I have been quote $500 for the new lower oil pan (labor + parts) and $600 for passenger side boot axle repair. Is this accurate or am I being overcharged?
Thanks for your time
The bigger question is why you need a new oil pan and yes, you are being overcharged. If you hit something and punched a hole in it, I don’t know the part price, but the lower oil pan is pretty easy to replace so labor should not be much.
If the drain hole is stripped, it can be repaired for well under $50. The axles are usually replaced with either remans, aftermarket new or OEM new. A new OEM would cost around $600, but a reman or after market new would be less than half that. Just replacing the boots would also be around $200-250 per side, mostly labor. If they are doing both axles for this price, it would be in the ball park.
+1 to Keith’s post, although labor rates will vary. NYC will cost you twice what Bismark, ND will. Maybe three times.
If the boot is torn, I’d replace the entire axle on that side, but not until it started clicking. It could go quite a while before that happens. And if they want to replace the oil pan to stop a small leak I’d pass unless I was using a significant amount of oil (say one quart per 1000 miles or more), and knew it was because of the leak (oil spots/puddle on the driveway).
Good point Texases. I figured for $600 it would be a new half shaft, but it’s good to be sure.
But the whole CV shaft is a whopping 70 bucks new at the Zone. ( 100 with standard markup )
You’re paying MORE . .yes MORE labor to do the $ 25.00 boot than to just replace the whole shaft.
MORE labor ? yes, all the same labor to R & R the shaft, PLUS the labor to disassemble to the boot.
An Auto Zone pan and gasket would cost me $75.00 ( plus markup to 130 ? ) plus oil change.
So you have a few hundred in parts. But labor ?
Like the others said, it’s very relative to your market and shop.
Is the oil pan accessable or buried above a subframe ?
If they have to lift the engine or drop the subframe . . there’s your labor.
The lower oil pan is accessible. If you picture a typical oil pan, it is only the section that drops down. The upper pan requires either lifting the engine or removing the subframe. The upper part is cast aluminum and the lower part is stamped steel.
I wouldn’t do the upper one for $600. Did one once, never again.
In my neck of the woods $600 would not be unusual to replace a half shaft. It’s the labor that kills ya.
Re: the oil pan, Keith’s question was the critical one: why? What is wrong with the oil pan? Bung holes can be easily and inexpensively repaired. But we don’t know if that’s what’s wrong.
Even if it was punctured, it could be removed and welded, then replaced. You only need a tube of Ultra Grey RTV, they don’t have a gasket.
I strongly discourage anybody from buying new Autozone cv axleshafts
They are utter garbage, and make just as much noise . . . if not more . . . than the noisey axleshaft you’re replacing
I’ve had better luck having axleshafts overhauled at small mom and pop shops that specialize in such things. They reuse your shaft, if it’s straight, and put on new joints. The price is very reasonable, and they take some pride in their work. They also work pretty quick. You can often drop off an axleshaft in the morning and pick it up in the afternoon. I believe they take some pride in their work, because if the word got out that they’re lousy, they might soon be out of business
Half shafts cost on the average 100-175…and often LESS…much less…so go figure.