$289 oil change?

Old Vet · #1 10/20/10, 03:21 PM

I got a flier from my John Deer dealer that was advertising a oil change and a wash job for compact tractors for only $289 without a mower deck and $329 for one with a mower deck. it includes Change engine oil and filter,replace air and fuel filters, lubricate Grease fittings, Check and adjust fan belt tension and tire pressure, check and clean battery, check hydraulic oil levels, coolant level, wheel bolt torque pressure wash clean radiator and oil cooler screen. I do all that for about $100 but they have to charge for labor. All of this plus tax and EPA what ever that is.

swollen tongue · #2 10/20/10, 03:24 PM

yep, things are extremly expensive now days!!!!!! dont know when it will end either!

plowjockey · #3 10/20/10, 03:50 PM

Like you have explained, it's really a lot more than an oil change. Considering shop rates, these days, that not really that money, if they really do all that work (and they probably will).

FWIW, dealing with Big Green, has never been cheap. If you can afford one of their tractors, then you should be able to handle the service costs. It's probably a tax write-off, for many, anyway and Deere knows that.

DW · #4 10/20/10, 03:56 PM

Just got the MF back f/shop...had many things done...told my hubby I'm putting a big bow on it for the next few yrs at xmas cuz that's his gift!

Callieslamb · #5 10/20/10, 04:10 PM

We just spent $80 on the grease, oil and hydrolics for our tractor. It isn't cheap is you do it yourself.

TnAndy · #6 10/20/10, 04:30 PM

Oil, ( 6 qts ), filter, and grease to do my New Holland 1925 (33hp) is about 25 bucks.

Hydraulic oil change is quite a bit more ( takes 7.5 gal, tractor is hydrostatic ), but still nowhere near that price.

Mine is a 1998 model, bought new, and never been to the shop. 2200 hrs on it.
I did take the injectors and pump to a specialty shop once, but not the dealer.

fordy · #7 10/20/10, 08:11 PM

.................2008 Ranger has 29k miles , time for a tranny flush and new filter ! Stopped by a service place where I had the 2003 Chevy cooling system flushed back in June ! Stated price was $130 , I asked him IF , that icluded dropping the pan and adding new filter , OOOOOO , No , that's another $100 , total is $250 ! So , I head too O'Reillys , buy synthetic fluid , filter and new gasket which comes too about $100 .
..................So I drained the pan , removed all 18 8mm fastners , cleaned the pan and I may finish the flush before I leave for work at 1:30 pm . And , saved myself 150 bucks ! Lying on the ground isn't fun , but having too over pay for service isn't fun either . , fordy

Old Vet · #8 10/20/10, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TnAndy

Oil, ( 6 qts ), filter, and grease to do my New Holland 1925 (33hp) is about 25 bucks.

Hydraulic oil change is quite a bit more ( takes 7.5 gal, tractor is hydrostatic ), but still nowhere near that price.

Mine is a 1998 model, bought new, and never been to the shop. 2200 hrs on it.
I did take the injectors and pump to a specialty shop once, but not the dealer.

They don't change the hydraulic oil or filters but check it don't know if they charge for more if it needs it. Oh by the way this is for compact tractors only the larger size they charge more.

RedneckPete · #9 10/20/10, 09:49 PM

Equipment costs money. I run equipment for a living and do all the maintenance (up to and including engine tear downs) myself.

Not counting my labor, I figure a compact skid steer loader costs me almost $25 an hour to run. $3 per hour in tires alone.

Servicing a machine properly takes a solid couple hours (especially if you are getting the pressure washer out), plus materials, plus disposal. Pouring the oil onto the bottom of your fence posts isn't an option for the dealership, and tossing the old oil filter onto the burn pile doesn't fly when you are in their position.

Still, no way I'd pay over 200 bucks for an oil change. That's why I do it myself. You may be able to find a small local (possibly even mobile) mechanic to do it a lot cheaper.

