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2004 350z repairs needed

A

AntiFreze

Golden Member
hearing noise all over the place, took it in....

Both Rear shocks are shot.
Dealer quote = $650 (parts and labor)
Shop quote = $340 (parts and labor)

Front ball joints bad.
Warranty covered - $100 deductable

Front compression rods (radius rods) bad (bushings shot).
Dealer quote = $600 (parts and labor)
Shop quote = unavailable, they never heard of that part before (referred to it as compression rods)

Front rotors warped and pads down to 15%
Dealer quote = $526.28
Parts = $145 (I can handle this one)

So, most likely I am looking at a cost of $340+$100+$600+$145.

$1185 grand total.
 
Why can't you do the shocks yourself? If you can do the rotors you can do the shocks.
Take a look at those radius rods yourself, on the G35 they also become noisy but the bushing is fine. Some people have them replaced but some just lubed them and that gets rid of the noise.
 
Post this on the 350Z forums, you can definitely do the suspension stuff yourself if you can do brakes. My USAF buddy does his own suspension work on all his Jeeps, and helping him, it's not that bad. Probably save a few hundred bucks at least.
 
Jusdging by the things that are wrong, I would guess you are driving the car the way it is meant to be drivin. Hard. You buy a "performance" car, you'll have to pay the price.
 
Throw some urethane bushings in there while you're at it. You'll get rid of a lot of noise and squirm. Rattling interior panels is preferable to suspension components shifting around in a car like that.
 
well its a 5 year old car... i expect to have my accord's shocks and springs changed by the time its 5 years old (in 2010)

rotors you should have changed prior to that if you or the previous owner drove it hard. i changed my rotors and pads at 2 years old 20k miles

you're getting raped on the labor fees. get it done somewhere else or do it yourself. its great never having to pay for labor fees =)
 
Makes me nervous when a certain degree of something needs to be applied (torque, pressure, etc.). I might give the shocks a go though. I'm going to post this on a 250z forum tonight and see if anyone has a step by step guide.
 
Invest in some torque wrenches, one inch/lbs and one foot/lbs, you'll be much happier. Elbow torque is NEVER accurate, regardless of what some old geezers will tell you.
 
I agree. If you can do brakes, you can do the shocks. But the car will need to have an alignment done after the struts are installed as camber / caster will not be the same after the install. Any yes, buy a torque wrench. Head to a Sears for a Craftsman Digitork model. You need one in both 3/8 drive and also one in 1/2 inch drive as they cover different ranges. And as noted above, if you want, get an Inch Pounds wrench as well. That is useful for small (under 3/8" diameter) fasteners.
 
Your rotors are probably fine. Dealers are crazy when it comes to rotors. Have them independently verified, or just do the pads and see if they'll OK it (Honda did for me and my Civic is fine).

It sounds to me like a dealership is trying to rip you off. Take it somewhere else.

Do you notice anything while driving?
 
You can get rotors turned at a shop when you are doing brakes for not much money. I think I paid something like $20 or so.
 
Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
well its a 5 year old car... i expect to have my accord's shocks and springs changed by the time its 5 years old (in 2010)

rotors you should have changed prior to that if you or the previous owner drove it hard. i changed my rotors and pads at 2 years old 20k miles

you're getting raped on the labor fees. get it done somewhere else or do it yourself. its great never having to pay for labor fees =)
Click to expand...
My maxima hits its 10 year birthday this September with 123k miles on it so far and I'm still on all original suspension, although it does sound like the control arm links are a bit tired. 🙂

If you are paying somebody else to do the brakes, pay for new rotors; don't bother saving a little on used ones considering labor is so much. Rotors can last a couple of sets of pads, but sometimes more than two sets and sometimes only one. I burned through a pair of rear rotors in 60k (went before the pads went) on my MPV. On my maxima I got two sets of pads on a set of rotors, though, both front and back.

 
Originally posted by: senseamp
You can get rotors turned at a shop when you are doing brakes for not much money. I think I paid something like $20 or so.
Click to expand...

Problem is most cars rotors today are much lightter/thinner then the past. I stopped turning most rotors when I was a tech. The thinner it is it increases the chance of warping. So the rotors go bad faster then brake pads and it makes you the tech look bad.

Older cars/trucks esp ones with the hub built in could be turned no problem. but that is not true today for most IMO. That and the price/quality of rotors has come down. So for me if they are thin and/or seemed to be warped i usually just replace them.
 
Whatever you do, get a GOOD 4-wheel alignment oonce all suspension repairs are done.

And Marlin's right (as usual 🙂) The days of cuting rotors are nearly over - they are damn cheap - just replace them yourself.
 
Yeah, skimming rotors is weak. I got flamed all to hell on here when I said I was getting mine replaced, but on a quicker car I would never turn a rotor.
 
They wanted $300 for rear rotors on my 06 Civic. Far from cheap. They machined them twice as well; maybe that's why they're saying they need to be replaced.
 
Originally posted by: SickBeast
They wanted $300 for rear rotors on my 06 Civic. Far from cheap. They machined them twice as well; maybe that's why they're saying they need to be replaced.
Click to expand...
LOL, wth. I assume your rotors are that irritating combo disc/drum setup, where drum is for handbrake and disc is for primary brakes. Rotors on my maxima are under $45/piece, but on my minivan the rear are about $100/each from autozone / advance auto parts, because they are that combo type. It actually makes changing the brakes easier, unless you wear down the drum pad and then it's a pita. They are pricey, too.

 
Rear shocks are easy, do those yourself.

It's funny you posted this though because I had my 2003 Maxima in yesterday for a the 75,000 mile service and the dealer called me up and told me my car needs all 4 strut boots replaced, a tie rod replaced, and they recommended I replace the fuel pump because it is making a whirring noise periodically. Total cost $1900. I told them to just do the 75,000 mile service so they dropped it to $1600. I again told them that was too much so they dropped it down another $100 and threw in a free detail. I started getting suspicious at that point so I told them to do just the service and I'd pick up the car that afternoon.

I'm going to take it to my trusted local mechanic and have him look at the car next week.

BTW-The service bay was dead when I dropped my car off at 7:30AM. There wasn't a single fucking car there besides mine.
 
Originally posted by: AntiFreze
Makes me nervous when a certain degree of something needs to be applied (torque, pressure, etc.). I might give the shocks a go though. I'm going to post this on a 250z forum tonight and see if anyone has a step by step guide.
Click to expand...

Buy a torque wrench.

Man, I can't tell you how many times I've used my torque wrench over the years. I've taken the forks off my motorcycle and put them back on with it. A torque wrench is one of those tools that will open up so many possibilities for future projects/repairs.
 
Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
well its a 5 year old car... i expect to have my accord's shocks and springs changed by the time its 5 years old (in 2010)

rotors you should have changed prior to that if you or the previous owner drove it hard. i changed my rotors and pads at 2 years old 20k miles

you're getting raped on the labor fees. get it done somewhere else or do it yourself. its great never having to pay for labor fees =)
Click to expand...

Unless you're tracking the car, shocks ought to last for 100,000 miles easily.

If you are wearing out your brake pads and rotors in only 20,000 miles, you need to stop resting your foot on the brake pedal; there's absolutely no reason for a street-driven family sedan's brakes to be worn out at only 20,000 miles. You should get at least twice that most family-type cars will go 50,000 to 60,000 miles before needing new pads and rotors unless there is something really wrong with the owner's driving style.

ZV
 
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