couple of honest questions

[High Rustler]

How much "should" an oil change in a major city? Replacing Sterring head bearings? Replacing battery? I fully realize that's quite subjective, just trying to become educated!

2004 FZ6 with about 7.5k on it. Having a horrible expereince with a major dealer in town...thank you for your patience and responses!
(did a few searches and did not turn up anything).

 

[thisisbenji]

How much "should" an oil change in a major city? Replacing Sterring head bearings? Replacing battery? I fully realize that's quite subjective, just trying to become educated!

2004 FZ6 with about 7.5k on it. Having a horrible expereince with a major dealer in town...thank you for your patience and responses!
(did a few searches and did not turn up anything).

Well, it takes me approximately 30 minutes to change the oil in my bike and costs me about $30. The battery would maybe take me five to ten minutes, but I could accomplish it during the 30 minutes I was changing the oil.

So to me a fair price for the battery and oil change would be $180, that's $130 parts and $50 labor at $100/hr. Any more than that and I would do it myself.

Someone else will have to chime in with the steering head bearings as I haven't replaced that on my bike yet.

 

[Red Wazp]

My local Honda shop charges close to 90.00 / hour. I try to do as much as I can myself. You may want to look around your city for an independent shop, they may charge close to the dealer but usually they will treat you better. Good luck finding a trusted mechanic, he may not be cheap but you know the work will be done well and he stands behind his work.

 

[Red Wazp]

Well, it takes me approximately 30 minutes to change the oil in my bike and costs me about $30. The battery would maybe take me five to ten minutes, but I could accomplish it during the 30 minutes I was changing the oil.

So to me a fair price for the battery and oil change would be $180, that's $130 parts and $50 labor at $100/hr. Any more than that and I would do it myself.

Someone else will have to chime in with the steering head bearings as I haven't replaced that on my bike yet.

Half hour labor? A shop can't make any money that way.

 

[Serzedo]

Well, it takes me approximately 30 minutes to change the oil in my bike and costs me about $30. The battery would maybe take me five to ten minutes, but I could accomplish it during the 30 minutes I was changing the oil.

So to me a fair price for the battery and oil change would be $180, that's $130 parts and $50 labor at $100/hr. Any more than that and I would do it myself.

Someone else will have to chime in with the steering head bearings as I haven't replaced that on my bike yet.

$100/hr? That's almost 92€ for an hour of work, we pay 30€ at most for an hour of work in official dealers here in Portugal.

"V"

 

[The_Paragon]

$100/hr? That's almost 92€ for an hour of work, we pay 30€ at most for an hour of work in official dealers here in Portugal.

"V"

Going rate in the US is about $100+/hr at dealerships.

I know some people arent that mechanically inclined, but an oil and battery change are certanly doable by just about anybody!!

And for those who tell themselves, "Well, I'm just not skilled enough for something like that" : Grab a set of wrenches and learn!! Taking the time to develop some mechanical skill will pay for itself over and over again through life!!

 

[thisisbenji]

Half hour labor? A shop can't make any money that way.

Maybe they should work and not twiddle their fingers? I don't know, if you charge an hour of labor for a half hour job your a crook.

I can get a battery put in my car for free (plus cost of battery) and the oil changed for $30 bucks. $180 to get it done on a bike is more than generous.

 

[Serzedo]

If I lived there I would make the oil change on my motorcycle and other stuff, people can save really a lot, around here I rather take it to the dealership.

"V"

 

[thisisbenji]

If I lived there I would make the oil change on my motorcycle and other stuff, people can save really a lot, around here I rather take it to the dealership.

"V"

I suppose, the way I look at it though is a bit different. I charge my clients $250/hr. so to me $100/hr. at the shop is quite reasonable. I still do everything I can myself because I enjoy working on my bike, but our shop rates are hardly robbery.

 

[aclayonb]

For a full synthetic oil change and a premium battery change...I'd expect to pay about $300 around Southern Indiana. Full synth oil changes around here are $80+, $50-100 for a battery, $100/hr for labor (and that's almost unskilled labor and they don't do "half-hours" around here). I've reached the point where the only thing I don't do myself is change/balance tires.

 

[thisisbenji]

For a full synthetic oil change and a premium battery change...I'd expect to pay about $300 around Southern Indiana. Full synth oil changes around here are $80+, $50-100 for a battery, $100/hr for labor (and that's almost unskilled labor and they don't do "half-hours" around here). I've reached the point where the only thing I don't do myself is change/balance tires.

Five quarts of Rotella T6 is about $20 and the oil filter is $10. Figure it takes 30 minutes to do the oil change.... well that's like $80 tops. That's right in line with your $80 number.

As for the battery, especialliy on the FZ6, I wouldn't expect to spend any money on labor. It's as easy to change the battery as it is to take the seat off.

