Labour charges

[Dwarfland]

How much do you pay per hour for Labour at a specialist motorhome garage? The reason I ask is that my regular garage (for habitation jobs) recently closed and I was forced to go elsewhere. I had a couple of small jobs done and was shocked at the size of the bill. I asked how much they charge for Labour and was told £85 an hour. At the time, that felt excessive but I wasn’t sure if that was the going rate. My mate who does my mechanics charges £40 so that set alarm bells ringing. They’ve now given me some info that potentially doesn’t seem right and I’m wondering how reliable they actually are.

 

[L' Hobo]

My local garage which has serviced/repaired my vehicles for years and years has just put up it's hourly rate to €18.50.

I love this country...


JJ

My mechanic who has serviced/repaired my vehicles for years & years, costs me nothing. Sadly he's getting too old to carry on
It's me!

 

[JJ]

My mechanic who has serviced/repaired my vehicles for years & years, costs me nothing. Sadly he's getting too old to carry on
It's me!

It used to be me as well... but not these days!

I can't imagine how much money being a trained mechanic has saved me over the years.


JJ

 

[Rapides]

Just paid £55+VAT per hour at a garage local to me. Beats the £120+VAT that I was paying at Travelworld 2-3 years ago.

 

[Barchetta47]

We recently had work done at a main dealer in Spain at €40 + tax….. I’m stopping there for my next service!!!

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[Graham Mew]

How much do you pay per hour for Labour at a specialist motorhome garage? The reason I ask is that my regular garage (for habitation jobs) recently closed and I was forced to go elsewhere. I had a couple of small jobs done and was shocked at the size of the bill. I asked how much they charge for Labour and was told £85 an hour. At the time, that felt excessive but I wasn’t sure if that was the going rate. My mate who does my mechanics charges £40 so that set alarm bells ringing. They’ve now given me some info that potentially doesn’t seem right and I’m wondering how reliable they actually are.

Yesterday I was charged £85 labour to diagnose a faulty glow plug on my VW Passat by a VW dealer that included a full vallet inside and out. This seams normal for you are paying for their knowledge and equipment don’t forget.

 

[Mzracer]

I don't worry too much about a labour rate, particularly when dealing with fault finding and non standard jobs.

In these instances you should be more concerned how effective the people are, for example, if they are very intuitive in fault-finding then they can be worth their weight in gold.

There is another message thread at the moment where some poor people have an oil problem on a Peugeot diesel and they have spent over £4K and the fault is still not found. A really good guy who can find the fault could have charged £250 per hour and they would be better off.

It is short sighted to just look at the hourly rate.

 

[SpeedyDux]

The owner of a Peugeot dealership once told me that the business depended on the workshop side to be viable, because the margins on new car sales were too small.

I suspect from a business perspective you wouldn't want to take on a franchise for a marque that is 100% reliable.

Jaguar Landrover could be the most desirable franchise ...

 

[BikerGraham]

Maybe you’re mechanic mate isn’t charging enough

Always ask the labour rate before ant work is done or ask for a fixed price.

I’m in the building trade and it always amuses me when the client tells you how long it will take to do something.

Or how much they think it should cost

yep, last time I had someone question one of my quotes, they said they needed to get others in. I told them to go ahead. No issue. Mine won't be changing.

They soon came back when the next cheapest was twice my price. I told them I was surprised it was that low.

I charge based on what I want to make not how much can I screw out of someone. Others think differently. Probably why I'm still working.... LOL

 

[BikerGraham]

Yesterday I was charged £85 labour to diagnose a faulty glow plug on my VW Passat by a VW dealer that included a full vallet inside and out. This seams normal for you are paying for their knowledge and equipment don’t forget.

had an adblue fault on my mercedes car. £174 to plug in the diagnostic at the dealer. As that was their hourly rate.

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[BikerGraham]

I don't worry too much about a labour rate, particularly when dealing with fault finding and non standard jobs.

In these instances you should be more concerned how effective the people are, for example, if they are very intuitive in fault-finding then they can be worth their weight in gold.

There is another message thread at the moment where some poor people have an oil problem on a Peugeot diesel and they have spent over £4K and the fault is still not found. A really good guy who can find the fault could have charged £250 per hour and they would be better off.

It is short sighted to just look at the hourly rate.

totally agree,

had a problem with a Triumph motorbike overheating. Two Triumph dealers couldnt fix it. Spent a lot of time going in to be fixed. Being told it was sorted and then on next ride out overheating again.

Eventually, took it to a recommended back street bike mechanic who knew his stuff. took him an hour to sort. Still sorted two years later when I sold it.

 

[JockandRita]

I paid £75 + VAT yesterday for an auto electrician to rewire and replace electrical components I had sourced. That was his call out charge including the first hour.
His business partner popped in after his last job, and got stuck in to assist. The job took well over an hour due to (successful) trouble shooting, but they didn't charge extra. Instead, I made sure they went away happy, with a drink in their pocket.

My mechanic pal last week was talking of having to up his rates, not so much to increase his income, but to overcome the increasing costs of servicing materials, lubricants, and sundries, etc.
When he changed the complete clutch assembly and dual mass flywheel on our Iveco Daily based Flair, the parts were £650, and he charged me £150 for labour. He did it on our driveway, and was under there just over 3 x hours.

Last week he fitted new front shocks, brake discs, pads, and servicing kits. The labour was £100.
I've known him for almost 30 x years, and I don't let anyone one else do mechanics on our MH, or on the car.

