lower ball joint

[ax10]

i was quoted $600 to r @r a lower balljoint on my 01 neon. This includes an alignment. am i just too old or is this a going price?

[Burntnuts]

Originally Posted by ax10

i was quoted $600 to r @r a lower balljoint on my 01 neon. This includes an alignment. am i just too old or is this a going price?

There tyin to take you for a ride

[ax10]

ty burnt. thats what i thought. Just paid them $400 for inner and outer tierods

[boosted4lyf]

Wow.

[The Violator]

Unless it is built into the a arm I would say they are not even spitting on the tip. Figure $100 for alignment, $75 for the ball joint, or $200 for a arm with joint and 2 hours labor should be $300-400. Unless they are planning on repacking the cvd, or struts, or some other charge, I would say that is high. Sounds like a dodge stealership price to me.


Edit: I just looked at auto zone and its $30 for the joint, $100 for the arm complete. I would spend the $100 ( unless you have an air hammer or a ball joint press), and it is 3 bolts ( maybe 4). With a little luck you should not even have to remove the caliper. Any shop should really knock that out in less than an hour including driving across town to pick up the part. If you have a few tools, and a couple buddies sounds like it could be an afternoon of fun, you buy the beer.

Double edit: I used to do work like this all the time. I would charge $100 for labor and sell them the part at retail ( usually make a couple on the part depending on what it was) and do it after I got off of work. There was a restaurant down the street from my shop, I would have them leave me the keys and send them to eat. I could usually drop it to them before they were done with dinner. I would ask friends if they know of a shop that is honest( getting fewer and farther between now a days) and go another route, or try it yourself.

[ax10]

time to check other shops. 1.6 hours labor. lower control arm 195. alignment 75. Labor is kicking my ass

[GRIMGREG]

You can rent a press tool at most part stores. Only 5 bolts to remove aside from the lug nuts, one on the joint and 4 on the sway bar (2 per side).

[freakofnature]

i just picked up 2 new lower ball joints for my 97 vw for 20 bucks shipped off the bay and my mechanic said its about 200 to install and 75 for the alignment. so sounds like your guy is trying to pad his wallet

[ax10]

I called him back. I misunderstood him. I need a whole lower control arm. He said all the bushings were shot. It would be cheaper to buy the whole control arm, as it comes with ball-joint and bushings. He priced it both ways. Replacing all the individual parts was more expensive. He also quoted doing both sides. So this price he gave me sounds to be alot more accurate. I should have listened better

[JeremyH]

Yes, that makes the price sound better. If one side is shot, the other side probably is as well.

[dropstep]

Still sounds high to me, reminds me of why i work on my own crap every time i hear a shops price.

[THX_138]

Considering the lower balljoint on that 01 Neon ranges from $6.22 (no name) , to $12.44 (Moog) to $27.99 (Raybestos)

RockAuto Mobile Catalog[ID]=464c4d9a0a7218a3fb04322b5c574e8e&ck[idlist]=464c4d9a0a7218a3fb04322b5c574e8e&ck[viewcurrency]=USD

Shop time to replace both sides should be less then 2 hours.

Figure 2 hours , depending on your local shop rates it can range from $60-$95 per hour around here (honestly though, balljoints are something you can do at home yourself for free)

Local alignments around here are around $39.99 or $89.99 Lifetime


A garage will easily double the price of the parts because that is where the profit comes from. Labor charges pay the help, rent, insurances etc... Maybe a small % profit, but the parts up charge is how mechanics make any money.

So double you parts puts you at either around $25 - $110 depending on quality/brand
Say $50 for an alignment thinking they want to make profit there also
Then go for high end garage rates and say $200 labor

I would say you may end up around $360-$380?

Or you could remove & replace yourself and then take it to an alignment shop for less then $100

Even if you do not have tools beyond homeowner stuff, just about any auto parts store will lend you any specialty tools needed for free with purchase of the parts.

Originally Posted by ax10

I called him back. I misunderstood him. I need a whole lower control arm. He said all the bushings were shot. It would be cheaper to buy the whole control arm, as it comes with ball-joint and bushings. He priced it both ways. Replacing all the individual parts was more expensive. He also quoted doing both sides. So this price he gave me sounds to be alot more accurate. I should have listened better

Same website has lower control arms WITH balljoints preinstalled and all new bushings for $45-$85 each.
Labor time should be about the same, possibly less because it is much easier to switch out the entire arm them to press balljoints in and out.





.

[bob1961]

hope ya got dinner and a kiss first ....

[ax10]

Thank you for those links THX. Those prices are half of what he quoted. I think i will order the control arms and find a co-worker who can do the work. The alignment is $50. Cost me a case of beer to have the rear brakes done. Thank you to all for the advice and comments