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You don't need brake calipers already do you? I'm not sure, but that might even be a warranty covered part.
No I don't need new Caliper...they are just going to service (oil and lubricate) the caliper while placing the new brake pads.
Now the servicing of the Caliper is adding a good amount in the quotation...they just tried to freak me out saying that my break pads are good for nothing and it may hit the disc soon and then I will have to get the whole disc replaced....
I would not expect the need for all this on a 2 y.o. car.
How many miles on this car? Aggressive stop-and-go driving?
Many shops insist on replacing rotors along with pads.
Definitely get a second opinion at an independent, non-chain shop.
I don't know if there is any standard of labor rates at the Toyota dealerships or not. They seems to put any random $$ figure for any sort of labor.
I have 56000 Km on my car and have factory installed pads+rotors. I am definitely not an aggressive driver.
I checked with Canadian Tire. They said 99$ for the brake pads and an other 99$ if I would like them to grind and level the rotors. My only concern is that I am not sure what type of brake pads will Canadian Tire use and how long will they last.
They may even order Toyota pads for you.
It's a good idea to change the brake fluid every 3 years, 2 if you've got ABS
Has Canadian looked at the car to confirm your pads are really worn down?
A Toyota dealership tried to convince me my (manual) transmission oil was dirty 2000 miles after I had changed it myself.
I have looked online and it looks pretty easy, though some folks recommend taking the pan off to drain extra fluid and get out the metal shavings inside. And others recommend doing a full flush. Any thoughts?
I'm creeping up to the 90K mile mark on my 2001 Corolla. I got a quote from a mechanic in the area - he said it takes about 2 hours and will cost $300. Is this reasonable? How much did you pay for the 90K maintenance?
(I'm sure I'll get suggestions to just do it myself for cheaper - but I don't have the equipment or expertise to do any of my own maintenance)
Thanks
Please list the services the mechanic is suggesting.
How does it compare to the list in the Owner's Manual?
I would do only what's in the manual, with two exceptions:
Change (don't flush) the transmission fluid/oil every 30k miles.
Change the brake fluid every 3 years, or maybe 2 years if you have ABS.
This car as well as all of my Toyotas have given me excellent service and I don't do much to them. I just picked up a 2004 Tacoma to add to my stock. It's at the dealer getting a new frame put under it. I only had a small half dollar size whole in the frame due to premature rust and Toyota is putting a brand new frame under it at a cost to them of $11,000.00 I now have a 94 Voyager, 91 Miata, 01 Corolla, 09 Corolla and a 04 Tacoma.
If they had recommended fixing/replacing parts that are at the end of their lifespan, the customers complain about constant attempts to upsell them on "unnecessary" parts and services - stuff that's not broken... yet. If they don't, then they're neglectful. The best way to avoid feeling either end of the spectrum is to establish a relationship with a shop you trust.
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The tricky part is assessing how much front suspension damage was done---perhaps upper and lower control arms, maybe even subframe....but still, your car is worth north of $12K or so, (depending on mileage, condition and history) and therefore I can't see a total here, especially since there appears to be no body damage.
Modern frame machines, in the right hands, can make a car as good as new.
So you won't hear it unless something is wrong.
However the electric motor is near or on the steering rack or column.
So it's harder to isolate the sound.
I have one more question. The car has been running fine (no lights on, etc) and I've filled up the tank 3 times since I bought it...34 (75%hwy/25%city, the highway miles including 4 other adults and AC on!) and 31 the next 2 fill ups (about 90%city/10%hwy) each time. Pretty impressive!
Buuuut, there's a buzzing coming from somewhere by the driver side window. I have rolled down the window and although the sound isn't quite as noticeable, it's still there (I don't think it's related to the window, but I'm not sure). I've tried to isolate where the buzzing is coming from, but it's really only noticeable >40mph and it's hard to look at your B pillar at that speed for any length of time! It sounds like it's either coming from the B pillar area or right above the driver's side window. Any idea what might cause this, or should I see a mechanic?
I can still lock it with the key Fob, but not by pressing on this as it is too far down.
So I have a 2010 Corolla. I bought the car used as a previous rental with 9500 miles for under $15k a few months ago, which was a stellar deal at the time with used car prices being ridiculous. I don't have any lights on my dash, but I have a question about the brakes. I notice that when braking over uneven road (paved or unpaved) the brake pedal sometimes feels like it's shaking. I get the same feeling when braking suddenly. However it doesn't happen under normal braking (haven't gotten the chance to test it out on wet pavement). I took it to the dealership and they said the brakes were fine and that it is just the ABS system doing its job. Is this true? I have driven cars with ABS and I haven't felt the actual pedal vibrate before. Should I take it to a mechanic and get the drums/rotors checked out? I don't know how I feel about the Toyota dealership I bought the car from. I went back 2 weeks after I bought the car because of a rattle from the driver side seatbelt pillar (B pillar). They couldn't find the rattle. Went back again a month later and they said they found the rattle and repaired it but it's still there...
