View Full Version : Mechanic costs
chickenfunkstar
2nd May 2005, 13:37
Hi all,
Just wondering how much everyone pays an hour to have their bike serviced at a mechanic.
I normally take my bike to Colemans and I've always been pleased with the work that they've done. It usually costs me between $300 - $400 depending on what needs doing. I'm pretty sure it costs $70 per hour including GST.
This is fine with me, I was just wondering how that stacks up to what everyone else is paying.
Thanks
CFS
crashe
2nd May 2005, 14:01
Wouldn't the service cost depend on the type of bike?
My last service was done for me for FREE, but it would have cost about $250.
I thought the hourly rate was about $50.
What are you getting for your 300-400 bucks??
chickenfunkstar
2nd May 2005, 14:31
What are you getting for your 300-400 bucks??
Oil + filter + air filter, adjusted Scott oiler, WOF and a general check over / adjustment. 2.5 hours labour.
It actually sounds quite good value when I read everything thats been checked.
Never really been anywhere else with my current bike.
$60 an hour at Sportszone Suzuki in Christchurch.
Oil + filter + air filter, adjusted Scott oiler, WOF and a general check over / adjustment. 2.5 hours labour.
It actually sounds quite good value when I read everything thats been checked.
Never really been anywhere else with my current bike.
It just seemed expensive for a twin cylinder machine... Do they replace your air filter every service?? What about plugs etc. Scan your job sheet if you can would be interesred to see what you get...... But you don't have to of course :D
chickenfunkstar
2nd May 2005, 15:33
It just seemed expensive for a twin cylinder machine... Do they replace your air filter every service?? What about plugs etc. Scan your job sheet if you can would be interesred to see what you get...... But you don't have to of course :D
Sure, here it is.
Normally get plugs done everytime, but only replace air filter when required.
TwoSeven
2nd May 2005, 16:55
This may seem like an odd question, but you have a 6 year old bike and you have changed the plugs and air filters exactly how many times ?.
I get several years out of mine at least- in that period of time (six years) I went thru 3 sets of plugs on my 250, although the first set an auto change when I brought it, second was because of a carb fault that I finally fixed, and on my second bike I've never changed the plugs that I can remember in the last 8 years.
I think i've only brought a two air filters in the last 15 years.
Only thing i do often is oil and filter, tires and chain n sprockets - but those are the wearables.
crashe
2nd May 2005, 17:20
Hmmm $35 for a WOF. I paid $26 today for a WOF for my bike.
A car cost $35 for a WOF.
$40 for spark plugs, just how many spark plugs does your bike have?
gamgee
2nd May 2005, 17:22
free - my dads a mechanic :2thumbsup
Sniper
2nd May 2005, 17:24
Free, I do it myself
scumdog
2nd May 2005, 17:27
$25 an hour (do it myself and it takes twice as long :D )
Jeez.... So glad I do all my own work....
sAsLEX
2nd May 2005, 17:31
Hmmm $35 for a WOF. I paid $26 today for a WOF for my bike.
A car cost $35 for a WOF.
$40 for spark plugs, just how many spark plugs does your bike have?
being a twin one would have to assume two! plus at 20 bucks each again this points to there being two .
Did i miss anything?
crashe
2nd May 2005, 17:39
being a twin one would have to assume two! plus at 20 bucks each again this points to there being two .
Did i miss anything?
$20 for a spark plug... ouch that is expensive....
My last lot only cost $6 each.
The comodity a mechanic sells is his time,that's all he has on offer - the more difficult your bike is to work on the longer he/she will take,so it will cost you more.A simple single cylinder bike with everything accesable will take less time to do a service on than a multi cyl where everything will have to be removed for such simple tasks as sparkplug checks - and he's pretty silly if after spending an hour to get to said plugs if he doesn't replace them...cause sure as the owner will be back next week with a miss....User pays - if your bike is complicated and difficult to work on,you will pay through the nose...enjoy your expensive ride....
Yes, everything that makes the process take longer ends up costing more.
