Car Service Costs??

[Deano]

WOW!!
Got a Ford Territory I purchased new 12 months ago, the servicing on these
things is only every 15,000klms. We got the first 3k service included for free so today
was 15K service day..........$422 later!!!!
The only extra I got on top of the regular service was a tyre rotate and balance.
I must admit when I lived in Bris I was a little spoilt as I had a mate who owned
an Ultratune, I wasn't expecting this though.
Labor cost was $286 - how much do mechanics get per hour these days?
Deano

[PeteyD]

That doesn't seem too much. I take it you went to Ford? although it seems cheap for a ford service.

[andylo]

Why do you think they need to advertise for their service??!

[Dazza]

I paid $220 for my last service on my BA Falcon Ute at Ford in Proserpine. Thought it would have been more, as they changed almost everything! But we're friends with the Dealer Principal, so he looked after us.
45,000 service, but only had 36,000 on the odometer. Included Diff/Gearbox Oil change & clutch fluid top-up. Didn't include fanbelt (I supplied my own) or air filter (I have a K&N)
I found an easy way to save some coin is to supply some of your own gear. They put plenty of markup on most of those items.

If I remember correctly, my 15,000 service cost me $230 up in the NT.
Unsure how a Falcon service differs from a Territory though.

[markTHEblake]

The mechanics get paid sales commissions on any 'upgrades' they do above the service requirements, like replace wiper blades and other stuff i guess you would call perishables

Some of them will just add a bunch of stuff thats not necessary on every car they do. Sure you are gunna replace them eventually, but not every 6 months :-)

[mike]

Deano, you've been ripped.

A 15,000 is usually only an oil and filter change, check fluid/oil levels, clean the air filter and perhaps a software update on the ECU.

Did they give you an itemised account ? If it took them more than an hour and a half they were dawdling. Oil filter should be no more than $30. Engine oil $60 tops. Our shop charges $77 an hour.
Some dealerships can charge up to double that. There are usually extras like consumables etc, but your bill still seems excessive.

[Johnny Canuck]

Hey Deano,

I work for a fleet company and I have access to our service pricing for all vehicles.

A 15,000km service on a Territory should cost on average $120-$140. That is based on the average pricing that we have received for 15,000km services of all Territories managed by our company. Fleet pricing discount is very minimal.

The 15k service is basically an oil change and fluid check, hardly any labour at all.

I would take the log book back to them, show them that there isn't much to perform at all and question that labour cost, it is ridiculous!

Your 30k service should cost you between $120 and $160. Find a new dealership and get a quote beforehand.

Contrary to what Petey said, Ford servicing is pretty cheap compared to other manufacturers.

[OzzyRookie]

And just to let you know , the apprentice who more than likely did the job for you got paid in peanuts . Maybe as little as $20.00 . If it was a qualified Tech he may have been paid $50.00 at the highest rate . Prices quoted will be less after tax .

[Scottt]

You're just lucky Deano that you didn't take it to the joke of a place that services Grunter's car for him :lol:

[BrisVegas]

WOW!!
Got a Ford Territory I purchased new 12 months ago, the servicing on these
things is only every 15,000klms. We got the first 3k service included for free so today
was 15K service day..........$422 later!!!!
The only extra I got on top of the regular service was a tyre rotate and balance.
I must admit when I lived in Bris I was a little spoilt as I had a mate who owned
an Ultratune, I wasn't expecting this though.
Labor cost was $286 - how much do mechanics get per hour these days?
Deano

I took mine to Ford for the complimentary 3k service. I rang them for a quote on my Focus's 15k service and they wanted $320. I just about fell out of my chair. I've taken it to Ultra Tune since and they're always roughly half the price and give me fleet discount because it's a novated lease.

[Scottt]

And just to let you know , the apprentice who more than likely did the job for you got paid in peanuts . Maybe as little as $20.00 . If it was a qualified Tech he may have been paid $50.00 at the highest rate . Prices quoted will be less after tax .

