"...these technicians are doing 50-60% warranty work which seldom pays close to actual time..."

And which seldom takes them anything close to the flat rate alloted time. This equates to either (or both) indirect and direct cheating.

What do I mean indirect? The tech is motivated to spend the least time possible on a warranty job becuase he gets paid if the job's done and the customer drives away. If it comes back, it's merely another warranty claim. Thus, he is not motivated to spend time on all the extras that are included in the "flat rate calculation." He can always get paid again.

What do I mean direct? The calculation and calibration of "flat rate" is based on average time to complete the job, including all the extras, such as safety checks, road tests, prep, clean-up, and so on. Yes, I know that a learning tech takes longer -- and that an experienced tech can do it quicker. I also know that the shop (and tech) pays if the job bounces. This rarely happens, or at least it is rarely admitted as such. MUCH MORE LIKELY is that some new problem is "discovered," which starts a new clock running for the customer.

Before you disagree, let me tell you that I was a mechanic at a dealership (not Volvo) for 3 years before college. We rarely used flat rate because it sent the wrong message to customers, who all perceived it as a license to steal. We very, very rarely had "redos." I was paid a standard hourly rate whether I was changing a clutch or sweeping the floor.

I've seen numerous cars come into a local independent (a very good friend) after having a $50 oil change at the dealer -- and this is a well-regarded dealer. Door 'n hood hinges dry, rusty, squeaking, belts loose, battery low, radiator low, BF low, tires low on pressure. My friend checks these routinely and shakes his head in amazement that the Volvo dealer can produce such incredibly shoddy work for such a high price -- and do it time and again.

Why? Clearly because it's production line, get 'em in, get 'em out. The less time you invest in each car, the more you make. They have no time for non essentials like lubing the driver's door or hood hinge or checking brake fluid.

"dont they pay good mechanics fair wages in your neck of the woods?"

I don't know what they pay mechanics around here because I haven't taken a car into a repair shop for about 30 years. But I DO know that dealers get around $75-85/hour and good independents get $35-45/hour. $80,000-100,000/year for a technician is unethical unless this tech is literally a rocket scientist.

Let's do a calculation: $100,000/year equates to about $50/hour. The mechanic usually keeps, what, 1/3 of the "take?" So that $50/hour means the shop grossed $150/hour. But people are never 100% utilized (coffee 'n stuff) so that $150/hour rate is probably more like $200 per hour. But the shop advertises $75-85/hour. Why the difference? Because the "flat rate" jobs take far less time than they're billed for. That "3 hour brake job" actually took 90 minutes.

In some ways, the flat rate billing system is as unethical as the lawyers' "billable hours" system.

Some years ago I accompanied my elderly mother to the Volvo dealer with her DL. It stumbled at highway speed, and was still under warranty by a few miles. The tech was crude and smoked in the car when he "test drove" it (I watched -- it was around the parking lot for a driveability problem -- no highway driving for him, no siree.)

The warranty repair lasted about 2 weeks, and then back again to the dealer. This time it was, "Oh, you need new spark plugs, and we only use Volvo plugs at $9 each, and they're not a warranty item." Two weeks later it was back for a third time, same problem. This time, he decided to try another new AMM (that fixed it). He charged for the AMM and labor until I produced the recepits FOR THE SAME PROBLEM that they had submitted a warranty claim for, and THE SAME PROBLEM that they had charged her over $100 for a tune up. Even then we had an argument because HE ALSO PRODUCED WARRANTY FORMS FOR HER TO SIGN FOR THE SAME REPAIR HE TRIED TO CHARGE FOR!!!

This was not quality work, this was not quality behavior, this was not professional, this was not $80,000/year training or performance. This was not honest.