Went to the dealer this morning to catch up on service for my 95 GXE. I'd had most of the big items done elsewhere or by myself, so I only needed a plug change and overall inspection of belts, hoses, etc. The charge came out to $195, which the service writer explained to me was because platinum plugs are $$$ (15 apiece), and it is apparently a ***** to remove the rear facing ones. Basically feel like I got gypped. Any comments or simliar experiences at the dealer?

 

So you were basically charged $90 for the plugs and $105 for the labor, including the inspections you mentioned. It doesn't sound bad for a dealer, but it's expensive. I think you're seeing why people like to do that on their own. It's not very difficult to change plugs and inspect things and after paying for it you feel ripped off. You may want to get a service manual or Haynes or Clilton manual to help you do things on your own. The service manual is $100 or so but it's very good and pays for itself quickly, even if you're only using it for minor maintenance. Plus it helps you understand what should be done for major items. I personally have both the service manual and a haynes manual because they compliment each other well depending on the procedures.

 

The platinum plugs can be bought mail-order from certain Nissan dealers for about $9 each. The plugs on the rear bank are not difficult to reach. That $195 bill sounds as if they charged you one hour's labor for the belt and hose inspection, and that does seem high.

This kind of service doesn't have to be done by the dealer. Ask your friends, neighbors, coworkers for recommendations. Try to find an independent repair shop with a good reputation. You might even find a former Nissan dealer technician who has opened his own business. That's a good man to know!

 

Well, dealerships have a lot of overhead. To pay a $20/hour mechanic with benefits, cover the building mortgage, utilities, equipment, training, non-billable personnel, etc. and end up with a 3% profit, they have to charge ~$65/hour.

If you choose to use a dealership for repairs, you have to pay. That's why I only use a factory trained mechanic when I: 1) can't do the work myself and 2) feel the task is to difficult to trust to an independant mechanic.

Spark plugs is NOT a job to be spending that much labor on. If did not own a single tool, you could have bought what you needed for the job (including a repair manual), done the work yourself, and still kept some of that money in our pocket.

 

Any businessman who earns a 3% profit has rocks in his head. He could get a 6% return on his money in bonds or certificates of deposit with no risk... and spend his time sitting around the pool instead of inside an office. IMHO the profit margin of a dealership ought to be more than 10% or the man is wasting his time.

 

The annual gross receipts of the company are not the same as the total amount of risk capital. The owner of a dealership may have had to risk only 1 million dollars to generate 10 million dollars in sales. Three percent of 10 mill. doesn't look so bad.

 

You are right!