Did I just get ripped off?

[TAILSRWAGON]

I just had my generator serviced today. No major problems just the 450 hour generator stuff in the manual. It cost me over $600 bucks (OUCH!!!)
It had been a long time since I have had it serviced, even though I get a regular oil change about ever other month. I have had no problems with it until recently with the cold weather it had been slow to start.
I can not even imagine paying this amount every 450 hours. I was going to start shopping around other service companies but thought I would ask here first. Is this too high? or is this normal?

[diamienono]

$600!

What was wrong with it? If there was nothing wrong, you got ripped.

[HavensHubby]

I think its a bit high if they just did the normal 450 hour tune up. You should pay parts plus about 3 to 3.5 hours labor. I am not sure what the average labor rates are in your location but around ours is $85 (or [email protected]). Parts included in the 450 service should include spark plug, air filter, oil filter, fuel filter, oil. Check around and look for an Onan certified service center (onan.com) With my experience, I'd stay away from RV centers. Hope this helps.

[Pawsitively Purrfect]

Sounds high!! Better find out quick...did you pay with a credit card? You can contact them and maybe stop payment till you figure it out?

[hairdevil]

ripped

Julie, I would take that receipt right back over there..talk to the manager and ask what the heck is going on there!! Raise the roof and see if anything happens...if they're reputable they will do what they can to satisfy a customer..keep us posted..good luck

[furrybestjob]

I go every 100 hours and they always change my oil, filter and spark plugs. I'm at 761 hours, I always ask if it needs anything else, and they tell me it doesn't. I pay around $105 for the services. I can't imagine spending that much at one time either.

[PAWS]

I was quoted $450 for an Onan specialist to do a tune-up (we weren't ready yet, I only had 150 hours on it.) My hubby just did the oil and filter himself and will continue every 150 hours. I think we can do the other stuff ourselves, too, unless we come across a malfunction. Dang, $600!

[bow_wow_wheels]

You *have* to have the 500 hr. service! They check and change more than just oil, spark plug, and filters. They also decarbon the interior, adjust the valves and carb and do some other stuff. For $600, no, you didn't get ripped. My last 500 hr. service on my Onan POS cost me $800! And I had to go to another city and spend the night in a hotel while they worked on my generator...AND it also blew up shortly thereafter while slinging more oil than the Exxon Valdez-which it never did before. And they wanted even MORE money to fix it because, naturally, THEY would NEVER do anything not right...ok, sure...And I just bought a bridge in NYC, too! (Sorry for the rant, this Onan got under my skin and it didn't help that it blew up Christmas week 3 years ago!) Also, where is your generator mounted? If it is mounted in the spare tire cavity underneath the van they do have to drop and then replace it, too. They don't do that for free

[Fur Elite]

I have heard that this is about what people pay when they take it in for this service at an RV center. So figure if you are at full capacity, this could occur every three months or so.

Have you researched any other possibilities in your area? For example, in my area there is a mobile generator service man who I and several other mobile groomers use. He is Onan certified. He charges about $75/hr and parts are at cost...no mark up. It takes him maybe an hour and a half to do the full 450 plus the oil change. It usually costs me around $250 at most for this complete service. I also have him come once a month and change the oil. So, I pay about $90 for each oil change, but I get the added benefit that at each oil change he checks everything....looks for problems, checks the loads, checks for leaks, etc....not "just" an oil change. I figure all that plus the savings at the 450 mark make him more than worth his price. Maybe you have such a person in your area? The RV places have a lot of overhead that you are paying for in the form of markups on parts, and I am not sure that they perform the work expeditiously...why charge you for only an hour when they can say it takes 3 or 4.

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

My first thought is, didn't they give you a receipt that breaks down their services point by point? I get this for a simple oil change, and they check to make sure all the fluids are topped off and so forth.

My second thought is, $600 every 450 miles? Or even every 6 months or a year is HUGE to me. Of course this is your "business," and you're not paying electricty or "rent," but you are paying a vehicle payment, plus oil changes, plus THIS? OUCH.

Tammy in Utah

[Misty]

I haven't spent 50 cents on my inverter since it was installed.

[OnTheSpot]

Oh my, I just scheduled my first 450hr appointment for next week and I had no idea it would cost that much. My husband does the 150hr thing so it's been relatively cheap so far. Guess I need to get a few more dogs on the books for this week!

[travelinaj]

Definately look for an Onan service place. Mine has always been under $200. Biggest bill I had was last year, I had to replace the stator...total was $900 plus.

[kari]

Hi I just got mine serviced and it cost about 150 dollars for the tune-up.It took the guy a hour and a half to service.I did not need a oil change or a air filter because my hubby just replaced it.They charged about eighty bucks an hour there.I would surely look into it.One time I had a belt break and took in for fixing he had to take the thing about it was about onethousand dollars to fix that time.Very pricey.I would exspect to pay maybe 250 at the most for a tune-up with everything.

[plushpuppy]

Sounds pretty high to me We have a generator in our RV and It does not cost us near that. I would check around Good luck