Hi,
I’m just looking for a ball park estimate on how much it would cost to replace the struts and axle in my car.
The strut on my passenger side rusted out and was clanking around a bit so I took it to the shop and they found the the other strut was on its way to rusting apart as well, so they tried to take it all apart to fix it but the axle was all corroded and seized up and the mechanic wasn’t able to even get the wheel off to fix it.
I’m so not good at car stuff. I don’t think my mechanic will rip me off, but I forgot to ask him today what the cost of all this will be and now I’m becoming a bit worried because it all sounds pretty major.
Take it to another shop for another opinion. Not being able to even get the wheel off sounds kind of fishy too me. Besides, if they “can’t even get the wheel off” I wouldn’t want this shop too touch my car again.
If you’re serious about rust being such an issue that the wheel won’t come off and struts are rusting apart on a 2000 model SAAB then you should consider junking this car.
If rust is that bad then your car must spend much of its time parked on a mound of road salt in Ohio.
It’s impossible to estimate a cost because labor rates vary so much by different regions of the country, parts prices can vary wildly based on where they’re procured from, etc., etc.
And if there is no misinterpretation about what is needed or the condition due to rust then I would very strongly suspect there are other things in there that need to repaired also.
Ok, my fault, it’s not actually the WHEEL that won’t come off, it’s the wheel barring.
I just called the shop and they said parts will be $625 and labor will be about $150.
ok4450: I did get this car from Ohio, the Carfax didn’t mention the salt pile 
that’s not a bad price for what they are doing, and it’s “bearing”. Still should be able to pull it, though. That part is fishy.
The price you’ve been quoted sounds fair but I would think a decent mechanic should be able to get this apart one way or the other.
I was only half-kidding about Ohio. Whenever the words rust and car are mentioned in the same sentence two states come to mind; Ohio and Minnesota.
That’s probably because those are the 2 states that have contributed the most rust-eaten cars to OK; at least the ones I’ve seen.
Right now Minnesota is in the lead by far.
Road salt should be banned in my opinion other than light use on bridges.