I have a Nissan Altima SE 97. I took the car into be serviced b/c the engine light was on. They came back with the following:
Vent control valve: $187
Front brake overhaul: $224
Clutch Package: $735
Vent control valve. No problem.
Brakes, they seemed fine, but they tell me the pads are thin.
Clutch, I could definitely tell it was sticking and that when I changed gears the RPM needle would go up quickly and then back down. Almost as if the car needs to catchup.
My dilemma, is not knowing much about cars or the prices they quoted me. So I just want to get an idea from someone if these prices are reasonable. I am getting the work done in West Haven, CT.
Also, does anyone know of any workshops or the like that I can attend to learn more about cars? I at least want to know enough so I don't have to call my dad 3,000 miles away to check with him.
I was able to get a 10% discount so that was nice, but I always feel so skeptical about car places. Also, I just had work done at Midas in February that amounted to $500.
I beginning to think its not worth owning a car unless you can do the work yourself. I saw some prices online for the clutch package that was $500 cheaper than what the shop quoted me. Granted it doesn't include labor, but $200 is much better than $735.
One thing you might want to do is check with other dealerships, and ask what they would charge for the same work. You'll get some good comparisons that way.
If you want to try pricing the work out by yourself, here's a suggestion. Get material/part pricing for two or three auto parts store, and compare those OEM replacements prices with the dealer OEM part prices. That's one comparison. And labor, compare hourly rates and install time with that of your local mechanic, ya know, the one you trust, or the Haynes manual for your year car. You'll get different hourly labor rates and different install hours for these sources that you can use for a comparison.
Btw, those quotes are dealer prices as you said. They'll always be higher than what your local mechanic would charge.
Thanks for the response Black. I went ahead and had the work done at the Nissan shop. I don't really have a mechanic. The longest place I have lived in one area of one state is 3 years. So I had some great guys at the Nissan shop in Cambridge, MA but since then I haven't really had a place/person I can call my mechanic. Hopefully, my next move (in a week) will be for a couple of years.
Thanks!
I really need to find a place to take a class or two just so I can be knowledgeable about cars.
classes are nice but whos got time? just read, read, read everything you can online. ive learned quite a bit in the last year since i joined one of the other nissan sites out there... i went to school back in 93 and got a degree in auto/diesel technology and i still learn more everyday... theres a wealth of knowledge online out there. try www.altimas.net and see what you can learn there. im a member there as well as here, and if you can get past the assholes that dont like newbies, you can learn quite a bit.
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