Just finished bulletproofing my 2006 F350 Dually – did I get ripped off?

Bought this truck last summer for $13k, but blew the head gasket, so I took it in to get bulletproofed. Shop’s bill is $17k for all the work they did. Truck’s been in the shop for almost 2 months now. Full list of work and parts is posted above – did I pay too much?

Yeah, that’s super high. You could have bought a newer model for the $30k total.

Take a look at what $30k could have gotten you.

Parker said:
Take a look at what $30k could have gotten you.

Thanks, I guess.

Hard to say without more detail on parts and exact work done. You might have paid for every little fix, or maybe you got overcharged. Location can also make a difference in pricing.

Cypress said:
Hard to say without more detail on parts and exact work done. You might have paid for every little fix, or maybe you got overcharged. Location can also make a difference in pricing.

I posted the bill at the top of the thread.

Four years ago, I got a quote for about $15k to bulletproof my 6.0.

Sounds high, but if they did heads, studs, gaskets, a new oil cooler, and more, then it could be fair. Prices have definitely gone up recently.

Poe said:
Sounds high, but if they did heads, studs, gaskets, a new oil cooler, and more, then it could be fair. Prices have definitely gone up recently.

Check out the bill posted above.

Wait, is the $17k all-in, including the truck price, or is that just the repair cost?

Clancy said:
Wait, is the $17k all-in, including the truck price, or is that just the repair cost?

If they bulletproofed it for $4k extra, you’d be fine.

Hero said:

Clancy said:
Wait, is the $17k all-in, including the truck price, or is that just the repair cost?

If they bulletproofed it for $4k extra, you’d be fine.

No, I paid $13k for the truck, and repairs are $17k.

@Dezi
You might want to consult a lawyer.

Hero said:
@Dezi
You might want to consult a lawyer.

I bought the truck elsewhere, not from the shop.

Define ‘other stuff,’ and I’ll let you know if it’s a fair price.

Bevan said:
Define ‘other stuff,’ and I’ll let you know if it’s a fair price.

I posted the itemized bill at the top.

Did you get an estimate before authorizing the work?

Jamie said:
Did you get an estimate before authorizing the work?

They estimated around $12.5k plus tax.

Dezi said:

Jamie said:
Did you get an estimate before authorizing the work?

They estimated around $12.5k plus tax.

Do you have a written estimate? If not, you might have leverage here. You could argue you only authorized $12.5k and request an itemized breakdown. Might be tough, but it’s worth a try.

@Jamie
Thanks, I’m really frustrated with this situation.