[rod]

What is everyone being charged for workshop $/hr rate & what does this rate include?
Is the rate you get quoted, for fully qualified techs or is there a different rate for apprentices?
Is there an additional "traveling" rate ($/k) for on farm calls?
Is there a "solvent-cleaning liquid" additional charge?
Any other additional charges you manage to get charged?

Would you please note if your quoted rate is from JD or Case or NH etc just so we can compare apples with apples.

It's not a battle of who is the dearest or cheapest, it's just finding out on a world wide basis, what people are paying for dealership/workshop charges.

 

[X80]

Its $110-120 down here for two of the major dealers - km charge on top of that - not sure they charge for waste oil , but there is a consumables charge.

In both these two dealers areas the rise of the self employed mechanic has occurred - especially on harvesters.

Ant

 

[Northern Farmer]

Although I don't know the answer to the actual current shop rate charged by dealers, it is high up here in the north west part of Alberta. I know that last year we were quoted 175.00 per hour if a service truck ( just a pickup and one person, nothing more ) was to come out to the farm and I "think" that included a built in fee for the traveling time so another words from the time they left the shop until they returned and that was a New Holland dealer. In the end we didn't need the service call so no bill was generated.

Then this summer due to having purchased a used JD four wheel drive and it having that bulletin out on the front drive shaft, they were going to come out for that. Before that happened I talked to service about another issue and he said how about we combine that visit so JD would pick up the tab for the traveling and I would just pay for the time used to diagnose and repair the other issue and he commented an hour was 150.00 ( not sure if that is also the shop rate or a service call rate ). So I have them come out and cough cough, not sure how that goes as to charging for software updates.

So not including any parts in the equation but only the charges and "shop supplies", here is the break down. Now picture the mechanic being on the yard for no longer then an hour and 20 minutes and that is being generous on the time. I believe they said JD allows them a half hour for the driveshaft inspection although I could be a bit off on that. By that, I should have been charged no more then and perhaps less then an hours work on items I had to pay for.

The break down which does not include taxes as that I can claim back;

-labor for testing harness and finding the fault, repair ( solder two wires ) = 169.95

-labor for doing JD software updates = 123.75

-shop supplies = 17.62

Total billing then for what I saw as an approximate if that, one hour charge totalled to 311.32


My question is, is it standard practice to charge for software updates on top of the actual service call rate as that would determine if I was being had or not as I was expecting a bill half this much.

 

[coogan]

$140 an hour " in shop" , road call is higher, plus mileage. What really burns my ass is the 9% shop supply fee. Nothing but a money grab. They can kiss my ass, doing more of my own repairs now unless it's something I don't have the tools or the back strength for.

 

[rod]

....... What really burns my ass is the 9% shop supply fee. Nothing but a money grab. They can kiss my ass, doing more of my own repairs now unless it's something I don't have the tools or the back strength for.

"9% shop supply fee" - what does that include?

And since you mentioned them "kissing your ass" - it's sounds like you might have to be very careful when you extent that offer to them!
You will undoubtedly be in a very vulnerable physical position with such an offer & they may just see an advantage in your position & drive the service fee or any other special tools - exclusive of any pain nullifying lubricant - fair up such an offer!

The mental image is not a good one.

 

[Northern Farmer]

I think most stealerships ... oops, I mean dealerships that one goes to has a person of high ranking within the office/shop that greets a customer with "Hi, my names Dover, Ben Dover", what can we do for you today !.

I doubt shop supplies include Vaseline either ...

 

[rod]

..........
My question is, is it standard practice to charge for software updates on top of the actual service call rate as that would determine if I was being had or not as I was expecting a bill half this much.

Ah yes, the good old double charge for the single event! Yes, to my mind & to everyone else that I know of, this is a rip off. Nothing surer.
Even seems to be common practice where a service vehicle is called to "toms" place & "bill" next door has the need for a service call, so the mechanic finishes "toms" job, then drives over to "bills" - maybe 5k away - completes "bills" job, then both are charged the full service traveling rate from town, as if they were individual trips eg. 100k trip for both - well one of them may be 5k less, but the result is still the same - f........n ripped off!

