What's a resonable labor price for installing a new clutch?

[mike the snake]

I've done my fair share of clutch jobs. Most were in my garage on jackstands, and took much longer than a shop with the proper tools would take.

I watched a vid, and it looks to me like the clutch on this car is about as easy as it gets, rear wheel drive, nothing hard to get at. It looks like a simple, straightforward job to install a new clutch.

My guess is, with a lift and proper tools, it would take a good mechanic 2-2.5 hours to swap the clutch and flywheel. I'm hoping to be charged for no more than 3 hours labor. Some labor should be shaved because a new exhaust is going on, so no need to be charged twice for the exhaust install.

I've read here about dealerships charging $2000 for a new clutch.

I have an ACT clutch going in next week, and I wanted other peoples opinions or experiences on the subject.

My shop/tuner is a good shop, but I want to make sure I get charged appropriately for labor. I have so much invested in all the new parts going on the car (turbo, clutch, radiator, ECU/WMI, exhaust, tune) that at this point, I need to start watching my costs.

Thanks for any help.

[gdrider77]

I did mine myself. I will be swapping in a new one as i need a more durable one to hold more tq...Now that i have done one on this particular car, i would say its about a 3hr job for me, with jackstands.....

So yeah, around 3hrs/+-1hr is about right. With a lift i bet a shop with experience could do it in 2hrs..especially if you are getting a new exhaust at the same time.

[diss7]

3 hours on off hoist.

$200-$300 max.

I watched my mechanic mate do it while car was already on hoist, it wasn't involved at all.

It's one of those things, the more you can buy and get put on at once the better. In less than a day I had swaybars, brakes, clutch/fly, 2way lsd, coilovers, and a supercharger put on. Cost about $600 from memory. Would've cost a lot more doing in pieces.

[mike the snake]

I've been collecting and waiting on parts for over 3 months. Turbo kit, Tomei Exhaust, Robispec radiator, ACT clutch, Hydra EMS and WMI, rear swaybar, rear diff bushings, all of which are going on the car all in one shot.

My shop/tuner is good people, I just want to be sure I get a fair shake. He's spent a lot of time talking with me and explaining things to me, which I appreciate, and that's worth a lot to me, but like I said at this point I'm into this whole deal for so much more money and time, I need to start carefully watching what I spend and make sure the charges are what I feel are fair.

[diss7]

Nice. Sounds like its gonna be a cool setup. So many parts there I'm a fan of.

[jdubious]

Shops generally charge their labor rate x the listed labor time. The price doesn't have anything to do with how long it will actually take them. This method rewards the more experienced mechanic who can get the job done efficiently. I don't know the labor time on this job, perhaps someone will come along that has access to Alldata.

[pche]

As a flat rate tech, I'd say 4 hours should be fair. Subaru clutch jobs pay 8 hours, turbo 8.7. BRZ is a lot easier. Took me 2 hours to do in and out on a warranty clutch job.

[355rockit]

The Toyota dealer mentioned that for Scion's Pure Pricing for clutch replacement they charge 2 hours rate, but it takes the tech 4 - 5 hours.

[The Racers Line]

Are you having FLI do the install? Good guys over there.

[mike the snake]

I know most common jobs have set times or rates that they charge, so that as already stated, a good mechanic can get it done early if they're good and fast.

I just don't want to pay more than for the time it actually takes, or would reasonably take.

An example is with the coilovers, where I read about people here doing it in 2.5 hours in their garage on jackstands (something I Could do myself If I were so inclined) and I was charged for 5 hours labor.
Yes, it's not outrageous, but I would have been happier being charged for the actual time it took (probably 2.5-3 hours). That seems fair to me, the shop makes it's $100 an hour labor.

I don't want to grind my shop for the best prices, they are going to be doing a lot to my car, but I want to pay them (gladly) for the actual time, not an exaggerated amount.

[mike the snake]

Yes, I've been dealing with them exclusively. They are a great shop, and I Really appreciate the time Ryan has spent with me answering questions and teaching me about my future installs.

Originally Posted by WiebTech Performance

Are you having FLI do the install? Good guys over there.

[The Racers Line]

Originally Posted by mike the snake

Yes, I've been dealing with them exclusively. They are a great shop, and I Really appreciate the time Ryan has spent with me answering questions and teaching me about my future installs.

Vey cool Aren't they building a custom kit for another frs/brz too? I saw a post on their Facebook with a turbo but wasn't sure if it was a custom kit they were doing or just the turbo from your kit they were posting a picture of. Glad to see they are in twins game though.

[stugray]

Surprised no one has asked the obvious questions:
Does the trans come out with the engine still in the car?
(seems obvious, but in a car where you almost have to remove the engine to replace spark plugs, it seems valid)

If - Yes, then do you need to lift the engine up at all or can it tip without disconnecting anything?

Seems those two questions are key to figuring out how big a job a new clutch would be.

[Ross]

You remove the trans with the engine still in the car, not a hard job on a lift at all. I would charge 3 hours to do them as I feel that is fair. Book time is set at 6.7 hours to do the job, if you go by book time. Some things are under quoted and some things are over quoted in labor guides. They are set up as just that a guide, not a set in stone type of thing. Unfortunately it is not an industry standered to use it that way.