Infiniti G20 Nissan Primera Forum banner

Mechanic pricing - how much should a job cost? Put your experiences in here!

27K views 67 replies 37 participants last post by  Lildad90 
#1 ·
I was thinking it would be cool if we could populate a thread with prices each of us has paid to a mechanic to do a specific job with as much details as possible. That way people can easily tell if they're getting ripped. I don't go to the mechanic often but when I do, I'd like to know if his prices are good. Obviously, there's no substitute to having a trustworthy mechanic but those are getting harder to find.

I'll start:
'99 g20t - Clutch Job (full, including TOB) - $690 - ~ 4 hours of labor - OEM parts, new gear oil
'99 g20t - Wheel Bearings (both sides) - $375 - ~ 2 hours of labor - OEM Parts

If you can keep it in this format, it'll help people read and search! Ok go!
 
#35 ·
lol honestly for the cai, i just used a hacksaw since i didn't have a dremel at that time, used some pliars to pry a lil more, and bam =] all nice and done (well sand it and make everything look clean). ...150 seems steep just for that..
 
#43 ·
Maintenance list for a 1996 G20:

The format is DATE-DESCRIPTION-MILEAGE-COST

4/28/2006 Cup Holder/Fog Light Button/Fog Light Relay/Trunk Lining 148,000 $50.00
4/29/2006 CV Axles/Rear Main Seal/Clutch 160,000 $1,100.00
5/1/2006 4 Kelly Chargers 150,000 $400.00
7/1/2007 ABS Actutor 181,000 $300.00
9/1/2007 Motegi Traklites with Kumho Exsta ASX 181,000 $1,500.00
11/15/2007 Amp Install Kit 185,000 $20.00
1/1/2008 Rear Door 191,000 $50.00
1/1/2008 Body Work (Bondo for rear 1/4 panel) 191,000 $400.00
4/25/2008 G20t Leather Interior 198,000 $200.00
4/25/2008 Dynamat 198,000 $80.00
5/21/2008 EBC Brake Rotors/Pads 201,000 $250.00
6/1/2008 P11 Big Brake Kit 201,000 $100.00
6/20/2008 Remove Wheel Stud, Wheel Locks 202,000 $137.00
6/21/2008 Receiver Hitch 202,000 $85.00
6/21/2008 Headlights 202,000 $100.00
7/1/2008 MB Quart 5.25 Components 203,000 $180.00
7/3/2008 Power Steering Rack, Alignment 203,000 $1,000.00
7/8/2008 Clutch 203,000 $900.00
9/1/2008 Valve Cover Gasket, O Rings, Clean Dizzy/MAF, Replace O2 Sensor 206,000 $260.00
9/1/2008 Fogs, Leather Armrest 206,000 $130.00
9/20/2008 Cleaned carpets 208,000 $40.00
9/25/2008 2 oil filters, 8 spark plugs, valve cover gasket, o ring strip 208,000 $50.00
10/24/2008 Mounted Receiver Hitch 208,000 $50.00
10/24/2008 Weld Exhaust Hangers 208,000 $50.00
10/24/2008 AGX Shocks and bumpstops 208,000 $180.00
11/19/2008 Bolts and Washers for shock assembly 211,000 $4.19
11/19/2008 Machine and fix threads on AGX shocks 211,000 $50.00
12/20/2008 Front Tires (BFGs) 210,000 $250.00
1/05/2009 Irragi Alternator 225,000 $240.00
 
#44 ·
Maintenance list for a 1996 G20:

The format is DATE-DESCRIPTION-MILEAGE-COST

4/28/2006 Cup Holder/Fog Light Button/Fog Light Relay/Trunk Lining 148,000 $50.00
4/29/2006 CV Axles/Rear Main Seal/Clutch 160,000 $1,100.00
5/1/2006 4 Kelly Chargers 150,000 $400.00
7/1/2007 ABS Actutor 181,000 $300.00
9/1/2007 Motegi Traklites with Kumho Exsta ASX 181,000 $1,500.00
11/15/2007 Amp Install Kit 185,000 $20.00
1/1/2008 Rear Door 191,000 $50.00
1/1/2008 Body Work (Bondo for rear 1/4 panel) 191,000 $400.00
4/25/2008 G20t Leather Interior 198,000 $200.00
4/25/2008 Dynamat 198,000 $80.00
5/21/2008 EBC Brake Rotors/Pads 201,000 $250.00
6/1/2008 P11 Big Brake Kit 201,000 $100.00
6/20/2008 Remove Wheel Stud, Wheel Locks 202,000 $137.00
6/21/2008 Receiver Hitch 202,000 $85.00
6/21/2008 Headlights 202,000 $100.00
7/1/2008 MB Quart 5.25 Components 203,000 $180.00
7/3/2008 Power Steering Rack, Alignment 203,000 $1,000.00
7/8/2008 Clutch 203,000 $900.00
9/1/2008 Valve Cover Gasket, O Rings, Clean Dizzy/MAF, Replace O2 Sensor 206,000 $260.00
9/1/2008 Fogs, Leather Armrest 206,000 $130.00
9/20/2008 Cleaned carpets 208,000 $40.00
9/25/2008 2 oil filters, 8 spark plugs, valve cover gasket, o ring strip 208,000 $50.00
10/24/2008 Mounted Receiver Hitch 208,000 $50.00
10/24/2008 Weld Exhaust Hangers 208,000 $50.00
10/24/2008 AGX Shocks and bumpstops 208,000 $180.00
11/19/2008 Bolts and Washers for shock assembly 211,000 $4.19
11/19/2008 Machine and fix threads on AGX shocks 211,000 $50.00
12/20/2008 Front Tires (BFGs) 210,000 $250.00
1/05/2009 Irragi Alternator 225,000 $240.00
what did you do to that clutch? aren't they supposed to last around 120,000mi before needing to be replaced?
 
