Whoa, cheesy tactics charging for diagnostics on something you’re getting paid to disassemble and repair all the same.
I’m not sure this shop is capable of recovering from the fact they’ve just made a written attempt to fleece you. If taken to the governing body of Auto repair where you live they’d call it what it is: An attempt to contractually bind you to unneeded & unnecessary charges. If you sign that estimate and later let him begin work on the truck, you’re screwed. He’s gonna spring your 100k service on you AFTER he’s into the job and tack full retail parts, labor & MORE time on his estimate. You’ll have a $10k bill!
Let me fast forward. The trans rebuild on our 09 AWD Escalade ESV 6L80 last month was $6,670. $4k in labor, $2.6k in parts $2h tax. No tear down inspection, just a flat cost of $5k for all new trans parts & labor & new TC. The shop owner is a diesel tech and he, personally rebuilt the trans. I had 168k on the trans and knew it needed other maint done while it was apart. The labor would be free or at a 70-80% savings.
My Indi tech & I spent 45 min figuring what was needed. An additional $1.4k to the $5k trans repairs got a new pan gasket, oil pump O ring, oil & filter, rear main seal, fluid service on front & rear diffs, left & right front diff mount brackets & bushings, all 3 OEM hydraulic eng/trans mounts, shifter cable repair kit and poly sway bar, end link bushings, & exh mani gaskets.
If any of those things are spotted by your Indy do you think he’ll allow you to source the parts off RockAuto to save $3-$4h? Mine did. Local parts houses are scalping shops right now. It’s time for your 100k major service. Did he address that or that you can get $5k in parts and labor done for $1.5k while the trans is out?
Follow my lead and take it a step further. Go to R/A and put an order together for all those OEM parts for the motor but MOOG or similar for brackets & suspension. 2x check Amazon for a better price. Find a shop that’ll let you supply those parts for the trans service.
You’ll tackle your 100k major service almost for free and have another 100k+ left on the truck, PLUS, it’ll ride better than new with the new motor, trans, suspension & front diff bushings replaced. If you have 2WD take $5h - $1k off my estimates.