Car repairs and the uninformed - how?

[vash]

I'm with @Rwest on this one. you could substitute anything for it. we happen to collectively know a tad about cars.

I have faith in humanity. at least some faith.

I have at the best Toyota mechanic I trust, and a dentist I trust. I am in good shape.

I check references. and faith.

[pmax]

Originally Posted by Flat Six

Pmax, what site did you use to estimate ownership costs? TIA

https://www.edmunds.com/honda/odyssey/2019/cost-to-own/

https://caredge.com/honda/odyssey/costs

[pmax]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

Was hoping this might be a thread about blatant rip-offs by repair shops. Example:

[porsche tech]

Originally Posted by rwest

I suspect this could be the same story just replaced with any other maintenance item on houses, appliances, etc that people who are uneducated in repair work.

I’ve heard similar outrageous quotes and cost for window and furnace replacements.

We can’t forget that there are many honest people doing work for others, but how would the uneducated consumers know? I’m so glad that my path in life gave me so many learning and skill gathering opportunities.

I have a great muffler place a few miles away who have done great by me several times, offerings to weld in new sections rather than selling me a whole factory piece.

Bingo! Many seem to think nobody can do anything right but them and nobody’s labor is worth as much as theirs. There’s plenty of white collar crooks out there too. My 2¢.

[aschen]

If you asked me on the street how much this should be I'd estimate

Brake parts 150$
Brake labor 150$
Control arms retail 350$
Labor above 150$
Brake flush 100$
Wipers high retail 75$
Alignment after lca 150$

1000-1250 maybe so 1800 seems a bit high just like almost everything else seems high to me these days.

Porsche/bmw/mb this would be 6k at the dealership. We had an 11 odyssey for a while and I must admit it was crazy easy to work on. Even the timing belt isn't to hard to do

[Alan A]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

A lot of people have to pinch pennies in other aspects of the financial life in order to afford a Porsche. I'm not surprised to see Porsche owners being financially conservative .

It’s not that. It’s the I’d never buy/lease a new car crowd that can’t help themselves whenever a thread like this comes up.

Some people value their time higher. Or have a higher income to free time ratio - yeah yeah it’s the same thing - and want a car with a warranty and known expenses.

You know if you get a new car you aren’t worrying about timing belts, control arms, brakes, tires and transmissions going out. If it goes TU you are out the time to drive it to the dealer to pick up the loaner.

[Alan A]

Originally Posted by aschen

If you asked me on the street how much this should be I'd estimate

Brake parts 150$
Brake labor 150$
Control arms retail 350$
Labor above 150$
Brake flush 100$
Wipers high retail 75$
Alignment after lca 150$

1000-1250 maybe so 1800 seems a bit high just like almost everything else seems high to me these days.

Porsche/bmw/mb this would be 6k at the dealership. We had an 11 odyssey for a while and I must admit it was crazy easy to work on. Even the timing belt isn't to hard to do

Hourly rate at the Audi garage is $200 now. No idea what Honda is getting but I’d be surprised if it was less than a buck-fifty. Your labor numbers seem low.

[Brian 162]

Originally Posted by masraum

If/when you find a trustworthy shop (they are out there), hold on to them as they are rare.

I’ve been going to the same shop for over 25 years. Honest as the day is long. I moved over 90 minutes away, I still use them once a year to give my vehicle the once over.
I do most maintenance items myself.
For stuff I can’t do I will take it to them.
They’re so busy they have a notice in the front door stating they’ve not taking new clients.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Brian 162

I’ve been going to the same shop for over 25 years. Honest as the day is long. I moved over 90 minutes away, I still use them once a year to give my vehicle the once over.
I do most maintenance items myself.
For stuff I can’t do I will take it to them.
They’re so busy they have a notice in the front door stating they’ve not taking new clients.

I drive 82 miles when work is required on the boxster that I can't/won't/don't have time to manage. I'm not sure what I'm going to do when we encounter something on the wife's car that I can't handle.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by vash

I have at the best Toyota mechanic I trust, and a dentist I trust. I am in good shape.

Yes you are. Dentists are good people to have a friendship with. My dentist pal is a deep into Porsche and finds few he can BS with. Porsche, just like booze drinking, will create the strangest of bedfellows.

I was at Conrads (a Goodyear type place) and I said align this Windstar even though the driver's lower ball joint had microscopic movement. They made me sign a waiver.

