Servicing prices?

[Bigplumbs]

Also I never like the actual word 'service' that garages and marine places use. I would prefer to see an actual list of what they are going to do/replace. A service can mean many things to many people. If you want to go even more annoying you can add the word 'full' and call it a full service.

If you want to add even more money and annoy more you describe it as full professional service by our highly qualified marine mechanics. All that means squat. Just give me a list of what they are going to do I say

Dennis

[_Ed_]

I know I will be shot down in flames here but I don't thing all the things people often do ever year need doing every year. Particularly 2 stroke outboards. For Example:

Spark Plugs will last at least 3 years
Lower case gear oil will easily do 2 years
Impeller will do at least 2 years
Fuel Filter will last 2 years

And always do what you can your self rather than get so called professionals to do it especially if you have an outboard, That way you know what has been done and how it was done and also you will have some idea what to do and how things work and break if you get a problem on the water. You will also save money and feel a great sense of achievement when you finish the task.

Dennis

Spark plugs will last wayyyy longer than 3 years. Even then that would perhaps be 150 hours max for most. Unless operating in unusual conditions or something. I bet 10+ years if not more would be easy - although they are so cheap
Lower gear case oil I do every year, mostly so I can check the seals are ok. If its clean, and assuming all seals are fine, then agree should last hundreds of hours perhaps 5+ if not more years.
Impeller I like to check, at least. If anything i can grease the gearbox bolts so it doesn't seize on. Again as they are so cheap, may as well replace them then as well.
Fuel filter depends on tank and crap in it I guess. I've not changed mine in 3-4 years.

[_Ed_]

Also I never like the actual word 'service' that garages and marine places use. I would prefer to see an actual list of what they are going to do/replace. A service can mean many things to many people. If you want to go even more annoying you can add the word 'full' and call it a full service.

If you want to add even more money and annoy more you describe it as full professional service by our highly qualified marine mechanics. All that means squat. Just give me a list of what they are going to do I say

Dennis

So true haha!!

[sprocker]

So can I ask, what would be the expected service cost for a normal annual service on a Diesel engine, excluding the drive leg etc?
I'm just curious to compare really, and are Diesel engines serviceable by the owner.. I.e no special diagnostic kit required etc?
I only ask as eventually, I'd like to think that I will be upgrading to something like what you have just purchased and when I read your post it kind of ruled it out completely!
At present it costs me a couple of hundred £ to service the engine and leg myself.. (I'm still amazed at how much simpler to remove and work on than a mercruiser leg is compared to a VP)

This is what I just paid for Volvo Penta parts. Bare in mind I haven't shopped around at all for DIY prices.

oil filter. 13.60
fuel filter. 41.80
belt. 34.60
air filter. 43.30
impeller kit. 43.70
Oil. 23.50

So in total around £200.

[Ianfs]

No bullets shooting from here, I think there are some very valid points and idea's. Although, my view on Manufacturers recommendations about parts replacements are two fold.

First of all, manufacturers recommended servicing times will keep a turnover of consumables going, so that both they and their dealers can stay in business, but having said that, the parts are made to last far longer so my first view is, what's the point in changing them so frequently.
Secondly a part of me still likes the comfort factor of having new plugs, oils, impeller etc in the engine and stern drive each year so that when I'm out with the family either several miles offshore or battling a tide or trying to get to port before the squall hits or even just messing about having fun so I can be confident to have fun and I know that I have at least a 99% or thereabouts chance that the engine and drive are not going to fail and the fact that I only have one engine it is even more important. Not only that but for £20 for a set of plugs, if a plug was to fail or an impeller is faulty from last years clogging is it worth the risk?

I don't know much about outboards, except that they seem to be ultra reliable and don't require a great deal of cuddly care if you like. That is, if you are like Dennis and Ed and you know your engines, then I guess you will know if your impeller is ok or your plugs are still sparkly new. Indeed if you haven't used your boat much in the season and everything was new previously, then I would probably try to go to the end of the season before changing anything.

