50 hour service cost RTV 900

[tallur4me]

The original post was not about who or whom I could hire or if I could do the work myself. The post was about the cost of the service. The service was the 50 hr thing which included oil filter, fuel filter and hydraulic filter with an oil change.
To to clarify the record I am a retired instructor of vocation agriculture and worked my way through college as a mechanic.
I always take my new units, car, truck, tractor, ect to the dealer of purchase for the first service jobs. I won't make the mistake of taking a unit to this dealer again unless its for warranty service, and then I'll make sure their is an estimate in writing!

J D Strain

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

The original post was not about who or whom I could hire or if I could do the work myself. The post was about the cost of the service. The service was the 50 hr thing which included oil filter, fuel filter and hydraulic filter with an oil change.
To to clarify the record I am a retired instructor of vocation agriculture and worked my way through college as a mechanic.
I always take my new units, car, truck, tractor, ect to the dealer of purchase for the first service jobs. I won't make the mistake of taking a unit to this dealer again unless its for warranty service, and then I'll make sure their is an estimate in writing!

J D Strain

I still think you got burned. Change oil...remove drain bolt. Replace filters...twist off two filters and twist on two new ones. Replace oil drain bolt and refill with oil. This may take a bit longer the first time but for an experienced mechanic to say it took two hours is crazy. I think for an experienced mechanic to say it took one hour would be double time. It takes me longer to get my drain pan and locate the filters and ratchet and socket than to do the job and I stopped doing service type work years ago but still do my Kubota tractors because they are so easy.
I also think $40 should cover the two filters and 5 Qts of Kubota motor oil but I haven't priced filters for the RTV but have for Kubota BX's. Also one Qt of SUDT.

 

[brain55]

I have a customer that has four RTV900's. When I do a basic service I charge $140 for each, That includes the outer air filter, oil filter, fuel filter, 3 1/2 qts. of Delo 15/40, and an hour of labor at $90/hr. I change the oil, and filters, check the fluids, clean the radiator screen and blow out the radiator fins, remove and clean the battery terminals, check the tire pressures, and grease the 1 or 2 grease fittings. I do this all at his location with no travel charge and dispose of the oil and filters. To just R&R the hydraulic filters would only add the cost of the filters. So I would say the charges are a bit high.

Brian

It probably takes about 45 minutes, but I have to go chase down the next machine too, I generally average my time for the whole visit and comes out to an hour per machine.

 

[Storm56]

I think you may have gotten ripped a bit. I think all kinds of dealers for motorcycles, ATVs, tractors, etc pretty much use that first service line for some extra easy dough. They threaten you with warranty concerns and all the rest of the bull they throw around. Most of them involve an oil change and a few filters. I have been doing my own for about 30 years or so on whatever I buy. Just keep the receipt for the oil and filters or whatever and document the date that I did it. Funny thing is I have NEVER needed them. So I put the money in my own pocket instead of theirs.

 

[bp fick]

I took my RTV 900 to the Kubota dealer in West Plains, Missouri for a 50 hour service. I returned to pay the bill and was in sticker shock. $238.00 with 2 hours of shop labor rate. They changed 3 filters, changed the oil. What do you think?
J D Strain

The original post was not about who or whom I could hire or if I could do the work myself. The post was about the cost of the service. The service was the 50 hr thing which included oil filter, fuel filter and hydraulic filter with an oil change.
To to clarify the record I am a retired instructor of vocation agriculture and worked my way through college as a mechanic.
I always take my new units, car, truck, tractor, ect to the dealer of purchase for the first service jobs. I won't make the mistake of taking a unit to this dealer again unless its for warranty service, and then I'll make sure their is an estimate in writing!

J D Strain

Mr Strain, You asked what we thought and we said what we thought .
Yes, you got ripped. Not trying to pile on here or be unkind, but some things don't quite add up.

With your stated background, it begs the question. Frankly?, Honestly? You might have seen this coming OR, by simply asking for an estimate, which would have been freely given, you would have known what the bill was going to be.

You say you "always take your equipment back to a dealer for 50 hour service" and again, given your background. Why? It is a common enough belief among folks, but why?

I am sorry the tuition on this lesson was so high and I am very sorry this happened to you.

 

[smstonypoint]

It probably takes about 45 minutes, but I have to go chase down the next machine too, I generally average my time for the whole visit and comes out to an hour per machine.

Brian or others,

Just curious as to how you grease the U-joints on the rear drives of RTV 900s. I don't have a floor jack at my farm (yet), so I used a ramp to gain access to the zerks with a regular grease-gun zerk fitting. I have one of the grease-gun fittings that "slides" horizontally across the zerk, but couldn't get it to work.

Steve

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

the post does not really detail if the trans was changed or not. If the trans filters and fluids where done its a pretty fair price, if not... it seems expensive.

 

[smstonypoint]

the post does not really detail if the trans was changed or not. If the trans filters and fluids where done its a pretty fair price, if not... it seems expensive.

Just curious. The OP indicated that this was the first 50 hour service. Are there circumstances that would warrant changing the transmission/hydraulic fluids at that time? For example, changing the fluids after X hours or Y months, whichever comes first. My manual is at my farm, and I can't check.

Another thought/question. The OP didn't indicate which version he had. Does the maintenance schedule differ for the Utility version?

Steve

 

[tallur4me]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I will be smarter next service job.

J D Strain

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Just curious. The OP indicated that this was the first 50 hour service. Are there circumstances that would warrant changing the transmission/hydraulic fluids at that time? For example, changing the fluids after X hours or Y months, whichever comes first. My manual is at my farm, and I can't check.

Another thought/question. The OP didn't indicate which version he had. Does the maintenance schedule differ for the Utility version?

Steve

Your just trying to start trouble, aren't you?
On the Kubota tractor forum we have these never ending 50 hour service change the SUDT debates. A few years ago Kubota had in the owners manual to change all fluids and filters at 50 hours. Two or three years ago the owners manuals had been changed to only the filters, clean a screen and change oil on some tractors. Many people feel for many different reasons that they are going to stick with changing the hydro fluids at 50. I contacted Kubota and I have my email reply from Kubota to change it at the intervals designated in the manual which is 200 hours for my tractors SUDT but again the oil and both filters are to be changed at 50.
Some dealers may have the old guard of change it all at 50 like we've always done since my Granddad started buying Kubotas!!! Or after the extra bucks, who knows. One other point is all Kubota tractors of all sizes did not change at the same time so some dealers may have stayed with the all at 50 rather than look at the manual to see which ones changed all at 50 and which ones did not change all at 50.
Still have the holdouts that change all at 50.