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Re: Quote for repairs, a rip?

To: Jack Levy <jack@cocoinc.com>
Subject: Re: Quote for repairs, a rip?
From: Andrew Mace <amace@unix2.nysed.gov>
Date: Mon, 22 Mar 1999 22:00:24 -0500 (EST)
Cc: Triumph List <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Jack, I don't happen to have a flat-rate manual for a GT6, but I do have 
them for some earlier models of Triumphs. I'm sure Triumph, later 
Leyland, had them for just about every model, and there probably were 
other trade publishers of such information.

Most of the quotes you gave don't sound too bad to me. They might in fact 
be a bit longer in time that what the flat-rate manual might say. 
Consider that a flat-rate manual, much like a factory workshop manual, is 
based pretty much on disassembly, repair/replacement and reassembly of a 
brand-new vehicle. Neither necessarily takes into account 25 or more 
years of road grime, moisture, salt, and all the other things that lead 
to rusted fittings, bolts, nuts, bushings, etc.

I suspect that the rates are based on a flat-rate manual AND some years 
of experience working on older cars prone to rust, etc. as above. 
Although the 6 hours for the Roto-Flex couplings seems high, all it takes 
is one bolt (of the 12 total) to snap off inside the axle to add untold 
time to the job. Same with a weak steel brake line that snaps on the 
attempt to unscrew it from the hose or wheel cylinder.

Of course, if they're a really top-flight shop, you might be pleasantly 
surprised, once the job is complete, to find that some jobs didn't take 
as long as originally estimated and that your lower-than-expected total 
bill reflects this.

One other factor: it is likely that this shop will commit to completing 
the job in a certain length of time, whereas you or I could spend the 
next several weeks working on bits as we felt like it -- or not!

Good luck, and I certainly hope the shop turns out to be an excellent one!

--Andy

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* Andrew Mace, President and                *
*   10/Herald/Vitesse (Sports 6) Consultant *
* Vintage Triumph Register <www.vtr.org>    *
* amace@unix2.nysed.gov                     *
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