DH in Denver posted for all of us....

My Kenmore refrigerator quit cooling. I called an appliance repair
company. The tech said I needed a new "pc board." I don't know why he
called it that, except it sounds more ominous than "defroster timer,"
which it really was, and was even so identified on the box that he
brought the next day.

Anyway, he didn't have that part with him; said he'd return the next day
with it. Before he left, I had to pay him $159.19 in advance for the
part. When I asked him how he came up with $159.19 (he hadn't looked a
any lists or made any phone inquiries), he said he remembered the price
from the last time he had needed the same part.

Before he returned the next day, I checked with Sears and two other
parts store in town and found that I could have bought the
part--retail--for between $55 and $62. (I knew the part number, because
Sears provides parts lists for almost everything mechanical it sells.)

So, he was charging me almost 3 times the retail cost for the part. I
assume he could have bought it even for less than my retail cost.

QUESTION: is this typical of repair companies to charge exorbitant
prices for parts?

This guy was not an independent guy; he worked for a large appliance
repair company in town.

DH in Denver


Well... He's gonna charge you retail for the part. He's gotta run his truck
and get paid and pay his bills and insurance & so on & on & on. He's really
making 2 trip to your abode so look at it's $50 a trip + part & you got a
diagnosis and repair in there. So unless you haven't told us something
seems like pretty good deal. Do you work for free? Iknow it only seems
like it. What would Sears charge to repair it?
--
Tekkie

Politicians & diapers are filled with it & both should be changed regularly.