#48 ·
I was quoted 16 hours of labor and about $200 in parts to replace the chain tensioner at the dealership. I told them bloody wankers to bugger off. I didn't add it to the list because it's not reasonable.
 
#49 ·
A long time ago, back in the day when I had my 2000 Nissan Sentra SE, I paid a mechanic to replace the following:

All 4 motor mounts
2 accessory belts

Paid him $80 & that was only because I didn't have the time to do it. He was only charging me $60 too, but I told him to keep the $80 since he kinda had to come out of his way to my house. He had some other jobs that he had to take care of.





But yeah.

*Shamless plug.*

If any of you need work done on your B13, B14, P10, & P11 & you happen to live in SoCal, visit us. A lot of you are getting ripped off big time.

http://www.g20.net/forum/showthread.php?t=89739

Well even show you how to do it if you don't mind getting dirty. ( ^o^)
 
#53 ·
this is a good thread guys. But god damn a lot of you guys have gotten ripped off/ pay too much.

The only time I go to a shop is when I do my alignment, change tires, or muffler shop. Anything else done by me (90% of da time) or my trusthworthy mechanic (10%). I help out and learn as well. He works at a shop during the week, he has side jobs right after work n on weekends. So he's making good money.


The latest & last install on my p11 was a clutch install by guy from the sr20forum summer of 2008. $300 bucks at his house. I helped out and learned.

My spendings were:

Exedy Stage 1 Clutch from THMotorsports.com - $250 with disocunt code & free shipping. Bought a month before the install.
SR16VE Lightened Flywheel from Chuck (snickers) - $120 - bougth 1.5 years previous the install.
Napa Gear Oil x 3 - $14
Clutch job - $300

It didnt feel like i spent a lot cause i had most of the parts i bought a while before the install. But paying that 300 after the install did hurt me, lol.

Its much cheaper doing the isntalls yourself and feels rewarding at the end.
 
#54 ·
this is a good thread guys. But god damn a lot of you guys have gotten ripped off/ pay too much.

The only time I go to a shop is when I do my alignment, change tires, or muffler shop. Anything else done by me
that's about what i do. i only take it a shop if it's something i can't do. and if i do take it, then i watch them like a hawk. that way they can't mess with my car, and tell me that they found something else that's broken.

almost had that happen when i got the muffler put on my car. one of the mechanics there, saw some oil on my power steering pump, and tried to tell me that i had a leak, and the part would be $350. so i touched the oil, and showed him that i had a breather filter on the vc, that was where the oil had come from.

so i paid him the $50 for the muffler install, and drove off.
 
#55 ·
Recently picked up a slow tire leak, put the soapy water to it and found a nail in the center of the tread. Went to the local tire/repair shop, notorious for "overselling", who agreed to repair the tire as I waited. I told them I did not want the "100 point check" which they then joked as, "actually a 120 pt. check" and agreed not to do it. I watch the tire being fixed by one guy (was a small screw I'd picked up), while an older guy checked out everything on the car anyway. But when I paid, it was a reasonable charge for fixing the flat and no checklist. So if you know what you're doing, you can catch them at their own game.
 
#56 ·
And their 120pt check is really just an exagerated 14 point check. Example:

Item on 14 point check list:
Check tires
check brake system
check light operation

Item on 120 point check list:
Check right front tire
check left front tire
check right rear tire
check left rear tire
check right front brake rotor
check right front brake pads
check right front brake hose
check left front brake rotor
check left front brake pads
etc, etc, etc
Check left low beam
check left high beam
check right low beam
check right high beam
check left front turn signal
check right front turn signal


See all the BS. They turn 3 all ecompassing items into 120 others to make it seem like they're actually doing something complicated, lol
 
#57 ·
Nissan dealerships are the worst with the check thing. I brought my car in for it's first oil change. I was suppose to get the 14point check and the oil change. I got the oil changed but they didn't remove the splash guard and got oil on that then instead of a check list of things all I got on the reciept was a line of text that read "if your nissan technician followed all procedures then your 14 point vehicle check checks out OK" or something stupid like that.

BTW dealership oil change and non existent check is $26.99. I had a coupon for $24.99 from nissan but little did I know the dealership was running a $19.99 special. Think they would have told me . . .nope. I used a coupon to pay more then I had too. I only found out the next day by looking at that dealership online and seeing thier oil change special. Oh well just proove the term stealership even more.

BTW I wanted my very first oil changed documented by nissan and is the only reason I went there.
 
#58 ·
wth? that sucks.....let me ring in this useless coupon to charge you more....im sure they changed the oil and looked at the odometer and said it passes the 14pt inspection....makes you want to undo something and see if they catch it and then bitch them out for it.
 
#60 ·
That is the thing grimsta there is no checklist. Just the reciept that says if performed correctly all 14 points checked. What 14 points? It doesn't specify anything.
 
#61 ·
okay one-i think i paid about $700 for upper control arm, brake pads, rotor resurface, and sumthin else i cant remember.

two-around $100 for a headlight rewire

three- was told they would do a driverside axel for about $220 P&L.

and also i know at jiffy lube they actually do the checklist, my girl went there and they showed her everything and even told her she had a liscence plate light out and wanted to replace it for $10. luckly shes smart enough to realise i can get a bulb and do it for a few bucks less
 
#63 ·
Wiper link kit 37.00$ each side + hours labor.

Alternator part varried from 150$- 600$ after buying 3 of the 150$ ones and having them all die in less than a month... I splurged and bought the 500$ bosch one. Istalled it myself, only takes me about 45 mins now :) . Cost you an hour at a garage.

Alternator belt- 35$ installed myself.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top