Fully agree with you on this, BJ. Warranty is paid by manufacturers at a "wholesale" or agreed rate which, in my considerable experience in the industry, was always well below the rate charged to retail customers and standard times are used not actual times. Add to this the fact that most manufacturers reimburse parts at cost, so no profit in that in warranty work, and then they take months to pay. The dealer has little chance of going back to the client for payment if the manufacturer refuses the claim months after the job has been done.
This is one of the reasons why new prices are padded with "pre-delivery" charges as the new sales have to subsidise the service department.
I have never before heard of any dealer charging a warranty inspection fee. Is this a Hyundai thing, or the policy of the particular dealer? Whichever, it might be a good one for a TV current affairs expose.
The Motor Traders Association used to recommend that the hourly charge-out rate be 250% of hourly wage. This covers overheads etc. Probably should be more now in these days of longer annual leave and long service leave, superannuation, etc. I know that first class Fitter-Machinists are commanding about $30 an hour plus leaves, super, etc. nowadays. This does work out pretty close to a 300% hourly charge-out rate of $95 which most around here are charging.


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