Is this repair estimate accurate?!?

Hi! 2013 Tacoma, 123,500 miles
Thank you for any help!

Sorry if this is long-winded… Took my truck in to the auto shop look at it because I had them do some work in September of last year on a repair they said that needed to be done - getting my power steering arm (?) replaced because it was leaking. That was around $1600. When I got it back, it was making a sound when I would make an incredibly sharp turn to the right.

Fast-forward to now, I finally took it into have them look at it. I haven’t been driving it much over the last few months because I can walk to work now. They came back with $3800 (!!!!) in repairs that need to be done. My truck is a 2013 Tacoma SR5 V6, is 123,500 miles on it. I am blown away by the fact that it needs this much work!!!

I’ve included a picture of the repairs it supposedly needs, and I wanted input on the pricing on this. That is such a huge chunk of change for me and I also wanted to know if anyone had any recommendations on mechanics or shops and Austin. I’ve been going to juke for the last 5 to 6 years but I feel like I’m getting scammed right now.

Please be kind, I am not a mechanic and I have no idea how to work on my own truck. I don’t know the lingo and I’ve always had my dad review my estimates. I do feel like the cost of this and possibly the work is unnecessary but I could be wrong. I don’t want to do any thing that will potentially cause further damage to my truck and if I have to cough up the money, I will save for it, and do it. In the meantime, I’m trying to drive my truck as little as possible.

 

Do not get the work done at that shop, period.

 

If they screwed up the first job you should have made them aware of it asap not 6 or 7 months later.
As far as the rest of the work, you should get a few estimates somewhere else. The past mechanic evidently did do the first job correctly. Move on.

 

Because it’s so overpriced? I need to find someone near Austin to help me with all of this… thanks

Thanks for reading and replying!

 

What the hellll. I've seen people replace a CV on a trails. Hell even one of tacomabeasts latest vids showed them doing just that! Stay away from that shop

 

The first repair was separate, at least that’s my limited mechanical understanding and I think they did it correctly. I just assumed the sound I was hearing was from that repair but it’s the CV axle.

 

Power steering rack was likely replaced the first time. Any other mechanical issues would best be sorted through a different shop. See if you can find a reputable independent shop that specializes in Toyota vehicles. Get a few estimates from different places. That should give you a consensus on what actually needs to be replaced and how much it would cost.

 

@MGMDesertTaco Thank you!

 

It’s hard to guess at what issue you are having since noise when sharp turning could be several things; wheel bearing, left front needle bearing, cv ( unlikely unless over lifted or prior damage), etc. if I saw that repair list I would think you had collision damage, which if not should be a red flag. Regardless, there is a lot of crossover work listed there: strut has to come out for a cv replacement, and if that’s done the LCA is half way to off and knuckle is disconnected, so hub and bearing are halfway out. Looks to me they are adding a lot of labor for no reason which alone would take me elsewhere.

 

So: You go to the previous shop that fixed/repaired something for $1600 and gave it back to you with a new noise you didn't have previously and that only occurs in one particular/specifc scenario, and they give you a list of -four- new items to correct it with and an estimate for $3,759?!?

Go back to them and tell them you only want an estimate to fix the noise and see what they say. If it's some foolish response like: "How much have you got?" or "Everything on the list needs to be replaced", walk out without a word and find an honest shop. The place sounds like the desert garage where the Griswold's got their "Wagon Queen Family Truckster" fixed.






FWIW: My 2014 Tacoma has 130,000 miles on it and needed none of the work you listed per the PPI I had done before I purchased it with 104,000 miles on it, and still doesn't.

 

Wherever you end up, ask to have the estimate broken down into parts and labor.

 

I’d say pick a new shop and don’t do it. I have a 2015 with similar mileage. I do my own work, so I’m not used to paying someone, but that seems excessive.

 

Is that for one side or both side?

 

Don't know.

You look at the job. You look at the book labor times for the job. Every job has a book time. If it doesn't say on the estimate, they should be able to tell you.
Having worked on vehicles, I don't always know every time by memory. And things change. Vehicle submodels change.
So I go in to the computer, look it up, write it down, and quote that. End of story. That is multiplied by the shop hourly rate.

Rarely have I heard of anyone doing that differently. Yes I have heard of it. Say a job books 8 hours. One guy was said to charge 9 because he felt like it. To make more money. Another would quote 9 because he claimed the job was harder for him. Something I heard.

Regardless. When I first worked on my first vehicle, I was not a mechanic. I worked on it because I did not have money. That is your option.
This work is not hard. If you tell me to do it, I am putting on a shirt I don't care about, getting on the floor, and doing the job. Maybe laying down a moving blanket.
The exceptions are if it's something that I truly and honestly do not have the tools or experience to do, such as a structural weld. Compared to a person who has a good welder, experience, and training in that. Which this is not that.

replace your axle, LCA, and alignment or alignment check (don't know why they didn't put that on the paper) is likely at least 2 or 3 hours. Maybe more. Customer pay.
And does not sound like the kind of thing that can be charged separately given there is some overlap in the work. Per side.
There's also the matter of topping off front diff fluid from whatever drains out when the axle is pulled.
reboot is more labor-intensive than a whole replacement.

I don't know why they mention wheel hub, and what that has to do with a CV axle replacement.
Or why bearings are not mentioned. I guess because they don't quite overlap/aren't required to be taken apart to pull a CV, and there is no customer complaint about bearing(s).

this is not major work. It's basic normal minor things. Price is based on how you do it. If you do it, if a family member does it, if a friend does it, if it's done as a side job.
For example. Porsche oil change at a dealership is known to be $1k.

Also don't know why it's saying replace strut assembly. Who does that? Nobody. Folks replace or upgrade all of their tired struts/shocks and associated parts. Not one. All four.

 

If they’re using an OE axle from toyota, it wouldn’t shock me. I replaced mine recently and the part alone was $530..
Every thing else seems wildly overpriced and not necessary Imo..
Wish you lived in alaska, we could knock this out in under an hour..

 

honestly, a known good used axle or rebuilt from CVJ would be fine and potentially come with better boot(s)

that is more regarding DIY.

shop typically means they order what part they want. Including making profit on markup. And typically not customer supplied parts.

A company makes a rope tool for trail repair to wrap around the axle and yank it out. This should theoretically work for removal in a normal repair, to avoid hammering or prying that dents the housing.

given folks do this at an angle on a trail in the dirt, it should not be that hard otherwise.

and, the more parts you end up keeping if DIY, the better. Whether that’s a spare, core, or joint parts to plug into the spindle if you ever have a trail issue, so that the parts hold pressure (required) on the wheel bearing.

there are cheap aftermarket axles but it’s not as good quality and seems more as a low mileage use trail emergency spare in the case of an OEM breaking while wheeling, just to get home.


The most challenging part is probably being careful not to Nick scratch or damage the rubber seal on the diff inserting the axle causing a fluid leak.

 

Juut addressing the cost of the lower control arms (LCA's).
I purchased OEM LCA's for my 2013 6 months ago and the list price was around $450 each. I got them for about $300 each. Considering the shop is going to charge you list price the total cost for that item installed doesn't seem unreasonable if it's both sides.

 

each or both?

 

Each. Post updated. Thanks for asking me to clarify.

 

Piling on here, but never darken the door of those thieves again.

Find a reputable shop. There has to be one in Austin.