SouthernRex

1998 WS6 Trans Am, with 51,000 miles on it (I bought it with 38,000.) What the hell routine maintenance do I need to do that costs 4 car payments?? I was told this while getting my tires rotated with an oil change.

98CayenneT/A

Absolutely nothing and find a different shop.
Did they give you a service write up?

JD_AMG

1.) NEVER listen to a "shop".
2.) Ask them to print exactly what they think you need and why. If they have your car have them show you. Like if they think you need new bushings or something have them show you why on your own car.
3.) Do NOT have them replace your shocks, springs or swaybars with OEM \replacements, you will be massively be wasting money. The factory or factory replacement shocks are garbage. If you were to replace them you should be looking at bilstiens or Koni Str.t at a minimum. And the stock springs and swaybars will last well over 100,000 miles.
Alot of times for bushings a shop will order whole new control arms with the bushings installed to make it easier for them instead of ordering the needed bushing and replacing.

SouthernRex

Thank you. I have the write up in the car, I'll check it tomorrow. If you guys are wondering why I'm not changing my own oil, I have a credit card with them so it was the best choice financially at the moment. lol

But it did seem a little odd, I told them "not right now". Was also quoted like $90 for the fuel filter, which I know I can get for $20 or so and do myself so I also told them no on that.

If I did have to replace them, I'm guessing that would be a good time to "lower" the car? You guys are reinforcing what I've heard about the stock shocks being crap, but I was definitely shocked to hear I needed something so drastic at 50k miles.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

There is a BIG difference between "need" and "could use". I'm guessing that they think you "could use" all that work based on the fact that the car is 18 years old - regardless of mileage.

My '98 has only 17k miles, but even with such low mileage I've recently noticed the rear sway bar bushings starting to squeak just a bit in cold weather going over speed bumps and such. Do they "need" to be replaced? Absolutely not. They are not crumbling or missing, not suffering from complete failure at all. They are just aging and, for absolute best performance and noise-free operation, could be replaced - but the improvement would be marginal at best. I'm guessing that this shop found about $900 worth of these "could be's" on your car, and figure that you might be willing to spend the cash on it since it's a low mile, special interest type car. And factored into that $900 is their labor and mark-up on parts.

Having said that, I agree with JD_AMG about the shocks. The stock ones aren't great even when new, so if you need/want new ones at any point, don't get factory replacements. Might as well just keep what you have then. This is one area that should always be upgraded if you ever plan to replace them.

usnfenix

iTrader: (11)

tell them you have $900 worth of kissing your *** they can have instead.

My 98 has 48k miles and is just fine without whatever your shop is describing.


arnt you the same guy who had the shop tell you not to get long tubes or some ****? if so, STOOOOOPPPP going to the shop, they are taking advantage of you.

SouthernRex

Yes, but different shop. LOL. But you're completely right, I'm getting real tired of the incompetence around here. There's a reason I've done most of the work to the car myself (and it's not just to save money.) Same reason I'm taking the suggestion of installing the headers myself, despite never having done it before. If these idiots don't want to do it (not once was legality mentioned, they kept steering the conversation to short-tube out of "trust me, you're wasting your money") I'll do it myself or find someone who will. There's a reason I come to you guys (and research LS in general.) I actually know how my car works to some degree, no wonder it's so easy for these guys to scam people.

I appreciate the information to add to my brain, much love, guys.

actrite80

iTrader: (2)

I want to know what they found that needs to be fixed

gametech

iTrader: (1)

Their bank account (on his dime).

99SSJarhead

iTrader: (2)

Most likely they want to go after all your old rubber under that car. While replacements are cheap it is pretty labor intensive which benefits the shop itself.

ULTIMATEORANGESS

iTrader: (4)

just cuz im curious how much would it cost to have our front suspensions completely rebuilt?

actrite80

iTrader: (2)

I don't know what the labor rates are where you live but here they are around $80-$90hr for a small shop and upward of $120-$160hr for dealerships

ULTIMATEORANGESS

iTrader: (4)

ok,lets just go with $100 an hr how long does it take and how much $$$ for parts?

farmington

iTrader: (14)

How's this for a REAL shop, when I got my vert (52k miles), the front end seemed a little sloppy. Took it to my go-to front end shop. Guy brought it in and told me that everything was still perfect, just cost $38 for an alignment.
This year when I went back for an alignment (lowering springs and new shocks) was told the same thing, just got charged for their alignment.
That's why I have been doing business with them for over 20 years.

SouthernRex

Work order:

Recmd:

Shocks and struts
72362 sensa-trac strut (2) (170.99)
5867 shocks (2) (56.99)
remove install front shock/strut assembly (368.00)
remove install rear shock/strut assembly (161.00)


*improved performance - suggested service* total: 984.96

actrite80

iTrader: (2)

**** me shocks only WOW I would never return to that shop

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

Why are they selling you struts for a car that uses 4 shocks?

Time for a new shop.

JD_AMG

Saw that coming.
Sensatracs are some of the *worst* shocks you can buy for these cars, they literally have slits cut into their piston to allow oil to bypass, effectively making it act like a blown out shock. They are a go-to for shops for some reason though, probably because they are so cheap.
If you were to replace the shocks you have the cheapest to look at would be SLP bilsteins, anything cheaper is not worth it.

SouthernRex

*When* I do replace them, I can just get the Bilsteins (or whatever) as a shorter spring, right? That's how I *lower* my car? (I don't want to go crazy, since I'm putting in LT and all, and there's a lot of bumps in my town, but I want it lower than stock, even half an inch.)

Sorry, I don't know anything about suspension.

FirstYrLS1Z

iTrader: (4)

I work part-time mornings(I'm retired)at a Tuffy automotive center. Showed the 'list' to the boss,parts charge is slightly low,labor charge is slightly high,overall about $50 high.
We don't consider shocks in the normal maintenance routine. Only recommend replacement if there's something wrong after a test drive.