I had no idea...

[olebiker]

I once got my HD back from the dealer with no oil in the tranny. They had worked on it. I think this idea of confidence in a dealer is greatly misplaced.

[egleaves]

We like the confidence the dealer oil changes give us."

That very same "confidence" is what stops me from taking any of my vehicles to a stealership. If I'm short on time I'll let Jiffy Lube change the oil in my wife's Eclipse, mostly because it's a genuine PITA to do at home.

[petejw]

Ive got a mate they wanted to charge $110 just to replace 2 spark plugs. The plugs fitted were a weared size smaller than the 13/16 socket and larger than the 5/8. I was eventually able to find a plug socket to fit.

[DiverRay]

Ive got a mate they wanted to charge $110 just to replace 2 spark plugs. The plugs fitted were a weared size smaller than the 13/16 socket and larger than the 5/8. I was eventually able to find a plug socket to fit.

Must have been a Honda!!

[mstic2000]

My brother who is a retired deputy here in Saginaw Co. belonged to a program at the Sheriff's department where the local harley shop would lease brand new police specials to the deputys every year for something like $700 a year when the program started out. Due to the economic conditions last year I think he paid $1200 yearly. They cut the program out altogether this year. But I remember him telling me they charged him something like $400 for an oil change but I think that was for all the lube. But still that seemed kind of high to me.

[Pat Kelly]

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?"

Long ago I had a friend that was a photographer. For extra $ he got a booth at a flea market and took "olde tyme photos" (you slip these old style clothes on and the photos look like from the 1800's). He figured his costs and thought that if he charges 50 cents a photo he would make his money back in a few weeks. 1st weekend he sold 2 photos. Raised his price to a dollar and sold 10 photos. When he raised the price to $25 he was swampped all weekend long, the same service he charged 50 cents for.
I guess you (think) you get what you pay for.

I too think $110 is too much for an oil change.

[ross]

10 min oil change....

what the h*ll does it really take to change the oil folks...4 quarts, funnel, case of beer, smokes (yea both kinds), and a fine shop vac to suck out the old oil outta the motor.....$110....having the SWMBO do it while wearing a thong bikini and high heels......priceless!!!!....talk 2 ya later...ross

[randy]

Hey....does she make house calls? LOL!

[petejw]

Hey Ray,
It was a kawa er500 , i think that was the model.

[DJinNH]

I just got my XS1100SG out of the Yamaha shop in Manchester, NH. I had two new tires put on which I ordered from Dennis Kirk, not the Yamaha shop.

I had them rebuild my master cylinder. I tried doing it myself but it turned out the kit I got online was not for my bike. Not sure what happened with that.

I figured I would let the professionals install the new fuse box we're all getting in here so it would be done right.

Total bill was $210.

Don

[wa407mpp]

You all are acting like someone is holding a gun at your heads,and stealing your money, It takes money to run a business and with all the unseen overhead there is a thin line between profit and no profit. Everything you see in that shop from the tools and equipment to all the shiny accessories on the shelves had to be paid for, up front, and then there is the employees and all their expenses and the taxes, taxes, taxes. So keep on complaining about all the high prices and high cost of labor, until the day you find the local shop has given up and closed it doors and you have to travel 50 miles to find another shop to complain about. I have done my own motorcycle maintenance for the last forty odd years, but I leave some maintenance to my local shop, because he is a friend and I would hate to see him close his business, and there is some work I don't care to do anymore. It's called commerce you pay to have done what you can't or won't do yourself, and charge to do what you can do and someone else can't or won't do for themselves.

[andysutt]

There's also a difference in over charging and being reasonable.

I don't know any small shop that would charge $110 just in labor for an oil change

[wa407mpp]

If you get over charged it is your own fault, you don't order shop work without asking questions, like how do they charge, book rate, flat rate or time spent. and how many mechanics it takes to do the job, the more mechanics the more it cost, kinda like lawyers. Pin them down before you leave your bike, and make sure they know, you will not pay for anything without you personal approval. and ask about hidden and unlisted fees, as in used oil or tire disposal fees. Then if you don't like the answers go to another shop. An honest shop will answer all your questions and go over the work request with you then try to give you a honest quote. Now for those who don't know the terms, Book rate - Rate set to do a specific job with a set time to do the job not using modern power tools or maybe using no tools at all, usually 5 times what it would normally take, oil change 15 min., book rate $50.00. Flat rate - Set price to do a specific job, no hidden fees, change oil without filter $16.95, with filter $22.95 you supply the filter $59.95, Time spent- Actual time spent to do the job at a set hourly rate plus parts. not using the book, oil change 15min x $1.50 per min 22.50 plus $5.95 for filter = $28.45 a reasonable price. To help cover expenses and show a profit shops must use a 35% to 100% markup on parts, the cheaper the part the higher the markup, so if you supply the part the shop must raise the labor cost to make up for the loss of profit on the part. If you find a shop you can trust and do a loyal business with him, you will find over time that he will show his appreciation for your loyalty.