Sounds fine. You can get a second estimate but I see nothing out of line. If you want to do it yourself decline the cabin filters and save some dough. Make sure it is a job you can do, the manual may help.
Do a web search on how to replace the cabin air filter. You can get the filter at any chain auto parts store. You Tube often has videos for this sort of thing.
Go back to the dealer and get an estimate to replace the timing belt and water pump. The timing belt usually has to be removed to access the water pump. At this mileage, replacing the pulleys and oil seals can be optional based on the mechanic’s inspection during timing belt replacement. If the water pump is replaced, get the coolant replaced. If the transmission fluid has not been replaced, get that done too.
Get estimates from at least 2 independent shops for the same work. I got two indie estimates and a dealer estimate, and the dealer cost was lowest. If the dealer representative insists that the warranty will be voided if someone else does the work, ask them to point out where in the written warranty this is documented. When (not if) they can’t find it, they’ll him he is a liar. You may choose to be more diplomatic and suggest that he is misinformed. In any case, ignore his “advice”.
The reason the dealer has to use a transmission fluid exchange machine is, if all the transmission fluid isn’t replaced, it’ll void the 10 year/100,000 mile power train warranty.
Tester
I use the dealer’s service until the car is off warranty. Even when the warranty period is over, I have often found the dealer’ prices competitive with a good independent shop. The only price that seems high is the cabin air filter. However, my independent shop charged what I thought was a rather high price to change the filter. I should have changed it myself, but didn’t get around to it. When I saw how dirty the filter was, I was glad the job was done. When I was working, convenience was more important than price. I didn’t have time to do much price shopping. Both the dealer and my usual independent shop are near where we live and both have my vehicles ready when promised.
Now that I am retired, I am still involved in so many things that I don’t have the time (or inclination) to do my own work or to do much price shopping. I thought when my wife retired she could be in. charge of maintaining at least the vehicle she drives, but she is so busy visiting people in assisted care facilities, driving people to doctor’s appointments, and making hospital visitations that she isn’t about to worry about car maintenance. My advice to the OP is to do what is reasonably economical for you but don’t forget the convenience factor.
I have often found the dealer' prices competitive with a good independent shop.
I too only go to the dealer for warranty work or free services. But have always found their prices 2-3 times the cost of a good independent…many times using the same parts.
Dealer labor rates around here are $175/hr…Independents are $90.
Dealer parts are 2-3 times what a I can get at a good independent parts store for.
@MikeInNH In my area the Toyota dealer and the independent are about the same for maintenance work. For tires and alignment, I go to an independent tire shop rather than the dealer or my regular independent because I know,the alignment will be done properly. I also have my brake work done at this tire store.
I discovered some years ago that many of our local dealers farmed out transmission work to a,local independent transmission shop. When I needed transmission work or even a fluid and filter change, I went to this independent shop.
I discovered some years ago that many of our local dealers farmed out transmission work to a,local independent transmission shop.
Same here. Almost all also farm out glass work…and several of the small dealers farm out body work.
Dealer labor rates around here are $175/hr…Independents are $90.
Dealer parts are 2-3 times what a I can get at a good independent parts store for.
Your local independents need to get on the ball. You never let your competition be at twice your rates.
I wonder what the mechanics in NH at the dealer earn per flat rate hour and what kind of percentage that equates to against the door rate?
That’s a pretty large spread between the dealers and independents and that gets into the area of pay per flat rate hour and percentages.
Twenty five percent of 90 vs 25% of 175 could tend to make a guy go with the latter unless the dealers are lowballing their techs and hosing them on a daily basis.
Your local independents need to get on the ball. You never let your competition be at twice your rates.
The local independents in my are do just fine.
The local independents in my are do just fine.
I’m sure they do but that’s not the point. If you’re up for salary review and are offered a 20% increase do you say “Oh, I’m doing just fine?” Most small shops are afraid to raise rates for fear of losing customers, which is a mistake. Raise your rates (within reason), you’ll make more money. Even if you lose some customers, the worst that could happen is you’ll make the same money for doing less work.
“unless the dealers are lowballing their techs and hosing them on a daily basis.”
Take it from somebody who toiled in a dealership for years . . . that’s exactly what they’re doing
I believe in my neck of the woods, competent independent shops . . . they’re not all competent, let’s be honest about this . . . are probably 70-80% the labor rate of dealers
Meaning an independent Honda shop’s labor rate is 80% of what the local Honda dealer labor rate is
The shops that don’t specialize and are pretty small, those are usually the ones that only charge 50% of the dealer’s labor rate
Cabin filters should be changed at about 20,000 depending on your outdoor conditions. Don’t flush the transmission but the fluid should be changed every 30,000. Coolant should be flushed and changed after 4-5 years. Missing other stuff that I would do and the prices seem very high.
