Is this a fair Bobcat service invoice?

[skidsteerforum]

We recently had our Bobcat (S650) serviced (500 hours) on-site about 10 miles from the service center as our trailer is down. The quote was well under the final bill. Is this normal?

Parts:

• Hydraulic Cartridge Filter: $64.51
• Hydraulic Cap: $34.82
• Multi-purpose Grease: $7.98
• Oil Filter Assembly: $96.24
• Air Inner Filter: $57.43
• Air Outer Filter: $86.68
• Fuel Filter: $93.98
• 15W40 Oil: $61.77
• Other filters: $47.56, $33.37
• Hydraulic Oil (VG68, 1 gal): $33.93
• Freight-in: $12.13
• Filter Cap: $30.71

Labor:

• $696.15
• $390.00 (Driving to site)

Work Order Summary:

• Parts: $661.11
• Labor: $1,086.15
• Environmental Charge: $13.22
• Shop Supplies: $75.07
• Zone 1 Charge: $80.00
• Subtotal: $1,915.55

Taxes:

• City: $28.73
• County: $9.58
• State: $119.74

Total: $2,073.60

 

[laurencen]

depends what you would save had you taken it in, would the savings just be the $390 and zone charge of $80? what was your initial quote, I do not thing service cost of $1445.55 before taxes ia bad if done at a dealer

 

[skidsteerforum]

Yep if I have gotten it there, it would have saved $470. However, I didn't know and they didn't say they bill for driving I guess to and from the location ....

 

[hondo]

We recently had our Bobcat (S650) serviced (500 hours) on-site about 10 miles from the service center as our trailer is down. The quote was well under the final bill. Is this normal?

Parts:

• Hydraulic Cartridge Filter: $64.51
• Hydraulic Cap: $34.82
• Multi-purpose Grease: $7.98
• Oil Filter Assembly: $96.24
• Air Inner Filter: $57.43
• Air Outer Filter: $86.68
• Fuel Filter: $93.98
• 15W40 Oil: $61.77
• Other filters: $47.56, $33.37
• Hydraulic Oil (VG68, 1 gal): $33.93
• Freight-in: $12.13
• Filter Cap: $30.71

Labor:

• $696.15
• $390.00 (Driving to site)

Work Order Summary:

• Parts: $661.11
• Labor: $1,086.15
• Environmental Charge: $13.22
• Shop Supplies: $75.07
• Zone 1 Charge: $80.00
• Subtotal: $1,915.55

Taxes:

• City: $28.73
• County: $9.58
• State: $119.74

Total: $2,073.60

Hello,

Wish I could help you out, but I'm situated in Scandinavia. But I think $390 for the journey to site and back is pretty stiff. Here in Norway you'd pay less than half that price..

I wish you good luck though.

//Hondo

 

[Alaska_Rancher]

That is off the chart and why I learned to service my own machines

 

[Fabricator]

For on-site service, I don't think $500 is bad. It's not just the distance traveled and the time involved, it is having all the tools and supplies stocked in a truck to do all the work out in the field.

I work part-time for a truck and trailer shop. We do all work in the shop, but there is one long-time customer that we'll do little jobs at their location to keep them happy. I can't tell you how many times I've been sent out for "just this little job" only to find it was more involved than they said over the phone and either had to go back to the shop for more/different tools & supplies or had to make do with what I had on hand. We do not have a service truck, so it is a matter of throwing what I think I'll need into a bag and driving twenty minutes (each way) to their location.

As for the parts costs, you'd have to see how they compare to costs elsewhere for those specific items. Just from the oils and grease listed, those seem about right. A couple of the filters seem expensive, but I'm not familiar with what an S650. The hydraulic cap and filter cap seem odd - are those single use, damaged, or what? Likewise, the oil filter assembly - did the whole assembly need to be replaced? Again, I don't know the specifics of an S650 but it would seem to be odd to replace "hard" parts unless there was an issue.

 

[skidsteerforum]

For on-site service, I don't think $500 is bad. It's not just the distance traveled and the time involved, it is having all the tools and supplies stocked in a truck to do all the work out in the field.

I work part-time for a truck and trailer shop. We do all work in the shop, but there is one long-time customer that we'll do little jobs at their location to keep them happy. I can't tell you how many times I've been sent out for "just this little job" only to find it was more involved than they said over the phone and either had to go back to the shop for more/different tools & supplies or had to make do with what I had on hand. We do not have a service truck, so it is a matter of throwing what I think I'll need into a bag and driving twenty minutes (each way) to their location.

