Repair Topics / Auto Repair Prices and Estimates

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Question: 1997 Dodge Intrepid mileage: 97,000. Just wanted to know if you could possibly give me a fair estimate on replacing left and right inner tie rods,  because the bushings are gone and steering wheel has a lot of play in it!! Mainly a fair labor price. Thank you.

Answer:   Labor should be approximately $180.00 and parts are approximately $80.00 each

Question: 1994 Pontiac Grand Am  mileage: 90,000. How much should it cost to replace (rebuild) the automatic transmission in this vehicle?

Answer: Two different automatic transmissions were popular in your vehicle. To rebuild the three-speed model should cost approximately $1000.00, the four-speed model, approximately $1600.00. All this is assuming that you have no damage to any of the "hard parts" (gears, etc).

Question: 1995 Toyota Camry mileage: 136,785.  I mailed you before about my car, which is apparently having transmission problems or something of that sort.  My car makes a clunking sound when in (Drive) at a stoplight and also in reverse.  I had a mechanic flush out the current trans fluid and replace the filter and a gasket.  Now the thing is that the filter was very dark and the fluid that was drained was not reddish like it is supposed to be but almost silver.  He even said that the fluid had little pieces of metal in it.  He told me that my transmission needed to be replaced...can you guys give me a second opinion?  And how much does a rebuilt trans usually cost?  Roughly...thanks.

Answer:    The silver color to the transmission fluid is metal particles from inside the transmission.  Unfortunately It is extremely likely that you will need your transmission rebuilt which could cost anywhere between $1,500.00 and $2,500.00.

Question: 1997 Geo Tracker mileage: 93,000.  I took it to the shop for its 60,000-mile service.  I was told that the radiator is leaking.  Is this a common problem for these cars?  I was also told that a new radiator would cost about $900!  Is this true?

Answer:  The price that you were quoted, $900.00, appears to be out-of-line based on the information you have provided us.  We believe that $500.00 seems more like what the cost should be.

Question: 1994 BMW 325i mileage: 135,000.  I have replaced the transmission for at about 60,000 miles.   So, the existing transmission I currently have is about 70,000 miles old.  About 2 weeks ago, I noticed my transmission was acting differently.  I first noticed when driving around 50 mph, the transmission will shift into the next gear around 2500 rpms, then shift back down and the rpms rev up to about 3000 rpms.  Once I get to 55 mph, it shifts up once again and then backs down.  I haven't noticed anything different up to 45 mph.  It seems that the problem occurs once I get to 50 mph and upward.  What do you think the problem may be?  Could it be a major repair?  What would be the approximate cost?  Thanks for you help.

Answer: It will very depending on the amount of parts that need to be replaced.  Your are most likely looking at approximately $2500.00. to $3,500.00

Question: 2002 Honda Civic mileage: 99,000.  Bob and Ken, It has been suggested that we replace both CV boots for our car.  How much is a reasonable price for replacement, and should we not drive the car until this is done?  What if we keep driving the car?

Answer:  If the CV boots are torn and throwing grease, then they definitely should be replaced.  If you do not replace the boots and they are torn and you continue driving, it will eventually cause the CV joints to fail.  The approximate cost to replace the boots is $150.00.

Question: 1996 Pontiac Grand Am mileage: 150,000.  I drove the car for 6-8 weeks with the coolant light on prior to getting service. I checked the level and it seemed ok so I thought it was nothing major.  The local Pontiac folks told me the head gasket had a leak and there was anti-freeze in the engine.  They also said the problem was caused by not changing oil in 12K miles. They said they cannot/will not repair the engine and that it needs a new engine.  They are quoting $4,300 for a remanufactured GM engine with 3 yr - 50K warranty.   Any advice?

Answer:   $4,300 sounds reasonable to replace the engine with new.  Antifreeze in the oil would indicate that you have severe internal engine damage.

Question: 1994 Toyota Camry mileage: 126,000.  I have an Toyota Camry with an automatic (speed w/overdrive) forward gears work fine, reverse started slipping and eventually went kaput.  Does it need a complete overhaul?  Approximate cost?  Thanks....  J.P.

Answer: We would say yes at a cost of approximately $1,600.00 to $2,200.00.

Question: 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier mileage: 113,000.  Started it up in my driveway, ran fine for few minutes, started missing and sputtering.  I shut it off.  Blown head gasket, water shot out of tailpipe 3 ft. Is cost of repair worth value of car.  Your guess on repair cost.  Also needs brake job and trans slips a little.  Body is fine headliner starting to peal.

Answer: We cannot say what your car is worth.  However, replacing the head gasket should cost approximately $1450.00, the brakes $230.00 and rebuilding the transmission $1750.00.

