What do you think about this repair bill?

[Martin6683]

Hey guys just wondering if you guys think this repair bill was fair.

I have a 2003 5.0L Volvo Penta 270hp I/O. The outdrive has been leaking oil, when I checked the lower unit oil it was milky. So I brought it to the shop to fix the problem and get an oil change.

they the did the following repairs:
Remove I/O bring into shop
Disassemble
Re-seal I/O Lower case
Replace shift spool - upper case
Pressure check after repair - O.K
Re-fill with gear lube
Re-install I/O on Boat
Fire up - run to temp - check shift. OK
Change engine oil and filter

Labor was 8.5 hours @ $115/hr (is it possible that it took 8.5 hours??)

Parts were the following:
Gulf 15W40 $26.95
Oil Filter $11.27
Gear Lube $12.25
Lower seal kit$25.38
Volvo zink $68.31
vop seal $1.89
pin $.21
pin $6.96
o ring $2.62
seal $21.95

Total bill Parts and Labor $1,166.40

I thought the parts bill was okay, but geeze 8.5 hours of labor? I dont know much about replaceing seals in an outdrive but does this sound right? And is the current rates $115/hr? yikes i thought that was high. I live in the MA area not sure if the labor rates are higher here.

Thanks for any input!

Safe boating
Martin

 

[Rscardina]

Re: What do you think about this repair bill?

I live in Boston and go to 3A marine in Higham ma.. they charge 100 per hour..

I also use a guy from time to time that travels to your house and does the work there..he is also 100 per hour...

I had my outdrive pulled (when i had my merc) he lubed, and changed some parts as well as reinstalled for about 400-500 bucks..

using simple math tells me he did it about 4 hours..so YES 8.5 hours seems steep to me..

 

[Don S]

Re: What do you think about this repair bill?

Sounds about right to me.

 

[Rscardina]

Re: What do you think about this repair bill?

PS...if you are clode to Bridgwater, I know a guy who charges 75 per hour...as well

 

[cr2k]

Re: What do you think about this repair bill?

You have to realize the clock doesn't start when they have it on the bench and tools in hand. They also have pull your boat to the shop drop the drive, take the boat back out. Looking up and pulling parts off the shelf takes time too as does trips to the tool box.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: What do you think about this repair bill?

depends on which outdrive you have.
and I did not see a shift part on your parts list.
in 03 you could have had several drive options.

 

[Martin6683]

Re: What do you think about this repair bill?

Thanks for the input guys, makes me feel better for sure. Even if $115/hr is a bit steep and the regular is $100/hr on average overall that dosent make the biggest difference considering the convienience/location of this marina (100ft from my door step).


Don s - thanks for the input!

rscardina - would you mind giving me the info to the place in bridge water? That would seem like a significan savings for the future, thanks!

cr2k - thanks for the input, I know your correct, but for some reason a full days work (8.5hrs) seemed high to me regardless...but what do i know....

Rod bolt - I dont really know which exact out drive it is that I have, I know its a "volvo penta" thats about it. I know its sad I dont know these things when I should but Im not to mechanically inclined.

Thanks everyone for your help

Any more input is appreciated

 

[JoLin]

Re: What do you think about this repair bill?

Doesn't seem out of line to me. I had a major 'tuneup' done on my outdrive last Fall.

They R & R'd the drive, inspected and greased everything, replaced lube, replaced bellows and water intake hose, and pressure tested it. Total bill was $600. Consensus among my boating friends was that the price was reasonable.

 

[180shabah]

Re: What do you think about this repair bill?

8.5hrs for a drive re-seal isn't out of line.

 

[Martin6683]

Re: What do you think about this repair bill?

thanks guys I def. feel better now, im going there now to pay for it!

martin

 

[ENSIGN]

Re: What do you think about this repair bill?

I think you got off cheap,just go out and get some prices on the tools you would need to buy to do the job!

 

[zbnutcase]

Re: What do you think about this repair bill?

And lets not forget you are paying for SKILLED labor, this isn't burger flippin

 

[TahoeQ4Pilot]

Re: What do you think about this repair bill?

In the automotive arena there are specialty shop manuals that list "average" times to do certain tasks. Many shops would bill based on what the manual states, not actual time to do a job. Not sure that is what is happening, but it could be something similar?

 

[bryan01601]

Re: What do you think about this repair bill?

In the automotive arena there are specialty shop manuals that list "average" times to do certain tasks. Many shops would bill based on what the manual states, not actual time to do a job. Not sure that is what is happening, but it could be something similar?

I was thinking the same thing. Many mechanics at the auto dealers work this way. They can make good money by Actually getting paid for more labor hours than they actually worked by this calculation.

 

[Don S]

Re: What do you think about this repair bill?

In the automotive arena, you may have 50,000 cars built exactly the same. In the marine arena, you will be lucky to see 6 or 8 built the same. Plus, in boats, the designers like to make it impossible to do even basic maintenance on the engine. Trust me, marine techs don't have special skills to reach unreachable places just to change an oil filter, or an impeller, or a simple thing like changing the spark plugs.
I have had to pull engines to replace impellers, starters, and spark plugs. The engine is about as easy to get out as they are to do the jobs.
with so many different boat manufacturers and so many models of each boat, just how do you guys think a marine tech that many times doesn't get to work a full year, learn all this good stuff that keeps the prices cheap for your toys repairs.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: What do you think about this repair bill?

Don,You could not have explained it any better!

 

[NHGuy]

Re: What do you think about this repair bill?

I work at a 4 store auto repair chain in eastern MA. We have a shop rate of $99/hr for US brand repair, and $119 for performance and high end import.
We use fixed labor prices for common things like brakes, alignments and oil services. We charge time spent for diagnostic work, and we charge book time for repairs that are in the labor guide. If something takes too long it's our tough luck. If something is a known job and we beat the book that's good for us. Occasionally we know a book job is easy and we will time charge it. Or we will give a break when someone says they are in need. But cars are essential. Not like boats which are expensive fun.
I can't comment on the times needed, maybe your drive took a lot of effort to repair.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: What do you think about this repair bill?

once the unit is on the bench,saltwater corrosion not covered,most the time I cn beat the flat rate for repairing it.
most auto techs dont get to lay with oxy/acetylene on a daily basis .
man I love fire.
however accesing things is nuts sometimes.
had to replace a volvo long block in a twn ngine for winns in 06.
motors were 03,had 38 hours.
oil line to remoe filter failed.
selling dealer had billed volvo for the line recall fix but had failed to do it.
volvo allowed 16 hours for long block replacement.
job took 26 hours.
remove all interior seating aft,remove all bolisters aft and sides. remove deck access hatches,remove deck access frameworks.
remove genset.
remove hot water heater.
remove risers,make lifting brackets to attache to manifolds.
make trolly system to move engne fwd after dissconnecting engine components,fuel lines ect.
remove drive,XDP.
remove engine.
none of the above hull removal stuff is paid under warrenty.
it states specifically in the arrenty volvo is not resposible for extra time fr access.
on this hull distribtr cap replcemt will requier engine removal for cap repcemet on either engine.
makes for a costly tuneup.
your hand wont fit between the top of the cap and the underside of the aft deck.
kinda like replacing the sewage pumpout macerator pump on a carolina classic 28, remove stbd engine and go for it.