Software as tool

likeleica

I was recently charged for software download for a repair (actually a coding of a key fob). Is this an industry standard? I would think software be considered a reusable tool and not billable.

Mr_Shiftright

If you have the invoice, isn't this shown as a labor charge?

texases

Anything is billable. How much did you pay?

thecardoc3

likeleica said:

I was recently charged for software download for a repair (actually a coding of a key fob). Is this an industry standard? I would think software be considered a reusable tool and not billable.

Yes it is a normal practice. The fee varies with different manufacturers for regular software and then there can be extra charges for security features. For example a short term subscription (48 to 72 hours) is $55.00 for GM and $32.95 for Ford. You can follow this link to see how much it costs for longer subscriptions as well as for various manufacturers. https://www.nastf.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3291

0patience

I agree @thecardoc3
The vendor/dealer is charged for a lot the software and unless it is a recall/emissions update, it is likely you will be charged for it.
Key fob reprogramming is definitely a software charge.
They are also charging environmental fees now, for disposing of the waste generated by the repair.