>zero labor cost means I can buy the most ridiculous . . . Amen! I spend $50 an oil change. Not because I take it to a shop, but because my cars only get the b

>zero labor cost means I can buy the most ridiculous . . . Amen! I spend $50 an oil change. Not because I take it to a shop, but because my cars only get the best of the best. You bet I've tried running royal purple in my Mustang for shits and giggles! Both my camry and mustang are little eco-tuned 4 cylinders, but they purr like kittens! >until you crack an impact socket I'm sure you know this, but for the benefit of others: that's actually what an impact socket is _designed to do._ They are made out of a different type of metal that cracks instead of shatters. At the speed & torque these impact guns are capable of: using the right socket is the difference between being slightly bummed that you have to buy a new socket, and becoming legally blind in one eye. >some specialized stuff is pretty expensive At least around here: many autoparts stores will rent out such equipment for fairly reasonable prices. (Of course they usually have a "you break it you bought it" policy if they don't offer some kind of insurance; and then you're paying full price for a broken machine.) (You also may need _other_ equipment to drive it; for instance I don't really have a compressor suitable for pneumatic tooling at home.) > I'm at 1.75 hrs and we're both losing money in 15 minutes so slap it together and hope for the best My recent timing belt job is actually the first time either of my cars has been at a shop. I dropped it off right before close in the middle of the week and the guy says: "and let me guess, you need it in a hurry?" And I'm like: "of course not, take all the time you need!" (Writing this out: it may sound a little sarcastic. In context however it wasn't, this guy's shop is literally halfway between my home and my job, and both are in walking/biking distance. So I was in no rush for him to finish.) At my last computer repair job we had a similar motto: the only way we lose money is if the customer comes back. Obviously expedience is something of a virtue when doing repairs [or any sort of billable work]: but I hope that many shops value doing a good job above beating the book time.