Is this a good price for a radiator replacement?

enarginsenargins Member Posts: 4
edited December 2021 in Dodge
2003 Dodge Caravan SE. 105K miles.

Car place says I have a 3 inch crack in my radiator and it needs to be replaced. Said it's near the top right where a hose connected, and said it's a common place for a crack to develop. Said there was only about a gallon of fluid left in it.

Quoted me $520 for replacement, including MOPAR fluid. Is that a good price?

Also: is there anything I could have done to repair the crack if I had caught it when it was small, before it became a large crack? Just wondering.

The car has 105,000 miles on it, and I've had it since '06 and have never done a radiator flush on it (stupidly). I imagine that's what caused the crack?

Are there any other components besides the radiator that I should have them check for possible damage, having never done a radiator flush on it?

Thanks!

Comments

  • thecardoc3thecardoc3 Member Posts: 5,824
    The one thing you cannot do is repair the plastic tank. That actually leads to a sudden and dangerous failure in a very short time. I got very lucky when a vehicle owner had done exactly that on a Saab that had been sitting for a couple of years and he had asked me to get it running so he could sell it. I had it running outside the shop and went out to do some final checks before the first road test. I was leaning right over where the tank was "repaired". It burst only a few seconds after I stepped back from the car. It would have gotten me from the waist up if I had still been standing where I was.

    As far as the price goes, it appears to be reasonable. The cost of living (doing business) varies, so some places might be higher, others lower.
Sign In or Register to comment.