How much does your mechanic charge?

So my plan is to do most of the work required on my 1982 XJ750 Maxim myself, but I wanna get it checked out by a professional mechanic first. Between brakes, drivetrains, and the rest, its easy to get myself killed if something is amiss. I was wondering how much most of your mechanics charged? The guy I was going to bring it to for a full tune-up charges $250 for a tune up + $25 a brake caliper+pads. His hourly rate is $78. I found him recommended on this site. I was just curious what everyone is charging these days. Thanks!

 

average here in calgary at a shop is about $110.00 per hour
Shaun

 

I charge $60. The dealers around here are 75-85. 78 sounds reasonable, I'd have thought the DC area would be higher.

Most shops bill flat rate. The price of the labor is the labor rate times the task time in their "book". The book likely will vary shop to shop, so $/hour is only a starting point.

I'm wondering what's included in a $250 tune up? Tune up wise an XJ only needs plugs and a carburetor sync, which should be well less that $250. Now if the $250 is plugs, carburetor sync, valve lash, oil and final drive lube change then it's a pretty good deal.

 

I agree with Carl. $78 is reasonable. The local stealership charges $90/hr. However, they refuse to work on bikes more than 6-7 years old. I have a friend that is the sales manager and he hooked me up with one of their mechanics that does side work. His rate is $40/hr + parts. Very, very reasonable and excellent work. Parts for me end up pretty cheap, too. I use Chacal and my friend at the stealership also can get me parts at his cost, which is 50% of list.

Len is cheaper than my friend on some things and vice-versa.

 

$140/hr. An oil change is $180 including BMW oil (dino not synthetic) and filter. The 12K service is $1500. But hey! It does include valve lash check! 4 valves per cylinder! How asinine is this!? I did the 12 K for just under $200 in parts and fluids! This includes the low beam HID headlight.

Who can afford these ridiculous rates?

Are there speed bleeders available for the Maxims? EASY way to bleed/replace brake fluid. Install one for each bleed screw and the built in one way valve lets fluid through but the one way valve will not let air go back into the system. Extremely quick and only requires one person.

 

Wamaxim,

Do they take the bike apart to do the oil change? Wow, I shoulda been a BMW mechanic...

 

I charge $40.00/hour for motorcycle work. I am not a "professional" motorcycle mechanic; although I have been a professional aircraft mechanic for 30+ years. I charge $80.00/hour in that business. Guess I should've been a BMW mechanic?

 

Ahoy there Cap'n, not to be a killjoy, but if you do work on bikes for reward, are you covered if something goes bosseyed & someone gets hurt.

 

I'd say my mechanic does about 90% of my repair work for free...But when he scrapes his knuckles breakin' loose a nut or bolt..I feel the pain.
I am my own mechanic....for the big things on the car I have a retired mechanic who I help do the repairs with and he charges about a 6pack an hour.
For the bikes I do everything...can't afford the $80/hr min they want around here...

 

i never paid anyone to work on my bikes, and if i work on somebody's the fee is a 30 min ride on it or a beer or both

 

In the works......
Yes, I am well aware of the litigious society we live in today. It's a shame, isn't it, that merely providing a service is grounds for a lawsuit?
Aside from that, I have no qualms whatsoever about my workmanship and mechanical skills. Any lawsuit would have to be totally fraudulent, which in itself is a crime. 8)
I put my life on the line with every ride I take on all three of my bikes, because I'm the only one who touches them.

 

Thanks for all the info guys! Sounds like a good place, guy specializes in older japanese bikes. Full tune up with all the fluids and synchs, stainless brake lines, and having my brakes done. Can't wait to see how she purrs after

 

T&J
I live in Cherry Hill just over the bridge from Philly. A buddy of mine who doesn't far from me (about 30 minutes in Southampton) that charges $40 and hour and is real good. He's been working on bikes for almost 15 years. His name is Chris. Give him a call. His number is 609-670-4196. Hope this helps. He's the only one that works on my bike now. He just brought mine back from the dead today.

