Help deciphering GM repair invoice

Part number / Description / Book hours for labor

Many thanks. Are those book hours typically high, low, or on the money compared to the actual time it takes to do a job?

"Steve W." wrote

That's not at all what those numbers mean. I can't tell you for sure what they "do" mean, but if you think that a front timing gasket and oil pan gasket pay 2.5 hrs, you are mistaken. And the booster doesn't pay 4.8 hrs. Now if you switched those times around, it might be closer.

The Z-number is some sort of labour op code I believe.

Ian

Number on left is GM part number, alpha is the GMSPO (General Motors Service Parts Operation) short description, 2nd set of numbers is the GMSPO group number (think chapter/verse - for example, the first item is in Group #4, Section 805), the "Z" item is the GM warranty labor code (also used by a lot of dealers to code out-of-warranty stuff since the computer will do all the math for you).

Regards, Bill Bowen Sacramento, CA

There is a piece of text missing on my reply. The other line was, Maybe?

Still getting used to this mail program. Sorry about the confusion. Book numbers very seldom equate to "real" time from what I've seen in the crash books.

That is how they make money. Charge book time, do the job in less.

Thanks for the responses, Ian et al. Any idea how many man hours should be required to change the booster and the timing cover gasket? They had it for one day for diagnosis, ordered parts and I brought it back at their convenience with the assurance that it would be completed in one day or possibly very early the second. It wasn't ready until 4 PM the third day. The owner of the dealership is going to get a letter and I want to be sure of my facts.

I've got the crash book pages on my 02 Town car, and one of the parts listed is the chassis. Time to replace, per the book, 40 hours. I'd sure like to watch ONE mechanic do it in that time. :-)

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I don't have access to the GM warranty labour guide here at home so it's hard to say. Booster is probably around 1-1.5 hrs. Front timing cover gasket is probably more like 4-6 hrs (you have to remove the oil pan to remove the front cover)

Why are you writing a letter? Because it took 3 days instead of one? While I understand why you want it done in one, things always don't work out that way. Did they not provide you with a rental unit while it was being repaired. If so, I wouldn't complain. All you do is put a big virtual "troublemaker" sign on your forehead for the next time you go into have work done. Unless you are planning on just going to a different dealership.

Now if they didn't provide a rental unit....that would be a different story. But again, sometimes "stuff" happens, it might have been wrong parts ordered, not enough parts ordered....etc.

Ian