So mum drives a 2003 Nissan pulsar, n14 I think.
The new mechanic round the corner wants $250 for spark plug change and $400 for front brakes, which I hope is pads and rotors for that price.
I’ve only worked on old hiaces, spark plugs were $6ea, front pads were about $40 and rotors were $60ish. That totals about $125, double it for modern price gouging to $250, that leaves $400 for labor, which seems high to me.
Whaddya reckon?
Labour is always the biggest cost. When changing spark plugs damaged coils/ electrical plugs could end up being a hidden cost, especially on older vehicles from the 2000s. Some mechanics will absorb this cost, especially if they are honouring an original quote for a little old lady. They also need to warrant their work. This makes $100/h a very reasonable price for skilled and experienced labour.
If you want to get a ballpark price for aftermarket parts, put your mums Rego into one of the online stores.
I’m not going to endorse these stores or provide links but Automotive Superstore, Repco and SuperCheap websites are very online-retail-friendly (unlike SparesBox or AutoBarn). Mechanical workshops will (of course) pay less for the parts and often trade price on genuine is cheaper than aftermarket.