Boat Repair Costs - Fair?

[pec2402]

I could have posted this under Volvo engine as well, but thought it would have more relevance in general. I have a 2004 Larson SEI 4.3GL Volvo Penta I/O. I dropped the boat off at the local mechanic last week after removing from storage. He charges an hour of labor to "de-winterize/tune up" the boat for the season. After checking out the boat, I decided to have him replace the impeller (which is on the engine for the Volvo) and the tach also needs replaced (wiring is good, just the tach). It is going to cost around $490 for everything. I completely trust this guy but I am new to boating and just want other opinions. I realize that i would save at least half the amount if I could do my own labor, but I'm not very handy, especially with a boat.

I'm estimating the following - $175 parts, $300 labor (@ 4 hours, $75/hr).

Does this sound right? Thanks for your opinions.

 

[superpop]

Re: Boat Repair Costs - Fair?

Depends on what is involved with the tune up. If it is just changing the oil then your guess is probably pretty close. Drive service, oil change, new plugs, set timing, check alignment, etc could be closer to a grand for all the work.

 

[pec2402]

Re: Boat Repair Costs - Fair?

Depends on what is involved with the tune up. If it is just changing the oil then your guess is probably pretty close. Drive service, oil change, new plugs, set timing, check alignment, etc could be closer to a grand for all the work.

Superpop - sorry, i was a bit unclear. The actual cost is $490 that he quoted. My estimate is how he is itemizing things. The $490 is for the 1 hr of labor to basically go over the boat and make sure everything looks good for the season and top off my gear oil, which was low (i changed all the oils/filter in the fall) + labor/parts to replace the impeller and tachometer.

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: Boat Repair Costs - Fair?

Umm......... huh? I must be missn something. It says $490, on your 2nd post for an hr labor and a shot of gear oil ?! Your 1st post says $490 for everything

 

[JoLin]

Re: Boat Repair Costs - Fair?

I'm scratching my head, too. List out everything he's going to do for $490., okay?

 

[Brewman61]

Re: Boat Repair Costs - Fair?

You paying $75/hour for labor? Not bad, around here dealers charge around $120/hour. Not sure what's so confusing on his cost quote?
If I follow, he's been quoted $490 to have the "De-winterizing (whaever that is)", top off outdrive lube, change impeller, and replace a tachometer head. Total is for parts and labor. I don't know anything about volvo, so I don't know what is involved in replacing the impeller. Unless access is a big deal, unhooking and installing a tachometer head shouldn't take long.

 

[pec2402]

Re: Boat Repair Costs - Fair?

You paying $75/hour for labor? Not bad, around here dealers charge around $120/hour. Not sure what's so confusing on his cost quote?
If I follow, he's been quoted $490 to have the "De-winterizing (whaever that is)", top off outdrive lube, change impeller, and replace a tachometer head. Total is for parts and labor. I don't know anything about volvo, so I don't know what is involved in replacing the impeller. Unless access is a big deal, unhooking and installing a tachometer head shouldn't take long.

Yep, that is exactly right. So with that being said, $490 seems fair? Thanks.

 

[JimKW]

Re: Boat Repair Costs - Fair?

Do you think you can get it done cheaper by a guy you really trust? If you really trust him you also have to trust him to give you a fair price. I have no idea what is involved, but the price sounds high, but everything done on a boat by a good boat mechanic is priced high. That's just the way it is.

I like having the same guy do my winterization every year so he kind of knows my boat in case something really goes wrong.

I don't understand de-winterizing though? I just put the muffs on mine and start it up in the driveway and let it run for a while. My oil was changed as part of winterizing and it's ready to get when I feel the urge on a warm day which is coming soon.

 

[truckermatt]

Re: Boat Repair Costs - Fair?

I don't understand de-winterizing though? I just put the muffs on mine and start it up in the driveway and let it run for a while. My oil was changed as part of winterizing and it's ready to get when I feel the urge on a warm day which is coming soon.

+ 1

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Boat Repair Costs - Fair?

First off..Who winterized your boat ?

Did they already change the oil..or change the gear fluid .. etc what was involved with your "winterizing"

Its not De-winterizing .. its Sumerizing .

Basically hooking up the neg term to your battery and putting some muffs on there and running it.

Whoever winterized it should have done a check list of things wrong ( horn inop..leak here or there .. tach inop.. etc. ).

Parts cost is parts cost and they will charge list price.

75/hr is a hoax .. 120/hr is a hoax.

What if I told you I charge 300/hr .. But I can do this in 1 hour. The next guy is 100/hr but he said its gonna take 3 hours. .. get my drift ?

4 hours of labor time seems high to me at your calculations .

Basically your saying its going to take one tech half a day to summerize your boat. .. At that rate one tech can do 2-3 boats a day .. UM.. I can personally winterize/oilchange/gear lube 8-12 boats in a day ! to give perspective ..

YD.

PS. and Im just a glass guy..the pro mech can do much more .

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Boat Repair Costs - Fair?

