So, I finally take my car in to figure out what this interior squeak was coming from, and instead of solving the problem, I end up with:

A full front brake job: $1,500
A coolant flange leak: $1,300
Rusted Valve Covers due to coolant leak: don't know yet, but probably $3,000 once they put everything together, because valve covers are on back order right now.

This was a savage beatdown, but I guess that's what I signed up for buying an out of warranty F-Type lol. Does anyone know if I'm good to use the car as usual while I wait for valve cover parts to arrive?

ughhhh...

-CC

 

I'm driving an out-of-warranty F-Type and doing OK. Of course, it was new when I bought it :-)

Corroded valve covers sounds cosmetic to me, unless they're so corroded that that they are leaking. Why not drive it?

 

How bad are the front rotors? The dealership will quote rotors as policy, not because you need them. If they aren't warped and there isn't a huge lip cut into them, I'd slap a set of Porterfield R4-S's on (all the way around) and call it good.
When I get to work I'll check Mitchell on the book time. This is for the rear coolant pipe? $1,300 sounds cheap but so far, we've only done it on a couple Pace's and they needed the oil cooler job too. Must not need to remove the SC for access on the Type?

 

So, Coolant Outlet Flange part number AJ814007 lists for $125.35. Book time on Mitchell1 is 1.3 hours. No SC removal. Plus some violet 50/50. I’d bid it at $431.87.

 

Yes you can drive it.

Since they removed the supercharger already, you might as well have them replace the lower and upper coolant outlet pipes (AJ8 13865, AJ8 13917) The parts are relatively inexpensive compared to the labor that is charged to access them.

 

Not suggesting you come to STL for your maintenance. 😁

Just that you need to find a good independent wrench.

 

Concerned after reading these coolant leak stories, I managed to get my JLR dealer to replace the old-style flanged coolant pipes under warranty on my 2017 V-6 base Premium, and it also included a new water pump. They said the old pump wouldn't play nice with the new pipes (????) . So if this is true, you may be in for a new water pump. As for the brakes, I'd have an indy shop look at them. Last dealer visit for my 2013 VW Golf (71,000 miles), service writer said I needed new front brakes ASAP. Well, no noise/squealing, so I'm suspect. Taking it to local indy shop to proactively replace the upper and lower coolant hoses and they are going to check the front brakes as well. I sometimes wonder if some Service depts are under mgmt pressure to push repairs that are close but not really ready to be done.

 

Not sure how a leak in this part would corrode the valve covers. It sounds more like a problem with a flange on the lower water outlet 'Y' pipe. That would be more in line with the repair estimate.

 

Do you do any DIY on your car? If so, front brake job is v straightforward. If not, and independent mechanic can do it easily.

If just pads (most likely all it needs) you should be looking at a couple of hundred dollars
$1500 for a brake job is criminal...

 

Agreed, replacing the front brake pads is a piece of cake, with only two "catches":
1. You need a 9 mm hex driver for the caliper slide pins and that size is rarely if ever included in sets, but plenty on Fleabay for cheap.
2. The anti-rattle clips/springs can be a bear to refit, after dozens of attempts I have found that using zip ties to hold the ends in place while you lever the middle "up and in" is the easiest and quickest method.
Also take note of the orientation of the pads when you remove the old ones, the inner and outer pads are different with different locating clips on them and they are not interchangeable.

If more than pads is needed then they are probably talking about new rotors as well but that is also an easy DIY with the only extra labour being removal and replacement of the caliper brackets (two 15 mm bolts on each) and removal of two flimsy little "star washers" on each rotor. Those washers are used simply to locate the rotors on the hubs while the chassis is travelling along the production line and don't really need to be replaced.

 

With almost zero new and used inventory to generate profits, I would not be surprised if dealerships are pushing service departments to quote more and higher prices to span the gap. When my warranty expires I’ll be looking to find an independent mechanic to work on my car. The tough part is finding one who knows what they are doing. I live in Atlanta, so anyone have shops to recommend?