Did this shop rip me off?

4runnerfiend

4runnerfiend

New member
Two cracked heads. Once they got in there the shop told me timing belt and tons of crap needed to be replaced. Had them throw headers on while they were there.

Labor was 1,167.25
Total parts including the extra headers 3,408.32

Keep in mind we’re in CALIFORNIA.
Wondering if I should trust this shop going forward

going to try and figure out how to get the invoice picture up here



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4runnerfiend said:
Two cracked heads. Once they got in there the shop told me timing belt and tons of crap needed to be replaced. Had them throw headers on while they were there.

Labor was 1,167.25
Total parts including the extra headers 3,408.32

Keep in mind we’re in CALIFORNIA.
Wondering if I should trust this shop going forward

going to try and figure out how to get the invoice picture up here



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


For California I think the labor is not out of this world, I was quoted $550 labor only if I supplied parts for a timing belt/water pump/seals etc.

As far as parts, the numbers where provided seem to be Toyota and of course they purchased at a local dealer not internet seller.

Hard to say on the rest. A couple used heads taken to a machine shop would have been a lot less, I do not know about the headers etc. And it made sense to do the timing belt/water pump if the heads were off.

Many ways to save money (heads from a junk yard, take to machine shop, supply own Toyota parts from internet seller)
but all entail legwork, except providing your own parts if they agree to that.
If you drop a vehicle off and ask them to call you when it is ready, the shop is going to do what is most expedient.

Subtract the cost of the headers and labor to install same....I think that is not out of line for SoCal for two new heads, timing belt/water pump/belts for parts and labor.
 
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Personally at that amount I would be swapping out the motor. My last motor swap, grabbed a real nice 112K one I saw running in a CL 4runner, had the guy pull it for a total of $1,200, we put it in cargo area in the back of my 4runner.
Got another guy to swap my old one out and put this one in for a waaaaay low price of $500 (wasn't even worth me doing it myself), actually it was less than that, I felt guilty and paid him more. So grand total for me was $1,700, couldn't have been happier. That motor has over 307K on it now.
I know this is after the fact but, cause I know others can benefit - There are options to not take such a beating, I think its good to weigh them out. Motors can be had at a good price. If you don't install it yourself, shop around, you can find somebody to do it at a good cost.
 
Yeah I was pushing the shop to do a swap but they highly recommended going this route. It ended up being way higher than I was originally was told due to the damn bearings and such. It’s all over now and running great . Just have to be sure going forward if I’m going to use them again.
 
wish I knew you need heads I have 2 on a shelf in my garage. I'm in Temecula the heads should of be surfaced and ground but I would have parted with them for much less than 1300 :madgrin:
 
plcfcng said:
wish I knew you need heads I have 2 on a shelf in my garage. I'm in Temecula the heads should of be surfaced and ground but I would have parted with them for much less than 1300 :madgrin:
Click to expand...

yeah that was a pretty penny for new heads. Hopefully this is it (motor wise) for 100 k
 
I unknowingly bought a 2002 SR5 with 230K that had a cracked head. I paid $4100 for rebuilt heads installed at a local Japanese repair shop in Seattle.
 
PHGen3 said:
I unknowingly bought a 2002 SR5 with 230K that had a cracked head. I paid $4100 for rebuilt heads installed at a local Japanese repair shop in Seattle.
Click to expand...

That is almost exactly what I paid. except I got "new" non oem heads. Good to hear that the cost is in line with others
 
The first 3.4 I worked on it was a H.S. shop project where they but the head gaskets on wrong along with other things. When I pulled the heads off I found the prior owner had purchased heads from a rebuilder in Florida I don't know who. So before I put the heads back on I checked valve lash. What I found was no matter how I moved the disks around I could no get the lash into spec. So I ended up taking them to a local machine shop they replaced the disks that needed to be changed for 50 dollars a head. Well worth the money for me.:hatsoff:
 
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