Insane MF dealer workshop prices.

[jorgenbg]

Hi

Just got my MF7718 back from the stealers. The electric spool valve was playing up, and needed changing.

Invoice say:

8 hours of work at 100 punds per hour.

8 hours sounds just insane to me. Any idea what this kind of job involves. To me it just looks like a few scews.

Total price incl. parts with current exchange rate is 1600 punds ex. vat.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

Have you asked the dealer about this amount you have been billed ?

 

[masseybreaker]

if its one of the inner slices all the steel pipes off the other spool to get to the inner spool then everything back on not a quick job maybe not 8 hours but could quite easily be that . not just taking the electric bit off the back of the spool swopping all of it

 

[jorgenbg]

Have you asked the dealer about this amount you have been billed ?

No, I just got it in the mail and was shocked.

 

[jorgenbg]

if its one of the inner slices all the steel pipes off the other spool to get to the inner spool then everything back on not a quick job maybe not 8 hours but could quite easily be that . not just taking the electric bit off the back of the spool swopping all of it

Had the outer one replaced two years ago, but this time it was the inner one. They called me 5 minutes before closing to tell me it was finished. Just found it a bit odd. A hole working day for one spool valve sounds a bit much, but I guess its possible.

 

[Chae1]

Had the outer one replaced two years ago, but this time it was the inner one. They called me 5 minutes before closing to tell me it was finished. Just found it a bit odd. A hole working day for one spool valve sounds a bit much, but I guess its possible.

Did you ask for a price before they did the job?

 

[Bullring]

I’ve had this before with a MF dealer job, tractor needed splitting to do damper plate. 40 hours work charged. The next time it needed splitting to do gearbox synchros which is basically the same job I used their previous MF trained fitter who has since gone on his own and he done the whole job in 20 hours including rebuilding synchros. Guess some of these main dealers are taking people for a ride cause when it’s in their workshop you dont know how long they spend working on it whereas on farm with mobile fitter you do.

 

[jorgenbg]

Did you ask for a price before they did the job?

Nope, and thats my bad. Though, I think that should be unnecessary with a serious brand dealer. I might not been screwed over, just feel like it. The owner has his Porsche on the outside and I guess someone has to pay for it.

 

[DeeGee]

I always ask for an estimate or at least a guesstimate before arranging to have a machinery job done by anybody.
I can then be prepared for the bill or maybe ask around elsewhere for a better price.

 

[masseybreaker]

Had the outer one replaced two years ago, but this time it was the inner one. They called me 5 minutes before closing to tell me it was finished. Just found it a bit odd. A hole working day for one spool valve sounds a bit much, but I guess its possible.

what did they charge you last time ?

 

[jorgenbg]

I’ve had this before with a MF dealer job, tractor needed splitting to do damper plate. 40 hours work charged. The next time it needed splitting to do gearbox synchros which is basically the same job I used their previous MF trained fitter who has since gone on his own and he done the whole job in 20 hours including rebuilding synchros. Guess some of these main dealers are taking people for a ride cause when it’s in their workshop you dont know how long they spend working on it whereas on farm with mobile fitter you do.

My cousine just had his turbo changed on a JD6125R. Brand dealer said they would need a day, because the bolts might be stuck. He took it to another car mechanic which had not touch a JD tractor before. Yes, the bolts were stuck, but it took him 3,5 hours.

Right now I feel more time and a well kitted farm workshop would save me money.

 

[jorgenbg]

what did they charge you last time ?

It was spring 2018 if I remember correctly. I will look through my books. Just need to put the kids to sleep

 

[daveydiesel1]

100 quid an hour is extortion. Guaranteed the mechanic wont be gettin near that not even near half that. How can they justify that.

 

[jorgenbg]

what did they charge you last time ?

About 700 punds. 4 hours work and the part was less than half.

I dont really get it. The mechanic called me in the morning when starting the job and asked which spool valve was the problem? I was there a month ago, and they ordered the spool valve. It started to work again, so I waited to change after speaking to the workshop manager.

This time the part nr. and the name is different on the invoice, than last time. If the mechanic cant see the difference... or is there any difference?

 

[jorgenbg]

100 quid an hour is extortion. Guaranteed the mechanic wont be gettin near that not even near half that. How can they justify that.

Mechanic would get around 20.

 

[jorgenbg]

BTW. Its a 2016 7718 with 1000 hours on the clock. Dyna6. Had it on the dyno today. It shows 158 hp on the pto.

 

[icanshootwell]

Hi

Just got my MF7718 back from the stealers. The electric spool valve was playing up, and needed changing.

Invoice say:

8 hours of work at 100 punds per hour.

8 hours sounds just insane to me. Any idea what this kind of job involves. To me it just looks like a few scews.

Total price incl. parts with current exchange rate is 1600 punds ex. vat.

Thanks in advance.

It does not surprise me at all, the agco dealers know how to charge, this is the downside of owning modern kit.

 

[flywheel]

how much does other dealer garages charge per hour ?

 

[2wheels]

Mechanic would get around 20.

not a chance, £15 if he is lucky.

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

how much does other dealer garages charge per hour ?

To much really, but when you think about it, lots of car dealerships will be around that mark, and only really have cars to deal with, agricultural dealers have tractors and all the associated machinery to go with it, and have to work out of hours, so really agricultural should be more,
But like I said, it's getting beyond a joke some of the rates they charge