Dealership Labor Rates

[TomD]

I was fortunate to not have to pay today however what I thought was bad is now worse.
As has been written the price of the Maverick has increased 25%. What truly makes hard to buy a vehicle are the dealerships labor rates. I thought that the local JEEP dealer was bad at $180’per hour. The Ford dealer where I was at is charging $185 per hour. Another dealer that owns several dealerships in the the area is charging $205 per hour.
I hope the dealers realize that this will push customers out of the door.
The only way around this is lease or by cars from the local junker dealers.
how can a person who doesn’t have the skill to work on a vehicle survive with the kind costs. The last brake that I paid for cost me $1500. I wanted to get a trailer hitch put on my Cherokee and the dealership wanted $2000 for that. This is just crazy.

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[Hot Runr Guy]

There are a LOT of non-dealerships that can provide non-warranty service on your vehicle.

HRG

 

[bgn]

Dealers are for warranties and recalls. That's it.

 

[CTYankee]

For accessories and installation, check around for a truck and offroad outfitter in your area. Their labor rates will be lower and likely their prices as well. Independent mechanic shops that will install customer-supplied parts can also be a good option.

When I had my shop, we regularly had customers pick up their new truck from the dealer and bring it directly to us to install step bars, tonneau covers, tool boxes, lifts, tire and wheel packages, etc, etc. Most of the time, they were buying the parts from us, but we also installed customer-supplied parts. We added $10/hour to the labor rate for those installs,

 

[commadorebob]

Dealers are for warranties and recalls. That's it.

Yep. And I'll do my annual oil change there. But anything else is done elsewhere where it is cheaper.

 

[CaReviews]

Labor Rates should actually increase. Do you have any idea how much technology is packed in a Maverick? Much Less most modern cars? There's more computing power in these than it takes to send a rocket into space. Plus the amount of time and money and knowledge a technician invests into oneself to learn how to work on cars is worth that if not more. If you can find a reputable independent dealership then go for it!

 

[A.Bursell]

I hope the dealers realize that this will push customers out of the door.
The only way around this is lease or by cars from the local junker dealers.
how can a person who doesn’t have the skill to work on a vehicle survive with the kind costs.

I think you are overlooking the obvious. Most people don't work on their own cars anymore. So when it's too expensive (after warranty), they trade them in on a new car.

 

[notfast]

how can a person who doesn’t have the skill to work on a vehicle survive with the kind costs

Friends or family that are reasonably mechanically-inclined, or trusted independent mechanics or shops. People with less money tend to be more resourceful like that. The dealership service department for customer-pay work is purely a convenience.

Even myself, I've done pad slaps and such for friends in exchange for a BBQ hangout or a tray of eggplant parmesan.

We added $10/hour to the labor rate for those installs,

We also added a "if it doesn't fit, you're still paying us" and "if something breaks on it and you need to warranty it, you're paying us again to remove and replace it".

Yep. And I'll do my annual oil change there. But anything else is done elsewhere where it is cheaper.

I was about to mention oil changes since they are generally loss-leaders and you can get great deals on them. Just have to get really good and used to saying no to literally anything else.

I think you are overlooking the obvious. Most people don't work on their own cars anymore. So when it's too expensive (after warranty), they trade them in on a new car.

That's how I acquire a lot of cars. I'll hear about a coworker or friend that plans on trading in their car. I'll offer to take a look at it and help them repair it, but if they are dead set on replacing the car, I'll offer to buy it for the trade in price. I got a nice Mazda3 for $2,300. It needed a laundry list of suspension and steering parts, but was otherwise in good shape.

$700 in parts, a detailing job, a $250 set of Douglas tires (made in USA by Kelly Springfield, a division of Good Year) from Walmart, an alignment, and a few weekends later and I had a nice commuter that I sold to someone else for $5,000.

 

[Ranch]

A good independent shop should be charging almost the same labor rate as a dealer. If you find an independent shop that charges a lot less than the dealer you have to ask why?

Are they, paying lower wages for less qualified techs? Not buying the needed diagnostic equipment and tools? Not investing in training for their techs? Not paying for vacation and retirement plans to retain good employees?

The only exception is finding a small shop with the owner and maybe his wife working there and he's committed to investing in his family business without having any employee's.

 

[sfurash]

Believe it or not one of the most cost-effective places to go for a trailer hitch install is U-Haul.
They want to rent you trailers so they will install a permanent hitch at a reasonable price.
Definitely worth getting a price from them.

 

[Oscarcat]

The cost of repairs is one reason I don't keep a vehicle until the wheels fall off.

I do my own oil changes and simple things, like draining fluids and refilling with factory specific fluids. [Red coolant if that is factory spec, not green or gold.] I change out my own battery when the time comes, engine air, cabin air and auto trans fluid. Since I don't wait until ATF gets ugly, a drain and refill more often, say 25k miles, even if there is old fluid mixed in, works for me.

Unless you bring your own coolant, an independent mechanic uses what they have on hand.

On a Toyota, I was quoted $200 to change a cabin air filter by the dealer. I quickly found a YouTube video, purchased an OEM filter on eBay for $21.00 and opened the glove box behind which it is located etc. as shown in the video. $179 saved.

For electronic issues I go to a dealer. For brake pads, I wait until the dealer has a coupon special or spring special. I find OEM pads are quieter and are matched to the rotor material better than generic pads [more metallic, less metallic etc.] even from reputable mfgs like Raybestos, etc.

Since I don't keep a vehicle much past 80-90k miles, I have never needed internal engine, transmission or drive train related repairs. We'll see how the front axels on my hybrid Mav hold up.

 

[Exranger]

MB of Sacramento , CA. is @$285/hr and $320 for electrics diag!

 

[atomguy245]

I stopped by my local Chevy dealer to make an appointment for my Blazer ECV. They are only charging $199/hour. What a bargain!! Of course, currently they don't have an EV certified technician so they wouldn't schedule my tire rotation. Makes sense.

 

[Vettereddie]

Labor Rates should actually increase. Do you have any idea how much technology is packed in a Maverick? Much Less most modern cars? There's more computing power in these than it takes to send a rocket into space. Plus the amount of time and money and knowledge a technician invests into oneself to learn how to work on cars is worth that if not more. If you can find a reputable independent dealership then go for it!

All that technology also comes with substantial built-in diagnostic capability which simplify / expedite troubleshooting and repair, assuming the dealership has the proper equipment to read it and updated pubs for procedures. Hunting down the random analog sensor failure should be minimized now that every switch, light and sensor is on CANbus.

 

[CaReviews]

All that technology also comes with substantial built-in diagnostic capability which should simplify / expedite troubleshooting and repair, assuming the dealership has the proper equipment to read it and updated pubs for procedures. Hunting down the random analog sensor failure should be minimized now that every switch, light and sensor is on CANbus.

These cars are not easier to diagnose, if anything, it requires more input and knowledge to pinpoint exact failures. So many CANbus communications can be caused by so many things, so why make the labor cheaper? Service makes more money than selling cars does, tenfold.

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