Did I get ripped off? Options

[mrgrape]

k so currently im 17 and just graduated high school
own a 95 celica gt auto hatchback
anyways when i bought the car my mechanic looked under and said the cv boots might need to be replaced so we got it for 4grand instead of 4.3
few months later when i took my car up in auto tech my teacher told me my cv boots are in bad condition and there was oil leak everywhere
after that i kept driving b.c i didnt have funds to replace it and started to notice a clicking sound...then i knew my axles were ****ed but i kept driving with it because didnt have funds
so finally i gather up the funds and take it to my mechanic
he tried fixing it on stands but it was really hard and we didnt have manual so he gave up
and i took it to wolfs foreign car service and they quoted me first for $430 on the phone
and they replaced both axles and labor for $490...
my mechanic said he could of replaced the axles for $75 each and labor for only $100
now is this normal shop price or did i get ripped off bc im young?

[chucho]

the 500 is a normal price around here. You'll always get a lower price from someone you know.

[delusionz]

mechanics are charged out at a high price (similar to other qualified/experienced technicians) to get the job done right, mates will take anything from beers to a few hundie but do they have the time, patience and energy to do it in their back yard, this is a fairly difficult job and you know the shop will do it properly.

[monkey]

umm no offense but you kinda screwed yourself by driving on bad boots...
you could just replace the boots and uda been fine... but driving on em bad made tha axles go to hell...
ya it coulda been 170 bucks but it really coulda been alot less...
but you will always be quoted a better price if you know someone... also the store computer sets things at a price and the mechanic cant do anything abou price, the manager has to over ride it...
but no u didnt get ripped off

This post has been edited by monkey: Jun 19, 2008 - 11:00 PM

[lagos]

You're looking at about 200bucks in parts alone (axle and trans fluid). Then you have labor ontop of it. One guy is willing to do it for 100 bucks but didn't know how to do it without the manual ? The other one wants 290 but knows what hes doing. So take your pick. 290 is a fair price for that kind of job by a shop that knows what its doing.

[creis]

$490 is pricy but I dont think you got ripped, lagos is right parts alone is $200 ish, and although its not that hard to do IMO, worth it to have it done right.

[Remy]

Dude changing the axle is easy you can DIY and save money.

[mrgrape]

thanks guys it was ****in gay driving on ****ed axles
but now wow the celicas HANDLIN!!!now i can touge up mountain roads and it is once again back alive!

[Havok1997GT]

glad your cars back and working right, next time, do it yourself, lot cheaper

[hongkongnerdboy]

and go to tomorrows meet

[nics]

Mine has the same problem. When I went to the shop, $350 for the axles, refinish rotors and brake pads. Parts included!