Why don't you ask him for an itemized estimate? Also, make sure he knows the current state of the boat when it comes to oil change, gear lube and everything else a lot of people do in the fall. He may be assuming he's going to do that stuff when it may already be done. +1 on what others say about summerizing. Usually I just check everything over to make sure nothing happened over the winter, tackle whatever jobs I noted needed doing in the spring, and firing it up. Maybe 20 minutes if I'm taking my time (This doesn't include cleaning, washing, waxing, etc - just mechanical).

 

[scutly]

Re: Boat Repair Costs - Fair?

for a labor rate comparison, i have a mobile marine mechanic coming to my house for $50 an hour to help me swap in a new 454 long block, get her running, go over everything and do my gimble and bellows. he told me to expect 8 to 10 hours depending on how much i want to get involved.

 

[444]

Re: Boat Repair Costs - Fair?

He's probably charging you 150-200 for parts by the time you figure in a new tach, impeller kit, oil, etc. Shops charge labor and a markup on parts as well. Then the rest is labor. Is he changing spark plugs or any of the ignition components?

 

[pec2402]

Re: Boat Repair Costs - Fair?

Definitely going to ask for an itemized list because i'm curious as to the cost of the parts - i've looked everything up and it shouldn't cost more than $125 in parts. As for de-winterizing/summerizing, he isn't doing anything but checking out the boat from front to back, inside and out, making sure everything looks/runs like it should. I just bought the boat at the end of the season and asked him to make sure it didn't need anything before i hit the water. I did all of the winterizing, changed engine oil/filter, outdrive oil, etc. so this is my first experience with a boat mechanic. I wanted the impeller changed and wasn't sure how to do it on the volvo engine, hence the reason i took it to the mechanic. I knew the tach was broke, he confirmed it wasn't the wiring, but the actual tach head, so for convenience i am having him replace it.

When i say i "trust" this mechanic, he was recommended by a few boaters i met late last season. I do not personally know him. I just thought $490 seemed high for the relatively easy tasks he is doing for me:

- Checking out the boat making sure it is in good shape for the season - this was done, nothing else is needed, except for some oil in the outdrive was a bit low
- Replacing the impeller
- New tachometer

Parts/labor total is $490. I appreciate your responses.

 

[dlngr]

Re: Boat Repair Costs - Fair?

You did not say you ' "trust" this guy'. You said "I completely trust this guy". Two quite different statements,in my opinion...

 

[pec2402]

Re: Boat Repair Costs - Fair?

You did not say you ' "trust" this guy'. You said "I completely trust this guy". Two quite different statements,in my opinion...

Ok, not going to argue there. Clearly, i was surprised by his quote to do the work i mentioned, which is why i turned to this forum for some help. And i'm not so sure your response is really helping? I told you by "trust" he was recommended from other local boaters. Getting advice and learning from fellow boaters is key when you are personally inexperienced, so yes, i do trust this mechanic to do a good job. Is he maybe inflating his hours or markup on parts? Idk....again, the reason i posted on the forum. Thanks.

 

[veritas honus]

Re: Boat Repair Costs - Fair?

My local Chaparral dealer charges 127.50 for winterization labor only, including servicing the outdrive. They've got no problem with me supplying the parts and fluids.

 

[Corec]

Re: Boat Repair Costs - Fair?

for a labor rate comparison, i have a mobile marine mechanic coming to my house for $50 an hour to help me swap in a new 454 long block, get her running, go over everything and do my gimble and bellows. he told me to expect 8 to 10 hours depending on how much i want to get involved.

That's a heck of a deal for labor! How'd you find him?

I usually figure that anything from 70 to 90 $/hr is pretty typical for a mechanic's time in a dealer's shop (auto or boat), and unaffiliated shops may be a little bit less. A mobile boat mechanic is a great idea, since he/she doesn't have to add the shop overhead costs to the labor rate.

 

[bassman284]

Re: Boat Repair Costs - Fair?

As for de-winterizing/summerizing, he isn't doing anything but checking out the boat from front to back, inside and out, making sure everything looks/runs like it should. I just bought the boat at the end of the season and asked him to make sure it didn't need anything before i hit the water. I did all of the winterizing, changed engine oil/filter, outdrive oil, etc. so this is my first experience with a boat mechanic. I wanted the impeller changed and wasn't sure how to do it on the volvo engine, hence the reason i took it to the mechanic. I knew the tach was broke, he confirmed it wasn't the wiring, but the actual tach head, so for convenience i am having him replace it. - Checking out the boat making sure it is in good shape for the season - this was done, nothing else is needed, except for some oil in the outdrive was a bit low
- Replacing the impeller
- New tachometer

Parts/labor total is $490. I appreciate your responses.

OK, lotta stuff going on here.

First, you say "dewinterize/summerize". For me, this involves dragging my boat out to the lake, backing it in and starting the motor.

In the post I'm quoting, you say "As for de-winterizing/summerizing, he isn't doing anything but checking out the boat from front to back, inside and out, making sure everything looks/runs like it should." All of a sudden, $490 looks pretty cheap. And that's before I add in the tach head and impeller replacement.

I had my Merc 60 winterized + impeller replacement last fall and the impeller replacement alone cost $115. I really don't see a problem.

 

[scutly]

Re: Boat Repair Costs - Fair?

isnt part of summerizing/dewinterizing an I/O replacing the spark plugs and doing a spring tune up if fogging the engine was part of winterizing?