Cost of Maintaining

[Sulla]

I just had the fifty hour service completed on my Kioti CK20 HST. While I love this little tractor I am selling it to buy a bigger one. I already have a buyer and thought it was only right that I complete this service before delivering it. $636.00 was the total bill! Is this normal?

I like and trust the dealer and have done business with them for years, I don't think they're cheating me. But is this what it cost to service these things? My day to day car cost five times as much to buy and half as much for regularly scheduled service.

Had I known the bill was going to be this much I would have asked more for the tractor.

Can the regular service be done at home? Seems to me I can change hydraulic oil and fuel oil. I can even grease fittings.

I had planned on getting a DK40 SE HST with five hours on the clock for $21,000, including FEL. Should I expect the same kind of service costs?

Thanks for any insight.

 

[Scrambler82]

Material for the 50 hr Servce on a CC-Y SC2450 is approximately $100, give or take (mine was actually $90).
So IF your material is the same, maybe a little more, $400 for labor is way too much IMHO.
Since you like the guy and trust him, I would go back and ask for an explaination, maybe he did more than you thought.

 

[Sulla]

They always give me the parts and hours breakdown. Parts and fluids $336.00. About the same in labor. I commented that it seemed expensive. The answer was the work is hard to get to. I have no reason to doubt them, so I assumed it must be how the tractor is made.

 

[Rileyroo]

I've found a big difference between dealers. I was about to buy a machine from the dealer whom I purchased my first. After checking the deal at another who is actually closer to me, they were $5000 less! That's on a $25000 transaction. I will say this is not good PR for business, I know a lot of people from being in business for 35 years.

 

[lunbrjck]

I have a CK20HST and did the 50 hour maint myself. Took me a few hours and the cost for filters and fluid was right around $250. What you were charged seems awful high to me. I will do all my own maint and avoid the labor charges

 

[Mousefield]

You can do the service yourself. Just make sure you have enough containers for all the oil. I did mine and it's not hard. Plan it out and give your self enough time to do it with out rushing. Up our way labour can get up to $100.00 per hour, one place is advertising they are only $75.00 so you are saving $25.00 per hour. Don't beat yourself up about the price you are getting for the CK20, just enjoy the DK40. :thumbsup:

 

[Carl_NH]

Sulla,

I presume you are gettng the DK40 from the same dealer? If you are, explain your surprise at the $600 bill and as part of the new deal request the 50 Hr service be included in the $21K price.

Mybe they won't do it for free, but it never hurts to ask. I think this is a small token the dealer should extend if he wants to keep your business.

 

[PoorMansCat]

They always give me the parts and hours breakdown. Parts and fluids $336.00..

Awfully expensive oil and filters... In the future, request a firm quote on work performed. That way, you know what the bill is going to be BEFORE having the work done. If a dealer won't give you a firm quote on service, they are not interested in treating you fairly to begin with.

 

[Bigturk]

Hi Sulla,

Your profile doesn't show where you are located but shipping cost are very high for me. I live in Eastern Canada and my local Kioti dealer pays too much for shipping and customs clearance for parts. I just bought fluid and filters for my first service and they added up to over $500. The HST filter by itself was $95, 20 l of hydraulic fluid $65 and so one. I plan to change the hydraulic fluid on this first change but only the filter on subseguent changes.

I too was shocked at the cost to maintain my Kioti, but am very pleased with my DK40se.

 

[MF1652]

The dealer in my area is great to deal with, but their service department charges WAY TOO MUCH for their labor rate. They called me to advise they were offering free pick up and delivery so I asked what it would cost to have the fifty hour service done. It was over $700.00!! Said no thanks and did it myself. I did it for less than $150.00 in filters/fluids and just a couple of hours. They are out of their mind if they think I'm going to pay that much for a simple service.