Hourly Rates for servicing

LordMonkstown

hi

the hourly rate for service in local independent garage near me (dublin) has gone from €70 (2022) to €80 (2023) - ex VAT

Any idea if this is normal?

Atlantic Dawn

I'd say with the way things are gone now it is. I remember main dealer pricing was around €80 about 10 years back, probably pushing €110-€120 now.

mikemac2

Thats sounds quite normal to me OP

bigroad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058322866/hourly-rates-for-servicing

It also depends if its a small service or a full service.

or a real service or an oil and filter and out the door.

mk7r

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121377118#Comment_121377118

How does that affect the hourly rate......

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058322866/hourly-rates-for-servicing

Of course its normal, the price of everything has increased recently. Its inflation.

SEPT 23 1989

Agree a price for the job and then he can take as long as he wants to do it

mode1990

Being paying that for the last few years , it's par for the course now ! Some would waive the vat if you paid cash and didn't want a receipt !

mode1990

By the way , changing oil & brake pads is very straightforward , only go to them for more elaborate things , also if you do it yourself you know you're using quality oils etc not the type of stuff you wouldn't put in a lawnmower !

bigroad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121377650#Comment_121377650

Its the quality of work that is done within that hour.

893bet

I rang Land Rover recently for a price on a timing chain change on a car and the price was 5-6k.

Chao on the phone said even before they start they have to do some kind of compression test that takes 4 hours at 200 per hour. Not a bad hourly rate….

Chain is not being changed…..

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121377832#Comment_121377832

That only happens when there's more buyers than sellers. Go into a busy business and see how many don't laugh at your proposal.

bucketybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121377832#Comment_121377832

Thats fine for standard servicing, no use at all for fault finding and repairs. And servicing done right uncovers faults by its very nature.

(Its always been strange that people complain about their garage telling them they also need X or Y when they were in for a service, when else were those faults going to be spotted...)

€70 going to €80 in 2023 is a reasonable price I would say, our garages are above €100ph now and have been for a few years.

Allinall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121378766#Comment_121378766

Surely the chain either needs changing or it doesn't.

893bet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121378918#Comment_121378918

No.

Timing chains are designed not to be changed.

However certain Land Rover models have known faults that can result in stretching and then in catestrophic failure (similar to a belt snapping, hence belts are changed routinely on a mileage basis on cars with belts).

I was investigating if it was worth changing the timing chain on a preventative basis.

Decided it’s not financially viable based on a 6k costs.

LordMonkstown

thanks folks for the feedback, much appreciated - am in the wrong job !

JCN12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121378766#Comment_121378766

I remember when I was working in a dealership for Landrover. €500 for a set of front brake pads 😬

RobbieV

The mechanics themselves are getting the lowest hourly pay out of all the trades by a long shot.

A solid chance you are paying big hourly rate but it's an apprentice who is doing the work on your car.

kippy

I suppose there's not really too big an issue paying these hourly rates if the standard of work is worth it. But you only have to look through this and other fora to see that there's a surprisingly high amount of poor quality mechanics out there.

I myself, over the past number of years have had four occasions whereby the work was not well done, something missed or something that cost me more than it should from my mechanic. I gave them a number of chances as you can see and eventually moved elsewhere.

ofcork

Know a couple of mechanics who left and got jobs in pharma more money in out of the cold.