Here on Long Island most shops are getting $90/hour and up. Some of the
dealers are well over $100.

While Vanagon head gaskets are usually not all that bad an ordeal, things
do go wrong. If I was paying for the work, I would want someone that knows
what they may be getting into and be sure of what the costs will be when
things go south. What risks are they willing to take? Will you be out $500
for labor and have a scrap engine if a stud breaks? Negotiate what they
will eat up front.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Richard A Jones
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 10:21 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Engine Replacement or Gasket Fix?

> I would not want anyone who dislikes waterboxers and wants to charge 80
an
> hour touching it.

I'm in Glenwood Spring, Colorado, and gas here costs 50 cents more than
the Front Range (Denver, etc.)  Well, so does labor (and labour, too!)
Boulder-Denver labor is $85-90, but one of the shops here that knows
old VWs and Vanagons is $120.  Everything costs more here.

So for one part of the country to rate the costs in another doesn't
have much validity.

I agree about "anyone who dislikes waterboxers...."

Richard