Pete

**clovis** · #10 10/20/10, 10:51 PM

I recently looked at buying an old Allis Chalmers that has been neglected. I figured the first thing to do would be to change all the fluids.

Just a quick run down of the fluid costs would be at least $100, and probably much more. This cost would include oil, rear end oil, antifreeze, etc.

On the other hand, I sometimes see advertisements from car dealers offering a "special".

"Rotate all 4 tires, check the fluids, test the antifreeze, and refill the wiper fluid, for Only $189.99"

It is a crazy world we live in, isn't it?

rambler · #11 10/21/10, 08:13 AM

Have a nice little combine for my little farm.

Header stopped doing what it should do.

We tried the 'cheap' fix, $300 to rebult 2 poppit valves (each kit was 5 pieces - metal oin, oriface, and 3 O rings).

Nope, actually was worse after that, now it _had_ to be fixed.

Tech guy came out - dealer is an hour away, plus $100 service call, ended up he spent 8.5 hours looking this over.

The header raise valve segment was determined to be bad. $1550. (There are 5 other segments in the valve bank.)

With labor, service call, $20 shop towel use, etc. I spent $2500 on a single valve spool, about 2lbs of metal with fancy holes in it. Plus 2 days of great weather as down time.

The combine with heads was $3400 total a couple years ago.

Whatdayado?

--->Paul

Micheal · #12 10/21/10, 08:15 AM

Gish, you forgot that they have to come pick it up and bring it back. That cost has to be in there to.......

Taint seen a JD dealer do nothin for no-one for a long time -not for free anyway..........

Silvercreek Farmer · #13 10/21/10, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fordy

.................2008 Ranger has 29k miles , time for a tranny flush and new filter ! Stopped by a service place where I had the 2003 Chevy cooling system flushed back in June ! Stated price was $130 , I asked him IF , that icluded dropping the pan and adding new filter , OOOOOO , No , that's another $100 , total is $250 ! So , I head too O'Reillys , buy synthetic fluid , filter and new gasket which comes too about $100 .
..................So I drained the pan , removed all 18 8mm fastners , cleaned the pan and I may finish the flush before I leave for work at 1:30 pm . And , saved myself 150 bucks ! Lying on the ground isn't fun , but having too over pay for service isn't fun either . , fordy

Sorry for the thread drift, but is that flush part of the recommended service? And if so, at 29k? Did you get a lot of nasties out? I drive manuals (my wife autos) and I have never flushed a tranny (never recommended in the Honda or Toyota manuals). But at that interval, I would be doing it once a year!

Ramblin Wreck · #14 10/21/10, 10:02 AM

I can change oil and lube my Kubota for about $25 if I catch the oil on sale (Rotella oil and Kubota filter). I'm not sure what the air/fuel filters cost now, but one grease cartridge($2-$10 depending upon quality) usually does the job (but it gets greased way more often than it gets an oil change). I've never had my tractor serviced at the dealer, but I was thinking about it, until I read this thread!

texican · #15 10/21/10, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedneckPete

Equipment costs money. I run equipment for a living and do all the maintenance (up to and including engine tear downs) myself.

Not counting my labor, I figure a compact skid steer loader costs me almost $25 an hour to run. $3 per hour in tires alone.

Servicing a machine properly takes a solid couple hours (especially if you are getting the pressure washer out), plus materials, plus disposal. Pouring the oil onto the bottom of your fence posts isn't an option for the dealership, and tossing the old oil filter onto the burn pile doesn't fly when you are in their position.

Still, no way I'd pay over 200 bucks for an oil change. That's why I do it myself. You may be able to find a small local (possibly even mobile) mechanic to do it a lot cheaper.

Pete

Pete, is that 25$/hr including labor? Just wondering, as I'm looking into getting something with some more oomph than my 55hp tractor with FEL, to handle logs. Do they eat up tires that fast (assuming on pavement more wear than on dirt???)

