Being quoted by two different places.

Need to replace upper and lower ball joints, left and right.

Lowest quotes is:
$350 US in parts
$1000 US in labor
$90 alignment

Is this fair?

Also, anyone have a mechanic they trust in or around Chicago?

Still trying to find a permanent trustworthy mechanic here.

Thanks in advance!

 

Hello, Isaac,
Those prices seem steep to me, but my Cheap-Skate gene is dominant.

My upper ball joints cost me $30/ea. Lower cost me $41/ea. Total around $140, more or less. As most shops double their cost, $350 might not be too far out of line.

DIY rules here so labor is essentially free, however, labor locally = $80/hour which may be quite low compared to some places.
(';')

 

I'm in the same boat. Seems steep but I view everything from a DIY standpoint.

Trans overhaul just cost me $2400 which knocked my socks off but in shopping around it wasn't out of line.

Took a Ferrari in for some repairs...water pump job is $6000

Local Jeep dealer is at $135/hour

I'm just out of touch, I guess....and this coming from someone who spent 30 years in the auto repair business.

Back to your ball joints, the $1000 stuns me a bit. The ball joints on the Jag are easier than many others but if a shop is going by 'book time' (almost all do) and has a high hourly rate, I guess it's possible. But I have a hunch the shop is throwing the $1000 quote against the wall just to see if it sticks.

What quote did the other shop give?

Cheers
DD

 

The ball joints BOLT/UNBOLT so no special tools required.
I would guess $500 to $800 TOTAL for the repair. The job is too easy to not make a profit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bob

 

Thats wild. i've just redone the whole front suspension on my car myself.
it should take an hour, two at most. I think theyre having you on.
i cant recall what the upper and lower joints cost, certainly under $150 i think.

 

Thanks everyone, seems like the quote is high. So I shall keep looking.

Anyone in the Chicago area that can recommend a mechanic?

For those asking, the first quote was exceedingly high - $2000+ for the repair.

cheers.

 

Ugh, I lost my first post !
Short version. Possibly better, for that reason alone.


1. I'm with Elinor and Doug on the prices of others.


2. Shop time around here hovers around $125.00. I don't like it, but I get it. High overhead. Rent. salaries, insurance, taxes, waste disposal, utilities.


3. Architecture. The Marin County Court House is spectacular. And very different, in so many ways. and, it has leaked from the beginning, decades ago. Yup, Frank Lloyd Wright's creation. In my former career, I went there many times. Confusing to navigate.


Carl

 

Well, this is one job I definitely remember doing on my old Series 3 owned for 14 years.
I would say about 2 hours max per side, assuming the old-type bottom ball joints are replaced with the infinitely superior Lemforder joints as fitted to the XJ40 model that came after. These are a simple bolt-on once the bearing ring is driven out of the hub carrier. These later joints are backwardly compatible with all the saloons back to the Mark 1 small saloon, but not the Mark VII/VIII/IX large saloons.

So you have cost of parts plus about 4 hours labour. I'm thinking maybe the shop thinks they have to remove the suspension spring to fit these joints. It is not necessary, but the car has to be rested on the lower wishbone to keep the spring compressed whilst the ball-joints are replaced.

If you're in there, it's probably best to replace the Slipflex joints on the upper wishbone at the same time.