That's why when I went looking for Li'l rat Bike I wanted an aircooled carburetted single.
Radiator ? More to do, more $. Four cylinders ? Four times as many spark plugs to change, compressions to test, carbs to adjust and sync. Fairings ? More to remove and put back before you can get at the goodies.
$60 - $70 is pretty reasonable for a chargeout rate. The garage has to pay rent, wages, buy (expensive) service tools, WOF "membership" costs, downtime, training courses, GST, depreciation [ and the list goes on]
Cut to the chase, avoiding expensive servicing bills means either doing it yourself (which can end up being a *lot* more expensive !) ; or choosing a simple bike
The wonderful technological complexity that gives all that power has a price. There is no free lunch.
TwoSeven
2nd May 2005, 20:10
Sorry, I dont hold with that 'its more complex' so should cost more excuse - but it does depend on the way charging is done. Some outfits charge per job - changing a clutch is changing a clutch. Its fixed rate - the kind I like best :)
Other outfits charge by the hour. Thats where it gets sticky because then changing plugs on a GN250 is a bucket load easier than doing them on a vfr400. But the argument should be - the price really shouldnt change that much because any qualified mechanic should be treating it as a simple job.
Also, factory trained (what I called qualified) should be taking no longer than the factory specified time to do a job. I know Honda use F.R.T (flat rate time), so there is no excuse for a mechanic to take longer - if they do, you shouldnt be paying the extra.
Finally, if someone is charging $70/hour then I wouldnt touch them with a barge pole. There is a difference in charging parts and labour and charging me for the 40 bikes sitting out in the shop, a bunch of old spares taking up shelf space and two people standing at the til.
On the funny side tho - it is a bit of an insult to bloke-ism if someone cant do at least the basic maintenance on a vehicle :)
chickenfunkstar
2nd May 2005, 20:37
Thinking about it, I know I can at least change the oil, filter and rear spark plug by myself. Perhaps i'll do those myself next time.
Would doing this impact negativly on the re-sale value or would it not really matter?
I also dont want to miss something important which a qualified mechanic would easily pick up. I've got no ideas about carbs or wheel alignment or stuff like that.
On the funny side tho - it is a bit of an insult to bloke-ism if someone cant do at least the basic maintenance on a vehicle :)
Lol, i know people that don't even know how to fill their vehicles with petrol.
Sorry, I dont hold with that 'its more complex' so should cost more excuse - but it does depend on the way charging is done. Some outfits charge per job - changing a clutch is changing a clutch. Its fixed rate - the kind I like best
So if they charge 5 hrs to do the clutch on your CB250RS because that's how long it takes on a Goldwing (take more....I know) then you are happy to pay...when it took the apprentice 1/2 an hour?.I flat rate my jobs on the cars I work on - if the guys actualy take as long as I charge I'm pissed off...I charge 5 hrs for a clutch,if it's not done in 3 i'm on the case.
Sorry, I dont hold with that 'its more complex' so should cost more excuse - but it does depend on the way charging is done. Some outfits charge per job - changing a clutch is changing a clutch. Its fixed rate - the kind I like best :)..
So should I expect to get my BMW clutch changed for the same price as Mr Chickenfunkstar's SV ?
Thinking about it, I know I can at least change the oil, filter and rear spark plug by myself. Perhaps i'll do those myself next time.
Would doing this impact negativly on the re-sale value or would it not really matter?
...
Shouldn't have any impact if you do it properly. Go along to Messrs Bugjuice and Frostys' maintaince evening and learn how. :niceone:
Two Smoker
2nd May 2005, 20:56
Thats nothing... my service bill on the 400 cost me $1600... but that did include tyres...
..
Also, factory trained (what I called qualified) should be taking no longer than the factory specified time to do a job. I know Honda use F.R.T (flat rate time), so there is no excuse for a mechanic to take longer - if they do, you shouldnt be paying the extra.
..