Yeah, he's a f**king apprentice. What do you expect him to get paid? As a 1st year cadet journo, I got AU$352 gross a week. Newsflash, cadets, app[rentices and traijnees get ;paid crap.

But it still beats paying $30-40k to learn at uni off muppets...

[BrisVegas]

As a 1st year cadet journo, I got AU$352 gross a week. Newsflash, cadets, app[rentices and traijnees get ;paid crap.

But it still beats paying $30-40k to learn at uni off muppets...


That's good money for a cadet. I got $260 pw gross as an articled clerk. Mind you, it was still plenty of money for golf and alcohol!

[Grunt]

You're just lucky Deano that you didn't take it to the joke of a place that services Grunter's car for him :lol:
Yeah they would be the worst service centre in Australia without doubt. Ford Australia were not too happy with their service when informed recently.
Never going back there. Was charged for things that actually were not done. They thought I was just another bloke with little car knowledge. Funny how they had never heard of a thing we use in aircraft to mark things to see if they had been tampered with. Was really good to show them that some things were just wiped clean and not replaced.

[Scottt]

Yeah, but I'm taking 2001, what year was yours, with inflation probably similar $$$.

[Scottt]

Yeah they would be the worst service centre in Australia without doubt. Ford Australia were not too happy with their service when informed recently.
Never going back there. Was charged for things that actually were not done. They thought I was just another bloke with little car knowledge. Funny how they had never heard of a thing we use in aircraft to mark things to see if they had been tampered with. Was really good to show them that some things were just wiped clean and not replaced.

Oh well, I doubt they'll miss you.

PS - they just won three new Fixed Ops (service + parts) awards from Ford Aus.

PPS - Admit it, when you unloaded that morning at Windsor, you had no idea it was my family! :lol:

EDIT - Your post is even funnier now that I am re-reading it sober. Only I don't think it was meant as an attempt at humour...

[hocko]

I think everybody has answered the question correctly, however, after being in the trade for 22 years I will throw my two bobs worth in.
Most dealerships will charge around $80 an hour, unless you are in W.A. where there is, or was before the financial meltdown, a huge shortage of qualified mechanics. At my shop we charged $95 an hour and I paid my guys between $28 and $35 an hour.
We had at least 40% markup on all parts and 60% on all lubricants. The "service advisors" were paid commission on all "extra work" performed and charged to the customer. At the end of every month the "extra work" hours were calculated and the mechanics got paid a percentage share of the revenue from that work. All manufacturers have a standard repair/service time book for each model, these times are usually 30% longer than what it actually takes and therefore the more revenue raised per mechanic hour. This is why any mechanic who wants to progress in the trade need to do a business degree.......I had to.
My tip; If your car is out of manufacturers warranty-learn how to do it yourself or take a box of beer to mate who knows how to do it.
If your car is still under warranty- take it to "Autobarn", "K-mart" or one of those generic service centres as they are authorised to do log book services. Always get an itemised account and if there is any extra work to be performed then they need your authority first. It is illegal to perform any work without authorisation. Finally don't get your wife to take the car in as you will end up having to renew your hurkinfurgers and rechrome all the dipsticks!

Cheers and happy motoring.

[markTHEblake]

Heres one for the proud Focus Owners: Have you had your wiper blades replaced? i got the 45000 service (2 years) done at Repco and they replaced the blades $30-00 cos they were worn.

I thought that was odd, i dont remember replacing the blades on any car I have ever had :-)

In all the service cost $330..... $168 for labour

[Johnny Canuck]

My service guys alerted me to a dealership that was trying to throw new wipers on a car that has just had new wipers on about 4 months prior. They are one of the most common add-ons that you'll find.

Stay away from that, as well as b/s things such as "paint protection" or anything of that nature.

The next time that I'm logged into my work network, I'll check out the pricing for the Focus 15K service. It would most likely be the same as the Territory. $300 + for a 15k is tough to believe.

