Front End Parts Quote: Are you sitting down?

[Coast2Coast]

I took my truck into a local shop today to have the oil changed and asked them to check the front end because the front end pulls to the left over bumps. Also something has been making a noise under the hood that sounds like an industrial pepper grinder coming through the firewall. They found the lower control arm bushings are warn out, broken sway bar link, all the steering bushings are warn out, etc. He quoted me $1553 just to address the lower control arm bushings alone. The A/C compressor bearing is warn out making noise so they disconnected the belt to fix that problem. $1000 for that compressor. To fix everything they found today would have cost more than I paid for the truck lol.

I'm just going to drive it until failure or till I replace it this fall, whichever comes first. I realise you can buy poly bushing kits for $50 but I don't have a place to park the truck to work on it and I definitely don't have the patience to take on a job like trying to remove 14 year old control arms and bushings. I'm assuming the shop won't do it without disconnecting and removing the steering rack and steering wheel. That's what their procedure calls for and they make more money that way. These 4runners are a lot more of a PITA to work on than most trucks.

First and last time I ever buy a vehicle with 180,000 miles on it...

 

[jreask]

I find quite the opposite.

 

[BrianSD_42]

Post a picture of the quote receipt. We will tell you if it BS.

 

[Coast2Coast]

I find quite the opposite.

Well my example here is the front wheel bearings that I had to have replaced which was 7 hours labour because you have to remove the hub and press the bearings in/out. Now to add it's also a 7 hour labour job to replace the lower control arm bushings. In my mind, that is a PITA.

 

[Coast2Coast]

Post a picture of the quote receipt. We will tell you if it BS.

I'll post it up here if they give me one, I haven't picked up the truck yet. At least they have a shuttle service to pick me up when they're done with the oil change

 

[Whitson Metalworks]

Well my example here is the front wheel bearings that I had to have replaced which was 7 hours labour because you have to remove the hub and press the bearings in/out. Now to add it's also a 7 hour labour job to replace the lower control arm bushings. In my mind, that is a PITA.

I feel your pain but when I did my front hub I bought the complete unit and slapped it on, no bearings pressed in or out. With any high mileage vehicle it pays to be or to become a diy'er as labor costs are crazy these days.

 

[JayRolla]

I just replaced all front suspension and steering and it was nothing near that price, I bought all the parts myself and did it myself, was actually not too bad. You dont want to wait, if you have a lower ball joint failure (anything over 100k miles should have them replaced) than you will get stuck in my boat. I think it cost me around $1500 for all the parts. That does include a new rack and pinion ($350) and new tires ($650).

I did front springs, shocks, lower/upper ball joints, rack and pinion, inner/outer tie rods, body lift, tires and still was cheaper than your quote. I found every vehicle is pretty much easy to work on. They just have a different name plate on the body.

 

[02SE]

Well my example here is the front wheel bearings that I had to have replaced which was 7 hours labour because you have to remove the hub and press the bearings in/out. Now to add it's also a 7 hour labour job to replace the lower control arm bushings. In my mind, that is a PITA.

One thing to consider is that the 3rd gen uses unit bearings on the front. Whereas previous models (1st & 2nd gen) used re-packable bearings that needed to be serviced regularly.

So while you may pay more to have the unit bearings replaced, they last much longer without needing periodic service.

As an example, I would've repacked the front wheel bearings at least four times so far, since buying my 4Runner new, if it had conventional repackable bearings. As it is, it's still running fine on the original unit bearings.

In the long run it costs significantly less (in time and money) to own the 3rd gen, just taking into consideration the cost of servicing/replacing the front wheel bearings alone.


FWIW, I worked as an ASE Master Tech at one time. Toyota's were some of the easiest vehicles to work on. They also tend to be more reliable than most makes.

 

[Sawgunner]

These trucks are an absolute breeze to work on.

 

[white_n_slow]

Find a better shop or do it yourself. I would laugh in his face if he quoted me that price.

 

[alaskaflyer]

Find a better shop or do it yourself. I would laugh in his face if he quoted me that price.

and then I'd ask if they were hiring!!

 

[Coast2Coast]

I feel your pain but when I did my front hub I bought the complete unit and slapped it on, no bearings pressed in or out. With any high mileage vehicle it pays to be or to become a diy'er as labor costs are crazy these days.

That's interesting, I asked the mechanic (at a different shop than todays) why he couldn't do exactly that and he said you couldn't do that with these trucks because of the way the front end is put together, or removing the hubs and pressing bearings was faster, or something. I can't remember his exact words now.

I used to do my own work but I don't even have a driveway to put the truck on anymore so I'm stuck using shops till I move again hopefully this fall. I have scarcely even looked under the hood of this truck since I picked it up.

This truck is getting replaced soon. A breakdown in the places I take it could be really bad news, especially in the winter when it's -40. I've already spent over $2000 in repairs since I picked it up 8 months ago. To spend even more on parts and still be left with a $3000 truck is not worth it to me.

 

[Whitson Metalworks]

Dibs on your locker!! :becky:

 

[chuck norris]

Those quotes are high by at least 50% over what I've seen.

LCA bushings can be done in your driveway, or just swap out control arms for ones with good bushings in them.

The AC compressor is a decently expensive part, but you also have to do more AC work with it. AC is expensive to work on no matter what.

Seriously... what are you going to get besides a 4runner that does the same things?

 

[Coast2Coast]

Ok I picked up the truck and got the quote. The quote to fix everything is $6,315. BAHAHAHAHAHAH. He can't find bushings for the steering rack, or for the control arms, so he's quoted to replace each entire part. He's also quoted to replace the a/c compressor, which was shot and making my pepper grinder noise. That's a $1200 job. Broken sway bar link, tie rod end, front shocks. He also added a transmission flush, air filter change, alignment, recharge a/c system, etc.

I have no reason to believe any of the things on this quote are not truly warn out, because I have suspected most of them myself. But I believe most of the bushings can be bought for under $100 total and I can find some backyard mechanic to put those in for me.

For anyone that comes upon this thread the truck was pulling to the left when hitting bumps and generally handles like a piano in case your wondering where to start looking for issues and have similar symptoms.

The quote is 11 pages long so I'll just post the pic with the total on it:

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This quote does not surprise me, I've gotten quotes like this before for other beaters I've had years ago. I think busy garage owners like to scare people away so that they only have to work on nice clean new vehicles.

 

[Coast2Coast]

Seriously... what are you going to get besides a 4runner that does the same things?

This:

[/URL]~original[/IMG]

 

[GhostRing]

and you think THAT front end is cheaper than you were quoted?? ;P

 

[nicolasballia]

WWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH my truck cost me less than that xD

you could even do a SAS and be left with tons of cash...

 

[Jbot]

These 4runners are a lot more of a PITA to work on than most trucks.

First and last time I ever buy a vehicle with 180,000 miles on it...

I just dont agree with that. One of the easiest trucks to work on ive ever come across, im 18 and i can do most of the work with the right write ups and info. Ive helped a lot of friends with their cars and a few runners.

And i bought my runner at 180,000 miles and the only thing ive had to do on mine is replace the sparks and the brakes. These things can last forever.

 

[Coast2Coast]

and you think THAT front end is cheaper than you were quoted?? ;P

That is a justifiable cost! I swear!