I got on well with the counter person and I said the deal with this place is you will hand me a $1,000 list of stuff needing repaired and most of it is incosequential. She said, "Well...." and handed me a $1,200 list.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Alan A

It’s not that. It’s the I’d never buy/lease a new car crowd that can’t help themselves whenever a thread like this comes up.

Some people value their time higher. Or have a higher income to free time ratio - yeah yeah it’s the same thing - and want a car with a warranty and known expenses.

You know if you get a new car you aren’t worrying about timing belts, control arms, brakes, tires and transmissions going out. If it goes TU you are out the time to drive it to the dealer to pick up the loaner.

I totally get what you are saying and agree but most of us here have a new-ish car for a DD, (for the reasons you mentioned), and also hobby cars that require more attention. It's a choice for me, I like working on my old cars. This is a car hobby forum...did you find it by mistake?

[speeder]

Originally Posted by pmax

It's amazing that a $27k used car could depreciate that much and cost $54k to own. Simply amazing.

Here on earth, I had a used Honda Odyssey for a few years, (one of the finest vehicles ever bolted together), I went waaaay overboard on maintenance and sold it to a friend 6 months ago for more or less what I had in it. It was a great deal for him and he is working it like a rented mule hauling work stuff around.

I did most of the work on it myself but did have to farm out some significant stuff when I purchased it because it was far from home. Honda parts are definitely expensive when you have to go dealer for lack of OEM aftermarket availability.

[Alan A]

Originally Posted by speeder

I totally get what you are saying and agree but most of us here have a new-ish car for a DD, (for the reasons you mentioned), and also hobby cars that require more attention. It's a choice for me, I like working on my old cars. This is a car hobby forum...did you find it by mistake?

I’m not talking about the toys.

I’m talking about the “I’d never buy a new car” crowd that can’t help themselves whenever a topic about newer vehicles comes up. The people that buy new cars are either dumb - which no one here is going to admit to - or don’t care that new cars depreciate.

It’s not a surprise to anyone with an iq over room temperature that a used car is cheaper than a new one, so why does it have to be repeated in Every. Single. Thread like it’s new information that we should all be shocked by?

[KFC911]

LOL ... you must be new here

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Alan A

I’m not talking about the toys.

I’m talking about the “I’d never buy a new car” crowd that can’t help themselves whenever a topic about newer vehicles comes up. The people that buy new cars are either dumb - which no one here is going to admit to - or don’t care that new cars depreciate.

It’s not a surprise to anyone with an iq over room temperature that a used car is cheaper than a new one, so why does it have to be repeated in Every. Single. Thread like it’s new information that we should all be shocked by?

Once again, you are right but in recent years, some late model used car prices are so high that there is little discount from new. The price of new cars in general has skyrocketed. My parents would generally never buy used cars, my dad always joked about his, "Buy high/sell low" strategy with vehicles.

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by speeder

Once again, you are right but in recent years, some late model used car prices are so high that there is little discount from new. The price of new cars in general has skyrocketed. My parents would generally never buy used cars, my dad always joked about his, "Buy high/sell low" strategy with vehicles.

+1
I am usually buying a 1-3 year old car and let someone else take the depreciation.
That said, I bought a new Hyundai with a 10 yr/ 100k miles warranty because it was a dd and going to see 15k miles per year. I have 100k+ on it and have done very little in the way of repairs outside of warranty: washer pump, one TPS, and spark plug coils (bought Autozone ones that have a lifetime warranty and did it myself). It needs a harness in the steering wheel that controls the cruise control but I haven't gotten around to it because I change to work from home in 2020.

To address the original topic: even if I can't do the work myself, I can ask questions and research info to see if something is needed or just padding the bill with unneeded stuff.

[pmax]

Originally Posted by speeder

It's amazing that a $27k used car could depreciate that much and cost $54k to own. Simply amazing.

Here on earth ...

Originally Posted by speeder

... I went waaaay overboard on maintenance and sold it to a friend 6 months ago for more or less what I had in it.
...

[zakthor]

Friend took her mercedes to the dealer for required software update. They noticed her tire pressure light was lit- screw in tire. 4wd == 4 new tires == $1650.

Plenty of wear left.

She called for advice and i begged her to go to local tire shop. Screw was 3” from sidewall so they patched it.

$23.

[pmax]

Originally Posted by speeder

...(one of the finest vehicles ever bolted together)...

[cabmandone]

The OP makes me thankful I don't have to worry about state inspections. But then, I drive through Mansfield with a car in front of me dog tracking so much that I can see the driver's side doors and think, hmmm maybe we should have state inspections.