[AndyP]

I'm fortunate enough to have a mate of a mate that does all my services (and repairs) for me. He's head mechanic at a servo and only charges part costs, plus whatever labour he likes. He's a little pedantic at times (think Seinfeld mechanic ;)), but it's great when you can trust someone else with your car.

[Grunt]

Heres one for the proud Focus Owners: Have you had your wiper blades replaced? i got the 45000 service (2 years) done at Repco and they replaced the blades $30-00 cos they were worn.

I thought that was odd, i dont remember replacing the blades on any car I have ever had :-)

In all the service cost $330..... $168 for labour


Wiper blades are one of the issues with Ford. They say change the entire arm yet the ford dealers only cut then replace the rubber and reglue them. They then say that that is the way to change them I asked Ford and they said no they recommend the whole arm be changed as they are those rubber arms.

[Deano]

Guys
Hey thanks for all the replies, plenty of great inside info....appreciate it.
I'll give Ford a call tomorrow to discuss. I searched thefordfurum site earlier and
saw some dealers in Sydney do the 15K for $159
Anyone know what the 30K would cost? I assume it's more detailed than the 15?
Deano

[BrisVegas]

i think 160-180 is what i paid for 15,30,45k services at ultra tune.

[Johnny Canuck]

Guys
Hey thanks for all the replies, plenty of great inside info....appreciate it.
I'll give Ford a call tomorrow to discuss. I searched thefordfurum site earlier and
saw some dealers in Sydney do the 15K for $159
Anyone know what the 30K would cost? I assume it's more detailed than the 15?
Deano

See post 7.

[Tomo]

I have recently changed mechanics as everytime I went to pick up any of our three cars he always had the same line.

"Oh this was a big service"

Sheesh all of them have seemed to have become big you twit.

Now he has lost 3 vehicles which were giving him and income of 3K a year.

The most recent service on my Ford Ranger (60K) was $450. This is a 2WD version of the Ranger so does not need a lot of the extra servicing of the 4WD.

[mike]

i think 160-180 is what i paid for 15,30,45k services at ultra tune.

That doesn't seem right. Usually the 30k is more involved than the 15k and the 45k is the big one. $160-$180 for a 45k ? No way.

I work at a dealership and we often have cars come in that have been serviced at UltraTune/Repco/Wherever. These guys more often than not don't do the whole 'book' service. They don't use genuine filters and parts ( very important ) and don't do gear oil and brake fluid changes at the specified intervals.

My advice to you guys with the newish gear is to get your services done at a dealership. Have a look at your service book to get an idea what is involved in that particular service, get a quote and if it seems high, ask why.

I'm happy to give advice ... for a fee.

;)

[Johnny Canuck]

That doesn't seem right. Usually the 30k is more involved than the 15k and the 45k is the big one. $160-$180 for a 45k ? No way.

I work at a dealership and we often have cars come in that have been serviced at UltraTune/Repco/Wherever. These guys more often than not don't do the whole 'book' service. They don't use genuine filters and parts ( very important ) and don't do gear oil and brake fluid changes at the specified intervals.

My advice to you guys with the newish gear is to get your services done at a dealership. Have a look at your service book to get an idea what is involved in that particular service, get a quote and if it seems high, ask why.

I'm happy to give advice ... for a fee.

;)

I have had numerous clients complain that the dealerships do the exact same thing. Getting it serviced at a dealership does not guarantee you anything!

[goughy]

So taking this further - how in the world do you find a mechanic you can trust!! I'm not bagging every one of them! But how do you know? We're in the process of wanting to change ours! 3 times to fix a problem I took it to them specifically for. And about 2 years ago we had the head gasket done. On xmas day heading to the coast our car overheated. Ended up having to get the racq to tow us to rob's parents place. Then 4 days no car waiting for anything to open up. Then the mechanics pull out an old stiff as all buggery themostate and tell me it should have been replaced with the head gasket - it's standard practice and necessary!!

