Price for an oil change - how much is too much?

Steven Dore

November was a very busy month for me, so I asked my marina to change the oil, filter and gear lube on my Honda 90 and the Honda 8 kicker. As usual, they won't give you a firm price just the hourly rate.

I received a bill for $100 in parts and $400 in labor. They didn't follow my instructions and they did a lot of unrequested items like changing the plugs (which had 60 hours on them) and pulling off the lower units for inspection. I told them today that I wasn't paying their bill until I received a breakdown of the labor and then I was only paying for what I requested. They can't give me a breakdown on the labor and gave me a bunch of double talk on the work that they performed.

Anyway, how long should it take a qualified mechanic to change the oil, filter and gear lube in these two outboards?

tsturm

thataway · Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 11:05 pm Post subject:

I can do the oil, filters and lower unit in my two Suzuki's 150's in about 2 hours--with the boat on a lift and my working from a skiff, including putting the used oil into 1 gallon containers for disposal. A lot depends on what setup they have for changing the oil.

Changing the water pump is also about an hour in the Honda 130. On that engine, with the boat on the trailer, doing the oil, filters and lower unit is about an hour.

I suspect that the shop has a set labor unit for each proceedure. It might also make a difference if you requested "Oil and filter change, Lower unit change" Vs "do the 100 hour or 3 year service"...or something like that. I notice that the boat is a 2004, perhaps the dealer thought that the impellor and plugs needed to be changed out at 3 years...but unless you authorized it, I would not expect them to do these items.

Steven Dore · Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 11:06 pm Post subject:

Thanks, I will call another marina or maybe the Honda dealer.

Steven Dore · Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 11:12 pm Post subject:

Bob

The boat was in dry storage, so it was easy to access. I also figured an hour per engine, but I don't get paid by the hour. Anyway, they said that it took 5 hours to complete the work.

I was clear that I didn't want anything but the fluids & filter changed, but they didn't listen.

Doryman · Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 11:31 pm Post subject:

Same thing happened to me, basically. I started a thread about it.

Warren

matt_unique · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:00 am Post subject: Grrrr...

Do not pay that money, you were scammed.

I learned this lesson the hard way too. All requests going forward should be in writing including text that says "I do not authorize any work other than what is specified below".

Check your area for any legal remedies to be aware of them then contact the service manager.

"I did not request and I did not authorize this work". If he does not agree, go to the shop owner, etc.

Grrr this p*sses me off. I once had a shop try to tack on $800 in work! I was able to get my boat back without paying that cost. The Service Manager thankfully understood and used the experience as an example for his shop personnel "I want everyone to know we just ate $800 in work because we did not get the customers approval". The tech who did the work swore up and down it was necessary, etc.

Good luck with this.

C-Hawk · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:20 am Post subject:

That's what I like about Eric Peterson at Specialty Marine.
I usually do my own service, but when I am busy, I call Eric and he will pick up and deliver the boat to the storage facility.
Once, I went over to buy new filters and he asked how the engines were idleing--- he not only loaned me his vacuum gauges, he showed me how to hook them up and synchronize the carburetors. Shocked

marvin4239 · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:48 am Post subject:

I thought I saw someone post that if you do your own service work and document it that will satisfy the warranty issues. Has anyone ever tested this? On my vehicles I can take them to the local Jeep dealer and get a complete oil change and top off all the fluids for $28. My 90 HP Suzuki is $325 for the same service. No wonder Suzuki can offer a 6 year warranty in a way you are buying the warranty. On another note it seems to me that changing the lube in the foot every 100 hours is serious over kill. I can see changing it at the 20 hour service but every 100 hours. I've had motors that the only time it was changed was when the water pump was replaced and never had a problem.

starcrafttom · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:48 am Post subject:

I would not pay, no way. they do what they are told to do and only get paid for that. I had a tire shop strip off 5 lug bolts and want me to pay for them. I said no way and they needed to repair what they screwed up. They told me to go to hell..I walked to the entrance of there store and stopped anyone from coming in their lot for half and hour while they bitched at me. in the end they fixed my truck and I tore up the bill and paid them nothing for telling me to go to hell. that was in placerville ca. 18 years ago and I have only gotten a little less upset about things like this. I hate to see folks getting ripped off because the shop thinks you will just pay instead of fighting them on it.

thataway · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:33 pm Post subject:

Maybe a dealer will chime in on the Warantee issue. I purchase the Suzuki oil (yes it is more expensive) at the Suzuki dealer as well as the more expensive Suzuki "marine" filters and lower unit lube. I document the service in my log book and staple the receipts in the book.

The local Suzuki dealer told me that this was satisfactory--although he would be happy to charge me for it. Now when its valve adjust time, I'll pay to have that done, even though I am capable of doing that service also.

I agree, that usually I go 200 hours between lower unit changes, but with the warantee, I follow the book. It only takes a few minutes--plus it allows me to look at the condition of the fluid and doesn't cost much. 100 hours for us is about 2000 miles. We don't do a lot of traveling at low speeds.

Sea Wolf · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:35 pm Post subject:

dotnmarty · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 7:28 pm Post subject:

Just brought Lizzie home from the shop at EQ Marine. I needn't go into details, but, if you are west of the Mississippi and need anything done on your boat, just make a list and email it to Kathy at EQ. They will give you an estimate, will not do anything they find to be unecessary, and will contact you for authorization for any problems they find later. Professionals in every sense.

Chris Bulovsky · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:43 pm Post subject:

Steve ........You got hosed! I would not pay them for the work they did that you didn't tell them to do..... Thats just plain BS.

I'm getting angry thinking about it. Angry

Does you Marina have a board of directors? Or a governing entity to expose the shady and underhanded business being conducted at your marina? I would feel obligated to call them out on this one.......That stinks.

Good Hunting

Chris

flapbreaker · Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 12:02 am Post subject:

Wow, that's expensive. I would be totally torqued if they did "extra" work over what was asked. I would be tempted to take them to small claims court just so they don't think they can get away with this kind of BS.

On a side note regarding the lower unit oil. It is my understanding that in cold weather regions it's a good idea to change the lower unit oil while "winterizing" incase there's water in the lower unit. Otherwise, I'd probably let it go longer. I don't even get 100 hours between my changes.