My dealer wanted to charge me $100 dollars for a fuel filter change, 50 for the filter and 50 for the labor. I told them to stick it!! And that they were ripping people off.
I do understand they have a SLIGHT markup on their parts but the shouldn't on their labor. It takes more time to get the tools out and the filter out of the box than to pull the filter and replace it. Even with labor cost of $75 per hour it shoud not take them more than 15 minutes to completed the filter change. I will get of my soap box.

 

Labor is their biggest expence.Same as any business. 15k service was $200 bucks on a 1980 or Datsun B210.Some needed brakes,clutch tires at 30k with another maintance.Did lots of them with very little moaning with warranty being 12/12. Turbo Z cars was nothing to drop 6 bills on one at 30k back in 81/82. did Porche for a while.They were a grand and customers were great and tipped/Christmas gifts etc.Those were the days.Very few TSbs like a couple a month and factory assistance was nil.In fact no one asked.Just paid the bill.

 

I wouldn't be as upset to pay 75$ per hour if the dealership would hire mechanics that earned at least half that. Notice, I say EARNED I don't think a dealership should have to pay 35 bucks an hour to a guy who knows nothing but how to change oil-- but on the other side of the coin I shouldn't have to pay 75 per hour for the same guy.

Jason

 

They did everything for that price BUT the fuel filter I did that myself I always change it every 5k miles to be safe. But I guess after reading on here pricing my dealership is well priced. They also did the tie rod ends.

 

Oil change $90 (I'm ok with that...lot of oil and a filter)
Diff change $150...I only have one. (A rip off)
Fuel filter change $150 (a huge rip off)
All Canuck bucks BTW

I'd do it myself, but I don't wan't to get dirt under my fingernails.


Actually I wouldn't mind doing it myself...especially the fuel filter, but I don't want to give these guys a reason to cancel my warranty, should anything go wrong with the VERY expensive fuel system.

 

i bought enough redline from summit, did 2 4x4 trucks at the same time, total cost=$96. my buddy even paid for all the oil since he didnt have time to do his own truck.

 

You used redline for the diff? What type?

 

JTB51B.They do earn about half that.Most Dealers pay uniforms,insurance or a good deal of insurance,worksmen com.and the all the special tools etc. Most independents don't do all trhat and never any tools.Plus dealsership techs have a in house parts dept.They might not HAVE the parts but none the less its in house.By the the time you do the figures on the uniforms,insurance and workmans comp and hourly rate most are at half or better then.I use to have to cost out each man per hour and what each bay cost us and what it had to produce as well as cost and percent of profit that was needed compared to the part of overhead service had to pay to be in the black every month.

 

Gear Lube, Transmission Fluid and Gear Oil, 75W90, Limited Slip, Synthetic, 1 qt., redline # red-57904

 

I know the owners manual says you don't need the additive, but I changed my fluid and got a shudder whenever starting and turning at the same time. Added the additive and the shudder went away.

 

Same with me, dealer did the additive thing once and no shudder.
Next time I told them not to do the additive and I now have the same shudder you have.

MAYBE this is a good thing.
Maybe when with the additive the "limited slip" doesn't work as well.
It ain't great anyway....just a thought.
What do you think?

Have had no snow here in the Toronto area this winter to test my theory.

 

The way I see it, is that if it shudders a bit, that means that it is hooking up. The anti-slip friction modifier additive makes it more slippery - and its use seems odd based on the amount of whining on these threads from folks on how the limited slip diffs don't work in the first place.