Factory time is used for warranty work. Nobody makes money on warranty work, they only do it because they get the profit of the new bike sale. It also assumes everything is new and perfect. Working on older bikes (or cars) is always harder and takes longer.
Service shops have to make a profit, if they don't they go out of business. Which doesn't help anyone.
The biker world is a small one. No bike shop is going to around long if they rip people off, because word quickly gets around.
SlashWylde
2nd May 2005, 21:05
Oil + filter + air filter, adjusted Scott oiler, WOF and a general check over / adjustment. 2.5 hours labour.
It actually sounds quite good value when I read everything thats been checked.
Never really been anywhere else with my current bike.
Dude, not to sound critical but you could do all that your self, save your self a bundle and have the satisfaction of servicing your own bike. Sure get the pros to look it over and tune it twice a year, but the basic stuff shouldn' be beyond the average rider. The service manual for the bike should spell it all out.
P.S. Plugs and air filters are a once a year thing, oil three monthly and oil filter six monthly.
FlyingDutchMan
2nd May 2005, 22:46
I do everything myself - I now have enough tools and bits to de-hydrolock my engine in the middle of nowhere (after an unforunate incident in Tekapo). saves me time/money from having to arrange a trailer/mechanic out there to attend to the bike. And if you do the servicing yourself, the more you know about your bike, and that is never a bad thing (unless you just paid way too much $$$ for it).
nodrog
2nd May 2005, 22:57
$20 for a spark plug... ouch that is expensive....
My last lot only cost $6 each.
i wish mine only cost $6, hell i would be happy if they cost $20!!
Hard to see 2.5 hours work in that little lot. I'd be interested to know how often they replace your air filter too, maybe look at a K&N filter that will breathe a bit better and is servicable, ie can be cleaned and reused. PLugs $20 maybe, think plugs for my ZXR400 were about $28-$30 each, first time I bought a set and the guy goes $110!! I'm like, your farkin joking mate? argggh nope... :whistle: damn, so what sort of miles you doing, are they replacing plugs every 6 months? Got your last bill handy? Oh, we're a car workshop and charge $55 + gst per hour. Std service will cost ya $102.25 incl gst, approx 4 litres Pennzoil and oil filter. $35 for a warrant.
chickenfunkstar
3rd May 2005, 10:17
Seemed like a reasonable amount to do in 2.5 hours to me. I think you'd have to take the radiator off just to change the front spark plug.
I've had the bike for about 8 months and done about 16,000kms. The air filter has been done once, but it may have been dirty when I bought it.
I was going to get a K&N or a BMC? air filter but they didn't have any in stock.
TwoSeven
3rd May 2005, 11:06
One of the things I do when I learn to fix something for the first time, is repeat it another 5 times. Partly its so that I can do it fast and remember what tools are used in the job, but partly it because I was tought that I should be able to fix something at night with no lights (which has actually happened).
If someone took 5 hours to do a clutch on a goldwing i'd be worried. I'd be expecting them to put half the bike together in that time.
Oh, we're a car workshop and charge $55 + gst per hour. Std service will cost ya $102.25 incl gst, approx 4 litres Pennzoil and oil filter. $35 for a warrant.
Good grief,how do you stay in business - An average sevice from me would set you back at least $225 inluding GST (all my prices are inclusive) and a WoF is $38,going up to $40 soon.But we spend at least 2 hrs on a service and replace items we feel need attention (with customers permission of course).It's a shame workshops in NZ are too scared to charge the true cost of their labour (me included) - a bloody lawyer would!
Good grief,how do you stay in business - An average sevice from me would set you back at least $225 inluding GST (all my prices are inclusive) and a WoF is $38,going up to $40 soon.But we spend at least 2 hrs on a service and replace items we feel need attention (with customers permission of course).It's a shame workshops in NZ are too scared to charge the true cost of their labour (me included) - a bloody lawyer would!
Maybe their service is just change engine oil and filter ? That would be about 1 hour plus parts . Wof at $35 in Christchurch (bit cheaper down there) is about the same as $38 in Auckland.
