Dealer hourly rate

Profit is NOT a dirty word. All the traffic will bear is also not a dirty word. I own a service business with 17 employees at one time. I live in a normal neighborhood and not in a mansion. I am responsible for shoes. All those shoes. Seventeen pairs of them to start and then their families shoes too.

If you have never run a business, owned a business, then you really have no right to decide what the dealer should charge. You have a choice, vote with your checkbook and buy elsewhere. Lets pick on dentists and doctors now.

Being responsible for all those shoes entitles me to earn a bit more than my lead tech.

So what is a reasonable income for a business owner? 50K, 100K,150K,200K. Guess you might want to ask Bill Gates or Donald Trump.

When you come to these forums you find many service people providing thousands of hours of free advice so you don't have to go to those service people.

Anyway, I have vented now. Thank that small service business person for the jobs they provide and the taxes they send to the government. You might want to ask them how many donations they are asked to make through the year too. Every other day some organization is asking for a small donation. It adds up. I spend about 5K a year on little league, soccer, police and fire support, make a wish, and you name it.

Oasisbob wrote:
That is totally insane to pay an RV tech that much. I thought $60 an hour was outrageous.

The money doesn't go all to the tech. Most of it goes to the business itself. The tech gets $20-$30. It costs money for the buildings, shop costs, taxes, operating expenses etc. $90-$100 is typical shop rate. $130 that many dealers charge is excessive. Local RV shops (non-dealer) around my area are all closer to $90.

My older brother has done automotive electric work for years. He laughs at the "book" rate for how long it will take. He's usually at 50% or less of the time quoted.

Most techs in the auto world get some percent of the quoted book rate -- so if they can do it faster, they get more money. And if they run into trouble, it COSTS them money. So they learn tricks of how to "cheat" -- what really has to come off, special tools they make, how to snake things into impossible spaces.

When I'd watch big brother do a complicated job all I'd see was parts flying everywhere, he never even LOOKED at a socket or wrench -- just knew the size -- and his manuals all stayed up on the shelf.

In the two-wheel world we call them "stealerships"

130hr here in Canada but most rv centers here are only open 8months TV shops are around 120hr

I thought that out of the per hour deal the mechanic gets a percentage of that. Had to replace shocks on wifes car, dealer wanted $220.00 to change both rear shocks. Asked why so much and was told that the mechanic has to do the job by hand, no power tools at all. I changed the shocks in 30 minutes so saved that money. Was told that the mechanic gets 40 Percent of the labor, which would have been $88.00 for 30 minutes of work. They get the price out of a labor guide. Also some of that money has to go to obama care.

My local truck repair garage charges $80 per hour. Its not a CW or even an RV garage, although I often see other RVs there. He does good work.

Buyers come from 4 states & all over to buy campers his prices are low & his overhead is low. So he passes deals along.

They were probably out at the Martinsville Speedway servicing the campers today...........

Sprink-Fitter wrote:

Oaklevel wrote:

Mfan wrote:
I wonder if that hourly rate includes the tools and building expenses too? I wonder what the service manager makes? Or, maybe he is a workcamper?

Our dealer charges $65 per hour which covers the techs wages, electricity, building payment/ expenses, supplies (not charged), tools / lifts etc. that are not owned by the mechanic, insurance, taxes, the list goes on........... Our dealer does not have a service manager, but them too.......

Nobody knows where you live, but I would guess the tech does not make much an hour.

I install fire sprinklers for a living, I know about what my employer charges to have me do something at a building for a few hours, we all have to make a living.

You are probably right, but the dealership is in an old 1970s VW dealership building that sat empty for years so the building cost is minimal, the area unemployment rate is still high so wages are probably low & the whole dealership has 4 total full time employees, the owner & the 2 sales people (also they do the trailer prep work) also work service when needed.

It's not the hourly rate so much as it is how much they pad the bill.I was quoted 6 1/2 hrs for replacing brushes&voltage regulator,did it myself in three&I didn't even work too fast.I was a tool&die maker for 40 years&believe me,Iknow how it's done.Was at my uncle's small engine shop once.Guy brought in a riding lawnmower,said the deck wouldn't raise.After he left ,uncle lookedunderneath,grabbed the steering wheel with one hand,other hand on the floor to brace himself,stuck his leg underneath,gave a good hard kick.Grabbed the lever &it worked perfectly.He said it was the easiest $60.00 he made all day.