I know nothing about cars and I'm really over this!

[Webster]

Find out where the local tradesmen get their cars serviced and give them a go.

[markTHEblake]

So taking this further - how in the world do you find a mechanic you can trust!!

not the easiest thing in the world to do isn't it, mechanics and any kind of tradesmen.

I usually try to get a referrals, or find someone within a group, that way you have the higher guarantee that he isn't going to touch you, because he wouldn't want to burn his reputation.

I used to always go with customers of the bank i was working at, golf club member, church community, or any kind of connection and make sure they know it.

The other thing I do on principle is never ask for special discounts cos that would seem to be offensive and not start people off on the right foot, and they will usually offer a 'mates' rate anyway at the end.

[hocko]

Mike, can you tell me the difference between a "genuine Part" and a generic part?
I am sure Ford, Holden and Bitsamissen encourage you to use genuine filters and lubricants, however, the so called "genuine" stuff is just valvoline or fleetguard in different packaging. Not worth the extra cost.
Bottom Line; The owner has the service schedule book, read it and ensure the dumbass mechanics tick the little boxes and stamp the book to tell you it is completed.

[Dazza]

I asked this question to a dealer up north. According to them- the genuine parts have a 12 month/20,000klm warranty attached, whereas most non-genuine items do not.



Genuine Parts versus non-genuine. It's your choice. Ford takes pride in producing high quality replacement parts. All Genuine Ford Parts are engineered and tested to ensure that they not only meet Australian Design Standards but also in many cases exceed them.
Genuine Ford Parts Warranty for peace of mind.

As Ford has the highest confidence in the quality and performance of its products, Genuine Ford Parts purchased from an authorised Ford Dealer are covered under warranty for a period of 12 months or 20,000kms, whichever occurs first.
Stringent quality standards.

Because Ford is a vehicle manufacturer, we are required to meet Australian Design Standards. As non-genuine part manufacturers only produce parts, they are not obliged to meet these standards. With Genuine Ford Parts you can be assured of the highest standards of quality, fit and finish.
Customer satisfaction is our driving force.

Genuine Ford Parts are designed to meet the highest level of quality expected not only by Ford, but also by our customers.
Genuine Ford Parts and your vehicle's resale value.

Discerning buyers of second-hand vehicles give preference to those vehicles that are serviced regularly using Genuine Ford Parts. If a vehicle has been repaired using Genuine Ford Parts after an accident, it may assist in maintaining the vehicle's resale value. Genuine Ford Parts are also designed specifically for your Ford vehicle to ensure a perfect fit and superior performance.
http://www.ford.com.au/servlet/ContentServer?cid=1178852654092&pagename=Page&site=FOA&c=DFYPage

[hocko]

This is true Dazza, however your oil and filters do not stay on the car for twelve months, your service agent will warrant his/her work for three months normally. By that time you are due for a filter and oil replacement.

[Hux]

Dropped the work Terri in for some warranty work on Wednesday and asked for the service schedule pricing for an FG XR8 ute as I am thinking of a novated lease on one, so working out service costs over 100k km.
Quoted by Bryan Byrt Ford as:
$399, $399, $482, $399, $399, $518 (ie every 15k km interval).

They actually should have oil and filter at 7500km intervals as well....which I find hard to understand as they run full synthetic oil.....dropping that stuff out at 7500 means I will collect it and run it in my diesel cruiser for 5000km afterwards!!

[Hux]

Mike, can you tell me the difference between a "genuine Part" and a generic part?
I am sure Ford, Holden and Bitsamissen encourage you to use genuine filters and lubricants, however, the so called "genuine" stuff is just valvoline or fleetguard in different packaging. Not worth the extra cost.
Bottom Line; The owner has the service schedule book, read it and ensure the dumbass mechanics tick the little boxes and stamp the book to tell you it is completed.