 

[lanwickum]

I could start with my opinion on dealership charges again. Did I ever mention that when I was mechanic I made more money in 3 months working 3 days a week on my own than I did in the previous 9 months working more chargeable hours than any employee in the whole dealership? I had to buy $7000 of my own tools at the dealership that year. When I left I ordered some basic tools like taps and dies ect for the shop. The mechanic that still worked there got in trouble for me ordering them. Then when I made service calls I often did 4-5 at one time to save customers money on travel. I got in trouble for that and had to charge every job as if I was to and from the shop. Stealerships! I had one job done at a dealer because it was an insurance job. Insurance company wouldn't even pay me half. Even after I explained I was certified for warranty work from that company. Nope. They were not happy when the only work I allowed was the insurance repair. They tried to sell me some augers and such while they had it apart. I told them the parts were good to reuse. I later took it apart just in case, those parts were in great condition. If you are capable of doing your own work, I strongly encourage it. Supervisors do not move up because they are good mechanics. They move up because they are good at making money. I have worked for a dealer that was very good and I felt very honest. They were not cheap, but the work done was done right. If you have a dealer like this, be very grateful.

 

[rod]

Yep, been there done that - was a mechanic (that specialized in combines) for many years so I know exactly what you are saying - only it's got much more difficult for "out of dealership" mechanics to operate as the "service tools" - EST & the like, are held tighter to dealerships than polar bears nuts are to same!
The efficiency rate i.e. hands on tools actually doing practical works & not just going for a walk around the workshop - is low by any standard in most dealerships. Sometimes that inefficiency is unavoidable but it is still a cost that the customers bears - mostly, unknowingly.
Agree, the most value you'll achieve out of your own labour is to do as much of it yourself - & then be prepared for the inevitable shock when you need that "special tool" - & it doesn't come with vasso!

 

[patchs]

Had a steering problem with my 9635 MF swather, pulling to the right so hard my Auto steer would not work. So I thought I could just drive the swather. After about a half hour my arms were both sore , so I thought this has to get some attention. So I called our local MF dealer and they sent out a 2 nd year apprentice. The first trip, the second year tech narrowed it down to the wheel motors not timed after 3 hrs, but no gauges or equipment to check them out.went back to his shop come back out the next day still with no gauges, but he said he could make something with the stock he had in his truck on my time of course. An hour later he is ready to check wheel motor pressures. 2 hrs later and 3 failed attempts, he is stumped . Called the dealer and tec support they also can't figure it out. By that time he had logged 7 hrs plus travel. That bothered the **** out of me that night but I figured the problem had to be closer to the pump. In the morning, the tec showed up again, and I told him to take the inspection plate off just above the pump in radiator area an check the timing on the drive motor pumps. There is a triangular plate on top of the valve body with one bolt loose. Tighten the bolt problem fixed. Now it's time for the billing. $3200 to tighten one bolt, along with inexperience and 0 tec support and there was no budging on the bill. How would any of you deal with this situation? I would problaly spend $150,000 to $300,000 a year at that dealership, now it's $0000 and always make a point of bringing it up when they are trying to sell me something

 

[cat man]

$120/hr here. That's for a tech who turns the chain tighteners the wrong way on a combine feeder house chain. Tech was trying to loosen chain turning tighteners the wrong direction, it was hard turning so he grabbed a bigger impact hammered on it until the feed chain broke and stripped and bent the tighteners. Combine was in for a couple warranty repairs.

I was billed 15 hrs inspection on feeder house 8 hours repair plus parts. At 120/hr at my expense.

The other combine didn't go back to the dealer. No thanks I'll do that one myself.

There is good money in turning wrenches in your farm shop right now.

 

[X80]

I was a harvester mechanic for Deere dealerships for years - we use to equalize travel - then most went to zoning as it was fairer, i've down a million firmware software upgrades and it was only the per hour rate. But i would say those days are passed. However with the mining money in Australia luring alot of the better mechanics the only way dealers can retain staff is higher wages - and a mechanic would normally charge out 80% of there time - plus the service manager and admin staff cant charge there time so the mechanic rates have to cover this cost. A huge time consumer is the GPS side of Ag...i'm not sticking up for them as its got to the point of ridiculous. I would say wage pressure from the oil sands in Canada has had a similar effect on work shop charge rates.

