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Thread: Auto Parts Cost Rant

  1. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by jonp View Post
    Did the same thing to my 1997 Honda CRV. Struts, ball joints, tie rods, engine mounts etc, even an entire exhaust with pipes for under $200. Got all the parts online and saved a ton. The 97 generation may be on the edge of the last ones that you can get some wrenches out and replace everything in your driveway.

    I keep thinking about selling it but with under 175k on it, it has become an experiment to see how long it will last. A little oil leak but that's it. Daily commuter that gets 28mpg and is AWD. WooHoo....
    I put 150K miles on mine the first three years. Was a process server in the Boston area. I quit doing that and now my car only has 235k on it. I know a process server in the Tampa FL area (bigger area more miles) who had over 600K on his 99Civic in 2008. It still looked and ran like new. If you ride in mine you might think it is a new car. I have had it for 19 years as my only car. If you only have 150k on yours, prepare to have it for another 15 or so years.

  2. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by BigMagShooter View Post
    rock auto
    parts geek and a few others get your parts cheap and shipped to you.

    actually, cars are getting easier to fix.

    You can get an OBD2 code reader for the codes now for about $100 tell you the basics.

    for an extra $100 get the high end one that will help you diagnose the car.

    they are getting so advanced technologically they tell you exactly what is wrong and what to replace.

    as high teck as the cars get they still need fuel, air, mixed and spark and compression, basics never change.
    Do work for the company that makes the one that helps you fix the car. They're a lot more than $100.00 extra but if you do enough snooping around on Internet, you can usually come up with what you are looking for just for investing your time. When you have more time than money, you can still fix it.

  3. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by JWT View Post
    Just got back in the house from trying to work on the wife's 2009 HHR. The lower control arms are shot. I looked up all of the information on how to replace them as well as the costs and then went out and put kroil on all of the fasteners. I started disassembly on the passenger side first. Ball joint and frame mount came apart fine (3 bolts down and 1 to go). The bushing mount... It seems that when I had the transmission replaced/repaired at 106,000 miles that they had an issue with the cradle bolt that goes through the bushing, so instead of a bolt head I have what looks like a rusted washer and nylock nut that have been welded to a stud or the remains of the cut off bolt. There is no way to remove the lower control arm.

    So now I have a car that shakes so badly that it is unsafe without a way to repair it that doesn't cost more than the car is worth. Oh, and the transmission is slipping (145,000 miles) again.

    How should I address this problem?
    Was this your prognosis that the lower control arms are shot? Asking because my mechanic said the same thing ONLY because the "bushings" were missing. Matter of fact he said all the strut assemblies needed changing, upper and lower control arms and some other part. My Toyota was shaking drastically every time we would come to a stop. We got the front rotors turned, installed new front brake kit and the shaking went away. Yea it rides a little rough sometimes on a gravel road with a few ruts but on the highway it's fine now. Just an idea.
    The unexamined life is not worth living....Socrates
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  4. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dieselhorses View Post
    Was this your prognosis that the lower control arms are shot? Asking because my mechanic said the same thing ONLY because the "bushings" were missing. Matter of fact he said all the strut assemblies needed changing, upper and lower control arms and some other part. My Toyota was shaking drastically every time we would come to a stop. We got the front rotors turned, installed new front brake kit and the shaking went away. Yea it rides a little rough sometimes on a gravel road with a few ruts but on the highway it's fine now. Just an idea.
    If front brakes and rotors fixed the shaking on your car that doesn't necessarily mean that other cars that shake are because of brakes. I had to change my control arms (I call them swing arms) because the ball joints were attached to them and it is cheaper and easier to change the whole assemblies. I changed the entire front end of my car ( I have had it for 19 years and have done all of the maintenance since new) and believe me the ball joints needed changing. So did the struts, inner and outer tie rod ends, stablizer bar bushings and everything else on the front end. Now it is like a brand new car, The cost of all of those parts was less than $170. A garage would have charged over $3.000.00 for the work.

  5. #45
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dieselhorses View Post
    Was this your prognosis that the lower control arms are shot? Asking because my mechanic said the same thing ONLY because the "bushings" were missing. Matter of fact he said all the strut assemblies needed changing, upper and lower control arms and some other part. My Toyota was shaking drastically every time we would come to a stop. We got the front rotors turned, installed new front brake kit and the shaking went away. Yea it rides a little rough sometimes on a gravel road with a few ruts but on the highway it's fine now. Just an idea.
    Brakes, rotors, struts , and wheel bearing are all fairly new. My mechanic diagnosed the lower control arms. He a good guy (also supplies me with free wheel weights).

  6. #46
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    This is nothing new. In my 1st year of Diesel mechanics it was explained to us you could by a VW bug for $2,000 [1972] or built it yourself from parts for $28,500.
    [The Montana Gianni] Front sight and squeeze

  7. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by MT Gianni View Post
    This is nothing new. In my 1st year of Diesel mechanics it was explained to us you could by a VW bug for $2,000 [1972] or built it yourself from parts for $28,500.
    Hahahahaha. That is absolutely true! There is one other alternative...Get one used and beat up for $50 and parts from a junkyard for another $50 keep it running for 3 or 4 years and as an alternative benefit learn auto mechanics while you are at it.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check