Toyota Corolla Maintenance and Repair

3844 messages,  Last post on Sep 23, 2012 at 10:12 AM

You are in the Toyota Corolla Forum.

What is this discussion about? Toyota Corolla, Sedan

#3504 of 3844 1999 Toyota Corolla VE ft./rear struts R&R Parts & Labor by mootoy

Dec 29, 2009 (11:34 am)

I have a 1999 Toyota Corolla.. .. Approximately 65,000 miles on it. I have had my car to Pep Boys in my town for. Several repairs. And been very happy with them..>>>>>>Over the Overpriced Toyota Dealer.
(I am a woman ) and I take very very good care of my vehicle..
 
They did a safety check on my car... Everything was great.. But they informed me that my struts front & rear need to be replaced...With the price being about $1200,00 dollars. For the R and R of the struts and all parts and labor..My question is:
 
Does this price sound in the ball park?? For this type of vehicle and the mileage and all.
 
I don't feel they have ever ripped me off before.. And they have been very in depth in their explanations so forth so on..
 
Just would like an honest answer...If someone can give me one..?
 
Thanks All

#3505 of 3844 Re: 1999 Toyota Corolla VE ft./rear struts R&R Parts & Labor [mootoy] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Dec 29, 2009 (12:35 pm)

Replying to: mootoy (Dec 29, 2009 11:34 am)
The book says:
 
List Price Front Strut Ass'y $134 each X 2 = $268
 
List Price Rear Strut Ass'y $157 each X 2 = $314
 
Labor Rate Total, front and rear = 4.8 hours
 
The labor rate is posted in the repair shop and can vary widely from state to state.
 
The real question here is not so much the price but whether you really need all four struts.
 
So the question to ask them is: "Upon what evidence that you can demonstrate to me, do I need all 4 struts right now?"
 
Acceptable answers:
 
"They are leaking....here, I'll show you"
 
"They are weak...look how the car continues to rebound a few times after I've pushed hard on each corner of the car"
 
"Your tires show signs of cupping---caused by too much motion in the struts---here, I'll show you what cupping looks like"
 
Unacceptable Answers:
 
"It's always done at this mileage" (NOTE: TOO SOON FOR 65k MILES)
 
"It felt like it when we drove it"
 
My Opinion: Without very obvious physical evidence, I would judge this repair unnecessary and an "oversell".

#3506 of 3844 Re: jimmoreau [terceltom] by 02frontier

Dec 29, 2009 (12:54 pm)

Replying to: terceltom (Dec 28, 2009 1:55 pm)
Thanks for your reply. In reading your other replies, I wasn't aware that you were including the filter also. I just didn't see reason to put clean fluid through a dirty filter. I need to change/fill mine (06 Corolla) as I'm at almost 70K. Should have already changed it.

#3507 of 3844 Re: 1999 Toyota Corolla VE ft./rear struts R&R Parts & Labor [Mr_Shiftright] by terceltom

Dec 29, 2009 (1:14 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Dec 29, 2009 12:35 pm)
That's an excellent answer for "mootoy".
Are struts really that expensive? Are they Toyota or aftermarket?

#3508 of 3844 Re: 1999 Toyota Corolla VE ft./rear struts R&R Parts & Labor [terceltom] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Dec 29, 2009 (1:29 pm)

Replying to: terceltom (Dec 29, 2009 1:14 pm)
Those are list price from Toyota, near as I can tell.

#3509 of 3844 Re: 1999 Toyota Corolla VE ft./rear struts R&R Parts & Labor [mootoy] by alex24

Dec 29, 2009 (3:33 pm)

Replying to: mootoy (Dec 29, 2009 11:34 am)
Dear Miss, Even though Pep boys seem honest, Any store may push over the line, to make more profit, when they want to, I have been repairing cars for 30 years, And as for struts do not need replace unless you feel your car bounces all over the road while driving, As for dealers and stores they want you to replace struts after every so many miles even if they are not bad, I have a 93 toyota camry and my struts did not go bad till I put 190000 miles on the car, So I say no need to replace them , unless you feel the bouncing, or unless you have the money to waste. You should try to have a strong man push down on your bumper to see if it feel firm or bounces up/down freely like a bad shock has no more compression then you know the struts are bad and need replaced, Have a Happy New Years !

