Ok so long story short.. I'm rolling at 153k miles, I recently had inspections here and here to check the current state of the car and so far it has these list of problems..

Oil leaks:
-Rear main seal (Big job.. left it alone and doesn't leak much)
-A/c compressor leaking oil?
Suspension:
-Torn CV boots and leaking grease (more so on passenger side)
-Power steering pump leak?? OR Steering rack & pinion?
-Strut mount brackets are making squeaking sounds and crackling sounds at certain speeds (more so on 45mph-60mph)

So I got quotes from two different shops for some of the problems above..

Shop one: ( I think this was the better one)..
Rear main seal: $1100 or so

Power steering pump with new fluid and hoses: $622

One Cv axle: $287 for only passenger side

Moving to shop 2:
They told me my steering rack and pinion is leaking fluid.. idk about this one but I was quoted $1000 ... ?? advise on this?

Strut mount brackets (They told me its above the strut that compresses the strut? and its causing squeaking sounds over bumps and crackling/tapping sounds at 45mph-60mph. I was quoted $677 for both front sides with alignment included.. I thought this was a bit high? is this true? Upper strut mounts I think thats what they're called?

The thing is the 2nd shop's labor charge is $104 an hr! This is the issue here..

Honestly, do you think it would be best to shop around to see what shop could do fair work and fair labor? I have not had a single repair at all last year and a bit before that.. so now I'm dealing with suspension/power steering issues. Which is no fun at all!

Also give me advice if you think these estimates are a bit too high or fair considering what type of job it involves.

The car is in excellent condition otherwise.. hardly any rust, white pearl shines like a beauty, no body damage. I just plan to spend what is needed to keep on running strong. What do you think?

 

For starters...... Assuming you have a decent jack, jack stands and an average set of mechanics tools with ratchets, sockets and a Torque Wrench and a 36mm Deep Socket.....

First thing I'd buy is this and do any work on my struts myself. Maxima Struts done right cost a fortune for the parts alone. Never mind the labor. There's no reason you can't do whatever you need to do on your strut assemblies. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Powerbui...8627/203120587

You also never said if the original strut assemblies are still in there. I'm hoping so.

As far as CV Axles..... If you shop online for Surtrack or Import Direct CV Axles for your car, you can get them delivered for less than $150 for the pair, maybe as low as $125 with Carid or those places. Again, not that complicated, especially if your car is down there with no snow, salt and rust.

Repair shops charge over $100 per hour for anybody hopefully decent, as it costs a lot to keep all those tools, buildings, lifts, people and power paid for. I only use them when something is way over my head or can't be done without a lift. This is what it is. Beware of those charging less. That means you pay twice because they did sub par work or used cheap parts. Pay the right price once. And/or do as much as you can to offset that and know it's done right.

Sounds like the total would be more than the car is worth, so do as much as you can to keep it worth keeping. Maybe deal with the discomfort and anxiety of stretching to do things you aren't comfortable with. Everyone of here that has threads and stories, has done exactly that.

Power steering leaks usually are on the passenger side of the car in front of the firewall. That could be the rack or the hoses, tubes or PS pump. I'd top off the pump and let it run over clean paper or cardboard. Find out for sure. Many places aren't even sure and see if you'll go the big bucks and then figure it out. I was told it was my rack so many times and it's the hose/tubing junctions. You're also at the place when High Pressure P/S hoses give up the ghost. OEM ONLY. If you use a big enough piece cardboard, it will be under the rear of the engine too. Then you can see if you are leaking oil at the rear seal or transmission fluid from the pan or the front seal of the tranny. (color and smell)

Transmission places usually do rear seals and pull trannies all day, you might find better pricing there just on speed alone. Just use a reputable one.

A/C compressor? You could have it rebuilt by a reputable place and purged and refilled. Not a fan of buying aftermarket Maxima compressors. That is if it's the compressor leaking and not the fitting where the lines connect to the compressor. Then you might need a new line and fitting and purge and refill.

Read up on proper diagnosis methods or you will be nothing more than a broke victim. Even the best places are padding jobs to keep the doors open.

I've been burned way too many times. I ain't bending over no more. I'm hitting back hard with facts!

Hope this helps!

 

Josh, unless you have a manual transmission, a leaking rear main seal is really not worth fixing unless it is really bad. The only damage is a tain on your driveway. While if you own a clutch car, the leak might eventually soak the clutch.

Your real issue is that you pay mechanics to do the work most of us do ourselves.

All the issues you mention are expensive due to the amount of time involved. At 100 bucks an hour.

You might want to consider buying some tools, then start with the simple stuff while you gain confidence.
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While FUN is at the core of Dysfunctional,

What's at the core of Fundamental? DA or MENTAL? LOL

 

Obviously I'm in no position to diagnose your car, but my impression is that these engines don't get rear main seal leaks much. It's much more common to be the upper oil pan seal leaking. I think both jobs are about the same amount of work, but make sure whoever does the work is sure which seal is leaking before they start tearing things apart...

 

I'd focus on the torn CV boot and PS leak. If the rear main seal is a slow leak, you could just leave it.

It's hit/miss if you plan on swapping to an aftermarket front axle. If you are still on OEM axles, i'd see if the boots can just be replaced (assuming axle isn't already making that clicking noise on turns).

PS leak can lead to damage of at least one of your motor mounts, from what I recall. That's another reason to address that. OEM PS hose is a bit expensive if that needs replacement. But if you plan on keeping the car, it's a good way to go.


Just my $0.02.