Arm and a leg is a relative term, I am an independent shop owner. I have to charge a reasonable amount for all repairs. to work on all makes and models you have to a; have highly skilled technicians and pay them accordingly b; send them all to classes and training seminars at least twice a year if not more. c; stay on top of technology that means dishing out 40 grand a year or more for diagnostic equipment and updates, and on top of all this I have to keep the building warm and keep the lights on.I have $300,000 plus in hand tools and 3/4 million in shop equipment and diagnostic tools. I charge 78 dollars an hour 90 for electrical diagnosis, I hear the ” holy crap, your charging me that much just to tell me what is wrong” every day. My response to that is if you don’t want to pay me for what I know and the equipment I have to get it fixed right the first time, TAKE IT HOME AND THROW PARTS AT IT, OR START RIDING A BIKE!!! I hear their labor rates are cheaper!
The cost of medical care has risen 150% in the last ten years, The cost of auto repair, 15%. the human body has been the same for hundreds of years, the transmission in your car has more internal parts than your body, and they change every year.
What I’m getting at is , if you trust the shop your at , and they do the job they are supposed to, you should be glad to pay them what they ask.