I imagine both of you are losing money at that (but make it back on the work generated , tyres etc)
On my last WoF update course the tutor asked us what we charged,$35 to $40 was the range.He said in the Sth Island they were much dearer,like $50 - Auckland is cheaper because of the competion.
Back to Dealer servicing - back in the late 80s I worked for a Honda car Dealer,we were on a bonus scheme - we were on $11 per hr,for every hour over 7 hrs charged out a day we got $10.The guys in the shop could churn out a 2 hr service in 1/2hr...tick,tick,tick,next please.Not exactly a good deal for the customer,they could meet flat rate times no worries.I was pissed off - as the most experianced and qualified in the shop(12 mechs) I didn't get boring service work,I got all the problem jobs and never got a bonus,the boys were taking home $100 more a week than me.Then they offered me the foremans job with a $1 per hr raise,I told them to stick it.
Sutage
3rd May 2005, 12:43
Whats the deal with becoming a motorbike mechanic?
Do you do an apprentice in it? Or Unitec? Or car and then go into bikes? Anyone know?
[QUOTE=IxionNo bike shop is going to around long if they rip people off, because word quickly gets around.[/QUOTE]
The bike shop that ripped me off is gone - guess I wasn't the only one they ripped off. They "serviced" my RD350, charged a fortune and returned it running on one cylinder. I took it back, they "looked at it" determined that it was "not their fault" and "fixed it" for a price, returned it running on one cylinder - no change. I gave it to my father in exchange for a small car he had and within half an hour he had the bike running on both cylinders - the retaining screw for one moveable point's plate was not tightened so it was not properly positioned to allow that cylinder to fire - it was just rattling around. A few minutes to set the gap and tighten the screw was all it needed.
The shop had to have done that deliberately - and rooked me out of two lots of money before I gave up and refused to take it back there.
crashe
3rd May 2005, 13:43
How come all you guys are paying $35 for a WOF on a motorbike...???
I only paid $26 for mine at the testing station opposite the Waitakere City Council building two days ago.
Surely it should be the same all around NZ for a WOF on a m/bike.
Sure there is a certain cost to get in equipment (cars etc).... but a bike you do all the work of lifting the front and back wheels off the ground so they can check it out... they use nothing but a clicker thing to mark off the paperwork and a pen.
It took the guy only a few minutes to do a WOF on my bike.
I did the lights, indicators, brake lights, push down on the front end to check the shocks and the test ride to check the brakes.
I lifted the front wheel up and also the back wheel up so that he could check it out. He wrote down the vin number etc... he also checked a few cables.
There is no way that I would pay the same WOF cost as I do for a car.
The cars WOF is $35 at the same place.
The LS400 has the spark-plug sited in such a way that you have to remove the tank (unbolt the seat, then the tank) to change the plug - I don't think I'd want to pay anyone to change it.
I prefer the less complex motorcycles - no fairings, single or twin, carburetted, air cooled, sparkplug(s) easily accessible etc. There was a lot to be said (in terms of DIY maintenance) for my old single cylinder two-strokes - especially the Zundapp and Puch as they ran on pre-mix.
While I'd admire a fully faired sportsbike along with the best of 'em, I'd never buy one. They're needlessly complicated and costly to maintain for what I want to do (get from A to B with as little hassle as possible) - I'm not into racing so I have no need for anything that complex.
I service what I can myself and rely on workshops when what needs to be done is beyond me - in which case, a bike that does not take three hours' work just to expose the petrol cap is a definite asset.
Waylander
3rd May 2005, 14:39
Whats the deal with becoming a motorbike mechanic?
Do you do an apprentice in it? Or Unitec? Or car and then go into bikes? Anyone know?
Looking into that myself at the moment. I think you need to have some basic education on mechnical stuff to get an aprenticship at a bike shop.Atleast thus far I havn't been able to find any polytech's that have motorcycle mechanic courses. Least not in NZ or Aussie.
Surely it should be the same all around NZ for a WOF on a m/bike.
