Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Am I being Robbed?? $$$$ VP-44 Replacement

[Challenger-II]

Hi All,



I just had to replace my VP-44 on my '99 and damn near soiled myself when they called me for the bill. I supplied the pump and they are charging me $750. 00 for labor. :{ :{ When I gave them the go ahead, they said it would be between $400-$600. I was OK with that. Now it's $750. When I questioned it, they said it took 9 hours!!



Help... . what should this job have run?

 

[dieselluver]

I did the last one on mine, and it was my first. It took less than 3. 5 hours. I'm no super mech. , just a little CAT experience.



Dieselluver

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Did they at least have the courtesy to supply Vaseline, and ask you to bend over before they submitted their bill?

 

[Challenger-II]

Nope... . it was purely dry. I think it was spinning too!

 

[Bob Wagner]

Nope... . it was purely dry. I think it was spinning too!

:-laf at least you still have youe sense of humor

 

[Challenger-II]

Unfortunately, they have you by the sack hairs. Your truck needs to get flat--bedded, you need it back ASAP and the bill comes after the work is done. This is a truck repair (authorized Cummins) shop. After I repeatedly said that it was estimaterd to be between $400-$600, they offered to knock off 1. 5 hours labor which I will gladly take.



What should this job cost in labor? How many hours to remove and replace are reasonable?

 

[Stefan Kondolay]

2. 5 hours I would say is far.

 

[RacinDuallie]

2. 5 hours I would say is far.

Less if you have done this more than once

 

[OTRPU]

Yup, robbed for sure. Don't pay to break on the road. When I ask what's it gonna cost. . . it's, "your wife, your first born male child, and all you can getta hold of. I break lots. . . imagine all the 401 k's I'm contributing to. But when I need it, it's the only game in town. Accross this land greed is rampant, not much honest'n'fair anymore. Starts with your government, then the peasants treat others like they're treated. Sorry you got reamed, and I've felt your pain.



Cheers,

Steve J

 

[BBliss]

This job is a 3. 5 billed hour job when estimated at flate rate times. If they took 9 hours they didn't know what the hell they were doing.

 

[R-N-R]

I wonder if they had to go fishing for a shaft key?

 

[MACHINEST]

Men i just put one on tonight VP44,3. 5 hours total and that was making quite a few trips to the tool box in the other room 60 feet away..... 1st time on a VP44 if a person had all the tools setting in front of him,3 hours max and take your time... ...

 

[JFinke]

Hi All,



I just had to replace my VP-44 on my '99 and damn near soiled myself when they called me for the bill.

You'll keep soiling youself for a while now as it sounds like on penetration "dry" they probably tore things up. I would guess it's bloody. If they are like some shops around here they charge an additional 30% of the retail price for customer supplied parts. Jake

 

[Challenger-II]

Yeah... . This one is going to hurt for a while! :{ I picked my truck up last night and the shop knocked off 1. 5 hours off the bill. Part of the labor charge was to install my larger banjo fittings from Genos and replace my fuel filter. Wow, that adds up to a whole extra 20 mins!



As I said before, they have you by the short hairs! Total labor was $630. 00. I called the dealer just to cause myself more anguish and they would have charged only $511. 00. This whole experience has really made me (especially my wife!!) want to run screaming from this truck. I'm scared sh*tless to drive it and all I will probably do is stare at my fuel pressure gauge till eternity. :-laf I love my truck but don't know how much more I can take $$$. With 110,000 miles on it with a 53 block and original trans, I know I'm going to be reaching into my pocket soon again.

 

[RDLeader]

WOW! $83 labor rate!

 

[Chasweaver]

1.5hours

I recently had my done in Redding calif. I was there exactly one and one half hours. Rebuilt pump $1,150 + $100 labor + tax I walked out with a total bill of $1,350 . . Charlie

 

[Challenger-II]

WOW!!! 1. 5 hours?? Now that is all the way to the other extreme. I would be cautious of someone doing that job on my truck in 1. 5 hours. I'd be afraid of a rushed job. Still, I'd rather pay your bill instead of mine