Firestone tried to rape me

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M

mizzou

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2008
9,734
54
91
This is more OT then "Garage" since I'm bragging and telling a story

I have had a slow coolant leak in my '02 silverado FOREVER and I had done some research, finding it's probably the weep hole in the water pump. I took it to a mechanic a year ago and they couldn't find anything w/ the pressure test, yet I still had to refill my overflow bucket w/ coolant every other week or so.

Finally took it back to a mechanic again, ran the pressure test, they said it is definitly the water pump that is going bad. Mnfr. suggests replacing both thermostat and water pump at same time.

They wanted
$261.48 new water pump part + $182.40 labor

$16.20 new thermostat part
$52.47 upper radiator hose part
$44.97 lower radiator hose part + $124.80 labor

then they wanted like a $35 oil change, $89 coolant flush

total damage $822.80 (i am rounding some #'s but that was the real total #)

Basically said F that, went and bought my own parts and came out at around $250. Would have been $55 less but my stupid fan clutch was on so tight, I had to get a hacksaw to get it off to free my plastic fan. In doing that, I had to purchase a new fan clutch :eek:



CLIFFS: Firestone auto service tried to charge me a ridiculous amount of $ and I manned up and did it on my own saving 1/2 my money. Time to blow other 1/2 on hookers and blow
 
Leros

Leros

Lifer
Jul 11, 2004
21,867
7
81
You can haggle a lot at Firestone. I got quoted $550 for new tires, haggled them down to $250. You gotta keep pushing, its amazing what they'll offer you.
 
J

jagec

Lifer
Apr 30, 2004
24,442
6
81
Welcome to the DIY world. It's nice doing your own work...when you have a place to do it, and the time, and the right tools, and it's not too cold or too hot.
 
M

mizzou

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2008
9,734
54
91
FleshLight said:
Protip: Having someone else do something for you usually costs more than DIY
Click to expand...

Yes, but they vastly overcharge you for the part and although labor is reasonable on some ends, I don't get why they charge me $125 to install a couple hoses, that seems extraordinary, especially when you are already talking about removing the fan shroud and housings to get to the water pump anyway.

Hoses take like 2 seconds to install...

I didn't think you could haggle at places like that...might have to keep that on mind next time =)
 
FelixDeCat

FelixDeCat

Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
30,558
2,568
126
Firestone rapes everybody.
smileydance.gif
 
shortylickens

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
80,287
17,080
136
mizzou said:
Quote:
Originally Posted by FleshLight
Protip: Having someone else do something for you usually costs more than DIY
Yes, but they vastly overcharge you for the part and although labor is reasonable on some ends, I don't get why they charge me $125 to install a couple hoses, that seems extraordinary, especially when you are already talking about removing the fan shroud and housings to get to the water pump anyway.
Click to expand...
Which is why it costs more money!
:awe:
 
DrPizza

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
49,601
167
111
www.slatebrookfarm.com
Similar experience for me: Monroe Muffler for my brakes. Had a piston that seized up. My total cost: roughly 15% of the quoted price. I would never have attempted the job myself if it wasn't for the fact that I was about to leave on vacation & it put a serious dent in the vacation money. I've done all my own brake work ever since.

Out of curiosity, OP, how long did it take you to complete the job? The 2nd price on labor for the hoses seems like a matter of double-dipping on labor costs.
 
Kadarin

Kadarin

Lifer
Nov 23, 2001
44,296
16
81
Congrats on doing it yourself... Now when you spend the difference on hookers and blow, take pics and post them here!
 
E

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
jagec said:
Welcome to the DIY world. It's nice doing your own work...when you have a place to do it, and the time, and the right tools, and it's not too cold or too hot.
Click to expand...

LOL... QFT.

We just bought a 1986 Trooper. Needs relatively minor work, but first I have to clean out the garage.. second it needs to not be below freezing outside.. Heh.
 
M

mizzou

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2008
9,734
54
91
DrPizza said:
Out of curiosity, OP, how long did it take you to complete the job? The 2nd price on labor for the hoses seems like a matter of double-dipping on labor costs.
Click to expand...

Well, it sorta depends, I have to break it down to have it make sense.

