Where were you a mechanic that it only cost “a few pennies”? I feel like I get bled dry every time I take my car in...

Mechanics work ungodly hours and deal with very painful situations and barely make a living wage that can support a family. You feel like you are getting bled dry because the service does not scale. A highly trained professional has to focus on your problem until it is fixed and the solution is often very time consuming. Insurance costs are high and so are labor and material costs. It doesn't mean the mechanics are making a killing. The owners are often well off though. Hiring more mechanics scales for them.

That makes sense. Thanks for sharing your perspective.

I don't know myself, but if the big expense is parts not salary, both can be true. The vehicle manufacturer would be the one capturing the profits of the overpriced band-name parts.