Price Range for a GPS Install

[lukejb]

I was curious if anyone had any price ranges for what an installation for an IFR GPS in their Mooney?  I checked pricing with an avionics shop in Fort Worth and was shocked by what they were wanting.  Fieldtech Avionics at Meacham was wanting $9,500 to install a King KLN90B.  Does anyone have a good recommendation for avionics shop in the DFW area?

[DonMuncy]

I use Avionics 1st at RBD. They do good work, but I don't have any idea they are less expensive than others.

[larryb]

And that is why it doesn't make sense to install an old gps.

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[1964-M20E]

@ $75/hr for shop time that is 126 hours.  I hardly think it take 3 weeks of solid continuous work to install a GPS.  Keep looking around and find an avionics guy that is more reasonable. I would think with little or no surprises a GPS could be installed in 40 hours or less $3,000 unless there are really strange circumstances like rearrange the entire panel.  If you are moving radios and other items as well as adding a CDI then the installation time and cost would go up.

[BigTex]

There's a couple in the DFW area but they are all booked up for months. Unless you're doing a complete panel upgrade, it's hard to get in. So I use US Aviation at KDTO. They do good work and are a MSC as well.

[lukejb]

Thanks for the feedback. I will get some other quotes. I guess it may be worth buying a newer model if install is going to run so high.. I am just so used to using a tablet with wingx pro it almost seems like a waste of money all together. I was hoping to get it a little more IFR friendly but not at that price.

[larryb]

Where is that gps coming from? If you are bringing it in, the installing shop gets nothing from the sale. They also may not want the job and quoted it high. When I had all of radios replaced (gtn 650, sl30, gtx327, gma350) I paid for about 30 hours labor. I think they spent closer to 60 hours. But the shop got 25% or so on all the radios too. Start to finish, it takes a lot of hours to do a quality job.

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[carusoam]

And the KLN 90B is getting long in the tooth and is not WAAS...

I have one, like it. Now only if I could sell the installation part...

-a-

[TWinter]

I agree with the thought that if a shop sells you the part you will get a much better deal on the price and install. Ironically, I had my shop redo my panel with GTN750, STec and much more last summer. They got the parts and got me in quick for the install at a fair price.

 

Same shop only a year later I came a across a GPSS module from a forum member, I sent it off to Brittian for check-over and update yellow tag. Stopped by the same shop back in December and told them I wanted them to install it. They said they were pretty well booked up until after the first of the year..I've checked in a few times and they are still pretty booked. They had me scheduled for last week and had to move it up.  Even at $90 an hour you can tell they still prefer to sell the part. Goes to show how much profit and mark-up there must be in avionics. I'm either heading to Tulsa or looking for another shop in the west TN area to finish the GPSS unit. Got long winded, but you get the point.

 

Sad part for them is I had a few other items I probably could have been convinced to let them supply and install..their loss.

Seems like these avionics shops are balls to the wall or nothing, never a middle of the road workload.

[BigTex]

I agree with the thought that if a shop sells you the part you will get a much better deal on the price and install. Ironically, I had my shop redo my panel with GTN750, STec and much more last summer. They got the parts and got me in quick for the install at a fair price.

Same shop only a year later I came a across a GPSS module from a forum member, I sent it off to Brittian for check-over and update yellow tag. Stopped by the same shop back in December and told them I wanted them to install it. They said they were pretty well booked up until after the first of the year..I've checked in a few times and they are still pretty booked. They had me scheduled for last week and had to move it up. Even at $90 an hour you can tell they still prefer to sell the part. Goes to show how much profit and mark-up there must be in avionics. I'm either heading to Tulsa or looking for another shop in the west TN area to finish the GPSS unit. Got long winded, but you get the point.

Sad part for them is I had a few other items I probably could have been convinced to let them supply and install..their loss.

Seems like these avionics shops are balls to the wall or nothing, never a middle of the road workload.

Yep... The same thing happened to me when I wanted my Avionics shop to install a PMA7000B I had. They never could find the time to "squeeze" me in.