I was charged $500 to change the coolant a few years ago. My system has a 10 gallon capacity and they put 2 gallons of coolant in for that price. If that isn't a wake up call, I'm not sure what is.
I now do all my own work. I just finished replacing all of the radiator hoses along with the coolant. Yes, it was a lot of manual labor but the total cost was around $250. I figured out that the skilled techs never touch the maintenance items and I'm a lot better than the unskilled techs who do.
I am paying 100-120/hr for someone at a dealership to work on it. Basically different people everytime that do nothing but call the manufacturers to help them troublehshoot so they can charge you an arm and a leg.
It would be nice to find someone dependable that knows what they are doing and have affordable rates.
Im on my 4th RV in 30 years, and I can say when its out of its Mfg new warranty, it never goes back to the dealer, or any dealer. I have a good shop that is honest, and does good work.
I do all of the normal service stuff, Lube & Oil, filters, belts, bulbs AC etc, but other than that I take it to this shop.
Dealer service departments will always charge you $500.+ no matter whats wrong, they will find something to run the cost up to $500.+.
This is just my opinion, and I cant prove it, but I have learned this the hard way, over the years.
And I have an above average mechanical aptitude, so it was easy to recognize that there less than honest, and now with car and truck sales slow, the service departments are having to help keep the dealerships afloat.
Do every thing you can your self, and use a good private shop for everything else, you will be lots of money ahead.
2001 27' Four Winds Class-C E-450 V-10.
Buick Park Ave Ultra, Ford Ranger PU, JD 500 backhoe.
1941 Farm All "A"
speediq99 wrote: Any recommendations for Phoenix, Az ?
I am paying 100-120/hr for someone at a dealership to work on it. Basically different people everytime that do nothing but call the manufacturers to help them troublehshoot so they can charge you an arm and a leg.
It would be nice to find someone dependable that knows what they are doing and have affordable rates.
Mike
Mike, That's typical of dealerships. Look for a small shop 3 to 7 employees, with a high building and doors so your RV will go inside, and some one that has been in business a long time. A small shop needs repeat business, and if there not good they wont get it, and wont stay in business. Ask around, talk to tow truck drivers, and look for one that is busy.
I just had mine into the dealers for a lube and oil change. Also had some coach items adjusted and it ran 350 bucks.
Im going to look for someplace local to have the work done.
The local Ford dealer doesnt work on MH s as they arent setup for them but they have someone they recommend.
All my chassis service thus far has been at International (chassis manufacturer), they charge around $250 for full service, oil, lube, oil and fuel filter. I have a guy in town that charges about half that but feel comfortable taking to International while it is under the five year engine warranty. I change everything every 8000 miles rather than the 10000 the book calls for. I feel fresh oil along with a clean fuel filter in a diesel is important. I have not had the coach systems worked on yet, other than the dealer changing the generator oil ($89.00), but will probably continue to use my dealer. They have been great during the first year warranty period and are only a mile from my house.
* This post was
edited 07/31/08 01:27pm by Texas TC *
My rig has been to the dealer's service department exactly twice. The first time, the work was shoddy. The second time they did more damage than good. I now take it to a local one man shop in Munford, TN. He is a local guy who doesn't advertise because he has more work than he can handle just from word of mouth. He is even certified to do the warranty work by the manufacturers. (He used to manage the service department at my dealer, and just smiles when they are mentioned. He says he and they didn't look at service work the same way.)
Bobbo, Linda and the furry kid (German Shepherd)
'07 Winnebago Outlook 31C on a Ford E450 Super Duty Chassis
NRA Life Member
Near N35 12 17 W89 50 57
True short story. About a Ford dealer, I had bought a new 1998 in 98 E-350 work Van with the V-10, the closes dealer is about 60 miles from home. When it had about 6K miles I took it back for a couple of small warranty items (I had done all of the oil and filter stuff every 4K until then) The warranty items were all small, Adjust side door latch, squeak from rear spring Etc, so whale its there for the full day, I said go ahead and do a lube and oil, and ill pick it up before 5PM.
Arrived back about 4:30PM, and they hand me the paper work, and say we got the lube oil and filter done, but didn't have time to do the warranty items, and by the way your front brakes are gone, now less than 40% on the pads, and you need new rotors from cracks, and calipers, not under warranty, so will cost about $1600. Remember this is at 6,000 mi and 4 mo, and I'm easy on brakes, and normally get 40 to 50k to a front set of truck pads, and do them myself.
So Im a bit upset at them not fixing any thing under warranty, but doing all of the pay items, and then telling me my brakes are bad, when they worked like new, hay they were new.
So I payed them to get my keys back, told them they were crooks, and left.
The next day I picked up a new set of front pads to compare the new pads and the original pads to see how worn they were, knowing I would need then someday anyway. Well I couldn't even tell any thickness difference in the two sets of pads, and no rotor cracks, and this truck went on out to 45K miles before its first pad replacement.
This was the last time I was even in any Ford Service Department, and ill never go back.
Someone with less mechanical knowledge might have payed, and that's what POed me so much.
Mike.
* This post was
edited 07/31/08 06:23pm by Cool Mike *
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