A customer in Boise said my brake job quote was a ripoff because I didn't mention the caliper pins

He pointed out that my $450 quote for pads and rotors didn't include cleaning and greasing the slide pins, which he said always need it. I argued back at first, but I checked the old service manual for his truck and he was right. Now I add a $20 line item for pin service to every brake quote, no exceptions. It takes five extra minutes and stops a lot of comebacks. How many of you actually list that as a separate charge?

2 comments

2 Comments

murray.cole23d ago

So you just add it as a line item now? Do customers ever push back on that extra twenty bucks?

hall.charles23d ago

Oh man, this whole thing is so familiar. I was reading a forum for mechanics last month and the exact same debate came up. Some guys were saying it's just part of the job and you should bake it into the price, while others swore by the line item to avoid looking like they're hiding costs. Honestly, making it a separate charge seems smarter after that customer called you out, doesn't it? It shows you're doing the full job right and not cutting corners. That twenty bucks is just paying for the proper grease and the extra few minutes of labor.