!

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by johnydep

Mmmm, pretty rough comment against mechanics. Most of these guys get paid between $20 - $40 hour to work on peoples pride and joy, sometimes the job can be very mentally and physically draining.

Then the business owner has to pay Super, Work Cover, insurance, various licences, advertising, rent/lease, taxes, warranty, etc.

Only fair if you post a price list of the products you sell.

$20? I was on $19.23 as a qualified auto electrician, which usually get paid higher than LV mechanics and I have A/C license and A/C qualification which are optional extras.

3 cents an hour above the award wage

SA and QLD seem to pay mugh higher rates for auto electricians and mechanics than what we get here around Melbourne and I'm not just talking about mining, across the board.

Our local mechanic and auto electrical shops are charging $96/hour for labour which is a fair price. They both were at $88 for a long time.

Dealerships are very expensive, heaps of staff, many hoists, very clean and organised workshops, staff wearing nice uniforms etc.

Auto trades are a ***** of a thing, I've had enough of trying to fit into footwells and contort myself under dashes, I've got the flexibility of a brick. Or 40 degree days in a glorified garden shed and working on cars which have just been driven.

[ratter]

Originally Posted by gozzaxr6t

Ratter. This isnt about whos got what tied up in their business and about job titles. I know whats involved to run a business, the ups and downs, just what your saying is making no sense to me. You call me a snobist why? Because I question the price of a basic non skilled duty that can be performed by almost any apprentice thats been in the game for a month? Dumping oil out of a sump and changing a paper element. Hence the reason I talk about pricing jobs per hour depending on the technical level of the job.

I also dont regard myself of a higher level than any other man or woman. Though on a work related level, I do regard myself higher than a motor mechanic, just like for example a doctor or an accountant regard themselves on a higher academic level than me. That is not a snobist. Thats a realist.

I hope for your business sake you arent faced with confrontations, because if a simple re buttle to a comment makes you call people names, then that makes for a bad businessman. Dont think because your on a car forum, and you have the backing of some of your customers here that like your posts, that you can intimidate others here like myself with comments that make no actual sense.

You were the one that were going on about what your equipment is worth

Doctors, there's another issue, how hard is it to spend 5 minutes with someone, say take a Panadol and come back and see me in a few days if you don't feel good? and have the nerve to charge for both visits
I have come to the conclusion that most are just there doing a job and don't really care about the patient.

None of my customers have commented on the rubbish you have posted, I do not need customers to back up my opinions.
Your opinion of this hierarchy thing just proves my comments.

Academic??
Many mechanics spend their whole working life doing advanced courses advancing themselves and learning about the new ways car operate, but people like you only recognise their apprenticeship schooling time

Confrontation, I keep my customers happy so do not need to worry about that, I tend not to look down on somebody or look up to them either based on what their job or title is, I treat everybody as equals.

Every business has it's own operating cost, if you don't like it, use your advanced schooling and get the skill set to do it yourself, but just stop whinging about it

[prydey]

Originally Posted by gozzaxr6t

Ratter. This isnt about whos got what tied up in their business and about job titles. I know whats involved to run a business, the ups and downs, just what your saying is making no sense to me. You call me a snobist why? Because I question the price of a basic non skilled duty that can be performed by almost any apprentice thats been in the game for a month? Dumping oil out of a sump and changing a paper element. Hence the reason I talk about pricing jobs per hour depending on the technical level of the job.

so a basic service should be charged at what? $50/hr? less? more? so the mechanic doing the job is on $20 - $30 an hour. that only leaves a $20 - $30/hr margin to cover consumables, rates, etc etc.

or, perhaps the guy doing the oil change is also skilled enough to perform the most difficult of tasks. should mechanics choose who works on the car based on what level of skill is required. basic oil change - apprentice does it, full rebuild - qualified trades does it etc etc...

your logic is a bit fuzzy. overheads don't change regardless of what work is being performed in the shop. thats the facts.

more skillful jobs are charged more, because generally they take longer, so the labour charge is greater.

and if you have found a shop that does work for $100/hr, then that is a good thing, as most these days are well north of that.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by Stefan

So I had a nail in my tyre with a slow leak for a week or two. So I dropped into K-mart Autoand Tyre just accross the road from my work. I was looking like a corporate type and driving an Audi so the guy probably thought he had a live one, says he better have a look. Comes back in the office and says yeah you need a new tyre, $550 pirrelli.

Me: why? just pull the nail out and plug it.
Mechanic: Oh it's down to the wear indicators.
Me (walking to the car with him): there is a good 5mm tread.
Mechanic: Worn on the inside, mate.
Me (now on my knees): It's worn perfectly evenly.
Mechanic: Oh no, the side wall see here it's scuffed, that dangerous.
Me: Are you F....seerious?
Mechanic: Just leave it here for an hour and we'll fix the nail.
Me: I wouldn't leave my car here if you paid me....

I've dealt with two K-mart Autos, both had similar exchanges with me... obviously love milking customers is their style.

Send in your wife to have a puncture repaired, I bet they will sell her a new tyre.

This can happen at any business!!!