Took my 2011 F-150 with 25K miles on it to my local Ford dealer in Kentucky because the "Check Fuel Inlet" message came on. I was told the Evap valve was bad and a critter had chewed through the filler pipe. Anyways it took two hours by my watch but two and a half hours by theirs but the real shocker is they charge $82.60 per hour for service!!! Needless to say I'll never go back to a Ford dealer for service.

 

This certainly isn't what I like to hear, Ky Bob. I'll get your feedback documented regarding the wait time. Just send over your full name, phone number, and VIN via PM.

Under most state laws, a dealership's service department is entitled to ask for payment of a diagnostic fee which covers the labor cost to determine the cause of a vehicle's concern. Upon diagnosis, if the repair is covered under an applicable warranty, extended service plan, recall, or customer satisfaction program, it is customary for the diagnostic fee to be waived.

I'll keep my eyes peeled for your PM.

Todd

 

It may have been 2 hours by your watch but shops use a flat rate manual for billable hours. $82.60 per hour is actually a bit on the low side these days.

 

And thats a 20 minute job. Its two hose clamps, and three screws for the filler neck

 

I don't doubt that!

 

I sent you a PM Todd. Thanks, Bobby

 

I'll say! The going rate around Orlando is over $100 per hour and has been for several years. Some places are pushing for $130/hour. And Florida is one of the lowest wage states in the country! I think ALL of the shops around here charge one hour of labor as a "diagnostic" fee.

Flat rate manuals are based on the time that any duffus mechanic should be able to do the job in. Any decent mechanic should be able to do the job in far less time. And of course if they take short cuts like yanking the connectors apart (and breaking them) instead of releasing the latches or not properly positioning parts or not torquing fasteners, they can do the job in even less time. But they'll still charge you for the full amount of time.

 

To be honest I have my doubts that the evap valve was bad. They changed it out and then told me that a critter had chewed holes in the filler pipe and that it had to be changed out also.

 

Hi Bobby,

I see the PM you sent to Todd in the inbox; I'll send a response your way as soon as I can.

Crystal

 

Not surprising given the amount of soy-based plastic that is used.
.

 

most Dallas Metro dealers have been 120-130 range for more than 5 years, and been 130-140 for the last year or two. It costs a lot to operate a shop, training for techs, as well as pay steeper car&health insurance rates.

And the "diagnostic" fee takes time, I don't think you'd want to work for free either?

Thats called expertise, and making money.

As for breaking stuff, that's called half assed tech not caring

 

Out of the $86.40 per hour service charge I'm guessing the tech might get $30-$40 per hour. I was a railroad engineer and sure didn't make that kind of money. Never heard anything else from Todd and really didn't expect to. I'll never take it back to the dealer for service in the future anyway.

 

Most techs are $20-25 (per hour) range. Senior tech that has been around forever might make high 20s

Old school rule of thumb a tech should be making 20% of the labor rate.

Those of us that have high labor rates don't meet that rule anymore. I personally make between 18% and 19% of my labor rate