When I can, I put business his way, which has included 2 x Funsters for cambelt changes.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Tony50]

I take my Volvo XC60 to a guy, who owns a small garage in the sticks, he is Volvo orientated, I tell him the problems and unless really expensive I ask him to fix it , example fitting a door lock is horrendous I did one once he charged £40, for fitting one, would have charged double that plus ,otherwise son services car.

 

[Mzracer]

I paid £75 + VAT yesterday for an auto electrician to rewire and replace electrical components I had sourced. That was his call out charge including the first hour.
His business partner popped in after his last job, and got stuck in to assist. The job took well over an hour due to (successful) trouble shooting, but they didn't charge extra. Instead, I made sure they went away happy, with a drink in their pocket.

My mechanic pal last week was talking of having to up his rates, not so much to increase his income, but to overcome the increasing costs of servicing materials, lubricants, and sundries, etc.
When he changed the complete clutch assembly and dual mass flywheel on our Iveco Daily based Flair, the parts were £650, and he charged me £150 for labour. He did it on our driveway, and was under there just over 3 x hours.

Last week he fitted new front shocks, brake discs, pads, and servicing kits. The labour was £100.
I've known him for almost 30 x years, and I don't let anyone one else do mechanics on our MH, or on the car.

When I can, I put business his way, which has included 2 x Funsters for cambelt changes.

Cheers,

Jock.

Jock

Your mechanic sounds like a top bloke.

 

[JockandRita]

Jock

Your mechanic sounds like a top bloke.

He most definitely is, and a proper mechanic, ie, not just a fitter.
For someone's classic car due to spares becoming scarce, he machined a pair of brake discs for the owner.
He is supposed to be calling in here this afternoon, to hopefully discuss a date for replacement of the rear shocks, discs/drums, pads and shoes.

Cheers,

Jock.

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[Steve and Denise]

He most definitely is, and a proper mechanic, ie, not just a fitter.
For someone's classic car due to spares becoming scarce, he machined a pair of brake discs for the owner.
He is supposed to be calling in here this afternoon, to hopefully discuss a date for replacement of the rear shocks, discs/drums, pads and shoes.

Cheers,

Jock.

Have you bought the Marquart shockers? If so you really need to change all for to see the full benefit.

 

[Steve and Denise]

He most definitely is, and a proper mechanic, ie, not just a fitter.
For someone's classic car due to spares becoming scarce, he machined a pair of brake discs for the owner.
He is supposed to be calling in here this afternoon, to hopefully discuss a date for replacement of the rear shocks, discs/drums, pads and shoes.

Cheers,

Jock.

It’s a pity he’s not a bit closer to us we’ve just lost our Iveco service place,
Due to a bad experience they no longer want to do any work on Motorhomes.
Has he got premises or is he mobile?

 

[JockandRita]

Have you bought the Marquart shockers? If so you really need to change all for to see the full benefit.

No Steve, and the reason why is budget, ie, I can have all my front and rear discs, pads, drums, shoes, servicing kits, and shock absorbers replaced, for the cost of just 4 x Marquart shocks.

We went for Munroe Van Magnum on the front, rated at 2,200Kgs each, and they are quite a bit longer than the Iveco originals, which have been replaced before. I can already tell the difference on bends and roundabouts. The rear will be the same brand, but possibly stronger.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[andykim]

The price I pay is on a trust basis for anything mechanical I can't do. My mate does mine and whatever he says the bill is I pay up,and I give him a tenner for a couple of pints.

 

[JockandRita]

It’s a pity he’s not a bit closer to us we’ve just lost our Iveco service place,
Due to a bad experience they no longer want to do any work on Motorhomes.
Has he got premises or is he mobile?

He has his own place Steve, but not tall enough for MHs, so it all gets done on his driveway, or ours. He is under pressure from his missus to ease off with the work, as he doesn't keep the best of health, and he's already told me that our MH is the last of it's size he'll work on.

What used to be Hollis & Brown do big MHs like ours Steve, now known as https://www.hollisautotech.co.uk/

A chap by the name of Neil runs it, and has a good name round these parts.
The can work on air suspension systems, but can't work on air braking systems.

Also, as well as the usual Gaslow, Truma, Dometic, etc, these folks do E&P as well as VB Air, and again, are popular in this area.

About - Out and About

Get to know a little about the Out and About team before you call or visit.

www.oandacaravans.co.uk

Cheers,

Jock.

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[JockandRita]

My mate does mine and whatever he says the bill is I pay up,and I give him a tenner for a couple of pints.

Ditto.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Tony50]

yep, last time I had someone question one of my quotes, they said they needed to get others in. I told them to go ahead. No issue. Mine won't be changing.

They soon came back when the next cheapest was twice my price. I told them I was surprised it was that low.

I charge based on what I want to make not how much can I screw out of someone. Others think differently. Probably why I'm still working.... LOL

I use to tell customers that wanted to pay less than a reasonable quote
" There's no Sweetness in nothing" instead of saying " bugger off" .
Why is it people think you are ripping them off? When a TV repairer " could " put a 10 pence resistor in your TV and the TV works and he then charges what he likes and we pay without flinching

 

[TheMachMan]

Southdowns Motorhomes homes charge about £120/hr inc VAT!
My local Fiat professional garage is similar, but at least it’s mechanical works by a trained technician. I struggle to see how the dealer justifies theirs.