09/22/2026
Where do you think our actual inflation is sitting?
I have been trying to be as fair as possible on pricing, just keeping up with what the "official" inflation numbers are, and I am going to use my 2018 pricing as an example. I don't get any complaints, but I just want to talk about this on a public forum.
In 2018 I was $125/ hr
A dyno tune for say a cammed ls1 was $750.
To keep up at the official 33% since that date, I would be
$166/hr
$1000 for the tune
Meanwhile, my internet bill has gone from $100 to $200 a month
Quickbooks went from $90 to $200
Insurance hasn't gone up much, bookkeeping went up from about $180mo to $345
Rent of course went up but I am in a bigger/ nicer spot now so that is hard to compare.
My shop management system went from $100 to $200
Heat and electric haven't changed much thankfully.
Fluids/ parts etc are just kind of all over the place, so I will stay out of that area.
Now where I am getting at here, is if a lot of these services have gone up over 100%, is that where the number should be instead of 33%? If I was going up with everything else I am seeing, I would be roughly $250 an hour, which I am seeing from some of the bigger city dealerships.
I don't plan to do that, or to ask what anyone else is charging. It is just interesting to look at the current inflation data and feel like something is definitely very wrong.
