GPS Instalation Costs

[craig240DA]

I just got tagged by my dealer for 9+ hours of labor at $95/hr to install a Garmin 498 GPS/Sonar. Does that seem reasonable?

 

[tommays]

Re: GPS Instalation Costs

Its takes a LOT of time to do a CLEAN NEAT job on a boat that size So how much of the wireing is hidden and how hard it is to install the sonar transducer is a big factor

Just to do a simple dash mount and connect the GPS to the VHF (which you should have done) requires a lot of makeing holes and finding wires that were put in stupid places




Tommays

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: GPS Instalation Costs

What's done is done, the only time i go to a Marina is when i at a complete empass and get several estimate's prior to that. 100 a hour for labor, my how the tide has changed........

 

[craig240DA]

Re: GPS Instalation Costs

Thanks for responding. They did an outstanding job, it is flush mount with an external GPS antenna and a sonar transducer on the transom, all wires hidden, perfect installation. Had to cut large hole in helm. No doubt it was a professional job. The VHF radio and antenna were separate charges, again an outstanding job. Just checking to see if it was reasonable.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: GPS Instalation Costs

Tommays,

Does your compass still work with your GPS unit so close to it?

 

[craig240DA]

Re: GPS Instalation Costs

Never mind.... started by mistake, now can't delete it.

 

[tommays]

Re: GPS Instalation Costs

Bruce

Yes it works as good as it ever did and keeps pretty close to the same heading as the GPS

i also keep a second handheld GPS as backup and the small compass has allways bounced so much it has been marginal


But i have spent days dead reckoning on sailboats so i do pretty good with it



If it was a flushmount than its a long hour job ,you cant un-cut a hole in you screw-up




Tommays

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: GPS Instalation Costs

sound like you got the quality you paid for. you would have been pi$$ed, if you paid $500, and the wires were hanging everywhere.

 

[craig240DA]

Re: GPS Instalation Costs

Talked to the service department about the difference between the appraisal and the actual labor. The first appraisal was for a Garmin 520 with internal antenna, pretty easy install. That unit was unavailable, so we agreed to go with the Garmin GPSMAP498 with external antenna and sonar. I took twice as long to put in the 498.

After working it out, the service department at MarineMax essentially cut $400 from the cost which I was happy with. So they did a great job and I got a good price. Still a lot for a GPS but it is a great unit. The unit and labor ends up costing $1,150 ish

 

[jollymon]

Re: GPS Instalation Costs

I don't know about 9 hours, but I installed my VHF, The radio was dash mounted and the antenna was already installed. It took me about 90 minutes.

It sounds like they cut about half of your labor cost off, I can't see them finishing it under five so it sounds like you got a good deal.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: GPS Instalation Costs

It could very well take that long, im almost done with a install, it took 2 hours to mount and wire the head unit, 30 minute's to install the antenna and wire it, 1 hour to mount the transducer and wire it and perhap's 2 hour's to repair some old hole's next to the new mount. But that's what you have to like about i-boat's, there is so much info here and if your reasonalby handy almost anything is possible if your up to it..

I still have another 2 hour's to remount the ingition and safety switch and do some minor gel-coating..

 

[craig240DA]

Re: GPS Instalation Costs

Great pictures, sounds like it was a great project. It looks like there is a frame around the unit? Is that the mounting kit that allows you to remove the unit?

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: GPS Instalation Costs

Yes that is the framing kit,so far it has been just meat ball cutting. the gel comes next but it should be simple enough..