I just got off the phone with my local Pontiac dealer. I brought my 1988 GT with 44,000 original miles in for an inspection. They said that my rear tail lamps weren't working and they had to "re-splice" some new ones in. I said how much would it cost. They said $150.00 !!!! I told them I would fix it my self and bring the car back for re-inspection. My head is going to explode!!! The tail lights were just working last week and even if they weren't way on this earth would they want to splice my wires????? I put about 400 miles per year on this car. It makes me think they are trying to take me for a ride. When I go pick it up I am going to get more detailed with them. I am just amazed that they want to re-wire and it's going to cost $150.00 !!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll post how it turns out

Almost all of the cost of electrical repairs is in locating the problem. Very little is actually in doing the fix. Labor costs today are generally in the vacinity of about $100 an hour, so basicly this is about an hour and a half to locate the trouble (incliding disasembling the car enough to locate the trouble) fix the car and reasemble. Not really out of line that much.

I'd be very interested in why they have to "re-splice" anything!
I'd be looking for someone else to do my service.

Somethin' smells funny.

My guess would be that the bulb plug-ins have carroded and they plan on cutting the old ones off and splicing new plug-ins on. I haven't had this problem on my Fiero but did on an 85 S10 Blazer I used to have.

Ok.. I got my car back and here's the deal. I went in and paid them , walked out and tested my Brake lights. They worked fine. I went back in and talk to the service tech. who in turn talk to the mechanic who said the "Plate lights" were out and the service tech thought he said "Brake lights" So I went outside and sure enough the license plate lights were not working. I never drive in the dark so I would not have noticed anyway. I get home and take the left plate light down and sure enough it was corroded. A little emery cloth and a new bulb and it lit right up. My right hand socket did have a small piece of the brass connector missing so I went to VIP auto and bought one for $5.00 and replaced it. Everything's working fine now and I will bring it back tomorrow. A nice fix for under $10.00.
How can they get off saying $150.00? I mean it was a simple 3 minute check and a 10 min fix? I'll be looking for a new dealer to bring the car to. It's really a shame , I own 2 Hyundai's and the service dept. is GREAT. I figured I would try a Pontiac service dept. and it's right back to the stereo type for dealer service.

It's the mindframe that a dealership tech is in. I am also a tech for a dealership. When we work on cars, we try to get the cars back to factory condition. Rarely do we rig something up. On the brand that I work on, we also have problems with bulb socket contacts burning up and getting corroded in tail lights. We can easily clean it off and probably get it working again. But honestly, it's not the proper fix. It'll probably just have another problem in a couple months. The proper fix would be to replace the socket or the whole tail light assembly. Whatever's burnt. Like I said, it's basically the mindframe of a dealership service department. Expected them to want to fix it the best way possible.

I agree with fixing it correctly however splicing in two new sockets should not be a $150.00. Prices like that is why most people don't like going back to the dealer. In bringing your car to a dealer one assumes that a professional is working on the car and should relatively quickly be-able to splice in 2 new sockets. I am a non professional and I spliced a new socket in under 10 minutes. That includes the factory style socket with weather proof wire connectors.
I could see charging $50.00 for the time spent plus the cost of the socket.

One would have to be very convincing for me to agree that $150.00 is a fair price for work rendered.

I agree that $150 seems to be a bit much, but the dealership charges by the shop hour rate. Probably close to $100 per hour for the shop time, and plus parts and taxes, you come up with $150.
This is why this forum is really important.
DM

quote Originally posted by FieroRumor: Somethin' smells funny.

sorry...ill leave the room now....lol

They have them at advanced, they kepp them in the back. You may have to ask for a liscence plate pigtail, or marker light (they are the same) you may even have to go into another car, but almost all gm's are the same. If nothing else just have them go back and dig through, or let you. They have them here localy, If I remmeber I'll go in and get the part number. If it helps, you need a socket for a 192 bulb. Usualy one of the above methods works.

quote Originally posted by 86GT3.4DOHC: They have them at advanced, they kepp them in the back. You may have to ask for a liscence plate pigtail, or marker light (they are the same) you may even have to go into another car, but almost all gm's are the same. If nothing else just have them go back and dig through, or let you. They have them here localy, If I remmeber I'll go in and get the part number. If it helps, you need a socket for a 192 bulb. Usualy one of the above methods works.

thank you

$150 bucks!! Talk about anal inoculation! A friend of mine was recently "greased" by his local Pontiac dealer. By the look on his face I knew they'd also broken it off in him. Anyway his 03 Bonneville keeps blowing the interior light fuse only when someone is riding in the back seat. So him & I checked it out and found the fuse box under the back seat with the battery??. Next to the fuse in question is a relay that stays hot to the touch all the time. So hot that the underside of the seat cushion is slightly scortched or discolored even with the fuse cover in place.
NO pocket change found or the like taht would short out. So off to the dealer he goes. They claimed the problem was in the "Pass sunvisor because the flip-down mirrorlight cover is broken. They charged 300 bucks to tear down the headliner to figure this out.
Dealer disconnected that visor and ordered a new one for over a hundred bucks. He drove home & loaded up the kids and Wallla.. Fuse blows again.
To make a long story short... If you can easily fix it yourself.. then do it. Its also amazing how some dealers can advertise, ie." Oil & Lube $39.99" which may take a half hr or more to do including materials, but to splice in a 5 dollar socket they want 150 ????

ps: Unforrtunately my friend has that "take me for a ride look" about him.

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