How tough is this to do? How many hours will a shop like Helix charge to install a jcw head? TIA Michael

 

I've heard any where from 6-8 hours from a skilled mechanic.

 

i don't know what helix charges but rohar wanted $500 and DHM wanted a $1000

i know of two local guys that will do it
it might take them more time but they are cheaper

 

If you are going to quote my prices, which I did not authorize you to do, please get it right. $1000 includes a retorque of ARP studs among other value added services such as the complete installation of the cylinder head rebuild kit.

 

Danny at MiniCorsa did mine in 4.5 hours with me standing there watching, for a flat fee of $450. This included the install labor of an ARP Stud kit and an oil change/coolant re-fill. He says he's done it in as little as 3. Then again he's probably done 40 head installs in the last 6 months. Lol.

 

The head replacement is a good days worth of work (with a long break for lunch ) I would not let someone rip through it in 3-4 hours. I charge about $750 plus materials for this job. Dealer tech get over 9 hours for this, and BMW doesn't give anything away
--Dan

 

He certainly didn't rip through it, there's no reason why it should take 8 hours to do a head install (Unless you take a 2 hour lunch break), it's not THAT complicated. I wouldn't trust anyone to work on my car that it took 9-10 hours to swap out a head (Dealer...)

 

He did get your price correct he just didn't put what it included. It is that kind of attitude that makes people from NY,NJ and Conn drive right on by you on their way to Philedalphia.

 

I just don't see how anyone can be thorough doing a head that fast, I'm not saying it can't be done, I would rather have a tech take his time and do it right.

 

He's probably done it 250 times over the last few years...

I went in at 8:30 and the car was running by 1:30-1:45. There was a 30 or so minute period that he couldn't do anything cause we were waiting on the replacement head to arrive.

 

Last I checked there arn't any laws in place that prevent people from announcing what they can best remember pricing to be from past estimates.

 

If it was not 1492 miles door to door my house to MiniCorsa I'd have Danny do all my work. The guy is very good, VERY contientious and time efficent. Not the worlds prettiest shop nor the worlds best neighborhood, but the doughnut shop makes a killer turkey on a croissant and a coke for less then 4 bucks. In SoCal he is the guy to go to.

 

Agreed

 

Sounds like a deal. I'll be the first to admit that I am anything but time efficient. You SoCal guys are lucky to have him.
--Dan

 

I've always heard to plan on $500-$1000... not like that vague number helps I guess.

I can't even find anyone to do good head work on a MINI in Salt Lake... so it looks like I may be taking a trip to SoCal sometime soon.

Good luck Michael.

 

If you are going to get a new head installed, why the f_ _ _ are you getting a JCW head?

 

You just continue to win friends and influence people don't you??

 

and that is exactly what i told the club member who came to me with those prices asking me advice to do

 

....I've wanted to say that for a bit now, but have been holding back!

 

Well, I have performed work on over 200 MINIs in one form or another in the last 14 months. Maybe I just attract a different type of customer than the type that enjoys posting on NAM about their "performance enhancing mods."

 

so why do you waste your time here?

 

I'm glad your business is going well, I truly am. For the record it seems the heads you offer and the tuning work is top notch. What I have issue with is, as a vendor, your message gets diluted with the continued conotation of hostility present in your posts. Frankly I am suprised at some of the more recent posts from LDG and you. In the past you have been critical of other tuners and products, but have always tried to spin in a degree of education and information. Since MOTD it seems the cynicism is at an all time high. Maybe this is due to the problems you and LDG saw at MOTD. I don't know as I wasn't there. I would just hope that the recent trend isn't a sign of a continued pattern to blasting people for making mistakes and being mislead by tuners.

As you said in your PM, "an ounce of prevention". It is absolutely true But by the same token, when I see a patient who has cancer due to smoking their whole life, I don't tell them "you're an idiot, it's your fault". I tell them "these are the cards life has dealt, and now we just have to go about fixing it". Sure, at the basest level it is their fault for making that decisiion, but in my experience, laying blame at the feet of the victim doesn't help anyone, and closes more lines of communication than it opens.

And here's to hoping you don't end up like Andy, and finally giving up. It would be a shame to lose anyone with the level of experience you have with these cars, regardless of whether, on an individual level you and I agree on how and why to do certain performance modifications.

 

Guys we need to just get along... All I asked was a simple question of how long to do something.

 

5th gear and you think we can all get along? Actually I prefer a bit of controversy. At least that way questions get asked, and issues are constantly revisited and solutions are reevaluated in hopes of coming up with something better! If we all got along, all our cars would have the same mods, engine, color, etc....just boring!