This is what I had done recently on my 09 with 110,000. I had previously bought the hoses but decided against doing it myself. ALL engine coolant hoses changed (about 10 of them), thermostat changed, Dexcool flush and refill, Serpentine belt replaced, one belt idler pulley replaced, plus front wheel bearing replaced. Total bill was $650 which I thought was quite reasonable. Trans fluid change will be coming up and last time cost me $110 for a pan drop and new synthetic fluid.
@db4690 I understand the dealer pay system very well and Ned Beatty generally had an easier go of things in the movie Deliverance… 
I can’t remember if I’ve related the story or not but at one dealer where I worked the service manager approached me about 3 one Friday afternoon about a fairly new Subaru broke down in a small farm town 70 miles away. It was in a gas station there with a suspected plugged fuel filter.
Friday nights were reserved for me to take my kids out for pizza, the arcade, Putt-Putt golf, etc.
The service manager wanted me to use MY car, MY gasoline, and make the 1.5 hour one-way drive on back roads after 5 P.M. to change a fuel filter. I was somewhat agreeable to doing this until I asked how I was going to be paid for it.
“Well, you’ll get the standard .2 hours for a fuel filter change.”.
No way, no how was this going to happen. I said it ain’t happenin’ and they can tow the POS in. I left at 5 and figured I’d be axed on Saturday. On Monday the car was there after coming in on the hook and a new filter fixed it right up.
I was making something like 15 bucks an hour flat rate and I’m supposed to go through all of that for 3 bucks before taxes…
The glamorous and very lucrative world of dealer flat rate…everyone getting rich. (sarcasm)
Your right, @ok4450, ever ONE gets rich. As long as the one is the dealer. That is often the case with the big boss everywhere. Look at the way CEOs are paid vs the rest of us.
You know, I actually like that movie “Deliverance” and I bought it cheap at Big Lots a few years ago. I watch it every once in awhile
Anyways, I find the part where Ned Beatty is being abused to be very disturbing
I don’t know anything about movie scripts or such things, but in my opinion, I think the movie would still have been pretty good, if that scene had played out differently. It would have sufficed if those hillbillies had punched Ned Beatty a few times, and left it at that
One reason rates are high at dealers in NH and MA is real-estate costs. There’s a huge difference between prime real-estate and not-so-prime. A Toyota in Salem NH just moved from their off main street location to a prime spot less then a mile from the MA border. $12M+ for 5 acres. Can’t wait to see their labor rates now. Most of the independents are not in those prime locations. Dealers need to be in the better locations and pay dearly for it.
MikeinNH is right about dealer location. They have to follow the traffic count. All of the car dealers around here have moved out west onto the divided highway where most of the traffic flow is.
The only remaining dealer downtown is the Nissan dealer (ex-Pontiac and not too long ago now ex-Cadillac) who is still in the same antique building from the 1930s. They’ve bought adjoining property and to be honest I don’t see how they’re able to maintain the huge volume of new Nissans they have based against the population in the area.
A 2 car showroom, a service department being a cubbyhole for want of a better word, and more suited for servicing old air-cooled VW Beetles.At some point I expect Nissan may apply pressure to get them into a new facility out there with everyone else. They must be selling them though as they have repeatedly bought old property and bulldozed the buildings for new car parking.
As a sidenote regarding that service department I don’t know how in the world those mechanics ever put up with wrestling those old land yacht Pontiacs and Cadillacs into that place. One service door, no drive at all other than the sidewalk, and everyone in there bumping elbows.
As to the road trip I refused to make it boggles the mind that an employer can keep a straight face while asking something so ridiculous. Three bucks doesn’t even touch the gas used for a 140 mile round trip. I’d like to say that was the only incident but it wasn’t and after a major league broken promise I lined up another job on my vacation, walked up front before quitting time on Friday of my last week, and started taking down my certificates. That’s when they got the 2 seconds notice…
My new job at Nissan was 5 bucks an hour less on flat rate and my gross pay went up about 40% anyway due to flag hours and an uber cool service manager.
The dreaded “warranty” word was verboten and we got full book on all repairs. Anyway, I digress…
“MikeinNH is right about dealer location. They have to follow the traffic count.”
+1
A number of years ago, when my Subaru dealer also sold Saabs, he was told by the Saab/GM people that he had to abandon his established location on a secondary road, and build a new, much larger, facility–to their exact specifications–on US Route 1.
Between the cost of the real estate and the cost of building the new facility to Saab/GM’s specifications, the cost would have been…massive…and he judged that it just wasn’t worth it due to the reality that he sold 7 or 8 Subarus for every Saab that he sold.
He was told “Build it or lose your Saab franchise”, so he agreed to drop the Saab franchise.
Well…fast forward a few years to Saab’s demise.
Can you guess who was right?
Dealers need to be in the better locations and pay dearly for it.
But that just makes asemaster’s point more relevant. The independents are leaving cash on the table if they don’t take advantage of their competition’s need to charge so much more/hour to pay for their location advantage. People will still come if the differential is only 50% for example. The vast majority of customers are coming for a bargain and will continue to do so as long as the savings are reasonable…you charge what the market will bear, not what it costs you to simply stay in business…