As for the dash lights have you checked to see if they got turned down? Sometimes while cleaning you can hit the knob and turn them off. My wife has done it a few times. If the adjustment knob is fine check the fuses.
Can someone help me with this problem? Is the engine bad? I have had 2 computers replaced on this car.
Help!!!
Thanks.
And while I am on the subject of being a woman dealing with mechanics (something I have writen about before and changed mechanics because of it), this new mechanic appears to have also taken me . I took the car in because of a leaking O ring that was not fixed by the previous mechanic. The car was also making a noise that they decided was my timing belt and that I needed a new one and a water pump. I told them that it had been changed in 2008 and was warranteed by Napa. They did not do business with Napa but I did not want to pay for another belt, etc. so I contacted Napa myself. (I used to pick up parts for my former mechanic a cousin who passed away and I knew everyone there). Cousin's death is why I have had to fine a new mechanic. Anyway, I was told not to pick up the parts as they would not know what it was till they took the car apart. You are going to love this! When I went to pick it up, they said they replaced the whole kit -belt, tensioner and waterpump to which I responded that I hoped that they had gotten the Napa parts because I did not feel that I should have to pay for them. Oh, says the mechanic, I was wrong. It was the problem, only the tensioner and proceeded to change the bill which still came out to $700, This mechanic was recommended by friends and a lawyer that I am associated with, Drove the car home and lo and behold, bad noise again and leak in driveway. Take it back. Examined again and showed the leak -- power steering fluid leaking -- another big bill. New noise --power steering makes noise when I start car until it wams up. Noise gets worse. Back to repair shop. Change power steering belt because it must have gotten oil on it when they "fixed the O ring". Guess what? Still leaking in my driveway and I have not gone back to him!!!
In the middle of all of this, the muffler falls off. Also under warrantee so I ask Napa who I can take the car to and they recommend a kid who used to work for my cousin. I pay the labor charge, he turns in muffler and gets paid. It was a pleasant experience but the car is old and I am trying to hold on to it for awhile because I really love the car and can't afford a new one.
So here I am with a car that still has the original noise and leak and I no longer know who to trust. How does a woman find a trustworthy mechanic and do any exist?
I know the simplest thing to do would be to buy a new car if I could afford it but then it will start all over. I want to continue with the kid who fixed the muffler but I know he is not happy that he got involved in the muffler warrantee deal but why are things "warranteed" if you can't follow through on it?
Sorry for the long post but I am sure you can appreciate my frustration. In the meantime, how do I tell the new kid that the motor mount is loose? He'll never believe that I am on this website. Actually he probably will. LOL
I posted this in the Subaru forums with no feedback yet, but I'd like your $.02...My mom has a 2010 Legacy with the OEM Bridgestone Turanza el400-02 tires. Tirerack rates these tires last, with the poorest ratings all around. Last year I drove on 1-2" of fresh snow and the car slid! Kinda scary, considering she bought it for Subaru's AWD system. That was with 8k miles on the tires. They're at 19k now and have like 8/32" up front and 7/32" in back after rotating the tires. America's Tires will buy the tires off of her for like $20-40 each if she wants to trade them in for something better (which they recommend, and I was told pretty much anything is a step in the right direction). So I went on Tire Rack and there's a number of tires that get great reviews. On the more expensive side are the Bridgestone Turanza Serenity, Michelin Primaxy MXV4 and Goodyear Assurance ComforTred. On the cheaper side is the Yokohama Avid TRZ and the General Altimax HP, which is something America's Tire, Tirerack and a local tire place also recommended. Any input would be appreciated.
As far as the outback is concerned I'd probably go with either the Michelin MXV4's or the Bridgestone Turanza's. Seriously stay away from goodyears yuck! They're called goodyears because it'll be a good year if they last it.
The nice pro to buying from Costco is road hazard,free tire rotations, and nitrogen. I tend to work on my own cars but my garage is a small 1 car and rotating tires isn't something I plan on doing in it. So having free tire rotations should ensure you get the most out of your tires.
Since it seems like you know a bit about cars and tires I wanna pick your brain a bit more if you don't mind! Considering the current Bridgestones suck (EL400-02) on my mom's Legacy getting the Serenitys might be a hard sell but maybe I could talk to her into 'em. Either way, Costco alternates between Michelin and Bridgestone discounts. The Michelins are probably the best, but they are pricey. The BFGoodrich Advantage T/A and General Altimax HP get good reviews on TireRack and are like $200 cheaper than a set of Michelins. Any advice on those? I mean, is the price negligible considering the quality of a set of Michelins...?