Why?
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,900
Likes: 12
Why?
Called an Indy here today. Asked what the service per hour charge is at the shop. Was told $60.00/hr.
Sounds reasonable. So I asked what is a cam change on a TC gonna run me? I was told $1000.00.
I said, I have the parts. I was then told $550.00. I said it is going to take you over 10 hours to swap my cams? He said it will take all day at least. Then he came down to 8 hours @ 60.00/hr. So $480.00 to do the change.
I thought it was about a 4 hour job.
Drain oil.
Remove parts.
Install Parts.
Refill Oil.
So is 8 hours a little much? I am not going to let them do it, but found a new shop in town, and thought I'd call and ask.
So far in my town I have been quoted this:
Dealer: Parts, Labor, Tune = $1200.00
Indy 1: Parts, Labor = $1000.00
Indy 2: Parts, Labor = $1800.00
Indy 3: Parts, Labor = $1000.00
Indy 3: Labor = $480.00 to $550.00
My question is there a labor time associated with a cam change like auto mechanics. Does it list the time it should take to change cams in a TC? i.e. You should charge X amount of hour for this job.
Sounds reasonable. So I asked what is a cam change on a TC gonna run me? I was told $1000.00.
I said, I have the parts. I was then told $550.00. I said it is going to take you over 10 hours to swap my cams? He said it will take all day at least. Then he came down to 8 hours @ 60.00/hr. So $480.00 to do the change.
I thought it was about a 4 hour job.
Drain oil.
Remove parts.
Install Parts.
Refill Oil.
So is 8 hours a little much? I am not going to let them do it, but found a new shop in town, and thought I'd call and ask.
So far in my town I have been quoted this:
Dealer: Parts, Labor, Tune = $1200.00
Indy 1: Parts, Labor = $1000.00
Indy 2: Parts, Labor = $1800.00
Indy 3: Parts, Labor = $1000.00
Indy 3: Labor = $480.00 to $550.00
My question is there a labor time associated with a cam change like auto mechanics. Does it list the time it should take to change cams in a TC? i.e. You should charge X amount of hour for this job.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 859
Likes: 14
From: Millsboro Delaware
I am not sure if there is a labor/hour chart like there is for cars, but I would bet there is something like that. Since you already have the parts I would also bet that they are banging you a little harder for labor as they can not make any money on the parts. Most shops by me would rather sell you the parts so they can make a few extra bucks, plus some have said that the warranty will only be on the install and you are on your own for the parts, in other words if there is a problem it may be difficult to prove that the shop screwed up the install.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,900
Likes: 12
Maybe, but $1000 for parts and labor is pretty much the deal they are giving. That is $400 for parts, and $600 for labor. Don't see the difference if there is one with me having parts. Labor is still $600, or close to it.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,091
Likes: 1
From: Odessa Mo
wow definatly seems high, it calls for 4.5 hours I think, my local indy is more than my hd dealer!!!! I did cams myself. Read twice, go slow, the only tool you need is the cam bearing tool. that is if you are changing the bearings.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 352
Likes: 3
From: NorCal
I will probably sound like an a$$ and that is not my intent .... but that's what's right & wrong with america. Everybody wants a "deal" but then they are surprised when they get a "crap" job.
You can do the job yourself or have a professional do it - do you really want a bottom dollar price only to have some clown bust out a a pair of plyers and a hammer on your ride. You got to find someone you think you can trust and cross your fingers.
I just happened to have done a cam change recently and I did the head gasket too. At one point when it was all laying on my garage floor I thought - what have I got myself into ??? Maybe I should have paided someone. Well, I held my breath and it fired up - it runs pretty strong but I think I will eventually need to get it tuned and then I'll be looking for someone I can trust .... sooner or later we all got to pay.
Good Luck with whatever you decide - Jimmie
BTW - SE 204's ???
You can do the job yourself or have a professional do it - do you really want a bottom dollar price only to have some clown bust out a a pair of plyers and a hammer on your ride. You got to find someone you think you can trust and cross your fingers.
