# Mechanic question **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [May 2, 2019, 10:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685 "2019-05-02T22:13:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![princess111528\_151526](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/princess111528_151526/32/15847_2.png) [@princess111528\_151526](https://community.cartalk.com/u/princess111528_151526)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 10:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685/1 "2019-05-02T22:13:42Z")
2001 Toyota Solara Did I get ripped off? Lol. ![20190502_150838](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/b/bf1f04a61fc63f400079e69c8774293e9c1c969d.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 10:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685/2 "2019-05-02T22:15:49Z")
If the timing belt broke. that’s very reasonable. Tester ---
**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 10:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685/3 "2019-05-02T22:24:33Z")
If this was just regular, needed maintenance… I think this is pretty reasonable. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 10:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685/4 "2019-05-02T22:27:35Z")
> [@ledhed75](#): > > If this was just regular, needed maintenance… I think this is pretty reasonable. It was towed in with a no start. Looks like a reasonable price to me ---
**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 10:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685/5 "2019-05-02T22:29:24Z")
Ah, I saw that but didn’t think about it. Hence the broken timing belt comment. I still say the repair bill was fair, if it got the car running again. The other items are just maintenance. The only “rip off” factor is if the other items weren’t needed. But the OP gives us no other details. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 10:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685/6 "2019-05-02T22:37:48Z")
> [@ledhed75](#): > > The only “rip off” factor is if the other items weren’t needed If the OP ignored the timing belt replacement schedule for her car, I think it is likely that she also ignored the schedule for replacement of spark plugs. The other items could well have been necessary, but–of course–we have no idea as to the odometer mileage, the driving patterns to which this vehicle is subjected, or its prior maintenance history. Overall, I think that the OP “got off easy”. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 10:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685/7 "2019-05-02T22:38:20Z")
The repair charge looks fair to me also . They could have charged for the oil and coolant flush so that makes them look like a place to use in the future . ---
**Author:** ![princess111528\_151526](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/princess111528_151526/32/15847_2.png) [@princess111528\_151526](https://community.cartalk.com/u/princess111528_151526)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 10:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685/8 "2019-05-02T22:39:33Z")
Sorry, OP is mostly clueless about this stuff. Car just stopped on me mid driving and oil light came on, had to have it towed to shop. I was told it had basically no oil when it got there. Brakes definitely needed to be done. I was told so did the rest of the stuff, oil leak caused damage to such and such. ---
**Author:** ![princess111528\_151526](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/princess111528_151526/32/15847_2.png) [@princess111528\_151526](https://community.cartalk.com/u/princess111528_151526)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 10:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685/9 "2019-05-02T22:40:40Z")
Thank you all, i just wanted to see if i’ve found my mechanics, looks like I have! ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 10:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685/10 "2019-05-02T22:42:36Z")
> [@princess111528\_151526](#): > > OP is mostly clueless about this stuff So that you can avoid similar catastrophic situations in the future–with this vehicle and with other vehicles that you might purchase as the years pass–you _really_ need to look at–and follow–the vehicle manufacturer’s maintenance schedule that should be sitting in your glove compartment. 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![ChrisTruck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@ChrisTruck](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChrisTruck)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 10:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685/11 "2019-05-02T22:50:55Z")
I agree, those prices are very reasonable. You said there was no oil in the engine? How is it running after the repair. ---
**Author:** ![princess111528\_151526](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/princess111528_151526/32/15847_2.png) [@princess111528\_151526](https://community.cartalk.com/u/princess111528_151526)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 10:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685/12 "2019-05-02T22:51:08Z")
Well in my defense, the car was just coming due for an oil change, I was going to get the breaks done this weekend, and spark plugs were replaced about 3 years ago. I thought I was doing pretty good and the car is 19 years old, 230k miles. ---
**Author:** ![princess111528\_151526](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/princess111528_151526/32/15847_2.png) [@princess111528\_151526](https://community.cartalk.com/u/princess111528_151526)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 10:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685/13 "2019-05-02T22:51:53Z")
But will take your advice! 😊 ---
**Author:** ![princess111528\_151526](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/princess111528_151526/32/15847_2.png) [@princess111528\_151526](https://community.cartalk.com/u/princess111528_151526)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 10:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685/14 "2019-05-02T22:54:25Z")
I was told basically no oil by the secretary at the shop, I was also told by several men in my family that if it really had NO oil your engine would have blown. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 11:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685/15 "2019-05-02T23:29:14Z")
If this is a V6 I would say the charge is reasonable, but I can’t see the need for spark plugs unless they needed replacement. For a 4 cylinder the price should be a lot less, about $1000 or so. Plus the towing of course. A person down the street has about 200,000 miles his his Solara, and it still has the original timing belt. He’s going to change it soon. I assume this car has seen little maintenance and with 18 years of driving should be on its THIRD timing belt. You are lucky this is not an interference engine or the engine would be toast. ---
**Author:** ![ChrisTruck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@ChrisTruck](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChrisTruck)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 11:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685/16 "2019-05-02T23:59:25Z")
It took 4 spark plugs on the invoice. ---
**Author:** ![princess111528\_151526](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/princess111528_151526/32/15847_2.png) [@princess111528\_151526](https://community.cartalk.com/u/princess111528_151526)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2019, 12:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685/17 "2019-05-03T00:17:15Z")
Oh great, car is NOT 6 cylinder, it is only 4. ---
**Author:** ![princess111528\_151526](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/princess111528_151526/32/15847_2.png) [@princess111528\_151526](https://community.cartalk.com/u/princess111528_151526)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2019, 12:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685/18 "2019-05-03T00:18:07Z")
And towing was done by AAA, so no cost for tow ---
**Author:** ![jayhawkroy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jayhawkroy/32/33_2.png) [@jayhawkroy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jayhawkroy)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2019, 12:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685/19 "2019-05-03T00:22:31Z")
You need to check your engine oil level more often. Establish a schedule based on your driving habits and stick to it. Going in for an oil change one quart low is OK, but having the engine oil pressure light go on is never good. This Toyota seemed to have weathered the problem OK, but there may be an increase in oil consumption if you really ran it out of oil as stated. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2019, 12:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685/20 "2019-05-03T00:23:35Z")
> [@princess111528\_151526](#): > > Oh great, car is NOT 6 cylinder, it is only 4 Did you think you have a V6 . You have spent money on this so it might be a few more dollars to have the shop show you how to correctly check fluids and identify things under the hood that you don’t know what they are. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mechanic-question/139685.md?page=2)