Ford service costs

[Ger42]

I decided to call Ford to get an estimate for service on my newly acquired 2002 Range Edge 3.0 81,000 miles.
Here is the over the phone quote:
Trans fluid $165 , Oil chg $38, Thermostat change $154, coolant flush $118 total $475 + tax and tip. They would have taken my left nut but thankfully they don't want one that's 66 yrs old.
Monday when I got new keys Ford had a big sign promoting a sale on trans , oil and tires. Don't want to know what the off sale price would be.

Local TirePlus quote was $366 total and I thought that was high.

Aamco will do trans for $99 they want $35 for oil change.

The only thing I don't want to do is the transmission. May have Coolant done because I don't have an easy way to do it. I have a paver driveway and spilling something on will get me in the dog house. It's tough living in a house with no land. I miss up state New York.
For the first time I want someone to do the oil. I've got an oil leak and having it up on a lift might make it easier to find where it's coming from. I did find I was able to turn the oil filter almost one full turn tighter maybe that was the problem. Haven't driven it since then.

 

[Shran]

Wow. Tranny fluid, filter and gasket - $60, oil & filter - $15, Thermostat - $10, 3 gallons of coolant - $30

Total of $115...got any friends with a garage to work in?

Don't go to Aamco, they screw up every time. All my transmission problems have started shortly after I had work done there. 3 times with 3 new problems is too much of a coincidence. Other people who've gone there will tell you the same thing.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Wow. Tranny fluid, filter and gasket - $60, oil & filter - $15, Thermostat - $10, 3 gallons of coolant - $30

Total of $115...got any friends with a garage to work in?

Techs don't work for free, add about $100/hr (typical for a larger dealership) and it isn't too bad figuring they are planning on the coolant and tranny flush an hour to do... plus disposal fees.

 

[woodyedmiston]

You live in Florida and you are complaining about working in your driveway? Get some ramps, a couple of oil and water catchers from Autozone and haul off some cardboard boxes from Walmart early one morning and go to work.

 

[wally]

my local ford dealer is offering synthedic oil and filter change for $19, its hard to do it yourself for that.

 

[Shran]

Techs don't work for free, add about $100/hr (typical for a larger dealership) and it isn't too bad figuring they are planning on the coolant and tranny flush an hour to do... plus disposal fees.

I know, really when you look at it that way it's not so out of line. It's just crazy that things cost so much, especially routine maintenance.

I am really glad that I'm able to do just about anything on my own and that I have a place to work. I don't know how much money I've saved in the last few years just doing my own work, but I'm sure it would be thousands of dollars.

 

[wally]

I do most of my own work, but sometimes somethings just are not worth doing yourself. Not to mention you have to do something with your used oil when your done.

 

[Shran]

O'Reilly's and several other places around town have free oil disposal. Other fluids can be disposed over in different ways.

 

[north44]

The cost of all those services seems high in the aggregate, but it really isn't so far out of line.

Shop time up here is about $100/hour (CDN) as well, but given the exchange rate, I guess our labour rate is a bit cheaper.

Where we really pay is for parts and the fluids.

Mercon V runs about $7 - $8 per liter, the Ford Premium "Gold" coolant, the last time I paid for it was over $25/U.S. gallon, oil is about $2 -$3 liter for the regular stuff and about twice that for synthetic (prices in $CDN).

Where you can really save is if you can do the labour yourself - I recently changed the thermostat and gasket, and other than time and sweat, it only cost me about $15.00 CDN for the parts - didn't even lose much coolant during the process.

Repair bills get really high when you group them - it all adds up, but it costs a lot more when you don't do the routine maintenance and somethin vital gives out on you - and always at the worst possible time.

 

[exbass94]

The only thing I don't want to do is the transmission.

Why??? Changing the fluid is the best thing you can do for your trans, and is the only way to make it last a long time. You're just asking for premature failure if you don't change it, imo.

 

[Ger42]

Why??? Changing the fluid is the best thing you can do for your trans, and is the only way to make it last a long time. You're just asking for premature failure if you don't change it, imo.

What I mean is I do not what to try to change the transmission fluid. Too messy.

 

[Combs Customs]

Why??? Changing the fluid is the best thing you can do for your trans, and is the only way to make it last a long time. You're just asking for premature failure if you don't change it, imo.

i think he meant that HE didn't want to do the tranny fluid change. He wants it done by a shop.

 

[exbass94]

Oh, my bad.

 

[Southern3.0]

If you don't wanna pay dealer prices why not try at a local Auto tech school? Call the school board for your county and see if any of the high schools have an auto tech program.