 

[High Rustler]

Thanks for the replies! Oil change started this. Tried 2-3 oil filter wrenches before compromising the side of the "old" oil filter trying to get it off, figured at that point I ought to pay someone. Took it to the dealer who charged $130 then came up with steering bearing thing so got that fixed ($630) and while they had the bike for two weeks claimed the battery went dead and wanted three hours and 188 to replace. I told them to eat the labor on the battery or I'd scream from every mountian top i can find that they suck, which they agreed to do "just this once." They are charging $118 for a new battery which seems mighty steep. Done wtih them, that's for sure.

 

[thisisbenji]

Thanks for the replies! Oil change started this. Tried 2-3 oil filter wrenches before compromising the side of the "old" oil filter trying to get it off, figured at that point I ought to pay someone. Took it to the dealer who charged $130 then came up with steering bearing thing so got that fixed ($630) and while they had the bike for two weeks claimed the battery went dead and wanted three hours and 188 to replace. I told them to eat the labor on the battery or I'd scream from every mountian top i can find that they suck, which they agreed to do "just this once." They are charging $118 for a new battery which seems mighty steep. Done wtih them, that's for sure.

THREE HOURS FOR THE BATTERY?! ****... It's four bolts.

 

[greg]

See if you can find an independent mechanic, they will be cheaper.

 

[Botch]

Timely; I just got Fizzer back this morning from a family-owned dealership (good people), got new tires/Safety so I went and had them change the oil while it was in: $42.50/half-hour I normally do it myself and will do so in the future.
$130 to mount/balance the tires, if I rode Fizzer more I'd probably start doing it myself; then $212 to replace the fork seals (I'll let them do that kind of work).

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Going rate in the US is about $100+/hr at dealerships.

I know some people arent that mechanically inclined, but an oil and battery change are certanly doable by just about anybody!!

And for those who tell themselves, "Well, I'm just not skilled enough for something like that" : Grab a set of wrenches and learn!! Taking the time to develop some mechanical skill will pay for itself over and over again through life!!

This is me, I do not wrench! But I can change the oil in less than 15 minutes myself. Just a 17mm wrench/socket and a oil filter removal wrench and a funnel is all you need, and a pan for the drain. With a conservative figure, I think I've changed my oil at least 25 times so I saved money doing it myself. I buy my Purolator Oil Filter at any auto parts store or even Walmart for about $5, and I buy my Oil from Cycle Gear which runs about $30-$35. So about $40 doing it myself. I hand tighten my new filter, and I still manage to destroy my old filter when I remove. it. But it's coming off so who cares if I puncture the filter.

I've also changed the battery several times, and it's kind of a PIA but doable for us non wrenchers. The hardest part is to align the small nut at the very bottom of the battery to the screw.

'That being, the local Yamaha Shop rate in Boise Id was $72 an hour, plus parts, so an Oil Change should not cost more than $100 with a new filter plus oil. I just moved to Reno and I have yet to research what the local shop rate is for this area. When I lived back in Vegas, I had my steering head bearings replaced, and upgraded my front forks to Racetech Springs at the sametime. I will have to go back into the archives and see how much they charged, but that was about 6 years ago.

 

[aclayonb]

Thanks for the replies! Oil change started this. Tried 2-3 oil filter wrenches before compromising the side of the "old" oil filter trying to get it off, figured at that point I ought to pay someone. Took it to the dealer who charged $130 then came up with steering bearing thing so got that fixed ($630) and while they had the bike for two weeks claimed the battery went dead and wanted three hours and 188 to replace. I told them to eat the labor on the battery or I'd scream from every mountian top i can find that they suck, which they agreed to do "just this once." They are charging $118 for a new battery which seems mighty steep. Done wtih them, that's for sure.

Another reason I do my own. Oil filters should be hand-tight. I've been putting hand-tight filters on for 15 years (cars and bikes) and never had one come loose. The only tool you should need is the socket to loosen the plug, and that should be just snug.

I hate mechanics that think they need a cheater bar to torque an oil filter. If I can't get it off with one hand, it's on too tight.

 

[vinmansbrew]

I hate having a shop do the work. I just feel it is a rip off. Oil change is no sweat. Honestly, if you can't change oil, then you may want to rethink riding as you probably don't even have the skill to do a simple safety check. Excepting if you live in an apartment, ect that doesn't allow you to change oil. Oil changes on this bike are easy enough I could teach my 10 year old once and she could do it. My CB has 3 oil drain locations.
Benji, the battery is not as easy as pulling off the seat. I have a bike with the battery under the seat, it is easier than this. That said, this is still not hard. Two bolts for the tank. A rod to support the tank when lifted. A couple more bolts and it's out. Btw, the little nuts are simple. AS you wont ever remove them, unless you screw them up, I just glue them into place. I screw the bolts in till tight, and that pulls up the nuts. Then glue and let it dry. Then they stay.

About the only thing I will allow a shop to do, and not a dealer shop, is bore my cylinders or port the head.

 

[Zealot]

I bought some 10W40 oil for like $40 or $50 (I forget), and an oil filter for like $10. Oil change took me a half hour on top of that. Say $60 for the oil/filter, and then labour - whatever their rate would be, cut in half. It's really easy though and by purchasing an oil pan - you'd save yourself so much money in the long run.

 

[vinmansbrew]

Wow, some of you buy really expensive oil.