As for the parts costs, you'd have to see how they compare to costs elsewhere for those specific items. Just from the oils and grease listed, those seem about right. A couple of the filters seem expensive, but I'm not familiar with what an S650. The hydraulic cap and filter cap seem odd - are those single use, damaged, or what? Likewise, the oil filter assembly - did the whole assembly need to be replaced? Again, I don't know the specifics of an S650 but it would seem to be odd to replace "hard" parts unless there was an issue.

They said a new cap style was needed as the old style had inefficiencies.

 

[Tlawdogg]

Ok, the Factory parts are on target.
The extra almost $500 to come out is Very High (If only 10 miles) . You really have to weigh your Time, wear and tear on trailer and Truck to haul the skid steer to a shop. Then go back and pick it up. To some it's worth the almost $500 to others it's not and they could deduct the almost $500 off of their bill.
Todd

 

[gjinc]

Bobcat parts and service is outrageous.

 

[Mturbo28]

I also do all my own maintenance to avoid being ripped off by the Dealer, when I do need Professional assistance there are a few Independent Mobile Equipment mechanics I can call, I buy the parts and they do the work, they are way more reasonable and honest than our Dealership. Dealership prices are unacceptable, especially when they quote you a lower price and then actually charge way more in the end..

 

[dkmc]

Would be very interesting to compare their filter prices to Baldwin or Wix prices

 

[david.ervin]

Looks like a lot of service. I can't speak to if those numbers are "fair", but the mobilization and driving distance might be in line with the industry norm. I recently blew a hydraulic line to the curl on my bobcat's bucket and had it trailered and serviced. Parts were like $50, but transporting the thing was $150 each way. In this case, you may be farther away, or the service center is mobilizing a lot of stuff to be able to fix your machine on-site.

 

[700wildcat]

That invoice is great incentive to get your hands dirty. Probably source the parts at half or less elsewhere also. They call them stealerships for a reason.

 

[pelletman]

You probably could have had it towed there on a rollback for $100 each way. Crazy prices on parts too. You could do better if you serviced the simple things yourself

 

[carl johansson]

How long did it take to service the machine. Seems like a lot of "Labor" for a standard service

 

[Firefighter]

I do believe it is a little hi as far as the driving part & labor , i guess it depends largely where u are located in the country,
some parts of the country that isnt a bad price for a service. where im located in a farming community that would be considered, a pretty steep bill, to do a service on those on site i would think 3 hrs would be plenty, so i would think labor rates would be close to 200 an hr. our local bobcat dealer labor rates before covid hit was around 70 an hr
in house, not sure what it would have been on site. As far as parts, as was mentioned can't do much about those prices

 

[hamik]

I am in Canada and a full service (at the shop) is 500 plus tax. I can see an offsite service being more but it does seem a little ridiculous.

 

[MX727]

What do you charge customers to move your machine to their site and back? Is it an hour of labor each way? That's about what I build into my estimates. I don't do partial hours for the move. Of course, I have loading and unloading in that time, but on-site is always going to cost more. Did they have to go back for any other parts or supplies?

$390 isn't ridiculous for onsite and the parts aren't really out of line.

 

[mdstihl]

All but 1100 bucks for labor (390 for 10 miles??) is pretty high IMO. I'd also ask them for a rough listing of what shop supplies they used. I can see 15 or 20 bucks for towels, PB Blaster and whatnot. And exactly what the Zone charge is for.

 

[Shanmar]

Wow! You are talking US$, correct?
Parts are probably in line with dealer prices but good quality (Baldwin, Wix) could be had cheaper. $7.98 for grease???? $$33.93 for a gallon of hydraulic oil????
But.....what is their hourly rate? Looks like they changed engine oil & filter, changed engine air filters, changed hydraulic filter, changed 2 other filters (cab air??) and greased it (don't know what the 2 caps are about). I'm not familiar with Bobcat's, but if I'd expect to do that in an hour on my New Holland. $696 = really? Did they blow it all out, hand wash it, wax and polish it and detail the interior?? And then $470 to drive 20 miles round trip--$23.50/mile--now that's profit.
No.