Re: fair price to replace upper/lower shift cables?
I recently had an estimate for my lower shift cable only replaced; w/ engine out of the way , w/ outdrive/bell housing/bellows removed, w/ lower shift cable removed, all done by myself already and they wanted $260 just to put it in and adjust. Oh, and that includes me supplying the shift cable kit that I had already bought. Something smelled like fish in that deal and it wasn't the marina next door. I took the business to another garage, my own. I already had the bell housing being tapped by them for $15, which didn't seem like a bad price to me and the outdrive gone over and u-joints being replaced, new shift shaft seal, new water pump, upper gear housing seal, pressure test all for $260. Guess if they figured they could get the first $260, that the second $260 wouldn't be so hard. I could have understood $260 if there was nothing removed, that would seem like a fair price for the lower shift cable to me, but w/ everything out of the way and them just replacing, uh, no. So, I don't know what the hourly rate of the shop is near you, $65 here, but 3-4 hours doesn't sound unreasonable, I don't know what the by-the-book charge is though. Oh and that's just a guesstimate from somebody doing it the first time and replacing lower shift cable only. Maybe 3-4 hours is too long. Hopefully you'll get a more experienced answer around here soon.
