Is this excessive servicing costs on a Hilux??

Submitted: Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 21:26
ThreadID: 70374 Views:11240 Replies:11 FollowUps:20
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Hi All

I tried a new mechanics today, that was referred to me by a uncle. Last time I had my car serviced my usual mechanic was too busy to grease the wheel bearings, so I thought if they can't do a simple job when booked a week ahead I would go elsewhere.

Basically I had a loose front right wheel bearing on my 2000 Hilux 4WD and told them what I thought it was and if they could rectify it. In the process I said to them to grease both the front and rear wheel bearings and put on new brake pads up front (I knew they were low).

Before I went in, my uncle said it would be about a 1.5-2hour job and then you would allow costs for fitting and supplying new pads. All up I thought I'd be up for around $300 - $350.

Got the bill this afternoon for $654... Including GST
Basically they said it took 5 hours at $90/hr, $95 for new 4WD Bendix front pads and $50 or so for sundry items (seals and brake fluid)... Then add GST.

Obviously the work was done so I paid for it, but was wondering if these costs seem excessive due to the job being pretty straight forward and getting advice from mechanically minded uncle.

Any comments would be good.

Thanks.
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Reply By: wild dog - Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 21:40

Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 21:40
Remove. clean, refit and adjust all wheel bearings and replace front brakes pads----------1.5to 2 hours ???????????????????
Sounds like your uncle must be a very quick mechanic.
AnswerID: 372983

Reply By: Lex M (Brisbane) - Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 21:56

Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 21:56
Just curious. Did they grease the rear wheel bearings?
AnswerID: 372986

Follow Up By: ozwasp - Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 22:48

Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 22:48
Yes.... Don't think they had ever been done in its 190,000km life

Are the rears any different?
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Follow Up By: Lex M (Brisbane) - Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 23:07

Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 23:07
The only service procedure my manual shows for rear bearings is check end float and replace if greater than .7mm. No mention of lube.
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Follow Up By: Lex M (Brisbane) - Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 23:12

Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 23:12
Nothing in any of the maintenance schedule either.
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Follow Up By: fisho64 - Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 23:47

Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 23:47
I thought they were splash fed from diff oil?
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Reply By: Malleerv - Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 22:30

Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 22:30
A "simple" front wheel bearing repack and pad replacement, I would charge for 3 hours roughly. If there were any hicups than its anyone's guess how long it would take.
Did the perform any other repairs or inspections while there?

Cheers Matt
AnswerID: 372995

Follow Up By: ozwasp - Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 22:50

Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 22:50
They greased the prop shafts and bled the brakes... A roadtest and general look over too
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Follow Up By: Malleerv - Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 23:04

Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 23:04
extra time to bleed the brakes and I see they repacked the rear wheel bearing so double my first estimate. The whole job would have been around 6 hours at a guess which is $330 @ $55per hour(what I charge).


Cheers Matt
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Follow Up By: Member - extfilm (NSW) - Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 01:32

Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 01:32
There is no repack of rear wheel bearings
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Reply By: donk - Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 23:35

Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 23:35
A competent mechanic should be able to repack the front wheel bearings & replace front pads on a hilux in 2 hours

The rear wheel bearings are a sealed bearing & require no maintenance

To completly replace the brake fluid should take no more that 1/2 a hour

Regards Don
AnswerID: 373005

Follow Up By: donk - Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 23:42

Friday, Jul 03, 2009 at 23:42
Also to grease the propshafts it takes around 10 mins on a hoist

In addition to what i said regarding the rears it is not possible to do anything with them other than replace them if they fail

Regards Don
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Reply By: nowimnumberone - Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 09:05

Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 09:05
hilux wheel bearings remove clean repack refit and brake pad change including bleeding is no more than 2.5 hours.shouldnt be any more than $350.
cheers
AnswerID: 373031

Reply By: paulnsw - Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 09:13

Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 09:13
If you had bought the brake pads yourself $50
$90 hr PLUS GST is a ripoff. The fancy dealer workshop go to with all the flash electronic gear and dolly blonde receptionist who meets and greets and gives you coffee and arranges to drop you off and pick you up only charges $70 INCLUDING GST
AnswerID: 373033

Follow Up By: Wherehegon - Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 13:42

Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 13:42
"""The fancy dealer workshop go to with all the flash electronic gear and dolly blonde receptionist who meets and greets and gives you coffee and arranges to drop you off and pick you up only charges $70 INCLUDING GST"""

Not here in Sydney they dont !!! Dealership in Blacktown charge $120 an hour, plus obviously parts and $8 to get rid of your engine oil. Regards Steve
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Follow Up By: Madfisher - Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 19:14

Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 19:14
Gotta agree with you Steve, $120 an hour is the going rate for dealers, and and the small guy we use for our fleet charges $80 an hour.But goes out of his way to make sure we are happy. I think my mechanic is only on about $50 and hour, but has no fancy gear to pay for.
Cheers Pete
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Reply By: wild dog - Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 09:52

Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 09:52
Are the rear axles being pulled to check the bearings or not ????

