is this reasonable?

[anc4]

my 96 320sl w/ 55k on it is making a creaking sound, i brought it to a mechanic i've used before and he wants $400 to put in new lower ball joints on both sides and i want the brakes bleed, does this seem reasonable?
this is in fairfield ct

[ericdee]

Sounds like he's guessing to he, that may not be the problem. How much does he charge per hour and how much are the parts.

[tecqboy]

Seems very reasonable to me. I just paid nearly two hundred dollars for a pair of OEM rear shocks from a local trusted idy; and they're relatively easy to change. Ball joints are a lot more work than shocks. Most shops around here charge between $100 and $125 per hour labor.

[cth350]

ANC4, are you in the MBCA?

There's a little get together for the Jersey folks at Precision Auto in Rockaway NJ next weekend. It's a perfect opportunity to get a second opinion from a seasoned factory trained Benz tech.

See http://www.carserviceautorepair.com/

-CTH

[JimFreeh]

Late W124 chassis require the entire lower control arm be replaced to change the ball joints.

Perhaps this is driving the cost?

Jim

[tgolden]

If you have concern about a quote for repair work, you should ask for an itemized estimate, to include part numbers, materials (brake fluid, etc...) and labor (hours and rate per hour). Then get a second and third itemized estimate for the same work. Also, ask if he's quoting original parts, OEM or aftermarket.

Then, you can go online and see how much he's marking up the parts. Also, you can see what the book rate (labor hours) is for the maintenance tasks he's indicated.

For your second and third estimates, don't tell them what you were quoted with the first estimate; let them tell you what the fix is for your symptoms.

Once you have at least three estimates, go back and reconcile the differences in tasks and parts, then make the decision as to who's going to do the work.

Regards