Am i being ripped off??

Question

So I brought my car into today to get my brakes done, and now i am spending $600 on Radiator hoses/ coolant hoses, flushing out the transmission fluids, Belt, new battery Brake pads, brake rotators, back breaks lubed and adjusted..... I dont know anything about cars....

Ps i live in california If that makes a difference

and i have an 02 Toyota Rav4

Ok i have an 02 totyota Rav4, 53000 miles, and i have never had any of this done to my car in the 5 years i have owned it

I have an automatic... and i dont have any friends who r car wise to look at it

Answer 1

You don't specify the age or miles on your car, if it's manual or automatic, nor whether you've got disc brakes on all 4 corners or just the fronts -- so it's hard to know if what is being recommended is really needed. Hoses start to degenerate over time. Your transmission should have its fluid changed from time to time. These are all just good preventive measures IF the miles or age calls for them.

HOWEVER, if you're getting new hoses and pads and rotors and a battery, $600 is certainly a reasonable price.

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Edit: Based upon your additional information regarding age and miles:

If you're on the original battery, congratulations. It's due after 5 years. Ditto the factory brakes at 53,000. Not bad. The brake rotors may be a question, but if your pads were really shot, they may have caused some hot spots or wear problems with your rotors.

I believe your first factory recommended tranny fluid change was at 30K miles / 24 months for "normal service" (sooner if you're an off-roader). You've stretched that a good bit.

I don't see anything in the list you provided (especially at $600) that presents any problems. You've even managed to put off a couple of things that could have been done sooner.

To the person posting the comment below that brakes don't get "lubed" -- and assuming we're talking about disc brakes -- if you've spent any time looking at calipers and pads and understand that there's a sliding relationship involved, you'll understand where the grease goes.

Answer 2

You probably are, but I don't know the age and condition of the car. If you took it in for brakes then why do they want to change the transmission fluid??? Are you having a problem with the transmission?? Are you having a hard time with the car starting? If not, then why do you need a new battery?? The back brakes are already self adjusting from the factory and shouldn't need to be adjusted.

They are taking you for a ride. If you can cancel the work, I would do it. Again, this is about right for all the work, but I wonder if it needs it. I don't understand why they want to replace everything, they should only be concerned about the brakes, if that is what you took it in for. Good luck.

It might have needed all that work, I can't say without looking at it. It just seems strange they wanted to do all the work unless things are slow at the moment.

Answer 3

You're only being ripped off if you don't think it's a good investment to change out these things. It is always better to get a second opinion. You should have them explain why the excess services need to be done.

Transmission fluid might be dirty (Transmission Flush). Radiator hoses/coolant hoses might be brittle, cracking which can cause leaking. Belt might me in bad condition, dry/cracking, missing pieces. Brake adjustment is recommended every 10,000 miles anyway. Lube shouldn't cost more than a few dollars... (mostly paying for the can of lube).

Brake rotors might be worn down below manufacturers' recommendations. Battery could have a low charging capability, which means it's needs to be replaced, but you can bring in your car to any parts store and they will test it for you.

Make sure not to disconnect your battery before finding out if it will affect your cars' computer. Brake pads should be replaced when you replace rotors. $600 sounds okay, probably can take care of the battery yourself if you don't take their word. Find out the manufacture date. If it's more than five years old, it's probably time to be replaced regardless of what you think.

Note: Furthermore, transmission flushes are controversial and is best to replace the transmission filter at the same time. If not, the first sign of transmission trouble, have the transmission filter changed.

Answer 4

brakes new pads about 100 dolars an axle front and back radiator service 60 or 50 to flush and fill thats 250 so far hoses hmm 60 for labor about 30 for hoses 340 battery about 75 for agood one putting it in 15 dollars or 20 -435 break rotors are the discs that are the inside of the wheel the pads rub those to stop they go from 12.50 a piece to 45. maybe depends putting them on an hour for each at 30 or 50 dollars so lets say 60 apiece 120 im at 555.00 belt about 25.for the best and half an hour forlabor so average 605.00

Answer 5

Well some of the stuff might have needed to be replaced but you should always have them give you an estimate before they do any extra work on your car. I can't see why they changed the battery if you weren't having any trouble with it. The hoses are a good idea if they were old. You don't want to be stranded on the road and they don't cost that much. Remember, always get an estimate.

Answer 6

Probably not being ripped off. If you have owned your car 5 yrs, and done nothing to it, you are getting off easy. I don't understand why everyone thinks that all you have to do is put gas in and turn the key, and never have to do anything else. By doing these things NOW, you will avoid being broke down on the freeway in the middle of the night, or WORSE. All of these things are routine maintenance items, and are part of the cost of owning a car. If you would have had them done when the manufacturer recommended ( IT IS IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL!!), you would not be paying all of it at once. Good luck.

Answer 7

From my point of view..I'd have to say yes. Brakes are about $100 ($25 per wheel) at alot of places...Unless you have a broken line or a faulty master cylinder. Hoses aren't expensive at all, and coolant is a couple bucks a gallon. If you didn't ask for it, they are ripping you off. If they put it on without your consent, they are ripping you off. AND BY THE WAY, BRAKES DON'T GET LUBED. YOU ARE GETTING RIPPED OFF. Best wishes, God Bless, Find a new mechanic.

Answer 8

Ripped off big time there. The radiator and coolant have absolutely nothing to do with brakes.
Belts and batteries are not affected.
in uk you're probably looking at £60 max for new front brake pads and rear brake shoes fitted

Answer 9

most of the time when you go to get your car serviced the technicians inspect your car and if anything look like it is starting to wear out they recommend you replace it, even if you don't need it at the time. What year car is it? How many miles on it? I know I wouldn't spend that much on it. I work on mine myself but you might want to have a friend or someone you trust look at it.




it's recommended you change your transmission fluid every 60,000 miles

Answer 10

You are probably being ripped off. Don't ever have them do work other than what you bring it in for. If they tell you something else is wrong, take it somewhere else first and if they tell you the same thing, then have it done.

Most of what you had done are the things mechanics try and get you to do as an 'upsell'.

The brake stuff is probably okay though.