IOP25
New member
I went with OME and they're my second set, had a set on my 3rd Gen 4Runner. Never had a complaint. Bilsteins have a lifetime warranty so I would have definitely thrown that in their face. What a bunch of aholes. lol
Looking to have Shock/Struts replaced...
- Thread starter jstutz101
- Start date
I went with OME and they're my second set, had a set on my 3rd Gen 4Runner. Never had a complaint. Bilsteins have a lifetime warranty so I would have definitely thrown that in their face. What a bunch of aholes. lol
Therok aren't the Bilstein 5100's the shock that has been unavailable and on back order for several months?
Estimate for '03 Front Struts/Rear Shock
I'm new so please forgive me for figuring things out...
This looks like an old post but do you remember the cost of the labor/parts for this job? I know nothing about cars and am a woman - therefore, I'm worried about mechanics over-charging me for not knowing what I'm looking at (it's happened in the past). I have an '03 who runs well and I keep maintenance up-to-date. She runs like a beast and recently hit 170K so I figured I'd have her looked at.
Aside from a list of $2700 in repairs, one of the things they said was front struts and rear shocks are leaking. Here's the quote for the front struts and rear shocks alone:
Job09 STRUTS, R&R MACPHEARSON FRONT
Labor: $537.60
Strut Assembly-Front 2.0 @ 174.27 =$ 348.54 348.54
Job Subtotal: $886.14
Job10 SHOCK ABSORBER REAR, R&R
Labor: $212.80
Shock Absorber-Rear 2.0 @ 102.77 =$ 205.54 205.54
Job Subtotal: $418.34
Is this reasonable?
Thanks.
I'm new so please forgive me for figuring things out...
This looks like an old post but do you remember the cost of the labor/parts for this job? I know nothing about cars and am a woman - therefore, I'm worried about mechanics over-charging me for not knowing what I'm looking at (it's happened in the past). I have an '03 who runs well and I keep maintenance up-to-date. She runs like a beast and recently hit 170K so I figured I'd have her looked at.
Aside from a list of $2700 in repairs, one of the things they said was front struts and rear shocks are leaking. Here's the quote for the front struts and rear shocks alone:
Job09 STRUTS, R&R MACPHEARSON FRONT
Labor: $537.60
Strut Assembly-Front 2.0 @ 174.27 =$ 348.54 348.54
Job Subtotal: $886.14
Job10 SHOCK ABSORBER REAR, R&R
Labor: $212.80
Shock Absorber-Rear 2.0 @ 102.77 =$ 205.54 205.54
Job Subtotal: $418.34
Is this reasonable?
Thanks.
I'd say unreasonable. I've always found Camelback Toyota in Phoenix to have some of the lowest, if not the lowest, prices for OEM parts. Here's a link to their parts page for rear shock absorber for a 2003...
2003 Toyota 4Runner Parts - Camelback Toyota Parts - Genuine OEM Parts - Free Shipping
They're showing $41.92 each for non-XREAS. If your dealer is quoting $102, you don't have XREAS. Labor looks high too. If you're just replacing shocks, I wouldn't think it's much more than an hour for one person working alone.
Here's a link to the Camelback page for front shocks...
2003 Toyota 4Runner Parts - Camelback Toyota Parts - Genuine OEM Parts - Free Shipping
$174 for parts looks a little more reasonable, although still $80 more than Camelback for 2 shocks. I'm not sure about the labor for the front since there's a few things that need to be removed and disassembled to replace the front shocks. I don't have a good feel for how long it should take a dealer.
See if they'll match the Camelback prices, or if not, see if they'll let you bring the parts and have them install. I'd also ask about their hourly rate. Replacing rear shocks should be less than an hour job. They're either quoting $213 per hour or trying to charge for more than an hour for the rear. I wouldn't accept either one.
I guess the bottom line is this - I can't comment on the labor for the front, but EVERYTHING else in their quote is high or extremely high.
^^ Exactly my thoughts. Labor and materials are both too high for the rear. Front is a little more in line, although they are shading toward the high side.
Given that you are in Seattle, I would not expect a lot of rust to contend with. I could see them raising the labor estimate if your vehicle has excessive rust.
Given that you are in Seattle, I would not expect a lot of rust to contend with. I could see them raising the labor estimate if your vehicle has excessive rust.
Thanks
Thank you for this feedback! I hate to question these professionals but am a social worker so don't have loads of money to put into my car. I liked that this mechanic took pictures of what they saw and included it in the inspection.