I'm sure OEM parts are different in some cases and same or similar in others. However IMHO cut price parts are generally not of the same quality - I prefer my own informed decision making on parts used - at times genuine, at other non OEM. I know with my cruiser that some bearings are merely repackaged in Toyo packaging, so you just go to a bearing house and buy the same thing for 1/2 the price.

If you have a good relationship with a service department you can often get OEM parts at pretty much the same price as retail non OEM.
The best tip is to frequent forums like Australian Ford Forums, where there are a few dealers offering very competitive prices for parts.

[Johnny Canuck]

Dropped the work Terri in for some warranty work on Wednesday and asked for the service schedule pricing for an FG XR8 ute as I am thinking of a novated lease on one, so working out service costs over 100k km.
Quoted by Bryan Byrt Ford as:
$399, $399, $482, $399, $399, $518 (ie every 15k km interval).

They actually should have oil and filter at 7500km intervals as well....which I find hard to understand as they run full synthetic oil.....dropping that stuff out at 7500 means I will collect it and run it in my diesel cruiser for 5000km afterwards!!

It seems as if all dealers are pushing the interim services, when as you said, they really aren't necessary. It is just a cash cow for dealers, taking advantage of the uninformed driver.

If you read most service manuals, they say that it is only required under "extreme conditions", which the majority of us are not driving under.

[mike]

I have had numerous clients complain that the dealerships do the exact same thing. Getting it serviced at a dealership does not guarantee you anything!

Just depends on the dealership, doesn't it.

[mike]

Interim services are a waste of time and money.

[mike]

As far as genuine and non-genuine parts go, I'm at the stage where I'll use genuine parts wherever possible.

Yes they're going to cost more but in the long run it ends up cheaper for the customer.

Yes in some cases the genuine parts are exactly the same as the generic equivalent, but at least you know the part will fit.

Like any tradesman , it's just a matter of finding one you can trust. Like any trade there are some cowboys out there.

Good luck finding a good one.

[OMG]

Buy a postie bike (CT110), cheap as chips to run!

[Hux]

Buy a postie bike (CT110), cheap as chips to run!

Yeah but the humidity control is relative to the amount of rain you are riding in at the time :mrgreen:

[OzzyRookie]

I have been in the industry for over 26 years and seen all the changes along with it . Good luck finding the proverbial needle in a haystack . Good mechanics are all but gone from the industry . Any good ones are so booked up you'll never get near them . Back in my day we trained as apprentices working beside a tradesman hands on . Really learning your job from day one , therefore your skill level at repairing/servicing was very high . Apprentices now are a cheap form of labour as floor sweepers/drivers or even filing clerks . Apprentices who show some initiative will maybe get to work on vehicles . Bear in mind thought that nowadays you do not really rebuild broken components but diagnose and replace , train any monkey to do that . Dealerships I know of charge in excess of $100 per hour and pay peanuts . The bean counters and office staff control the prices and in most circumstances what the quality of work is put out the door . It's a mine field out there and many will get burnt unfortunately , customer satifaction is low priority but the cowboys will suffer soon i hope . My suggestion ---- we should go back to riding horses .

[Hux]

Too hard on modern electric everythings, but the best maintenance for my landcruiser is me and the factory service manual and schedules.

Some mechanics look funny at you when you ask about torque wrenches :smt087

They also think I'm weird when I repack wheel bearings every 20,000km as per the factory schedule - actually more than that depending on timings on big trips - working on the principle that it is far easier to repack/replace bearings in my shed than in the dirt on the side of the road.

[Minor_Threat]

I travel back home to use a mechanic my oldies have been using for a long long time.. Tried a few around Melbourne but found they were all much more expensive and there was always problems afterwards!

[poidda]

Well I got the Patrol serviced by a local Repco guy, as I thought I'd give him a chance. One week later I noticed an oil leak. Jumped under to have a look where it was coming from, and sure enough, the sump plug was lose. I'm glad I noticed it before taking off on a long haul.