Fair Or Reasonable Estimate

[amateurfishing]

can anyone tell me if this is a fair or reasonable estimate? I was told by shop that toe rods were basic extortion by for & strictly a ford only part. Would love to hear opinions on the estimate. thx

[Greenhornet84]

70 bucks for brake fluid exchange! Wow that sucks and why are pads twice the price of new rotors? I'd find someone else to work on your car. I'd also try talking to them about the bill. Not that it will do much besides letting you vent.

[Scott K]

What is the year make and model?

I can check on the prices for you.

[amateurfishing]

2002 Ford Explore XLT 4 x 4 4.6L SOHC V8 automatic

[Scott K]

I sent you a message with prices I have.

[thebman]

That type of estimate is why I do all my own maintenance. If I can do my own labor than I save a ton of $$$$. Not knocking the shop making a profit as that is what they are in business for. They have a ton of overhead so their rates need to be high. I'm sure they are not quoting cheap parts as they have to warranty the work so they are going to try and sell you on the best available plus some markup. Get the wrenches out and replace all the parts yourself then drive it over there for the alignment.

[amateurfishing]

don't change my own oil let alone all of this....have neither the brains nor tools.....

I did get to the local ford dealership today and sadly the prices appear to be inline.

[JOHNBIGDOG]

If you want to save SOME money but not a lot: Sometime YOU can purchase the hard parts over the counter, and get a little discount. The dealership has a mark up on the parts to pay for expenses, this is true of aftermarket parts too. It may be worth your time to call the parts department and get some prices.

[fishing tech]

I hate gouging. Take the fluid exchanges off, the fuel system treatment. Absolutely worthless. Go online and check parts price for the trailing/toe arms pricing. There is a dealership in WBL that seals the parts on line cheaper then what I can buy it for at the dealer I work for. Good luck.

[amateurfishing]

was not planning on the fluid exchanges, I know that's a rip off, was more concerned with the hard parts and honestly the 2 quotes I have so far are in line......problem with buying parts myself I would not expect shop to warranty them since they did not buy them, right?

[Jeremy airjer W]

I hate gouging. Take the fluid exchanges off

So you have no idea what the condition of the brake fluid is in yet you would recommend not doing it. What if the fluid has an unacceptable moisture content? What if an emergency braking condition comes along and the fluid boils over resulting in the loss of brakes? Unlikely, I know but one of the best services if warranted IMO. That old of a vehicle and I'm sure mileage to match and a good possibility it has never been serviced. I would also bet that in addition to the moisture it is also green do to the internal corrosion of the brake lines.

Do yourself a favor and get the flush.

[fishing tech]

How often do you flush your brake system and ps system on your vehicles.

I had a boss who pushed that dump but would never do it to his own. I never done my and I run my vehicles til they die. With 200k on the 4 of the vehicle in my family. The brake system is a sealed system. So the only moisture get in is by opening it up or a bad cap.

I suppose you flush your engine also to get contaminants out of the inside.

No thanks, I have been a tech for over 30 years and maybe to much old school but I am not a salesman.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Moisture can and will get into anything! At some point over the years I was told that moister was able to penetrate the rubber hoses.

30 years ago it was quite common to replace wheel cylinders and brake hoses. New fluid was constantly being flushed through the system as those components where replaced. How often is that happening on modern vehicles? Calipers, hoses, master cylinders and brake lines are lasting longer and longer and the system is being bled less and less.

I'm not saying it needs to be done every year, or every 30k miles but if you have a 100k on a 10 year old vehicle an extra $80 isn't that big of a deal.

In the last ten years or so our caravan was done once when the wheel cylinders where replaced, the Tacoma was done right after I bought it with a 100k on it, my first tundra was a lease return, the Camry doesn't have enough miles but will get done with its first brake job somewhere around 60k and the second tundra will get it when it gets it's first brake job at around 70k, the Saturn will be getting one this summer after the brake hoses and the wheel cylinders are replaced. I know it has at least been bled once since the brake hoses on the front where installed backwards when they where done.

It's one of the few flushes that I truly believe can be beneficial in many ways!

[amateurfishing]

well its an 2002 ford explorer with 145,000 and im original owner. not sure if brakes fluid has ever been done but I am pretty sure the ps is just fine and the fuel system as well. both of those are a major cha-ching-ers for the business as I did work in auto for a small time & those are major markups with little impact I believe

[fishing tech]

So you are flushing while replacing components? Not doing as a maintenance. When you do it to a customers car do you also charge for bleeding the brakes? Double dipping?

Everything is better nowadays. Fluids especially.

When the wynn's guy or justice bro guy, or whoever comes in and gives tech $5 and writers $10 for each flush they do it just seems a little fishy and a waste of resources to me.

They tell you on a trany not to flush it if the fluid is pink. Not to flush it if the fluid is burnt. When should you flush it? I change my fluid and filter every 20,000 mile because I am always towing with it. My cars have never been done.

I never sold anything to a customer that I would not sell to my parents.

[amateurfishing]

So you are flushing while replacing components? Not doing as a maintenance. When you do it to a customers car do you also charge for bleeding the brakes? Double dipping?

Everything is better nowadays. Fluids especially.

When the wynn's guy or justice bro guy, or whoever comes in and gives tech $5 and writers $10 for each flush they do it just seems a little fishy and a waste of resources to me.

They tell you on a trany not to flush it if the fluid is pink. Not to flush it if the fluid is burnt. When should you flush it? I change my fluid and filter every 20,000 mile because I am always towing with it. My cars have never been done.

I never sold anything to a customer that I would not sell to my parents.

not sure what you mean by double dipping. I am the customer here. I did think brake fluid plus pads & rotors was double dipping, I also thought new struts & rear wheel alignment was double dipping as well.

This is for me & my vehicle which I was quoted, im the customer, not the shop owner/mechanic.

[fishing tech]

not sure what you mean by double dipping. I am the customer here. I did think brake fluid plus pads & rotors was double dipping, I also thought new struts & rear wheel alignment was double dipping as well.

This is for me & my vehicle which I was quoted, im the customer, not the shop owner/mechanic.

[amateurfishing]

so are they trying to double dip me? brake fluid line bleed out when replacing pads and rotors?

alinement charge while replacing struts & toe rod?