Good mechanic in Austin, TX

Hi folks,

Excuse the cross post. I've always gotten good advice on these groups...

The clutch on my '89 Toyota pickup has finally given up the ghost after
177K. This isn't something I want to tackle myself. I'm shopping around
for estimates. If anyone has a recommendation for a good shop on Austin,
TX, I'd really appreciate it.

I've gotten one rough estimate from a shop that did a friend's Miata but
they want 600-700 bucks. I have NO CLUE if this is reasonable or not. It
sounds a little steep to me.

TIA,

Beth

"beth" > wrote in message
...
> Hi folks,
>
> Excuse the cross post. I've always gotten good advice on these groups...
>
> The clutch on my '89 Toyota pickup has finally given up the ghost after
> 177K. This isn't something I want to tackle myself. I'm shopping around
> for estimates. If anyone has a recommendation for a good shop on Austin,
> TX, I'd really appreciate it.
>
> I've gotten one rough estimate from a shop that did a friend's Miata but
> they want 600-700 bucks. I have NO CLUE if this is reasonable or not. It
> sounds a little steep to me.
>
> TIA,
>
> Beth

That would be the cost of overhauling the entire transmission, so they are
probably trying to rip you off since you are a female (I am assuming by your
name).

I hate to say this, but if you have male friend, ask him to get some quotes
for you. Look in the yellow pages or on-line for a shop that specializes in
Toyota repairs, or try a Toyota dealer.

beth wrote:
> I've gotten one rough estimate from a shop that did a friend's Miata
> but they want 600-700 bucks. I have NO CLUE if this is reasonable or
> not. It sounds a little steep to me.

Sounds like an OK price to me - I think the Toyota dealer here gets
about $915 for that job.

Travis Jordan wrote:
> beth wrote:
> > I've gotten one rough estimate from a shop that did a friend's Miata
> > but they want 600-700 bucks. I have NO CLUE if this is reasonable or
> > not. It sounds a little steep to me.
>
> Sounds like an OK price to me - I think the Toyota dealer here gets
> about $915 for that job.

"That job" means replacing the clutch, throwout bearning, and pressure
plate, not just the clutch disk itself.

Mark A wrote:

> That would be the cost of overhauling the entire transmission, so they are
> probably trying to rip you off since you are a female (I am assuming by your
> name).
>
> I hate to say this, but if you have male friend, ask him to get some quotes
> for you. Look in the yellow pages or on-line for a shop that specializes in
> Toyota repairs, or try a Toyota dealer.

yup. female. i'm not even going there as it makes me furious.

-Beth

Travis Jordan wrote:

> "That job" means replacing the clutch, throwout bearning, and pressure
> plate, not just the clutch disk itself.

you forgot the rear main and, if necessary, resurfacing the flywheel.

600-700 is steep and 915 is a freakin' rip-off. i'll drop that damn
tranny in my driveway and do it myself if people quote me crap like
that, tits of not.

jesus, no wonder i do all of my own work.

-Beth

Mark A wrote:

> That would be the cost of overhauling the entire transmission, so they are
> probably trying to rip you off since you are a female (I am assuming by your
> name).

you know, i didn't specify that it was a 2WD truck. i wonder if that
rough estimate was for a 4WD because, as you know, 4WD = instantly add
on 300 more bucks in labor.

-Beth

"beth" > wrote in message
...
> Travis Jordan wrote:
>
>> "That job" means replacing the clutch, throwout bearning, and pressure
>> plate, not just the clutch disk itself.
>
> you forgot the rear main and, if necessary, resurfacing the flywheel.
>
> 600-700 is steep and 915 is a freakin' rip-off. i'll drop that damn tranny
> in my driveway and do it myself if people quote me crap like that, tits of
> not.
>
> jesus, no wonder i do all of my own work.
>
> -Beth


Touche'.:-) I once told a mechanic (after a price quote on replacing the
rear rotors on my '80 Supra) that I'd fly "the damned japanese rising sun
from the antenna and drive it into the gulf of mexico before I'd pay THAT."

The job sounds at least $300 high to me, but I'm in the SE U.S..

That estimate sounds high even for dealer shop rates, imo.


Stew

On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 19:19:34 -0600, beth > wrote:
>Travis Jordan wrote:
>
>> "That job" means replacing the clutch, throwout bearning, and pressure
>> plate, not just the clutch disk itself.
>
>you forgot the rear main and, if necessary, resurfacing the flywheel.
>
>600-700 is steep and 915 is a freakin' rip-off. i'll drop that damn
>tranny in my driveway and do it myself if people quote me crap like
>that, tits of not.
>
>jesus, no wonder i do all of my own work.
>
>-Beth

Tits (or lack thereof) have ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with it where
doing the work yourself is concerned, unless you count being smart
enough to not keep cranking on that stuck bolt until something breaks.
;-) Or stopping and asking for instructions. ;-)

The only difference is you may not have the brute strength to lift
the trans into place off a regular floor jack, without needing a
purpose-built transmission jack to get it lined up. Then again, if
you really work out, you might well be able to...

But there are STILL a lot of chauvinists out there who see a woman
walk in the door and start talking bafflegab like Framistram
Regulators and Muffler Bearings. Then they quote the full book labor
and full retail mark-up on parts, figuring you don't know any better.

Sad part is, they do it because most of the time it works.

Try again - and this time make sure the shop owner is aware that you
know which end of the wrench goes on the bolt and which end you pull.

That you'd rather let them throw it up on a lift and do it in a few
hours, rather than waste a perfectly good weekend fighting doing it
yourself working on jackstands, and have to spend the money you'd save
(and then some) on a transmission jack and clutch pilot tools - but
not if they're charging double... Maybe then they'll give you a
realistic and reasonable quote for doing the work.

Hint: Have them quote it as base price and needed extra work, as in
"If we open it up and it needs a rear main seal, that's $50 more" and
"If it needs the clutch slave cylinder replaced that's $70 more."

--<< Bruce >>--
--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.

You may have already gotten a quote from a "good" mechanic........

What you seem to be seeking right now, however, is a quote from a
"cheaper" mechanic.....