www.iFourWinns.com

I was just wondering what everyone's dealer charges for their hourly rate. The one closest to my house charges a whopping $119 per hour. I'm kinda lucky in that there is another dealer 2 hours from where i live that charges $98 per hour. The only problem is, the second one always inflates the number of hours they say it takes them to do a job!

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06' 240 Horizon
Mercruiser 350 mag Bravo III

Yep, we boaters get gouged the world over...!

You know what BOAT stands for?? Break Open Another Thousand

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Alec

2006 Horizon 190
VP 4.3GL/SX, Sunsport

The last time I stopped in to buy some parts my shop was charging about 105 an hr...I do most of my own work...winterizing...R+R the drive..impeller...tune ups...etc...if there is a seal leak or other drive problem I can't handle then I take it to them...they do great work and are one of the few places that still works on OMC Cobras so I keep buying parts there...

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

There are 2 good days of boat ownership, the day you buy em and the day you sell em, I am on day 5 ( bought one, sold one, bought one , disposed of one and bought this one

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Ardy
Adelaide South Australia
Red H180 3.0 Merc

Hey Alec you must have found someone who gives cheap rates???????????????????????????????

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Ardy
Adelaide South Australia
Red H180 3.0 Merc

Hey LouC,
$105 in NY doesn't sound too bad. I hear everything is expensive up there. But seriously $119 an hour?? Who do these guys think they are?

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06' 240 Horizon
Mercruiser 350 mag Bravo III

My dealer was charging $85 and doing great work. Of course, they're now out of business.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

$100-$120/hour here in Seattle...

bend over!

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

It must have to do with the high pay and shortage of skilled technicians I heard about today.

Since I had back surgery on Monday, I have had a lot of time to watch the Olympics and infomercials during the day. Marine Mechanics Institute ran a 1/2 hour commercial describing the shortage of qualified technicians for the growing industry and that jobs were plentiful.


With the percocet I am taking, they almost had me.

While I agree that those prices are outrageous. This same question was asked in the most the recent issue of Boating World magazine. Here was the reply:

First, your boat is designed with your dream in mind: sunpad, swim platform, fishbox and stowage aplenty. Unfortunately, the swim platform covers the outdrive, which means the boat often has to be removed from the trailer for drive servicing. The sunpad covers the engine, so frequently aft sections of the interior have to be disassembled and removed to access items such as bilge pumps, oil filter, fuel coolers, power steering, drive belts or even spark plugs, not to mention starters that get wet.

Second, the engine and drive service equipment are proprietary. This means the rights to this equipment are owned by the manufacturer. You can’t go into Best Buy and get a diagnostic program for your MerCruiser, for example. Nor can you download one for a Bombardier, Yamaha or Suzuki. Additionally, techs need to attend yearly weeklong service schools to learn what to do with the information that pops up on the computer screen once they have the correct diagnostic equipment. Many tools are not available at Sears or the Snap-On truck and have to be purchased directly from the manufacturer.

Third, most marine dealerships’ service departments are seasonal, despite their best efforts to maintain a steady supply of work. There is rarely any off-season planning by customers. This means a work drought in the winter and more than can be handled in the summer. The labor rate reflects not only what it takes to run the service department on a seasonal basis, but also what it takes to retain skilled techs when there is no work.

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2008 Horizon 260 VP 8.1 Gi

Hmmmm, well that pretty much ends this complaint session.
Move along, there's nothing to see here.

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06' 240 Horizon
Mercruiser 350 mag Bravo III

Yup, Tennja's right. Whenever I need to get the boat in for service, I don't look at the hourly rate, or much else. I am generally a do-it-yourself'er for the typical routine stuff, but when needed I take the boat in, hand over the credit card and close my eyes.

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Walt B
"Debt-Charged"
Black '07 H210SS
6.2L Bravo One turning a 21P HIFive
Wakeboard Tower with Perfect Pass Stargazer version
Missouri River; Kansas City, Mo.

95 an hour in Tulsa, OK. I will NOT be paying that unless the motor seizes. I havent used any mechanics for anything in years, theres no telling how much I have saved. What takes them an hour may take me all day but its worth the saving.

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1990 Horizon 200
5.7L OMC Cobra 260HP

Ditto!

We complain about shop rates at our boat dealer, but our favorite automotive shops are at the $100/hr rate as well.

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2000 248 5.7L DP
'92, '94 SXI 750, '08 STX 15F, '12 Ultra LX 300
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