I think I started taking apart everything at 12:00 today and I finished at about 8:00 so 8 hours or so. Much of it was wasted time. I could have easily done this in a few hours w/ some experience and right equipment. I needed a GM branded 35mm wrench which does not exist publicly and a high quality strap wrench which I did not really want to buy.

30 min driving around, had to go back a few times because autozone gave me wrong stuff
1 hour just taking apart air intake housing + fan shroud and also installing it back in place when done
30 min waiting for coolant to drain
1 hour trying to figure out how to best remove my fan clutch
1 hour using failed leather belts, nylon belts, etc. to remove fan clutch, Fan is actually 35mm or 1 3/8's inches. NOBODY has this kind of wrench in a fan clutch kit, THANKS GM!! Was trying to use 36mm and epic failure ensued
1 hour finally deciding to just unbolt the water pump w/ fan and clutch attached, more coolant draining
30 min cleaning and installing new water pump into engine block
1 hour trying to figure out how to remove my fan blade, ended up using a hacksaw on the old water pump to free the fan clutch, then used a pipe wrench to free the lug nut.
30 min installing new fan cluch and having to redo it because I installed the fan blade backwards.
1 hour cleanup, checkup , etc. (put old coolant in jugs that will stay in storage until free chemical waste removal day comes)

was that 8 hours? lol Damn I always feel retarded but relieved when finished
 
halik

halik

Lifer
Oct 10, 2000
25,696
1
0
mizzou said:
This is more OT then "Garage" since I'm bragging and telling a story

I have had a slow coolant leak in my '02 silverado FOREVER and I had done some research, finding it's probably the weep hole in the water pump. I took it to a mechanic a year ago and they couldn't find anything w/ the pressure test, yet I still had to refill my overflow bucket w/ coolant every other week or so.

Finally took it back to a mechanic again, ran the pressure test, they said it is definitly the water pump that is going bad. Mnfr. suggests replacing both thermostat and water pump at same time.

They wanted
$261.48 new water pump part + $182.40 labor

$16.20 new thermostat part
$52.47 upper radiator hose part
$44.97 lower radiator hose part + $124.80 labor

then they wanted like a $35 oil change, $89 coolant flush

total damage $822.80 (i am rounding some #'s but that was the real total #)

Basically said F that, went and bought my own parts and came out at around $250. Would have been $55 less but my stupid fan clutch was on so tight, I had to get a hacksaw to get it off to free my plastic fan. In doing that, I had to purchase a new fan clutch :eek:



CLIFFS: Firestone auto service tried to charge me a ridiculous amount of $ and I manned up and did it on my own saving 1/2 my money. Time to blow other 1/2 on hookers and blow
Click to expand...

Ding, this goes x2 for stupid emissions crap. On my audi, the rebuild kit for secondary air is around $550. I spent 90 bucks on the 2 valves needed and rebuilt the pump myself in like 30 mins and a $9 bearing from ace hardware. Add that plus about 100 for valve cover gasket stuff and voila, no more leaking motor. Saved around 1G on labor alone.
 
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N

Numenorean

Diamond Member
Oct 26, 2008
4,442
1
0
So you bought a hacksaw and a new fan clutch instead of finding a 3-4 foot scrap piece of pipe? Good job!
 
M

mizzou

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2008
9,734
54
91
Numenorean said:
35mm socket? Jeez dude:

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200390664_200390664

But if you HAD to have it...uh Sears?

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...rd=35mm+socket

Don't go to Autozone....don't listen to anything Autozone tells you. Don't let them get you parts, figure out what you need and tell them what you want.
Click to expand...

no no no, I probably didn't clarify but i wanted a 35mm wrench specifically designed for fan clutch removal (They normally need to be uber thin)

I didn't feel like spending $29.99 on a wrench when a whole new part was not much more then that........

In the future though, I am going to make sure i get all the tools. I didn't buy initially because I wanted to just rent one...well they don't have them and at that point I was like "meh" about going out and buying a new one since it was getting late and I already had the car apart.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200322593_200322593

that is more what I needed, but I was very constrained w/ time unfortunately. YES i could have gone to a sears but I wanted it done right away. None of that solves a fused socket anyway, you just can't grip these damn GM fan clutch units very well, its a big design failure IMO
 
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