Hi All -
Looks like a great community, so thanks in advance. I have a 2005 Hyundai Elantra GLS that has recently started needing pricey repairs. Please look at the estimate below and let me know what I should do myself (I’m a bit of a tinkerer and have a mechanical engineering degree). I’d rather buy tools than lose it to labor. Also really skeptical of mechanics in general and this one in particular - i.e. they wanted to charge $100 to replace the cabin air filter (typical cost I think). I bought the filter online for $20 and did it myself in 15 minutes.
ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS: $1056 (parts + labor)
- Replace lower control arm bushings (2 x P $68 / L $99)
- Alignment ($80)
- Upper and lower radiator hoses (1 x P$69 / L $150)
- Rear disk brake service (whatever that means) (P $56 / L $101)
- Rear Brake Rotors ( 2 x P $66 / L $0)
- Oil change ($24)
INVOICE FROM REPAIRS COMPLETED 4 MONTHS AGO: $1,446
- Check brakes for squeal
- Alignment
- Belt adjustment
- R&R Both rear struts and mounts
- Front Brake Disk Pad Replacement
- Front Brake Rotors
- R/R ABS Sensor to be replaced
- Two tires, inspection, emission, oil change
Specific questions:
- Were they negligent 4 months ago in doing the check and not catching the things they did this time?
- If they did front brakes/rotors last time, shouldn’t they have seen the bushings were bad? I shouldn’t have to pay for alignment twice!
- If they did rear struts/mounts and were supposed to look at brakes 4 months ago (3,500 miles) - shouldn’t they have caught the rear brake problems then?? Would it have saved the rotors?
- $99 labor for replacing each lower control arm bushing? At $75/hr that’s 1.5 hours. Does it really take that long for each one? 2 hours for radiator hoses? Seems way too high.
- Of the invoice items, which do you recommend doing myself? How long would they take? i.e. bushings looks possible, but I’d rather have photos to work from.
Many thanks!
Tile should be “screw me”, not “sue me,” sorry for the typo. Though I have half a mind to sue him… 
PLEASE IGNORE this thread. Reposted with correct title:
Please ignore this thread. Reposted with correct title.