Annual Maintenance $$

[produceguy]

Re: Annual Maintenance $$

I wish i had the $ to have a pro do all my work for me but i don't so 450 sounds way to high to me. It took me 2 to 3 hours just to change my first impeller oil and lube, 2to 3 more hours and still wasn't 100% that i did it right but now i know how to do it and the next time i do it, it will be much fastier and easier.
If you'll pay 450 to have it done then heck, do it.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Annual Maintenance $$

from the comments, it looks to me like there's the have's, and have not's. the folks that got the means take it to someone else to fix. the have not's do it them selves. while i fall into the later category of have nots. i also am not so sure i totally trust any shop. they can make mistakes too. i use my auto as proof. while my auto tech is good. they are slower than i like, + they've not always got it right. usually, but not always.

myself. i also don't like the wait at the shop for my boat. a simple project like R&R the impeller and if ya hit it at the wrong time when the shop is busy and your gonna have to wait in line. who knows how long. i don't want to rely on them.

agreed that it's great to have association with your local shop. someone that looks fwd. to to seeing me come in their store. i feel i've built this reputation too. and i don't have them fix my boat. i get my parts there. if it came down to something i couldn't do. they would get my job. i have association with the techs at my local dealer too. they know me by name. they appear to enjoy talking boats and filling me in on my deficiencies.

to me, it mostly comes down to money in the end though. i don't have a lot, so i fix myself. i feel i'm more timely about repairs than any shop as they couldn't get me in generally for being busy. i don't wanna wait. i wanna go boating.

imho. 300-500 big ones don't sound to unrealistic for what that op wants. i don't think i could get parts + do the deed in much less than 4 hours. but i also don't try to beat a clock. i plan on which item i'm gonna do and do it. i spread the job out over time. the results are the same.

good luck az.... yer sure getting a lot of input..

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Annual Maintenance $$

You loose, and you pay and kiss.


How's that for a deal????

I take it, that, in a round about way, you agree that's a fair price




You just got the boat last year right? What other maintenance work has been done recently? That bill could climb if they find other things that need attention.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Annual Maintenance $$

from the comments, it looks to me like there's the have's, and have not's. the folks that got the means take it to someone else to fix.

Ziggy, you didn't draw that conclusion 'from the comments'. I didn't read a single post that indicated that some of us have others do the work simply because we can afford not to get our hands dirty. I make other sacrifices to have things done for me that I can no longer do for myself. Like continuing to work a full-time job when someone with more sense would probably just retire and pursue a less expensive hobby.

Honestly, from the viewpoint of most of the world's population, the mere fact that you can afford to own and operate a boat, makes makes you one of the 'haves', doesn't it?

I don't want to pick a fight with you, but I do take exception to the comment.

My .02

 

[fat fanny]

Re: Annual Maintenance $$

I have to agree with Zig on allot of his accounts and those are there are people that will pay to have the work done and those of us who do it ourselves because of money and the satisfaction of doing it ourselves. But in some cases there are those who have no choice but to have it done because of a physical dissability and or incapability of a mechanical ability or knowledge. But all in all I don't let anyone work on my stuff and it will be a hard day for me when the time comes that I can't do that I have been watchin this happen to my Dad over the last 10 yrs, or so and I can see the frustration in his eyes as I do it for him.
I just could not stomach giving someone the kind of $ mentioned to do this work especially when the material are just a small fraction of this cost but that just me !

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Annual Maintenance $$

I think its mostly dependent on the owner, value can be a relative term as the OP should be able to plainly see, Don also makes a valuable point but for me personally its something I enjoy doing, I love the fact that I keep my boat on my property, I put her to bed in the fall and I wake her up in the spring. I change the oils and fluids, I have noone else to blame but myself for any mistakes I make, cost is a concern since over the last year I have taken a pretty sizeable pay cut but in the grand scheme of things I truly enjoy what I am going to do this weekend, change the motor oil and filter, change the drive fluid, a new fuel filter and new plugs, pull the drive for a complete inspection. yes it will take me a half day and a couple beers but its what I enjoy, even though I'm likely a month from splashing the boat, this is the first weekend with temperatures in the 70's and I can't wait! It's not for everyone but I enjoy spending time maintaining my toys, the boat, the truck and the camper, heck I may even change the oil in the atv's and lube the u joints in them too.

I wouldn't listen to Infidel either his area is a sandbox so his prices are very hard to get a handle on at the moment.......(come home safe bud!)

 

[infideltarget]

Re: Annual Maintenance $$

+1 to the two previous posts (Lipp & fanny) the satisfaction of doing it myself is always great! BTW...in my *current* area, they would not fix it at all...they would fill it full of C-4 and various pieces of metal, say something incomprehensible in Arabic, and sail it full speed toward a large gathering of people.

 

[infideltarget]

Re: Annual Maintenance $$

.......(come home safe bud!)

