Why are mechanics so expensive? Even when you think you need a routine service that should cost practically nothing, the price always seems to be more than expected.
At least that’s what happened to TikToker Sam @boogerbrainer thought after she went to a mechanic for an issue and ended up being charged $140 to use a diagnostic machine. The video was viewed over 86,000 times and garnered over 887 likes as of publication.
Why is the car diagnostic machine so expensive?
In her 8-second video, Sam wondered a why a mechanic charged her “$140 to hook” her car “up to a [expletive] machine.”
Hogan and Sons auto shop explains that mechanics, or technicians, are trained experts akin to doctors or an HVAC professional. These professionals have years of experience, training, and are specially designed instruments that normal people don’t have access or experience with.
The shop explains that the reason diagnostic fees are charged, even if a problem isn’t fixed is that “besides the actual time a technician spends looking at your car, there is a mound of overhead expenses just to keep the shop doors open and lights on: a lease, insurance, utilities and more. There are hundreds of thousands of dollars of specialized diagnostic and repair equipment.” The shop argues that what people are paying for is “quality service” and an accurate diagnosis is one example of that kind of service.
The mechanic shop also lists a few reasons why people have a hard time understanding the cost. These include a misconception about how computers work in a modern vehicle. According to the mechanic shop, a warning light that goes on doesn’t directly lead to a simple solution, instead it signals a starting place to look. Additionally, a scan, from a tool that costs thousands of dollars, can save customer a lot more in the long run. This is because a scan is a lot cheaper than “throwing parts” at the problem.
According to Hogan and Sons, the average base labor charge for a technician to work on a car ranges between $80-$100 an hour, so an additional $40-$50 upcharge for the equipment isn’t outrageous.
Car repair is getting more expensive
According to CNBC, a variety of factors are pushing up the cost of car repairs, including “heavier, more complex vehicles, new materials and manufacturing methods, a worsening dearth of talented technicians and pandemic-induced supply shortages.”
Repair costs are also “rising relative to the overall rate of inflation,” with repair costs increasing by 4.1% a year from November 2013 to November 2023.
Labor costs have also risen, with the average rate of $50 an hour for labor in 2019 increasing to around $60 at the end of 2023.
Lastly, the pandemic messed with the repair-ecosystem with demand dropping starkly in 2020 and spiking sharply by 2022.
Fortunately, it seems like automakers are starting to respond to the market and will start to roll out more affordable models that are cheaper to maintain.
“If cars are to be affordable, they must also be affordable to maintain,” Alan Amici, president and CEO of the Center for Automotive Research, said. “And they must be affordable to repair, or else we’re going to have fewer vehicle sales. So I think the automakers are going to be motivated to drive those costs down.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Sam via TikTok Comment.
@boogerbrainer ♬ original sound – Sam 🦠🔮🪐
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