Emmy D · #16 10/21/10, 11:31 AM

Good LORD, my cousin's hired man does all that plus more on both my JD lawn tractor and my old 1964 Cub tractor, for the low low price of a still warm out of the oven Peach Pie...twice a year, he is a gem!! Our hired man is not so good with engines, but is wonderful for everything else!!

Emmy

ChristieAcres · #17 10/21/10, 11:46 AM

Awesome arrangement Emmy D! Len will be getting some older working heavy equipment, likely in the next year and can do all the maintenance and repairs. The equipment will be given to him, but does come with a condition. Len will be required to do maintenance on our private road, when needed. That is usually just a few times/year. He was chosen to get the equipment due to being the only guy who could take on both the job and be able to maintain the equipment (living off our private rd).

Len does all the work on our cars, the truck, little boat, his motorcycle, everything with an engine. I can't even begin to figure out how much this has saved us. Just this year, Len took an old Dodge Van and converted it into a Welding Van. He rebuilt the front end, did the brakes, rebuilt the engine, and the list went on. When we had a recent calamity occur, our little boat moored out at the dock, had sunk? The motors were completely submerged for one to two days. Len brought out some tools, chains, lifted the little boat up, engaged the sump pump with another battery, and pumped it out. He then went home and got my 15HP Johnson (I had a little boat when we married) and used that to bring the boat to the boat launch. When he got it home, he worked on those motors for six hours straight, tore them apart, cleaned, greased, and then rebuilt the carbs (think that is what he said). He saved both motors! Sad thing about that was that he had a float switch on order to prevent this from happening... Yes, now has that installed, doing some work on the boat, and it will be launched by this weekend & moored out there again (with a few extra precautions). At least we won't have a repeat!

Old Vet · #18 10/21/10, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micheal

Gish, you forgot that they have to come pick it up and bring it back. That cost has to be in there to.......

Taint seen a JD dealer do nothin for no-one for a long time -not for free anyway..........

Nope it says when you bring it in, if they come and get it it will cost you about $100 or more.

fordy · #19 10/21/10, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Lindsay

Sorry for the thread drift, but is that flush part of the recommended service? And if so, at 29k? Did you get a lot of nasties out? I drive manuals (my wife autos) and I have never flushed a tranny (never recommended in the Honda or Toyota manuals). But at that interval, I would be doing it once a year!

..................Actually , I was told I could wait until the truck had 50k miles , but I don't consider that too be necessarily good advice ! No nasties found , when I dropped the pan , filter was dirty and fluid was slowly turning from red too black . I put 29k miles on this truck in 22 months so I'm not burning up the pavement , but I'd like to get 200k out of the tranny cause rebuilds are $$$ !
.................Flushing implies to me that an additional mechanical pump is being used in series with the tranny pump too pump the old fluid , OUT , much faster than normal ! My method allows the tranny pump too evacuate the old fluid at normal pressures , so NO extra pump is needed , OR wanted . Big difference there it seems to me ! , fordy

RedneckPete · #20 10/21/10, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texican

Pete, is that 25$/hr including labor? ... Do they eat up tires that fast (assuming on pavement more wear than on dirt???)

That does not include labor:

I charge out a compact skidsteer with operator at $60 an hour. That sounds great until I consider that a good operator is getting paid at least $20 an hour and the machine costs $25 an hour to run. I'm left with $15 an hour to pay for insurance, office time and all the rest of my costs. I make money, don't get me wrong, but I'm not getting rich quick.

Skidsteers eat up tires like crazy. I run ag style tires for maximum traction, I have to produce for my customers. A decent set of new tires costs around $800 installed. They are good for about 400 hours before you are getting stuck every two minutes and getting a flat every minute in between. Add in a little for your time to get the tires swapped out (or for the mobile service to change them) and the half dozen flat fixes needed between new sets of tires and you are at $3.00 an hour real quick. I fix most flats myself, but the tire supplies aren't free and it's real easy to spend an hour and a half to fix a stubborn tire. I would think I spend about 70 percent of my time in dirt and 30 on pavement.

Pete