Dealer Labour Rates Pricing

[MilesH]

I have just read a post on Seloc and it was talking about a labour rate of £168 per hour from Smart (Mercedes). I have just read a post on here and it quoted £600 to change two balljoints on an Elise, so i'm assuming a £140+ per hour labour rate.

 

It has been a lot of years since I ever used a dealer but is this normal dealer pricing these days? Am I that much out of touch?

 

Independents seem to be charging between £45-65 per hour (or at least the ones local to me are).

 

Am I just quoting the extremes of dealer pricing or is this normal?

 

[darryl]

I understand Lotus service centres / dealers are £60 - £90 p/h 

[Eric]

Even worse, all Lotus new car prices went up on the 1st September!!!

[Dennis]

It makes me laughter when people complain about paying accountants solicitors and the like £100+ an hour but gladly play £100+ an hour hor some kid to drip their oil at a main agent.....it is not rocket science.

 

And then body shops which is a real skill are lucky to get £35

[MilesH]

I guess the question is are you really paying £100 an hour for the mechanic or is a good chunk of it funding the overheads behind the mechanic such as the fancy dealer showroom, the welcome greeting at the door and the coffee and newspaper while you wait. I'm sure it is.

 

Some could say we've almost brought it on ourselves, as dealers only do it as it is proven that fancy showrooms help sell cars and it is the general public that has shown them this. If the profit margins were made higher in the initial sale price of the car and the labour rate cheaper would we still buy from the dealer? Or if the showroom was a backstreet parking lot and the mechanical work was outsourced to a local independent (like some dealer bodywork repairs are) would we be happier?

 

[generaljake]

I never trust dealers full stop, they are doing it for a business to make money, not because they are passionate about what they do. (I especially like it when they get the snotty/spotty trainee to clean your car with the sponge they keep dropping on the floor).

 

I'd rather have a specialist who I can trust/quiz/argue/slate/praise than a fancy coffee and a biscuit from some t**t who wants his sales figures fluffed.

 

rant over ..sorry 

[Elaine]

DIY.

[Martin R]

DIY is always the best way. I could not believe the sight at a now gone local dealers. A lad washing Fezzas with a bucket and sponge. The mind boggles.