04-20-2022, 09:52 AM | #1 |
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My personal shop rate
When I got the free emissions recall work recently, they quoted me just over $1,000 to replace the belt and oil filter/oil cooler housing gaskets on an N20. I declined, and yesterday I did it myself. Parts (OEM belt, gaskets and coolant) were $115. It took me exactly four hours as I had never done that exact job and was anal about cleaning things really well. Using what I would have paid the dealer after deducting parts, that means I earned $221.25 per hour to tinker in my garage on a nice 75 degree day with the door open. I could do the job in half the time if I did it again, as could the dealer, which means you are actually paying a dealer a "real" labor rate of over $400 per hour. That's obscene.
They quoted $200 just for the belt. An OEM belt was $15.52 and it is literally the easiest belt to swap in the history of cars. A '65 Chevy takes longer. I could do one on an N20 in 3 minutes, as can a dealer tech. That is an effective labor rate of about $3,500 per hour. I'm sure glad I DIY. |
04-20-2022, 01:58 PM | #2 |
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Yeah, you maybe didn't factor the parts cost as being jacked up, it makes the labor rates go down per hour. In the end though you are right and I won't argue w/ the calculations. DIY can save crazy cash.
I recently did Fr and Rr brakes on the X3, then the same on my 135i, and now it looks like I have a water pump (on the 135i) to do next. After all 3 jobs I'm out maybe $1000 in parts, and my time of course. I feel sure I'd have paid $3500 or more to have these done by someone else. I've got a wife and 6 year old and so time away from them to do the work is time away. But between us sometimes you have to have that time away LOL. |
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04-20-2022, 05:51 PM | #3 |
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6 is perfect age to start helping
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04-21-2022, 08:05 AM | #4 |
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Shop rates are really crazy, particularly at dealers.
I saved myself alot in labor last summer when I did serpentine belt, tensioner, front & rear brakes (including rotors), trans fluid change, front and rear diff fluid change, and transfer case fluid change. Spent just over $1,000 on parts and fluids and saved about $2,000 in labor.
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04-21-2022, 10:00 AM | #5 |
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I have seen that dealer prices can really fluctuate too, depending on... not sure what.
X3 got a new valvetronic actuator motor and an eccentric shaft. I was originally quoted like $5500 for the job. I said heck no, may as well sell the car. Service manager called back and said that was the standard rate, I could get the good customer rate at $3000 even. And they'd change the oil and filter afterwards, and flush the coolant as well since it was due. When I figured it'd be like $1600 or something in parts alone, I let them have it. I don't know how many hours they spent for that $1400 but it was worth it for me. I'll do brakes, suspension, and have my 1-er up on jack stands right now to do the water pump this weekend. Looking at the tools and procedures for the Valvetronic I let them have it. My only real thought is - the prices are crazy, but occasionally can be negotiated or revised to be a little less crazy. |
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04-21-2022, 02:58 PM | #6 |
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BMW part and service rates, car and recreational vehicle shop rates, and hospital bills/cost: among the major nonsensical and hardest to pin down costs in modern American society.
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04-21-2022, 03:19 PM | #7 | |
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