Does this seem reasonable?
 

I had the passenger side shock absorber replaced two years ago and now the Lexus dealership tells me the driver side one needs replacing. After that they said an alignment needs to be done.

They quoted me $760 cdn plus alignment of $160 plus taxes. It is a 2011 RX350. In US $ that is approximately $683 us. Mileage total is 67k.

Questions:
1. Does this seem a reasonable quote for this work to be done?
2. Is an alignment necessary after a strut replacement?

After your valued opinions I will go to my indy shop and first of all :
1. Confirm that the strut is leaking.
2. Get a quote from him.

Thanks all and I do appreciate your input.:)
Cheers, Guy

"reasonable"

Well, for a stealership, it doesn't seem crazy to me, but then that's why we call them "stealerships." Seems to me that if a car isn't under warranty, then getting work done at a dealership is a bit like getting a colonoscopy in a seedy hotel.

Yes, I believe it is normal to need an alignment following replacement of a strut since struts are part of the steering gear (as opposed to shocks which are not).

I would go to the indie shop.

I would have expected to have replaced both front struts two years ago. Seems odd to do one on an 8 year old car, but I'm no expert. I think you always do an alignment when you do struts for sure. I wonder for $760 cdn or close if you can get better aftermarket struts.

If you are uncomfortable with the diagnosis or quote, always get a second opinion.

I know I am in the minority here, but if I never work on a car again in my life, I win...I have enough farm equipment that needs my tender touch.

To me it is always the value added proposition: To get farm equipment worked on I have to trailer it there (twice 20 miles away) which is at least four hours of my time just getting it there and back.

So I do all the routine stuff myself.

Cars?

I own three Toyota's. I shop the Land Cruiser work (I traded my 560SL with a LC savant - I have $3K left) around but everything else is done at the local dealer.

I make the appointments at 0700, show up, log on, get to work and I am usually out of there by 0900.

Oil, tire rotation, other services as required (no, not the cabin air filter) are always less than $100 for my Tundra, nothing for the 2020 4Runner.

Value.

I am never going to change a shock absorber again. You can't make me:cool:

I would think you replace both struts at the same time. But you will need an alignment after replacement.

I think I paid $300 for front and $100 for rear in labor on my F150. Sounds like dealership is charging a "Lexus Luxury Tax", I'd take it to a tire place and have it done. Probably charge you half what the dealer wants.

Look at it yourself- is it in fact leaking? Even a mild sweat is OK IMHO. If you're not getting noises or other symptoms, leave them alone.

A LEXUS with failing struts at 67K doesn't make any sense. Unless you drove it over the planters at the local mall I highly doubt any are bad.

highly doubt a bad strut at that mileage.

Dealer forgot to add ass lube to that quote.

If you do get it replaced, then make sure they return the old part to you. Then find somebody with a shock dyno...

Struts and shocks under 70K in a Toyota, bad roads up there ?

Price is not shocking if that's what you're asking. At the dealer, you can expect to pay more.

Front or rear shock? Is it a strut or air shock?

Retail price for all but the air shock is less than $100.

https://www.*********.com/mmparts/shock_absorber/lexus/rx350.html

I just did the fronts on my 2005 BMW 330ci. Probably a couple of hours per side. YMMV

I would just ask the indie guy if he agrees. If so, then have it replaced.

Then drive it. If it doesn't pull to one side, and turns evenly right and left, camber is about equal left to right, then just put off the alignment until you normally would do one (as in bushing replacement or tie rod replacement).

Why did you have only one side done 2 years ago? That alone seems odd.

I belong to the school that if there's a pair of wear items on a car and only one goes bad, both get replaced, if replacement is the solution, because time is too valuable to have go back and do the other side when it soon fails.

What was the story 2 years ago?

Had a strut go bad on my 5 year old sub 50K Mazda 3. It happens.

I did all 4 corners because I'm weird like that. Like my tires if a car has multiples of a part I like them to all be the same age.

As mentioned, go after market and you can likely get a better product for the same or not much more coin.

Have an indie shop do the work if you don't want to but the parts cost for all 4 corners is well under your quote for the single plus alignment.

DIY it and get a shop to align and it'll still be less than you were quoted.

Xactly, why pay for two alignments when you only need one.

It's not unlike replacing a water pump when you get a timing belt done.

How is an alignment NOT part of the job? - sounds like double dipping.

Like 'we replaced your fuel pump. Would you like to pay us for more hours to re-attach the fuel lines?"

My question is,which part are you referring to,front suspension strut,or a rear shock absorber,thinking normally, shocks are replaced in pairs???

It's a damn Toyota product.

Enough said.

rjp

I know a gal up at the uni with a Subaru. Goes to dealership for a belt squel... flag Subaru gets this gal for the accessory belt and pulley, timing belt/pulley/water pump, and a brake fluid flush just to grab your ankles a little extra harder....

Gal didn't care. Added it to the tax of life/owning a car..... if only we all had that liberal mindset... ��

That's a common thing now. Charge for the alignment.
When i got the drag link recall done on my ram the POS service advisor tried to sell me the alignment that came part of the recall. I declined and the sob did the recall without aligning the front end... welded the drag link. No future alignment is possible, and undoing a recall is like as taboo as polygamy...

If you prefer to have the dealership do the work...consider taking your Lexus to a Toyota dealer. I had an Infiniti a few years ago that the Nissan dealer serviced for far less than Infiniti wanted. Infiniti oil change was $80. Nissan charged $45. YMMV.