I don't know where you live but most auto dealers charge $100 to $150 per hour for repair work.
Western, New York near Buffalo. I am sure that we would be cheaper than Chicago but honestly I just don't pay any attention anymore to the hourly rates posted on the wall (probably so I don't get upset), so I am most likely just totally out of touch with reality in actual mechanic rates.
I did just have some mechanical work done at the GMC dealer on my van a month ago, so I dug out that bill but they did it such that I can't identify the hourly labor rate from it. But they did also attach an estimate for some body work I asked them to get for me from their body shop, and both body labor and paint labor was quoted at $42/hour, which means we must be getting a bargain here.
Nevertheless if you pay $100-$150 per hour there for mechanics that makes that new Royal now $70K-$105K, so his comparison was accurate at those rates.
