Dealership Maintenance Pricing - Local Variations

[The Critic]

Neighbor's 14 Forester was due for a 120K service. LOF, tire rotation, engine air filter, cabin air filter, spark plugs, brake fluid exchange, front diff service and rear diff service.

I did it for him (for free) but we were curious on pricing for this service. We were surprised to find some pretty significant variations.

Dealer A (about 60 miles away):

I thought $1200 wasn't bad.

Dealer B (which is local to us):

Looks like Dealer B's "Severe Schedule" pkg is equivalent to Dealer A's "minimum" pkg.

Moral of the story? It seriously pays to shop around - because everyone sells something different and the prices can vary significantly!

 

[Leo99]

I'm in sticker shock that it's over a grand.

 

[The Critic]

I'm in sticker shock that it's over a grand.

Plugs alone bill 2.2 hr (boxer engine) so with the rest of the stuff, it’s around 4.0-4.5 hr plus parts. I thought $1200 was a pretty decent price for all that work.

 

[skyactiv]

I'm in the wrong business.

 

[The Critic]

I'm in the wrong business.

The master techs probably make $40-50/billable hour, but these service packages generally go to the Lube Tech or an uncertified lower level line tech.

 

[cb_13]

The master techs probably make $40-50/billable hour, but these service packages generally go to the Lube Tech or an uncertified lower level line tech.

That’s because the senior master techs are busy chasing an electrical issue that only happens every third Tuesday if it hasn’t rained in 3 weeks on a vehicle that’s still under warranty

 

[buster]

I've always been curious whether the service techs will actually do all of the services listed. You'd never know if they didn't. I guess that's the risk you take if you don't DIY.

 

[cb_13]

I've always been curious whether the service techs will actually do all of the services listed. You'd never know if they didn't. I guess that's the risk you take if you don't DIY.

Any dealership I worked at that was an automatic termination.

Now mix ups can happen. Maybe the job never made it onto the techs work order as it was just added in later. But something along the lines of intentionally hiding parts that were said to be put on..those guys were gone real quick.

 

[Jdeere562]

I pretty much had the "value package" done at my local shop. Minus the mass air cleaning, and throttle body, and fuel and oil additives.
He used all Subaru parts, filters, oils, coolant, etc. Cost me $1263.49 with tax

 

[Timmastertech]

Interesting the difference in price from coast to coast. With all dealer parts with the exception of the engine oil (we stock Quaker State 0w20) I come out to around 975 for all that. Using aftermarket fluids and filters saves a couple bucks

 

[The Critic]

Interesting the difference in price from coast to coast. With all dealer parts with the exception of the engine oil (we stock Quaker State 0w20) I come out to around 975 for all that. Using aftermarket fluids and filters saves a couple bucks

Dealer A is Sacramento, Dealer B is Tri-Valley area of East Bay.

 

[JWC86]

If you don’t mind sharing, how many hours would this take a experienced tech in a shop setting?

 

[Jdeere562]

Just checked my invoice. For all the above done, I was charged 6.4 hours labor. No idea on actual time spent on the job.

 

[HowAboutThis]

Neighbor's 14 Forester was due for a 120K service. LOF, tire rotation, engine air filter, cabin air filter, spark plugs, brake fluid exchange, front diff service and rear diff service.

I did it for him (for free) but we were curious on pricing for this service. We were surprised to find some pretty significant variations.

Dealer A (about 60 miles away):

View attachment 181793
I thought $1200 wasn't bad.

Dealer B (which is local to us):

View attachment 181795
View attachment 181798
View attachment 181799

Looks like Dealer B's "Severe Schedule" pkg is equivalent to Dealer A's "minimum" pkg.

Moral of the story? It seriously pays to shop around - because everyone sells something different and the prices can vary significantly!

Yes. Or go in and say, "I want these items done" instead of asking for the "XX,XXX miles service package." "We checked the fuel cap to make sure it still clicked" isn't always worth the extra package price. Or, ask what the package includes that's necessary. Our local dealer seems reasonably honest. Or at least as honest as a couple of independent shops I've gone to.

 

[HowAboutThis]

Neighbor's 14 Forester was due for a 120K service. LOF, tire rotation, engine air filter, cabin air filter, spark plugs, brake fluid exchange, front diff service and rear diff service.

I did it for him (for free) but we were curious on pricing for this service. We were surprised to find some pretty significant variations.

Dealer A (about 60 miles away):

View attachment 181793
I thought $1200 wasn't bad.

Dealer B (which is local to us):

View attachment 181795
View attachment 181798
View attachment 181799

Looks like Dealer B's "Severe Schedule" pkg is equivalent to Dealer A's "minimum" pkg.

Moral of the story? It seriously pays to shop around - because everyone sells something different and the prices can vary significantly!

And estimating that based on what I've paid in the past, you could probably get by for about $750-900 just asking for those specific things to be done.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I just serviced a friend's daughter's beautiful RAV4 hybrid for the 30K service. Toyota, where she bought the car, wanted like $1000. It was oil + filter, cabin air filter, tire rotation. I think that's about it. Amazon parts totaled $65 including the M1 0w16.
FYI the tank additive is not used around here... Ha! The driver's floor mat was OK, thank Heaven!

 

[CKN]

I just serviced a friend's daughter's beautiful RAV4 hybrid for the 30K service. Toyota, where she bought the car, wanted like $1000. It was oil + filter, cabin air filter, tire rotation. I think that's about it. Amazon parts totaled $65 including the M1 0w16.
FYI the tank additive is not used around here... Ha! The driver's floor mat was OK, thank Heaven!

View attachment 182249

And did you inspect all the items that Toyota recommends? As shown by your picture of the owners manual? If so-how long did it take you? Did you have a lift to inspect those items?

 

[supton]

Wow, that's very helpful:

I guess if you stray from just commuting on asphalt, you should check every nut and bolt then?

What part of this veers onto ridiculous?

 

[JeffKeryk]

And did you inspect all the items that Toyota recommends? As shown by your picture of the owners manual? If so-how long did it take you? Did you have a lift to inspect those items?

Dunno if that is from the owner's manual; this is what she sent me. I did a visual inspection of the undercarriage, brakes, etc during tire rotation and oil change service. As through as Toyota? Can't say.

But I can tell you as a young family raising 2 children, every penny counts. Christina was pretty happy.

 

[Trav]

All that is nothing a master mechanic is doing in a dealership, it is a little above a lube person but nothing difficult, it is a good many tree for the dealer.