That would be price fixing,long since outlawed.They can charge what they like - and there is a lot more to a WoF than the time it takes,I just had to pay LTNZ $600 for my revue,$150 for a training course last month,kinda adds up eh? I charge $20 for a bike,$15 for TMOC and KB members,soon to go up though.
I turn over more than $60,000 per year on WoFs alone,just with me doing them myself - wouldn't that be nice if it was all profit and not all loss?
crashe
3rd May 2005, 14:55
That would be price fixing,long since outlawed.They can charge what they like - and there is a lot more to a WoF than the time it takes,I just had to pay LTNZ $600 for my revue,$150 for a training course last month,kinda adds up eh? I charge $20 for a bike,$15 for TMOC and KB members,soon to go up though.
I turn over more than $60,000 per year on WoFs alone,just with me doing them myself - wouldn't that be nice if it was all profit and not all loss?
ok ta Motu....
Um quick question for you.... what is TMOC ?
scumdog
3rd May 2005, 16:17
$27:50 for a WOF down here - where did that $50 quote come from??
campbellluke
3rd May 2005, 16:36
I pay $18 for a warrant at the AA ..
ok ta Motu....
Um quick question for you.... what is TMOC ?
Triumph Motorcycle Owners Club.
Scumdog,$50 was about a car WoF...no quote,he justs asks at his classes....obviously an LTSA dogsbody doesn't live in the real world,just sees what he sees,hears what he hears.
MOTOXXX
3rd May 2005, 17:19
some of the vtwins are a pain in the arse to work on at times.
the amount of shit i have to remove to even do a comp test on my tl is a bit of a bastard. and then theres puting it back on and hoping that you dont get anything left over :laugh:
Brian d marge
4th May 2005, 21:24
Whats the deal with becoming a motorbike mechanic?
Do you do an apprentice in it? Or Unitec? Or car and then go into bikes? Anyone know?
Dont :nono:
it may seem like a cool job , it isnt .....
become an engineer ...use your brain ...more money
Stephen :doh:
Sutage
4th May 2005, 21:28
Shrug, all I know is that I don't wanna be in an office 10 hours a day.
Waylander
4th May 2005, 21:44
Dont :nono:
it may seem like a cool job , it isnt .....
become an engineer ...use your brain ...more money
Stephen :doh:
Unless you're planning the same thing I am and just using it as a step between now and designing and building bikes. All kinds of bikes not just choppers.
Unless you're planning the same thing I am and just using it as a step between now and designing and building bikes. All kinds of bikes not just choppers.
Dreams are free :lol:
I would love to be a mech car or bike, I might try get an aprentaship after I finish my stupid BAPIS (Bachelor of Applied information systems) oh yes it sucks the big fat one...
Waylander
4th May 2005, 21:53
[QUOTE=John]Dreams are free :lol:
I would love to be a mech car or bike, I might try get an aprentaship after I finish my stupid BAPIS (Bachelor of Applied information systems) oh yes it sucks Mate dreams are there to be worked for. I would rather try and fail then not try and never know. Why else would I be going back to taking courses in mechanical engineering next semester and also planning to take courses at a polytech to get more of the basics needed for an aprenticship at a bike shop. Peaple that mock are peaple with no aspirations of thier own. Anyway get back to studying.:msn-wink:
Maybe their service is just change engine oil and filter ? That would be about 1 hour plus parts . Wof at $35 in Christchurch (bit cheaper down there) is about the same as $38 in Auckland.