Not sure if this is the right place to ask this but, one of the things they said was also an issue is my "right valve cover gasket" is creating engine leaks. Here's the quote for that job:
Job06: VALVE COVER GASKET(S), R&R
Labor: $257.60
PARTS CLEANER 1.0 @ 4.32 =$ 4.32
Valve Cover Gasket-Lef 1.0 @ 29.24 =$ 29.24
Valve Cover Gasket-Rig 1.0 @ 24.02 =$ 24.02
Spark Plug Tube Seal 8.0 @ 4.76 =$ 38.08
Valve Cover O-Ring Set 1.0 @ 53.31 =$ 53.31 148.97
Job Subtotal: $406.57
Is $406.57 reasonable for this repair? Also, when I talk to them, how do I tell them that these prices seem high because they definitely know I don't know anything about cars?
Thank you for this feedback! I hate to question these professionals but am a social worker so don't have loads of money to put into my car. I liked that this mechanic took pictures of what they saw and included it in the inspection.
Not sure if this is the right place to ask this but, one of the things they said was also an issue is my "right valve cover gasket" is creating engine leaks. Here's the quote for that job:
Job06: VALVE COVER GASKET(S), R&R
Labor: $257.60
PARTS CLEANER 1.0 @ 4.32 =$ 4.32
Valve Cover Gasket-Lef 1.0 @ 29.24 =$ 29.24
Valve Cover Gasket-Rig 1.0 @ 24.02 =$ 24.02
Spark Plug Tube Seal 8.0 @ 4.76 =$ 38.08
Valve Cover O-Ring Set 1.0 @ 53.31 =$ 53.31 148.97
Job Subtotal: $406.57
Is $406.57 reasonable for this repair? Also, when I talk to them, how do I tell them that these prices seem high because they definitely know I don't know anything about cars?
Biking4jesus
New member
Im pretty sure my local dealer quoted >$3500 to do XREAS replacement for front alone...
Which engine do you have, V6 or V8? When it comes to valve covers, generally one side is more difficult than the other, due to stuff in the way. So, the labor rate could be reasonable. That being said, a small amount of valve cover seepage is common on older engines. Unless it's leaking enough to make a continual mess on your driveway/garage floor, there's no harm in putting off the gasket repair for a while until you just can't stand the mess anymore. Just keep an eye on your engine oil level.
Sounds like the mechanic was pretty thorough, but asking independent questions here is good. A lot of this maintenance doesn't have to be done on an emergency basis, but can be scheduled as you are able to afford it. The vehicle will not be damaged by running with leaky valve covers or worn shocks; it will just be a bit more annoying to live with. (Edit: If the shocks are so worn that the vehicle is bouncing uncontrollably over bumps or leaning excessively on hard cornering, then it becomes a safety issue and needs to be fixed promptly.)
Usually mechanics quote labor rates based on a "book" value. That's a database of standardized hours required for most common jobs on various vehicles, assuming a competent mechanic with the right tools. Then the mechanic just multiplies that number of hours by his hourly rate to get the estimated labor cost. Ask your mechanic how he is estimating the labor cost, and what his hourly rate is. Generally labor rates range from around $80/hour for lower end independent shops to $130+/hour for dealers.
And, it's OK to ask questions about repair pricing from your mechanic or shop. Just do it politely in a spirit of honest inquiry, not in a spirit of suspicion and confrontation. You're new at this, he's not. You have a right to ask questions.
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I missed which engine you have, but NAPA repair estimator says that is about right if you have the v6. I live about an hour north of Seattle though, so your results might be different if you want to try it out.
NAPA AutoCare Car & Auto Repair Estimator | NAPA AutoCare
Either way you should call around to dealers or independent shops and ask what they would charge to replace both valve cover gaskets.
Any reason the mechanic would have a reasonable price for the gaskets and too high of an estimate for the shocks/struts?
Did you replace them yourself? I'm looking at this KYB set on RockAuto. $273 for front and rear with the front shock/spring preassembled. Seems like a good deal.
More Information for KYB 2SR4131344410
Did yours come pre-assembled? I've seen threads on here about installing shocks/springs without a spring compressor tool because it can be dangerous. I'm wondering if it's possible to install the pre-assembled shock/spring or if I would just end up taking it apart to install it.
After looking at that NAPA repair estimator, he looks high for the valve cover gaskets (on a V8) as well. Apparently the V6 takes more time and comes up with a higher estimate.