 

That sounds awesome Wesley! Thanks a ton! I'll be back in Philly in Sept and will def give him a call next time I need something!

 

I work for beer but only on my own stuff. I could do yours but it's better long term to learn to do it yourself. I'm up in Baltimore and would be willing to help you wrench if you need it. I got most all the tools we could need.

 

For the engine oil change they don't. However you have to pull three screws holding the cover for the oil filter compartment. Then you have to use a very thin metal only filter wrench to reach up inside to remove the oil filter. The filter literally has as much oil on the outside as it does on the inside as it sits in circulating oil.. And it is a spin on and not a cartridge filter. What a freakin oily mess!

To change the transmission oil you are supposed to remove the lower left fairing. Which requires removing the left middle fairing. Which requires removing the left upper fairing. The thing has to be peeled like an onion. I figured out that by removing 3 of the lower left fairing attachment screws I could warp the lower fairing and reach the one screw that requires the lower fairing to be removed. Saved me about 1 1/2 hrs of work! Removal of the fairings is one of the things that makes it so expensive to have BMW work on them.

Oh, the BMW oil filter is $15 and BMW dino engine oil is $9.00 + / qt x 4 plus the crush washers and the o-ring that goes around the oil filter compartment. I used a Bosch oil filter and Castrol 20W-50 which meets BMW's requirements. Royal Purple synthetic in the gear box and final drive. Total for fluid change? About $40 including the filter.

I figure I just earned $110 toward paying for my pneumatic MC lift. If you don't have a lift and can swing it get one! It is unbelievable how much nicer it is to work on a bike when it is at waist level.

Loren

 

I do my own work. if something goes wrong, I can only blame myself.
I help a friend with his bike on occasion, but mostly tuning.

 

i started to reply yesterday but a slow connection prevented it from posting...

i originally said i dont have any idea what Carl charges but im happy with his work. make that VERY happy with his work...

i believe in the quality trumps costivity paradigm...

having read the entire post now, i see what ive been paying. still peanuts for the amount of BS hes had to put up with from me and these 25-28yr old bikes of mine...

GO MiCarl!

 

Since 1988, I have been the only mechanic on my bikes. MUCH cheaper and I can trust my own work. I say this as I have had cager mechanics mess up too many of my cars (even at the stealership) and I've simply never learned to trust another mechanic.

 

Thanks so much for that offer iwingameover! Let me know whenever you're doing any mechanical work on your bike if you don't mind me tagging along. I'd love to watch and learn! Thanks!

 

If it's not the bike It's my other XJ (cherokee). On the bike, I've got tires to change and rear brakes to do while it's off coming up in a few weeks. I need to decide on a date. Weekend date for sure. The other XJ needs a clutch and I have a couple gear sets to go in it....

 

I don't charge myself anything, other than the price of parts. I have always wrenched on my own bikes.

Early on, I took my bikes to a few shops in the DC area, and found that they didn't do the work, but charged me anyway.

I feel better doing all the work myself. At least I know it was done correctly and completely. And truth to tell, I just really like wrenching on bikes!

I had a buddy that would give me his bike for the weekend if I would change oil, do tuneups, etc and he would reimburse me for the parts/supplies, etc. It was a great arrangement!

Now a days, the bike shops around here won't even touch a bike that is 5 years or older! Since I insist on riding these older bikes, I'll just keep fixing and restoring myself!

If you are ever in Aggieland, Tx stop by and say "hi."

 

I was in a lawnmower shop this afternoon. Their labor rate was posted at $62/hour. 8O

 

Seems cheap since you could tear down an entire mower in about an hour if you know what you're doing.....

 

It's not tearing it apart.....it's putting it back together. Correctly. :roll:

 

I know some people have talked about oil changes. I change my own oil and all together it cost me about $15.