I just happened to have done a cam change recently and I did the head gasket too. At one point when it was all laying on my garage floor I thought - what have I got myself into ??? Maybe I should have paided someone. Well, I held my breath and it fired up - it runs pretty strong but I think I will eventually need to get it tuned and then I'll be looking for someone I can trust .... sooner or later we all got to pay.
Good Luck with whatever you decide - Jimmie
BTW - SE 204's ???
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,900
Likes: 12
JimmieJack,
You don't sounds like an ***, but if you can do math you can see that charging for 10 hours of service time to do a 4.5 hour job is giving it to the customer in the a$$. Agreed?
That issue I have. How can you trust anyone who give the **** up front.
If I told you it would take me (a pro?) 4 hours @ 20/hr to make you Macaroni and Cheese from a box, would you still pay me to cook it when the package says boil for 5-9 minutes, mix in milk and butter, then serve? If you will, then I'll be your personal chef. <----- Sarcasm
I am not out to get over on anyone by being an American. I just do not think I owe anyone to pay more for being one either. An honest day, an honest dollar. Ever heard of that?
I like the way the SE-204 looks, but I am not wanting to pay $275 more on the cam just to have it pull out past 5000 RPM. I just do not ride out there. All the logging I see from my data collection puts me over 4500 RPM about 3% of the time. I commute to work and back, and ride on about 4 trips in the state I live in to ride some bigger twisties than I have around my house. So the extra boost and cost of the SE-204 sounds like a waste, and would probably not be used. I don't drag race my motorcycle.
Come to think of it. Since I commute on it, and ride it to enjoy it, and can still pull away from most cars/trucks/18 wheelers when riding, get close to 45 mpg hwy - 40 mpg city, and have a nice ridding motorcycle, why would I put any cam in it?
Now I might just resale the SE-255, so that I don't have to pay someone to bend me over, let the forum member that was going to help me install it myself ride this summer, and not have to go through any headaches with me that might come up. Keep a perfectly good running motorcycle running good, and spend the money on gas, oil, and tires.
You don't sounds like an ***, but if you can do math you can see that charging for 10 hours of service time to do a 4.5 hour job is giving it to the customer in the a$$. Agreed?
That issue I have. How can you trust anyone who give the **** up front.
If I told you it would take me (a pro?) 4 hours @ 20/hr to make you Macaroni and Cheese from a box, would you still pay me to cook it when the package says boil for 5-9 minutes, mix in milk and butter, then serve? If you will, then I'll be your personal chef. <----- Sarcasm
I am not out to get over on anyone by being an American. I just do not think I owe anyone to pay more for being one either. An honest day, an honest dollar. Ever heard of that?
I like the way the SE-204 looks, but I am not wanting to pay $275 more on the cam just to have it pull out past 5000 RPM. I just do not ride out there. All the logging I see from my data collection puts me over 4500 RPM about 3% of the time. I commute to work and back, and ride on about 4 trips in the state I live in to ride some bigger twisties than I have around my house. So the extra boost and cost of the SE-204 sounds like a waste, and would probably not be used. I don't drag race my motorcycle.
Come to think of it. Since I commute on it, and ride it to enjoy it, and can still pull away from most cars/trucks/18 wheelers when riding, get close to 45 mpg hwy - 40 mpg city, and have a nice ridding motorcycle, why would I put any cam in it?
Now I might just resale the SE-255, so that I don't have to pay someone to bend me over, let the forum member that was going to help me install it myself ride this summer, and not have to go through any headaches with me that might come up. Keep a perfectly good running motorcycle running good, and spend the money on gas, oil, and tires.
Last edited by editbrain; Mar 2, 2011 at 03:44 AM.
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,562
Likes: 11
From: Palm Harbor fl.
that sounds high. I had my cams installed. The reason.. his labor was about 50 bucks more than the bearing puller and installer tools I would have needed to buy to do it myself(05). No brainer, let him install the damn cams. Basically I think he was around 325 or so labor.