I imagine both of you are losing money at that (but make it back on the work generated , tyres etc)
Thats pretty much it, we allow an hour and its a set price, most cars seem to use around 3.5-4.5 litres of oil either 10/30 or 15/40, clean the air filter, check all fluid levels etc, radiator etc, up on a hoist, good look all round, usually the boys bowl them out in around 45 minutes, oh and the car gets washed, tyres cleaned etc and a couple of peppermints left as well :niceone: Wait theres more, we have loaner cars available, or free pickup and delivery in a 15 km radius of the workshop. Yeah the 4wd's get a bargain we they use 7 litres of oil :mad: . We use to have a Premium and a Budget service but recently just gone to the one. Obviously a tune up is more, we dont have a set price for that. I've only been there as Workshop Supervisor for about 3 weeks now, seems pretty good, but gets pretty bust, for sure. Already had my share of err "dodgy" customers :laugh:
scracha
4th September 2005, 00:02
Maybe their service is just change engine oil and filter ? That would be about 1 hour plus parts . Wof at $35 in Christchurch (bit cheaper down there) is about the same as $38 in Auckland.
1 hour to do engine oil and filter? She's no factory trained mechanic but my sister managed that in 30 minutes [1] with instructions from me over a telephone. This was including using an engine flush.
Depending on time/bank balance I normally do the simpler parts of a service myself (filters, oil change, chain, brakes, etc) and remove the fairing before taking it to a garage. Is this a common thing?
I remember a garage I used to go to in Scotland where the mechanic's garage had a large viewing area. He would even estimate when he would start working on your bike (usually 4 hours to let engine cool) so you could watch him do the work. I think all garages should do this. You also couldn't argue if he said it took him an extra half hour to drill out siezed bolts, etc.
[1] Excludes the "draining time" where she went for a cup of tea. Obviously a mechanic would do some other job/vehicle during this time.
Ixion
4th September 2005, 00:13
1 hour to do engine oil and filter? She's no factory trained mechanic but my sister managed that in 30 minutes [1] with instructions from me over a telephone. This was including using an engine flush.
Depending on time/bank balance I normally do the simpler parts of a service myself (filters, oil change, chain, brakes, etc) and remove the fairing before taking it to a garage. Is this a common thing?
I remember a garage I used to go to in Scotland where the mechanic's garage had a large viewing area. He would even estimate when he would start working on your bike (usually 4 hours to let engine cool) so you could watch him do the work. I think all garages should do this. You also couldn't argue if he said it took him an extra half hour to drill out siezed bolts, etc.
[1] Excludes the "draining time" where she went for a cup of tea. Obviously a mechanic would do some other job/vehicle during this time.
'Twas for a cage, but, not a bike.. Some of them are a pig to get at.
limbimtimwim
4th September 2005, 00:37
Sorry, I dont hold with that 'its more complex' so should cost more excuse - but it does depend on the way charging is done. Some outfits charge per job - changing a clutch is changing a clutch. Its fixed rate - the kind I like best :)
Other outfits charge by the hour. Thats where it gets sticky because then changing plugs on a GN250 is a bucket load easier than doing them on a vfr400. But the argument should be - the price really shouldnt change that much because any qualified mechanic should be treating it as a simple job.
Fixed cost could mean that those with easy to work on bikes could be subsidising those with pain in the buttocks machines...
Finally, if someone is charging $70/hour then I wouldnt touch them with a barge pole. There is a difference in charging parts and labour and charging me for the 40 bikes sitting out in the shop, a bunch of old spares taking up shelf space and two people standing at the til.
I think $70 is fair. I cost $120 an hour, but I don't think I possess something that makes me $50 more expensive than a skilled mechanic. They would have more training and more years of expericene doing their stuff than I do. Shiny bikes, shiny lights, unharried staff are what some punters want to see when they are buying a bike. It's just how much things cost.
On the funny side tho - it is a bit of an insult to bloke-ism if someone cant do at least the basic maintenance on a vehicle :)
Part of being an experienced mechanic is knowing what is bad and what is good. A casual look at the chain on my bike and say "What's wrong with that?" but I have been told several times it needs replacing. I looked at it closer today while cleaning it, and now I think I see what those more experienced eyes were seeing. Another example, I know what a stuffed 'plug looks like. Someone with more experience knows *why* the plug is stuffed (To rich/lean/something else). I don't feel too ashamed getting my bike serviced by a pro on a regular basis, they spot stuff that I don't.
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