$303 to replace a starter?
DemoDisk
My '93 Nissan Sentra wouldn't start so I left it with a neighborhood
garage which called me with an estimate of $303 for a new starter. Does
that seem like too much?
Replace starter (1-yr warranty) $169.73
Labor 118.00
Tax 15.28
======
303.01
Now here's the story: I called AAA Saturday evening because the car left
me stranded. It had never failed to start before. The AAA guy said the 6
yr old battery still had plenty of charge, but I might want a new one
anyway. The car required a push to start, and I went to Advance
Autoparts for a new battery.
'Clarissa' installed the new battery, and I turned the key. NOTHING!
Just then this big guy steps up and says "I've been watching, and I
think I can help." The hood is up, and he just reaches underneath the
air cleaner duct a second, takes his hand out and says, "Try it now."
The car starts beautifully! "Probably corrosion," he says.
Back home, though, the car wouldn't start. I tried getting under the air
duct, but there's hardly room for your hand, much less actual tools! So
I go to the place around the corner, which wants $300+ for a new
starter.
Question (besides the $300 one) : What did the guy in the parking lot at
Advance Auto DO to the car that helped it start?
Tnx,
Jm
webpa
You have been screwed by your own ignorance.
1. The "guy in the parking lot" simply grabbed the cable from the
battery to the starter (solenoid) and wiggled it. It was (obviously)
probably loose & corroded. This improved the circuit enough to run
the starter.
2. You are about to trust a crooked and/or incompetent mechanic who
has so far failed (ignorantly and/or purposefully) to troubleshoot
and find your problem. If you don't understand the concept of
"troubleshoot", see item 3 below.
3. Enlist in an "auto technology for doofooses" course at your local
community college. Learning how the things you drive actually work
can save you tens of thousands of dollars over your lifetime. If
none of the course makes sense to you: Enlist in a grade-school-level
science (physics, chemistry, mechanics) course at the same
school...the re-take the automobile course.
4. All this may sound condescending...but like any other expertise
upon which you entrust your very life and limbs, automobile
maintenance is worth what you, yourself, think yourself worth. i.e.:
When did you last check the air pressure in your tires? When did you
last open the hood and check coolant, power steering, transmission,
and engine oil? Ever? Can you imagine the consequences of...well,
enough.
Good luck.
bente...@gmail.com
> 3. Enlist in an "auto technology for doofooses" course at your local
> community college.
Wow, hope I never sounded thuis harsh in my snarky replies...
300 bones for a starter is a fair price.
Make sure to discuss their warantee policy before your done, and let
us know how it goes.
HTH,
Ben
DemoDisk
"webpa" <we...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:a98ddb60-3115-4dc6...@j4g2000yqe.googlegroups.com...
Oh, my heavens, no!
but like any other expertise
upon which you entrust your very life and limbs, automobile
maintenance is worth what you, yourself, think yourself worth. i.e.:
When did you last check the air pressure in your tires? When did you
last open the hood and check coolant, power steering, transmission,
and engine oil? Ever? Can you imagine the consequences of...well,
enough.
You enjoy cuttin' loose on usenet, don't you?
I learned enough about the cars I own to do a variety of maintenance,
but there are time constraints. I.E., I have to have it done yesterday
and, over time, I've learned that working on cars is something I don't
enjoy and am not that good at. Getting under the car lost its interest
for me a while back.
BTW, the last 2 mechanics, AITO, are/were honest, but they don't set the
prices. The mechanic before that... too lazy to put everything back
together correctly. And don't get me started on oil-change shops.
DemoDisk
<bente...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:7f3feeb7-a9ca-4425...@g1g2000pra.googlegroups.com...
Well, thank you for a very civil reply, Ben.
The final charge was $303.11. And yeah, if I had dared, I could have
done the job myself. It required removing the air cleaner ducting from
the engine and....that's all! After that it's a simple thing to remove
and replace the starter/solenoid assembly lDidn't even require a lift!
I read a few replies the night before and, full of fire, marched down to
the garage to tell em fuggeddaboutit, I changed my mind. Except the job
was already half done. Crap.....
The mechanic, a nice guy, checked the car out for a trip I'm taking in
it (16 yr old car) and said it was good. And he should know, he'd
trained as a Nissan tech, so he's seen it all. So $300 is the price of
expertise (and the owner's percentage). But it's still a lot of dough to
me.
They used an 'aftermarket' starter from Advance Auto Parts, the same
place where I got the unnecessary battery. The most expensive battery on
their website was, IIRC, $89. On the bill it says $168. Ow.
Jm