That's the plan bro...God willing

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Annual Maintenance $$

from the comments, it looks to me like there's the have's, and have not's. the folks that got the means take it to someone else to fix. the have not's do it them selves. while i fall into the later category of have nots. i also am not so sure i totally trust any shop. they can make mistakes too. i use my auto as proof. while my auto tech is good. they are slower than i like, + they've not always got it right. usually, but not always.

myself. i also don't like the wait at the shop for my boat. a simple project like R&R the impeller and if ya hit it at the wrong time when the shop is busy and your gonna have to wait in line. who knows how long. i don't want to rely on them.

agreed that it's great to have association with your local shop. someone that looks fwd. to to seeing me come in their store. i feel i've built this reputation too. and i don't have them fix my boat. i get my parts there. if it came down to something i couldn't do. they would get my job. i have association with the techs at my local dealer too. they know me by name. they appear to enjoy talking boats and filling me in on my deficiencies.

to me, it mostly comes down to money in the end though. i don't have a lot, so i fix myself. i feel i'm more timely about repairs than any shop as they couldn't get me in generally for being busy. i don't wanna wait. i wanna go boating.

imho. 300-500 big ones don't sound to unrealistic for what that op wants. i don't think i could get parts + do the deed in much less than 4 hours. but i also don't try to beat a clock. i plan on which item i'm gonna do and do it. i spread the job out over time. the results are the same.

good luck az.... yer sure getting a lot of input..

I have more than enough cash to have somebody do it, but I still don't have anyone else do my boat work.

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: Annual Maintenance $$

Wow thanks all for the replies. Ok I cannot do this myself and I don't have the tools. Can I learn, Sure! Do I have the desire. Not really! Do I fear screwing something up and costing more from my mistakes. Yes. Anyway the boat was just serviced when I got it and had a good clean of health. Most everyone said the Price was high so I will shop around some more. There are plenty of Marine shops in the Phoenix Area. The other reasons is taking the boat to a shop is so someone will get familiar with my ride and the maintenance condition. Perform basic maintenance and inform me of anything else is needed.

I guess you call me a type of boat owner that would rather have someone else do the maintenance so I spend more time on the Water. Alot of people are Boat owner DIY types and Im not really one of them. Yes I will spend more money than the DIY boat owner but that is the way it goes.

Thanks for all the comments. Your awesome.

David

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: Annual Maintenance $$

I forgot one thing. When I got the quote over the phone the guy was really trying to justify the cost of $450. Kind of a Red Flag for me but still I didn't the price was all bad.

 

[infideltarget]

Re: Annual Maintenance $$

Wow thanks all for the replies. Ok I cannot do this myself and I don't have the tools. Can I learn, Sure! Do I have he desire. Not really! Do I fear screwing something up and costing more from my mistakes. Yes. Anyway the boat was just serviced when I got it and had a good clean of health. Most everyone said the Price was high so I will shop around some more. There are plenty of Marine shops in the Phoenix Area. The other reasons is taking the boat to a shop is so someone will get familiar with my ride and the maintenance condition. Perform basic maintenance and inform me of anything else is needed.

I guess you call me a type of boat owner that would rather have someone else do the maintenance so I spend more time on the Water. Alot of people are Boat owner DIY types and Im not really one of them. Yes I will spend more money than the DIY boat owner but that is the way it goes.

Thanks for all the comments. Infideltarget is awesome.

David

But...you put the Vaseline on it by yourself...didnt you?





Just messin' with ya'!

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: Annual Maintenance $$

LOL what I do with Vaseline is my own business. No one else can touch my Giant Jar of Vasline.

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: Annual Maintenance $$

Also I don't like beer and a non drinker so how can I even work on my own boat. Beer drinking and Boat fixing goes hand in hand doesn't it.

 

[infideltarget]

Re: Annual Maintenance $$

Also I don't like beer and a non drinker so how can I even work on my own boat. Beer drinking and Boat fixing goes hand in hand doesn't it.

My garage fridge is stocked with ROOTbeer. IBC is the best. But yes...a wrench in one hand, and a drink in the other is typically the way it's done. Unless...the corndogs are ready to come out of the microwave...then you must refigure your priorities.

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: Annual Maintenance $$

infide your entertaining.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Annual Maintenance $$

I actually have a tool belt with shoulder belts and a beer cooler on both sides, AZ thats cool if your not into the maint. part theres nothing wrong with it but if you didn't get the specific info your looking for maybe call around? There has to be several places in Phoenix to get quotes from I would think, but there are a few things I would want done

Oil change with filter
Fuel separator change
Drive oil change
Drive inspection at the very least including taking the outdrive off
Impeller change

In a nutshell you have to figure the cost of parts which on this should be around $100+-, then figure out how much time you think there is in the work, I think 3 hours for a mechanic in the business, Don would be a better at estimating the time on this, so if you subtract the parts from the quote that leaves $325+- divided by 3 is just over $100 per hour and to me that's a fair hourly rate for a good mechanic In my opinion of course

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: Annual Maintenance $$

I will find out if the maintenance includes pulling out the drive. Thanks.

 

[infideltarget]

Re: Annual Maintenance $$

just over $100 per hour and to me that's a fair hourly rate for a good mechanic In my opinion of course

DUDE! Can I be your mechanic? $45-60 / hr seems to be the going rate at home. And that is only by the book hours too. I would be interested to see what that maintenance actually books for in the shop's labor guidelines. I seriously doubt there is that much actual billable labor involved. BUT...I have found that boat crap is way different than car crap, so maybe it is right. One more reason to DIY IMO. Ya' Know?

 

[Sikboats]

Re: Annual Maintenance $$

An annual service on a stern drive takes 4-6 hours if you do it right and the parts if not sierra are about 140 plus labor , sounds fair to me . I charge 650 normally and 500 special , Im sure there are other things not listed.