On Feb 22, 6:55�pm, HK wrote:
Bendover:

"My 150 etec is close to its first 300hr service so I called the dealer
to see what it would cost for him to do it. I normally do everything
myself on my phoenix and past outboards and I/O's but wasn't sure about
the warranty issues that go along with it. Well to do everything water
pump, gear oil, plugs, filters, etc. will be between $700 and $800. I
almost sh*t myself. This is absurd. It really sickens me to think that
someone would pay this. $300+ is to just change the water pump. As long
as there is no warranty issues with me doing the work, it will never see
the dealer for maintenance. If I can change powerpacks on a EMD diesel
and MOH's on 3500 series CAT's, pretty sure I can handle changing a
water pump. Prices like that are why people should learn how to do this
kinda of stuff. Thats a whole summer's worth gas down the drain."

There's no free lunch: you pay now or you pay later.

�snerk

It took you 4-5 years to get 115 hours on your last boat, so unless
you are using this one a *lot* more (and that would be great!) that
$700-800 is going to be $1000 before you go in for service- but it
will only amount to about $100 per year. It would be wonderful to
learn that you enjoy your new boat so much more frequently than your
old one that you are already approaching the 300 hour service.

Boating is not cheap.
Maybe the only thing more expensive than paying a pro to work on your
engine is doing it yourself if you're not 100% qualified, or taking it
to a shade-tree wrench who thinks he can fix anything with a handful
of tools and a roll of duct tape.

My favorite service parable. A man noticed his basement was filling up
with water and he called the local plumber. The plumber was able to
come over within an hour, and he put on his waders and ventured into
the rising pool of dirty water and floating heirlooms. After about two
minutes, the sound of rushing water stopped and the plumber waded back
to the stairway. "I tightened a loose joint in the main line, and
pulled a stack of newspaper off the top of your floor drain. All this
water should be gone in an hour or two. That will be $145, please."

"What?!" excalimed the homewoner. "You've only been here for about
five miutes! How can you possibly charge $145 for tightening a joint?"

"Oh," said the plumber. "I'm only charging you about $10 for
tightening the joint, the other $135 is for knowing which joint to
tighten and how to go about it."

And Harry, I assume the mechanics at any shop you deal with receive
full union benefits. All that free health coverage, dental and vision
insurance, three weeks paid vacation, non-contributory retirement
system, 15 paid holidays, and $1600 per week base salary has to cost
somebody something......guess who?