I remember working on the 239 in. Ford flatheads myself.
Those who rip people off in the industry are mostly stupid, so that prevents them from doing large complex repairs. The problem as I see it is manufacturers who can't make the trans or the AC system properly in the first place. Think Chrysler mini-van. That transaxle was a crime against humanity. Not the fault of the mechanics who rebuild them. Mid-nineties Mercedes S class evaporators fail. That job is a 40 hour flat rate! And the evap is $1200.00! Tell the customer it's going to be $6k to get the AC going again and it gets exciting. Early 850 Volvos same thing, about half price.
When it comes to electronics electrics look no further than a 740. How many folks here find fault? Almost all of them. The electrics in that car are the Lucas of The Eighties. If any Japanese manufacturer had built a car that bad the entire workforce would commit ritual suicide.
So yeah there are bad mechanics out there but mostly its the battle against bad design. And Volvo had their share of that.