Question: 1999 Dodge Caravan mileage: 135,000.  My transmission keeps going out on my minivan.  I have an automatic transmission in the van and at 135,000 it will need it's 4th transmission.  The first one was replaced by the dealer at 35,000 miles then again at about 95,000 and now this one lost the overdrive and 4th gear at 135,000.  First, aren't transmissions supposed to last more than 40,000 miles and what could be happening to cause such a regular problem?  My mechanic says that if you get 60,000 - 70,000 out of one of these transmissions that is considered good.  I would think since it is mostly (90%) driven on the highway (not stop and go) that this shouldn't happen.   Please shed some light on this problem and give me an estimate of what it would cost to repair a transmission on a Dodge minivan.

Answer:    The cost to rebuild your transmission should run about $1700.00 to $2300.00 depending on the amount of damaged parts.  Heat build-up shortens the life of a transmission.  Try adding an extra transmission cooler and using synthetic fluid.

Question: 1995 Ford Aspire 1.3 mileage: 97,845.  My car will turn like it will crank but it doesn't. The dealer says it is the distributor and that it costs about $600 to order and $800 to fix.  Is there a better deal on a distributor for this kind of car or am I sunk.

Answer:  Check for a rebuilt unit here -

Question: 1999 Honda Accord  mileage: 131,000.   I was just told that I needed to have the gasket in my oil pan replaced - he said that I should have this done every 2 years or so and it cost me about $370 for parts and labor.  Is this true and is the cost reasonable?

Answer:   You should not have to replace the oil pan gasket if it is installed correctly.

Answer:   Parts and labor for front and rear brakes should be approximately $360.00.  If a brake rotor or wheel bearing needs replacing, it will cost more.

Question: 2003 Hyundai Elantra mileage: 89,000.   What's the average price on replacing a valve cover gasket (for an oil leak) and changing spark plug wires?  Also, what is the timing belt?  How do you know if it needs to be replaced?  What is the cost?

Answer:   Price for valve cover gasket replacement - $120.00.   Price for spark plug wire replacement - $170.00.  The timing belt connects the crankshaft and camshaft.  It should be replaced every 60,000 miles.  The cost should be approximately $440.00 to $640.00.

Question: 1999 Pontiac Grand Am mileage: 94,000.  If the clutch is found to be bad, how much (ballpark) would it cost to get a new one w/ labor and is it worth it to do this to such an aged car?

Answer:  New parts and labor to replace your clutch should be approximately $685.00.

Question: 2001 Nissan Pathfinder mileage 84,500.  What is the usual price one would expect to pay for new exhaust manifolds for the above vehicle?  It's the model I've been given a quote by a Nissan dealership of 1480.00 dollars that includes parts and labor. I was wondering is it best to just shop around for or cheaper price or stick with the deal.  I have no ideal even as to how important the exhaust manifolds are to a vehicle performance. Can I do this myself ? Please advise.

Answer:  We would shop around a bit to see if you can find cheaper parts on eAutoPartStore.com first. then just have a garage install them or install them yourself. And as far as how tough the job is, its like my Dad always said (Bob) "it's just nut's and bolt's... not to bad."

Question: 1999 Honda Civic mileage 105,000. What is the cost for replacing timing belt & water pump?

Answer: Approximately $460.00

Question: 2002 Ford F150 mileage: 56,000. When put in reverse it seems to drag as if the parking brake was on. I have checked the brakes and they are fine. Also had the sensors checked all were fine. When put in drive it runs fine with no problems. It is most likely internal, but what exactly I don’t have a clue. Would you have any idea what would cause this problem and estimate cost?

Answer: From the problem you describe, it does sound like an internal transmission problem. The transmission may have to be disassembled to locate the problem. An overhaul would cost approximately $1600,00 to $2700.00

Question:   2001 Mazda B3000 4x4, miles: 90,000 want to rebuild the engine and have the clutch replaced. There is no major problems with either the engine or clutch; it burns some oil but probably normal amounts for the mileage. What is a ball park figure that this would cost, and what are the degrees of re-build; do I need to specify certain procedures? What is normally done in a re-build? The rest of the truck is in good shape. Thanks in advance.

Answer: The price for a quality engine rebuild and new clutch, parts and labor, should be approximately $3600 to $4800.

Question: 2002 Volkswagen Jetta, miles: 167,000 I was just informed that I need a new fuel pump. Could you give me an estimate of the cost to replace the fuel pump? Thank you.

Answer: That fuel pump costs approximately $140.00 and labor about $125.00. If the fuel filter has not been changed recently, it should be replaced at the same time.

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Repair Topics / Auto Repair Prices and Estimates