<<<Maybe I did not explain my point properly. I'm saying you can't have
it both ways. If you are going to charge book charge book, if you are
going to charge time charge time.>>>

Now here's a twist to this story that will really blow your mind on book
time Chris.

Most all of the flat rate books available for labor only cover current
model year and maybe 4--5 years prior.

So if you take your ride to Mr. XYZ shop and he doesn't have a library
of older books , or doesn't subscribe to a internet Mitchell's service
he won't have a clue what to stab,   I mean charge you in the first
place.

Furthermore if Mr. XYZ did have the flat rate book for the Vanagon, do
you think that the rate for a newer vehicle should apply to a 20 year
old rust bucket?

It'll take two, three times as long to get to what would be usually a
simple uncorroded happening into a rusty, crusty nightmare.

So with the difficulty factor figured in the price goes up.
No flat rate book figures in corrosion, rust, broken & twisted beyond
repair parts into the bottom line.

What I would do if I didn't want to pay someone else to do the job if I
thought I was going to get hosed over at the cash register, is go and
lay down 30-40-50 grand on a good set of tools, and do all the work on
your Van yourself.

The Happy Snappy man will love you for it, and you'll be making his bank
account grow.

Then find a nice shop to do your work, pay the rent, electric, water,
and gas bills.

Then your friends can stop over and you can tinker with their stuff, and
eventually charge them for the working on their rides, and then they can
be mad at you for what they may think your gouging them on in time spent
for labor.

You'll soon find out that the guy with the crazy labor rate a while back
wasn't so unfair after all.