#3510 of 3844 McDawg by terceltom

Jan 20, 2010 (8:17 pm)

Yea your right, the 2005 fuel filters are in the tank and should be good for around 100,000 miles or so. Thanks for the heads-up.

#3511 of 3844 Re: 2004 toyota corolla grinding bearing noise when cold [JDM5LugHatch] by ed2004corolla

Feb 09, 2010 (1:49 pm)

Replying to: JDM5LugHatch (Feb 17, 2009 7:37 am)
FOR all of you......I have had the belt tensioner replaced ..did it myself...F-ing pain as the manual is wrong.....(Access hole is OFF). YOUR GRINDING Noise is this OR a BEARING in the the manual transmission(throw -out) if you have a manual corolla or any other CRAP tundra and so on....toyota product...... I have a 2004 corolla .....When it is extremely cold I get this grinding until the car is warmed up... Can happen 1 out of 15 starts random(where ever the bearing stops) on an over night cold soak.... Currently 64k started at 17k while under warranty , CLOWNs could never find it ...over it would never happen.... When you have this problem...PUSH the CLUTCH in about 10 times pumping it...(IT WILL STOP). YOU will find its the throw -out bearing my guess MOVES and STOPS .. or a bearing that stops when the clutch is pushed in.... At some point I will replace it when its time for a clutch unless it completely fails... OR TOYOTA gets hundreds of complaints...The problem is there are not many manuals on the road they built few compared to the auto's(transmission) .. Plus Not easy for people to find or know what to complain about I have had over 5 toyotas ...And I have totally seen them turn to JUNK over the last couple.. I own a Corolla 2004 and SOLARA Conv 2007 ....HAd a scion TC 2005 what trash ...a 1994 tercel and several others... Im done... TOTAL SHIT CARS NOW...I always have to tell the TECHs how to fix my cars or give them the TSB's I look up as there lazy.... get um in get um out....

#3512 of 3844 Re: my corolla is only 3 years old..ugh. [shalom_yaall] by ed2004corolla

Feb 09, 2010 (2:07 pm)

Replying to: shalom_yaall (Dec 06, 2009 1:13 pm)
I have a 2004... there are two TSB one is for cold soak rough high idle ....car will run high in the cold......I had this fixed under the fed warranty up to 80k free.... its a re program of the ECm... WIll run alot better after this... The other is a manifold problem crack.. TSB car will run rough or even trigger Light or code.... This one you will have to pay most likely....
 
Hope this helps

#3513 of 3844 Re: 2004 toyota corolla grinding bearing noise when cold [cla10beck] by ed2004corolla

Feb 09, 2010 (3:07 pm)

Replying to: cla10beck (Oct 19, 2009 10:37 am)
If you have a manual trans like me.......I have the same problem.. I did the tensioner thing...that part is fixed...but I have the same problem... Grinding until warm up... standing from the front of the car.... look down toward the right where the transmission is,,,,,, I have been trying to figure this out for two years....as its so random and does not always happen... What I have found its in the trans... MOst likely the throw -out bearing... AS IF YOU PUMP the clutch alot..10-15 times it will go away.... BAD BEARINGS in throw-out my guess.... Mine started at 17k but only happens in the winter when really cold say below 28 .. THIS IS NOT the starter Dont let people tell you this...... Hoping to wait longer when I replace the clutch to take a look at it... I have 65k now on mine and really dont want to open it (lAZY) or pay someone..... TOYOTA cheap quality parts... AS I have seen them go down in the last 4 years
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