I had no idea...

[randy]

Visited a local Yamaha/Kawasaki dealer over the weekend to help my friend buy a helmet. I was wandering around and stopped by the service desk and noticed the service rate listing. An oil change cost $110 - LABOR ONLY!

[Wildkat]

To which I say...



Good Heavenly days!

So if I just changed the oil, as well as that in the middle and final drives... can I justify buying some more stuff for the bike now?


The more you save the more you can spend... right?

[randy]

Leave it to a woman to..nevermind. I was thinking that at those rates i could quit my day job and...nevermind.

[Wildkat]

Leave it to a woman to..nevermind.

Gosh Randy... shouldn't that be... Leave it to a woman to never mind?




I don't have a job to quit... so I guess I can charge half their rate and do oil changes? A couple a week would pay for most of my motorcycle habit...

[andysutt]

Thats crazy.

Course w/ the 4 into 1 you gotta drop the header to get to the oil filter and drain plugs. But still $110???

[olebiker]

Now now don't forget this is a complicated not to mention dangerous task best left to the professional kid (oops) that they hired to do oil changes. Last time I let anyone else change the oil on a bike they messed up and I had to reposition the filter cup so it sealed. And this was at the only shop in town that I used to trust.

[CatatonicBug]

What gets me is that people actually PAY that!! They give no thought to the fact that they could do it themselves for the cost of a family dinner at McD's, with very limited knowledge, and a few simple tools. I know the service tech's need to make a living, and the shop often determines the hourly rate, but my local shop charges $65/hr. I can't imagine an oil change taking even CLOSE to an hour!

[andysutt]

What gets me is that people actually PAY that!! They give no thought to the fact that they could do it themselves for the cost of a family dinner at McD's, with very limited knowledge, and a few simple tools. I know the service tech's need to make a living, and the shop often determines the hourly rate, but my local shop charges $65/hr. I can't imagine an oil change taking even CLOSE to an hour!

Exactly.

Hell even with removing my headers and stuff, I could do it and back together in an hour

[Pat Kelly]

Yes, our bikes are easy to do oil changes on. How many new bikes are this easy? Bodywork to remove, disposal of the used oil costs$ (I remember a guy bought our shops' used oil, now you pay for hazmat removal). Mechanic's wages are higher. Shop utility costs are higher. Everything costs more.

Did you complain last time you got a raise? "No boss, that is too much $ for what I do". That's the good and bad when you get paid flat-rate as a mechanic. If flat-rate lists 1 hour to do a particular job and you can do it in half-hour you come out ahead. if it comes back you fix it for free. If it takes 5hours you get paid 1 hour. In most cases the mechanic gets 1/2 the shop labor rate.

I'm not justifying any one shops labor rate. Just passing along how it is. This is why we work on our own bikes. We recently added 600 sq. ft. to our home. We did it all ourselves (except for the linoleum floor in the bathroom). Saved a ton of money as there was no labor cost and we know that it was done right. But, some construction company and their workers didn't make any money. Any members on this list work in construction? Anyone work on computers? You get the point. We pay someone else to do the things we can't or won't do. I now drive a truck. I get payed to haul food from our warehouse to another warehouse and I get paid (well) for it. You don't like how much I'm paid (which is in what you ultimately pay for your food) then till-up that nice lawn and plant your own food. Get a cow and raise it and butcher it yourself.

I've always felt "if someone else can do it then I can do it. But do I want to?"

[randy]

Well put. I've always done my own work for the savings and satisfaction, I was just taken aback at the amount posted for an oil change. Mine usually takes more than an hour if I count the beer breaks. I guess I really DO have it better than a dealer mechanic!

[madmax-im]

Thats All?

Well it is New Yawk...so I'm not surprised in the least...would I pay someone that rate? Hell No... Even on my soon to be sold ST1100 I do my own oil...once the tupperware is removed...piece of cake...or pie

[79XS11F]

The cost of shop maintenance is one of the reasons I bought the XS1100 when I re-entered the motorcycle sport. Having owned one in the past I knew how to maintain it and knew it was an easy bike to wrench on.
Rob

[The Lorax]

Wow, $110 for an oil change, labor only! I guess I owe me alot of money have a nice day and ride safe

[xs11jack]

Here in the St. Louis area,

one of my friends rides a 85 Honda gold wing and the dealer changes his oil and filter for $210. Another friend bought a new Harley in 2007 and rides it 65 miles to the dealer he bought it from and the dealer only charges him $360. I know these prices sound like I been smoking silly putty, but I am telling the truth. I offered each one a deal of $50 and they said "We like the confidence the dealer oil changes give us." I guess that explains why they ride the bikes they do. I don't argue with them, they are, in all other things good people.

[CatatonicBug]

one of my friends rides a 85 Honda gold wing and the dealer changes his oil and filter for $210. Another friend bought a new Harley in 2007 and rides it 65 miles to the dealer he bought it from and the dealer only charges him $360. I know these prices sound like I been smoking silly putty, but I am telling the truth. I offered each one a deal of $50 and they said "We like the confidence the dealer oil changes give us." I guess that explains why they ride the bikes they do. I don't argue with them, they are, in all other things good people.

Some people... How much confidence does one need in an oil change?? It's just oil! It's really NOT that hard... Makes me want to start my own shop and charge reasonable prices! Then again, some of those guys will say, "how can I trust a mechanic that's not expensive?"