Im not even gonna go into all the taxes fees and expensive regulations I have to comply with that cost me thousands and thousands of dollars a year. Why just TODAY i shucked out $432 for one state fee, one bond payment, and one of my multiple insurance payments. Once upon a time I had my operating costs figured out to the penny. at that time EVERY TRUCK I had running had to make $100 every hour just to BREAK EVEN. Thats no profit, no advertisement. So, when I charge $158 plus $20 ($178 total) for the T and P valve you can see what a monsterous profit Im making for the hour ive spent
A good mechanic in a BAD market really must come up with some sort of sliding scale. I just could not give grandma on Social - non-security a 200$ bill for an 8$ valve and sleep at night. Make up for granny at the McMansion where the doctor [who is in a trade where you still get paid for killing your patients] and his wife, the stockbroker-bloodsucker got her 800,000$ bonus for screwing the public out of a few billion that year.
Most of you guys have to have the shiny new truck with 1000$ worth of tires on them. My plumbing van is a 600$ auction item, maybe a 1985, that was the sheriff search and rescue van. Holds a good 5 grand worth of parts. If you really think someone cares about the truck you drive, you got a bone in your head. I'll take the guy with his bumber wired on, and red duct tape on the taillights.
To give you a taste of the economy, an auction here last week sold a huge fleet of ford f350 vans, 2000 year up to 2007. With internal racks and cages, maintenance records, etc. - smogged and ready to go for $1800 to 4500 bucks. All from a few busted plumbers and electricians that thought appearance would always carry them through.
Looks like granny got herself a harbor fright wrench, and the retired handyman at the church to help her out. total cost: 2 cups of coffee or a beer and 15$ in parts.
Bid on a local job here. My price was half of 2006 costing, to keep the guys alive, burn dead inventory. The owner got about 7 bids - like a pack of sharks descending on fresh meat. I guess the guy that got it has no employees, probably no insurance, thus, and drives a ford escort.