I think with Sprockers new boat, oils, filters, impeller (can be a real challenge on Volvo diesels) Stern drive checks etc would at least give an initial indication of all was ok.

With Steve's boat, I think an oil change to check the oil is ok front and back, as Ed said it checks seals are ok, plugs, at least you know they've been done and impeller at least checked to make sure it hasn't lost a blade or cracking.

[Stevie101]

Obviously everyone's got there own opinions of when to have a service done as its a big cost and really you don't see much for it.
Having grown up in the age of cars with engines you could actually do something to (1970s) I do have very basic knowledge with regard to how a petrol engine works.
I think I've got out of practise with messing with engines due to most road vehicles now require you to plug in a laptop before you do anything. I think I may have a go at the service myself to enable me to get to know the engine a bit better incase of a breakdown in the future.
With regards to the Alpha 1 out drive any tips?
Check the bellows
Check the seals
Change impeller
Change oil
Check prop for damage and nut
Check/change anodes

Anything else?

[Bigplumbs]

Obviously everyone's got there own opinions of when to have a service done as its a big cost and really you don't see much for it.
Having grown up in the age of cars with engines you could actually do something to (1970s) I do have very basic knowledge with regard to how a petrol engine works.
I think I've got out of practise with messing with engines due to most road vehicles now require you to plug in a laptop before you do anything. I think I may have a go at the service myself to enable me to get to know the engine a bit better incase of a breakdown in the future.
With regards to the Alpha 1 out drive any tips?
Check the bellows
Check the seals
Change impeller
Change oil
Check prop for damage and nut
Check/change anodes

Anything else?

Steve

I feel for you and understand how you perhaps feel. Last year I bought my 19 foot sports cruiser with 1 year old 3ltr Mercruiser and Alpha 1 outdrive (Mine is the Gen 2) Having only been used to outboards at that point it all scared me a little and still does. The issue I have is that even if we have quite a busy season our engines are used very little and no where near the amount we use our cars. In truth I suspect a whole seasons boat use is probably less than 2 weeks car use but we spend so much on our boat engines compared to our cars.

I have 5 cars and I am to some extent ashamed to say that I don't service them at all but they seem to go until they are very old and worth very little. I am not saying this is wise but this is what I tend to do.

With my boats I am far better than this but I cannot in my mind justify the yearly service cost many seem to routinely pay out. I look at it like this. If all those things will last one year they will certainly last 2 or 3 and that will more than half the cost which is much more palatable for me.

A very good friend of mine simply cannot understand my view in this regard and in fact we have on the odd occasion fell out over it. He is a do it every year sort of guy even if he is certain that the one he is replacing is spot on. He even cuts open his fuel filters that he removes and almost every year they are clean.

It is a good thing we are all different

Dennis

[Xboatboyx]

Another thing to consider is boats maintained by engineers with receipts look much more attractive to buyers upon resale. I bet that Matt and colin's boats service history helped sell them along with condition. I don't think i would want a boat with no service history and receipts.

[sprocker]

Another thing to consider is boats maintained by engineers with receipts look much more attractive to buyers upon resale. I bet that Matt and colin's boats service history helped sell them along with condition. I don't think i would want a boat with no service history and receipts.

That is a very good point.

[MartynG]

I have twin volvo penta kad 32 diesels.
There is no diagnostics thing involved.
I had an engine service done professionally in 2016 . Parts and labour on two engines was £650 including VAT. One water pump was leaking and the overall price included repair by supply and fitting a new seal. The labour element included was £350 incl VAT - over half the total cost.
That includes oil , oil and fuel filters , impellers but excludes belts which were not required. I supplied the air filters which cost about £12 the pair.

In 2015 I paid £750 for the service of the engines as that included new belts.

This year (very soon) I am planning to do the engine service myself. Oil and filters are on the boat and ready for some milder weather.
I hope this is going to save a considerable sum.

I will probably have the full professional service on the engines again next year. however I am thinking oil change is relatively easy and not really necessary to pay for someone to warm the engines and pump out the oil.

The boat will be lifted in the late summer / autumn for the outdrives to be serviced....................more expense.