Crazy cost for control arm replace?!
 

Last week I bought new control arms because they were needed badly. Attempted to do it myself, turned into a **** fest again because this car hasn't been taken care of. The bolts located underneath the Cv axles were both rusted and stuck. Stripped one side, attempted to cut through and no luck. Got it done at a local shop, and it came out to $560 with tax. That's just ludicrous of a price. It took them 4 hours to get it done because they had to remove the spindle and other components. What? What the hell were you doing... Should've just bought an acetylene torch for that price. Has anyone here pay such a price for this service?

Sweet Jesus! I don't see the need in removing the spindles...unless the ball joint nuts were rusted... I did both mine in less than two hours with hand tools...but my car is a southern car...

So you stripped out the bolts, cut into them weakening the heads making it harder for the guy to remove them.

And now you're buttmad because a shop spent 4 hours on a 1.5 hour job because of you and your rusty uncared for car. They probably had a hell of time getting them off if it took 4 hours.

Just be glad that the car is back in 1 piece and move on. I don't think you got screwed at all. 4 hours labor @ $75-125/hr and at least $80-100 worth of parts (their cost) = $560. Plain and simple.

Lucky guy! Up here is where the cold weather brews up the fun.

Just the one side actually. It was near stripped. Quarter of a cut into it, and also to mention that the cotter pin broke in half attempting to pull it out. I wouldn't say butt mad but damn it cost more than this other shop installing my suspension. Their rate is $105 an hour.

100% agreed.


If it was easy, repair shops would be out of business.

Buttmad? What a hip new internet slang word you just made up. That must be so hurtful to whoever hears it.

Do you know what a DEALERSHIP technician makes? It is a fraction of the price the service department charges. That means there are countless certified techs willing to do what is supposed to be factory quality work for about $15-$20 an hour. So considering this, what kind of mechanic thinks their work is worth that kind of money? Obviously there is overhead, but $560 in LABOR for a 4 hour job at a random garage? There were no "parts", he already had the parts. This is why we do our own work though, to avoid being ripped off and dumping money into a car year after year. But your condescending post justifying this wasn't necessary.

OP: Call the shop up and ask what they charge per hour in labor on similar work, if it's any different than what you were charged, then in my opinion, they took advantage of you. I'd assume you would have done this before taking it to the shop however..

They are a reputable shop I must say, many positive reviews there and they are registered in the Better Business Bureau. People that aren't car knowledgeable/savvy have been there... Mothers, elders, etc. So I couldn't say it's some ghetto *** garage at all.

And get this, they put everything back together as it seemed when I picked it up. Half way home I realized that something was screeching. There appeared to be a line scratched around the rotor on the front driver's side. Whatever idiot put all brake components back together, didn't check to see if the rotor wouldn't hit anything when spinning. The dust shield was hitting the rotor, and somehow it caused the brake guide bracket to hit the surface, therefore causing the scratch. Unbelievable! Fixed it myself. I hate going to shops.

What does the hourly pay of the tech that actually did the work have to do with anything? The shop labor rate is much higher, $105/hour if you would have bothered to read it. Of course the actual labor itself isn't worth that much; but that rate pays for the labor, rent, power, workers comp, insurance, taxes, tools, all data access, lifts, disposal, warrantys, and everything else needed to run the shop. The overhead to run a shop is very high. Lots of money tied up in the building and tools compared to some other trades.