You need to ask how he calculates labor, and where he is buying parts. If he's getting OEM (Toyota) parts, they'll be more expensive, but they'll be good. Aftermarket parts are cheaper, but generally not as guaranteed quality. His parts prices suggest reasonably good quality after-market parts.
May be worth taking it to a second shop to get another quote.
If they are pre-assembled, you leave them that way, and you also take the old ones off without disassembling them. The key is DO NOT take the center top nut off. The assembly will fly apart with great force if you remove that nut without having the strut safely constrained by a spring compressor or other mechanism. You only want to remove the three outside top nuts, and the lower shock mount to get the old one out. (Plus whatever you have to do with the brake lines and sway bar to wiggle the strut out.)
With the top nut in place, the strut is perfectly safe.
Thanks for the input Ron. That makes perfect sense. There's a great thread on here that covers all the other bits that need to come off to replace them. With that and your input this shouldn't be too difficult.
Parts and labor
So I asked the shop about how they calculate labor and they said they use a national guide called All Data - for complex jobs it’s $112/hr and he said it’s less for smaller jobs like fluids. The valve cover gaskets, struts and shocks are all OEM.
Of the long list of things he sent in the estimate, the things I actually “need” are:
Engine Air filter $56
Valve Cover Gaskets $406.57
Throttle Body $138.72
Brake System Flush $87.60
Power Steering Flush $110.95
Seem reasonable?
In regards to the struts/shocks, he said it’s more about comfort. It costs so much because the front strut suspension is laborious though the rear shocks are easier, and the alignment is just part of doing struts/shocks = $1397.47
So I asked the shop about how they calculate labor and they said they use a national guide called All Data - for complex jobs it’s $112/hr and he said it’s less for smaller jobs like fluids. The valve cover gaskets, struts and shocks are all OEM.
Of the long list of things he sent in the estimate, the things I actually “need” are:
Engine Air filter $56
Valve Cover Gaskets $406.57
Throttle Body $138.72
Brake System Flush $87.60
Power Steering Flush $110.95
Seem reasonable?
In regards to the struts/shocks, he said it’s more about comfort. It costs so much because the front strut suspension is laborious though the rear shocks are easier, and the alignment is just part of doing struts/shocks = $1397.47
WOLVERINE
New member
I wouldn't worry about the valve cover gasket unless it is leaking profusely - and an Autozone or O'reillys Auto clerk would probably change your air filter for you for free if you buy the part there - $20 - just an idea - it's really easy to do. What do you need the throttle body cleaned for? You shouldn't need it - the brake and power steering flush seems good - but be sure they use recommended fluids in the manual - I believe your power steering fluid should be "ATF" - Automatic Transmission Fluid - NOT power steering fluid - check the manual. Most shops don't pay attention to the manual.
You can replace all shocks and springs for about $325 + labor - via KYB shocks which are essentially OEM shocks - I have a post where I show prices for a 4wd rig - 2wd components are below. You can get an alignment, at Toyota, for $89 + tax last I checked. Toyota Service Dept. would probably install your shocks and springs for 2-4hrs of labor, with you providing the parts - may be worth a call to their Service Dept.
You are far better off, buying the parts yourself and then having a shop install them, provided they don't have a problem with that - labor should not be more than 2-4 hrs for changing all shocks and springs - no matter where you go. KYB Shocks & Springs from RockAuto are about $325 shipped to you if you use a discount code of 5% which can be found via a google search :
You can replace all shocks and springs for about $325 + labor - via KYB shocks which are essentially OEM shocks - I have a post where I show prices for a 4wd rig - 2wd components are below. You can get an alignment, at Toyota, for $89 + tax last I checked. Toyota Service Dept. would probably install your shocks and springs for 2-4hrs of labor, with you providing the parts - may be worth a call to their Service Dept.
You are far better off, buying the parts yourself and then having a shop install them, provided they don't have a problem with that - labor should not be more than 2-4 hrs for changing all shocks and springs - no matter where you go. KYB Shocks & Springs from RockAuto are about $325 shipped to you if you use a discount code of 5% which can be found via a google search :
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'04 base SR5, V8, 35K miles, 100% stock. Michelin LTX M/S 2 tires. I replaced all 4 dampers due to age not millage with Bilstein and very happy. Ride is very smooth, comfortable and decent handling.
My previous SUV had stiffer springs than my current 4R. Most likely similar to an fJ. Replaced all with Bilstein as well and handling was amazing.
My previous SUV had stiffer springs than my current 4R. Most likely similar to an fJ. Replaced all with Bilstein as well and handling was amazing.
