[1990crx]

$1600.00 for:

parts and labor:

engine seals(main, heads, head cover, exhaust, intake)
air conditioner fix including compressor
suspension bushings
springs, tokico struts
rack and pinion
a-arm

just labor:

clutch
timing belt
water pump

and when he does suspension work he says he has the old parts acid washed...

what do you think?

 

[downest]

Personally I would do it myself, if you're mechanically inclined none of that is too bad, though installing the springs might be a pain. What bushings and struts are you getting (Tokico Illuminas or HPs)? You might not be able to do bushings without a press as well.

 

[1990crx]

this is baring in mind that i wouldn't take on that kind of task on myself. i'd like to try, but since i can't afford it if screw it up, i'll let a pro do it.

 

[jmart]

Sounds like a reasonable price for the parts and labour i guess. but i vote for DIY. That is how you get to know your car and what every little squeak and rattle it makes mean and where it comes from.

Good luck!

 

[stick]

Plus...a lot of shops out there will charge you for things you don't need replaced...or they'll say they replaced things when they actually didn't. Sometimes it's a good idea to ask a mechanically inclined friend over and get your hands dirty with a few of these tasks.

However, if you must get it all done, get the mechanic to actually *show* you what is wrong before you let him start any work. For example, I'd want to see the torn bushings (which bushings? how many?) and the reason why the a-arm needs to be replaced. I'd want him to show me why the rack and pinion needs replacing. Is there a ton of side-to-side lash in the steering wheel?

Some things, like the air conditioner can't be done very well by the do-it-yourselfer. You can bolt on the compressor, but you probably can test the system for leaks and pressure. Things like engine seals, clutches, timing belts, and waterpumps are probably a bit advanced for someone just starting out with engine maintenance. But the key is to try to learn as much as you can about them, even if you're not doing the work. Eventually they won't seem like as much of a daunting task.

Oh, and acid wash is just to make the parts clean of grease and looking shiny again...they'll rust up again after the first rain...unless they're painted or powdercoated after the acid wash.

 

[1990crx]

thanx for the info so far. keep it coming. and sticker, i got mine today, thanx a mil.

 

[xxpaulcpxx]

Actually, that looks like a really good price to get so much work done. I was quoted $1200 just to replace a head gasket once... and that was the only shop that would even accept the work.

TIP: Give them a box and have them put all the OLD rings, seals, and any other part they replace in it. This way you have at least some evidence that they did what they said they would.

BTW, if you don't have the space, and don't have to tools, and don't have the time (or any one of those permutations) then it is A-OK to pay someone else to do your work!

 

[Tiersin]

i 2nd what everyone else has said about mechainics. I have had nothing but bad experiences with auto shops. It may be because i'm younger and they dont think i know what i'm talking about, but i would say its a fair price for that much work.

I would say start out with small stuff like oil changes, filter changes, and work your way up from there. Learning about your car can have a ton of benifits, and there are a ton of people here who can help you out with almost anything.

 

[crxfisher]

The price looks really good to me. That's a lot of stuff done. And like most people said, I'd do that all myself (except bushings which can be a major pain.) But the price is good for all of that stuff. If you can't do it yourself, I'd say get a 2nd opinion and quote from another shop or two and go with your instincts.

 

[Charlie]

it cost me $800 for just the clutch and timing belt/water pump, so i'd say he's right on

 

[azulito]

Yeah that seems like a good price to me.

MY TIP: For our cars you need to find a someone who is familiar or even enthusiastic about Hondas. Then start the "relationship". Kinda like a family doctor or lawyer! I have 6 years invested in my friendship with my mechanic that started from scratch. I asked around a lot ...great tip here.. at the autocross events. When everyone gave me the same name I knew there must be something to it. So far I have not been dissapointed.

One thing to remember about mechanics, they are the same as any of us. Trying to make a buck, get's tired and needs beer, and says "close enough" once in a while! :lol:

 

[1990crx]

well, as of yesterday, i am officially without my CR-X. i always knew i liked my car. but now i realize how much i really love my car. tomorrow my wife is taking her car to get it checked out, and i'm taking my camera to take pix. supposedly the suspension is completely off already. it's gonna be about 2 weeks he said. in the menatime my bestfriend lent me his ford ranger to move around in. it's a shock, let me tell you guys.

on a related note. out of curiosity, i asked how much it would be if i got the headers and exhaust(catback). he said $600 and no labor charge since the car's already apart. if i wait til later, it'll be $700. i have the money, but it'll put me at a low balance in case **** comes up. but, i am also the type that'll spend it on stupid **** here and there. and eventually it won't be in my account anyway. hmmm?.... what do you guys think?