Spinning the rear wheel with no load on the bearing is hardly a satisfactory checkup if the customer has requested ALL wheel bearings to be checked.

Mechanics are always in a no win situation, check everything and charge the customer they whinge because it's too much. Don't check it and they whinge because you haven't done your job properly.

Another classic is radiator hoses. Unless you've got xray vision how do you tell the condition of the inside of a radiator hose. You can't.
AnswerID: 373039

Reply By: Member - Kiwi Kia - Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 14:11

Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 14:11
Three weeks ago I asked for a quote from the Toyota agent in Alice to do an engine oil and filter change on my Troopy Answer; $300 - $350 !!!!
I asked what the labour charge out rate was, answer $126 per hour !!!

MacDonnell Range caravan park has a special area where you are welcome to do your own oil change using the provided catch trays and then dump your old oil in the 44 gal drum provided - all for free.
Oil & filter from Repco (they use Mobil oil) $70.

KK
AnswerID: 373062

Follow Up By: Louie the fly (SA) - Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 17:46

Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 17:46
$126 an hour? What a ripoff! And a company that designs, builds, commissions and services 1 off, quality made, customer specific special purpose machines can only charge $65 an hour and still be accused of ripping people off? And then the customer wants US to carry the cost of THEIR design changes. I think it's time we put our hourly rate up. Oh, and we're expected to do the customer's engineering brief for nothing as well. And we have a $3M investment in equipment.

Thing is, I suppose when you're dealing with the public you can charge what you want.

Louie
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Reply By: mechpete - Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 20:43

Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 20:43
i don,t know where you blokes get your estimated times from ,
as for labour rates , even the average ford /holden dealer has been over $90
p/hr for yonks
mechpete .
AnswerID: 373106

Reply By: donk - Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 21:10

Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 21:10
Where i work (country WA Toyota Dealership) we currently charge $110 inc G.S.T at the moment

On the invoice for the work carried out in the inital post what did they say they did with the rear wheel bearings

Regards Don
AnswerID: 373109

Follow Up By: Wherehegon - Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 21:49

Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 21:49
As an owner of a hilux previously my bet is they did buggar all to the rear one's. Maybe checked the diff oil at best would be my bet... Regards Steve
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FollowupID: 640308

Follow Up By: ozwasp - Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 22:01

Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 22:01
Pertaining to the wheel bearings the invoice said "adjust and repack wheel bearings all round"(part of $450.00) and "inner hub seal bearings" ($27.00) and "outer hub gaskets" ($7.60).... Prices are before GST
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Follow Up By: donk - Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 22:26

Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 22:26
I honestly can not see that they could do anything with the rear wheel bearings

Regards Don
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Follow Up By: ozwasp - Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 22:36

Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 22:36
What do you mean by that? They said the bearing was an inner bearing (holding the diff oil back) and that they did work on it.
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Follow Up By: ozwasp - Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 22:38

Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 22:38
Also, what would Toyota charge to do the same job roughly?
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Follow Up By: donk - Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 22:56

Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 22:56
There is one sealed rear wheel bearing (see the exploded view in the link below) on a hilux but it is not serviceable

If it gets noisey (you will normally hear it if it is failing) it is replaced along with the seals,collar & oring

If i was quoting on repacking the front wheel bearings,replacing the front pads & replacing the brake fluid i would look at 2.5 hours labour (unless something unforseen happens along the way )+ parts (free wheeling hub gaskets,hub gaskets,hub seals,lock tabs & front brake pads) ,brake fluid & grease
Site Link

Regards Don

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FollowupID: 640315

Follow Up By: donk - Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 23:07

Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 23:07
I estimate using all genuine parts your bill would be around $500 to do what i have described

To do the 3 things at seperate times would cost more but when you do them at the same time you can do it quicker as you are working in the same area

Regards Don
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FollowupID: 640316

Follow Up By: fisho64 - Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 23:53

Saturday, Jul 04, 2009 at 23:53
Ask toyota, they ought to have all common jobs costed out already, and can quote you for a "standard" job.
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FollowupID: 640318

Follow Up By: Lex M (Brisbane) - Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 00:22

Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 00:22
My owners handbook shows service time of 3.3 hours for a schedule service which includes front wheel bearings, oil change etc
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Reply By: disco driver - Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 14:40

Sunday, Jul 05, 2009 at 14:40
Hi Ozwasp,
Have you spoken face to face to the workshop manager/foreman/mechanic about what was actually done and why it was so expensive?
There may be good reasons for the apparent high cost of the job, but unless you ask, you have no idea of what actually happened in your case.

It does sound a bit expensive, but in todays climate who knows.

Disco.
AnswerID: 373178

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