oil filters

The profit margin?

I use Toyota filters on my '05 Tacoma.

I pay $3.86 US each, when I buy two at my local dealer. The filters are nicely made, come with the o-ring pre-lubed and shrunk wrap, and the counter guy tosses a plug gasket into every box.

They're obviously porking me.

I haven't bought one yet, just getting close to oil change time. That price not any worse than parts store filters and less then some premiums. Will see what they cost in this area, but it doesn't look like the recommendation was based on the desire for excessive profit margin.

Frank

Its not that big of a deal here to take my Tundra to the dealer for service. It ran $52 for oil change, service and while they were at it, I had them replace the air filter for the first time in 2 years. The filter had just a bit shy of 60k miles on it. For just the normal service, its less than $30 at the dealer. If you figure the cost of the oil, filter, grease, etc, and then having to dispose of the old oil, its not worth it to even mess with it..... then there is the time involved... I can spend 2 hours getting the oil, filter, etc, doing the oil change, then taking the oil in for recycling, or I can take it to the dealer and have it done in less than 30 minutes. Lets see which is more cost effective.... paying for the stuff to do it, plus 2 hours of my time @ $110/hr(Yes this is my hourly labor rate that I charge my customers), or I can stop by the dealer for less than 30 minutes, pay less than $30, and be back on the road. Kind of a no brainer. OTOH, if you have nothing better to do with your time....

I'm retired, more time than money. Place where I buy my oil lets me dispose in their tank. I don't make a special trip, going by there several times a week anyway. I usually do two vehicles at a time, takes about 45 minutes for both. I save about $40 or make about $60/hour if you want to look at it that way.

I also do whatever, carpentry, fine woodworking, electrical work, painting, and mechanical work that gets in front of me. Keeps me active and "supplements" my retirement.

Whatever you do where you charge your customers $110/hour, I hope I don't need much of it. :~)

Frank

Licensed, bonded, insured, professionally trained, Master HVAC technician.

Recently got a new heat pump. I should be OK for now.

Some Toyota OE Filters are different. See

:-)

Is that US$110 hr?. Not a bad rate for you I suppose. Here in Australia the usual charge is about $90 hr and our dollars worth only 86UScents. Well done if you can get the work at that rate. ;o)

yup, thats USD. Its built into my flat rate price book.

"No Ma'am, we don't charge "labor", the price you see in the book is the installed price for that part."

It works for me :-)

Some folks enjoy doing things themselves, cost is not the only reason to self-maintain a vehicle.

I don't have any idea what my "hourly rate" is, but I hit the Social Security wage limit before the leaves turn colors here in CT, and my wife is also nicely employed. I also mow my own lawn and have built much of the furniture, cabinetry, and built-ins in my primary home. I don't do any of this for cost savings reasons.

Here's something I recently built:

To me, a nice 65-70F day, with some cold microbrew, the lube tools, and car cleaning materials are a relaxing way to spend the day. Twice a year, I do both vehicles. Lube, hand wash, vacuum, hand wax...

However, I do hire plumbers and a cleaning lady, as I have no interest in those tasks.

Skip,

I don't quite understand your last paragraph. The parts guy told you could reuse the plug gasket, but you need a new one with each oil change? When else would you be removing the oil pan plug other than to change oil?

Dean

On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 17:41:02 -0500, "Noon-Air" found these unused words floating about:

Then the $110 includes your truck, took, business/office costs and all fees, licenses, etc.

YOUR actual 'income' rate is much less!

All four of my Toyotas, including my 2000 Tundra, use the same oil filter. Occasionally, the local Toyota dealer has Toyota oil filters on sale by the case. It comes to about $2.50 per filter.

The Toyota parts guy told me I could reuse the plug gasket a couple of times but said I should use a new one with each oil change and gave me a hand full. As it turned out, the case of filters came with it's own plug gaskets.

Skip

Yeah, thats been tried with my industry as well, I install, repair and maintain Fire alarm systems. I still cant believe some of the prices that are charged for HVAC and alarm stuff. Theres only one industry thats better at chargeing clients and thats the lift industry, they are bloody thieves. ;o)

Considering what I charge, the cost of parts, material, equipment and overhead, my salary only comes out to $25/hr which in the grand scheme of things really isn't that much after taxes.

I think that if you charge appropriate to what your doing then go for it. If fuel jumps to $100US a barrel all our charges go up, if your a shadey installer that does a crap job that requires repairing in 2 months then you cant justify a full $110hr eh. You get what you pay for in this world (most of the time).

Very true, which is why when I get done with an install, it looks like a picture right out of the textbook. As far as the price of fuel, thats fodder for another thread.