 

[sneaky_pete]

if you have the cash to do the header and exhaust now.. I say do it..

Im just like you.. if I have the money, and dont spend it on the stuff i need or want for the car when i have the cash to do it.. then I end up spending it on other crap anyways.. and my car suffers... so.. if you can afford to do it now.. then go for it!

later

Sneak

 

[1990crx]

ok... here are pix i took today and i will be going back tomorrow when the suspension's off.

[img=http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/8246/im0018056fi.th.jpg]

[img=http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/73/im0018067tw.th.jpg]

 

[1990crx]

i "should" be getting my baby back early this week. and i mean like between tomorrow and wednesday. more than likely wednesday or thursday if my luck holds true.

speaking of luck. i thought i'd share this with all of you. so i borrowed my buddy's ford ranger so i can move around while my car is in the shop, right. so the next day after i get it, i get in a wreck. not my fault, but i feel like **** about it. nothing major. my buddy gets a check to fix his truck, the friend i had with me that day and i get a little pain-and-suffering money out of it, and a funny story to tell everyone about how bad my luck is. so because of this the driver side door won't open. so i have to be getting in and out through the passenger side. now bare in mind that i am not a small guy. so after a few days of that ****, i ghetto-fix the door so i can get in. then i get a flat that needs patching. i decide to leave it for the following day, and my wife's car won't start. so now i can't get to work OR get the tire fixed, so i didn't make it to work. i try to fix the flat that day, and the jack is busted. the folowing day, i get a compressor, fill the tire and go to my local tire shop down the street and get it patched. when the guys putting the tire back on he realizes that the rear driver side does not have ANY brake pads at all. it's rolling on drums. i tell my buddy so he knows and he tells me that he ALREADY knew and just didn't tell me cause it's "no big deal". needless t say i REALLY hope i get my baby back SOON.

 

[1990crx]

update:

so i dropped off my car on 6/1/06, right? we are now 7/4/06, right? STILL NO CAR BACK! the first hang up was that he keeps getting small jobs that he does cause he doesn't have a lot of space so he gets them done and out. then when he was cleaning the heads to get the gaskets on, he sees that they were milled but improperly. so he says that i don't HAVE to get them redone, but that it may cause a leak. so i figure, get it done, avoid a leak AND improve my compression. bare in mind that i am getting this out of the money that i had to finish paying him so it set me back. after that happened, i found out at work that i will be off from work for two weeks for vacation, WITHOUT PAY. so now i have no check coming at the end of July. so i am really hurting. Fine. then, it turns out that since i had the stock headers that have the cat conv. attached, i need another one since i am getting headers and exhaust. so i figure i am making the expense, and yes it will set me back further, but FUCK IT, go with the hi-flow. i got a hi-flow cat for $90. now, everything should be right with the world, i have appeased the Rex-Gods, right? well, my wife's accord goes on the fritz, so i take it to the same guy which set the time frame back further. this passed saturday, he gets the accord straightened out, and says that my car will be out by monday. i call yesterday to see IF that's the case, and he didn't answer. my best friend tells me that he dropped by the shop and THE GUY WAS CLOSED. so naturally since today was a holiday, i don't get it today. and tomorrow, he starts dropping the engine in and putting my front suspension back together. so i figure, thursday, maybe friday? i just want my baby back.

side note: he did not charge me for working on the accord.

 

[1990crx]

ok, i finally got my baby back about a week ago. it is in the best running condition ever. mechanically, it is in perfect shape. it looks like crap visually, but runs like a champ. i m so happy to have my baby back. now just work on the look of the car and i'll be set for life. sidenote, the total came to just over 2G's. in the process, i had the heads shaved, had intake, headers, hi-flow cat, and exhaust put on as well. i had the money, and i wouldv'e spent it on something stupid anyway.