How much to replace Power Steering Rack???
 

Hi there,

I have a 1998 328is with 127000 miles on it. Car is in excellent shape and I want to keep it as long as I can.

I just had an oil change done, and the mechanic told me that I'll need to replace my power steering rack soon. He showed me the two boots and said there is fluid in there and eventually those are going to break. I asked him how long i could go w/out fixing it and he said maybe a few weeks or few months, but it's hard to say.

He quote me $1800. Does that sound right? What is the majority of that cost, the parts or labor? Is it advisable to get a brand new one, or go to a junk yard and get a used one?

I don't know much about this, so any help/advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

My price guesses are $100-ish for a used one and $300-400 for rebuilt. Probably want to replace the tie rod ends and get an alignment. Also a new fluid reservoir and crush washers for the banjo fittings. You can probably get by with the old hoses if you are careful.

So I guess the majority of the cost will be labor? Or that $1800 quote is excessive?

Does it ruin anything to leave it for a while, or should i change it right away?

Thanks.

Most likely his quote is for a new unit, new tie rods and alignment. So you are probably paying a premium and getting all new OEM stuff. But it still seems high.

If you keep the fluid topped up and drive it till it breaks I doubt you will damage the pump.

Is it leaking?

When he had the car up, he showed me the boots and told me they're full of fluid. I could see that the boots were wet, but they weren't leaking...nothing is dripping onto the road or driveway. So I just have to keep an eye on the reservoir and make sure it's always full then?

When it breaks, can i still drive it to the mechanic, or will I have to get the car towed. If I have to get it towed, I better fix it soon before it breaks...

When it breaks it will probably be leaking very badly but it may be so bad that you have no power steering which is barely drivable but do-able for a short trip.

The mechanic that quoted me $1800 is a place I now go to for my oil changes since I joined their promotional offer of lifetime synthetic oil change for $275.00 (allowing me to change the oil 3x per year). When he had my car hoisted up, that's when he told me about the power steering rack showing me that there was fluid on the boots and that it could break at any time and I should have it replaced.

I just called my regular mechanic that I go to for all the other work, and he quoted me about $1000 for the entire job, using the same OEM steering rack that BMW uses, he said the company that makes them is ZF (i think that's what he said).

I asked him how I would know if it needs to be replaced, and he said it's normal that there's a little fluid in the boots and to check my power steering fluid to make sure it's not low, becuz if it's low, then it's leaking.

So I guess I'll check that tonight...didn't even think of that...

Your regular mechanic's advice and quote seem reasonable. ZF makes OEM BMW parts.