One does wonder if you need a bigger harvester should you get a 9610 - pull the walkers out and through in a CTS module - skip up the engine....buy a draper...put a fancy drum and conc in ....slightly smaller pulleys on clean grain and tailings to speed up...bombs away!! No computer needed!

Ant...

 

[IHC560]

This is 1st hand experience , shop rate @ $135/hr plus mileage @ $1/km plus prep time (getting service truck ready)@$135/hr plus driving [email protected]$135/hr plus shop supplies !! Basically it goes like this , you are charged from the time the tech picks up YOUR work order in the service dept till the time he hands it back in !! When he is @ your machine the clock is ticking all the time !! Even when you are standing there chin-wagging with him !! MONEY GRAB - understatement !! AND its all in computer programing !! One service manager said to me after I questioned the bill was "I'm surprised more guys don't ask about this" ???????????????????????? WTF

 

[coogan]

"9% shop supply fee" - what does that include?

And since you mentioned them "kissing your ass" - it's sounds like you might have to be very careful when you extent that offer to them!
You will undoubtedly be in a very vulnerable physical position with such an offer & they may just see an advantage in your position & drive the service fee or any other special tools - exclusive of any pain nullifying lubricant - fair up such an offer!

The mental image is not a good one.

Man are you very wordy ...... By kiss my ass I meant do my own repairs, not physically saying that to the service dept. don't read too much into it. 9 % shop supplies ....good question what it involves, but my opinion is its just extra padding on the bill.

 

[CTS2]

John Deere/Bourgault dealer, South Australia, recently sent a "Dear valued customer" letter detailing current pricing structure.

Technician labour $125/hour

After hours technician call out fee $60

Minimum 2 hours for after hours call out

After hours parts interpreters call out fee $60

On site fee (covers both travel time and vehicle mileage) charged per each day of travel required.
0-25km $85
25-50km $240
50-75km $360
75-100km $450
100-150km $570
150-200km $700

 

[X80]

sh*t.....

Ant...

 

[rod]

John Deere/Bourgault dealer, South Australia, recently sent a "Dear valued customer" letter detailing current pricing structure.

Technician labour $125/hour

After hours technician call out fee $60

Minimum 2 hours for after hours call out

After hours parts interpreters call out fee $60

On site fee (covers both travel time and vehicle mileage) charged per each day of travel required.
0-25km $85
25-50km $240
50-75km $360
75-100km $450
100-150km $570
150-200km $700

That's good to know the current rate for "knowledge".
As someone who gets plenty of calls from dealer service personnel, as well as their clients on how to set-up machines & optimise there efficiency, it seems quite reasonable that I charge them for my "knowledge".

 

[Transaxial]

One of my local Claas dealers charges $150/hr from the time he picks up the w/o in the morning. That means the clock is running while he gets tools and parts loaded. If he is more than 8 hours till he is back at the shop, that time is x1.5 or $225 /hr. Even though the service truck is not equipped with cutting torch, welders, grinders, lathe, drill press, shop press, skid steer, etc. and they use mine, the rate is still the same. Most of the techs are pretty good guys so I just pay the bill when the work gets done. The breaking point came when the rate charged ONE time was $300 / hr. What is that for? Oh, that is for the apprentice! WTH!! A first week on the job apprentice that is riding in the service truck that the first $150/hr paid for. They would not reduce the bill. That will be the last time I get screwed by them!! But we soon run out of options, don't we.

 

[lynas]

John Deere/Bourgault dealer, South Australia, recently sent a "Dear valued customer" letter detailing current pricing structure.

Technician labour $125/hour

After hours technician call out fee $60

Minimum 2 hours for after hours call out

After hours parts interpreters call out fee $60

On site fee (covers both travel time and vehicle mileage) charged per each day of travel required.
0-25km $85
25-50km $240
50-75km $360
75-100km $450
100-150km $570
150-200km $700

LUXURY!

 

[serf-farmer]

The after hours fees dealers charge really burns me. With all the profit they make on the parts we all buy this just seems like an extra kick while your down. I've complained plenty on that issue to our local jd stores. wasting my breath u say.... Probably