Ok so I have decided to stick by my Comet and just fix her up. For inspection she needs R.F Caliper Seals rotors 463.67, P/S lines 3 total 241.52, and front shocks 384.59 with inspection all totaling 1110.78. Does this sound like an appropriate price? I have found auto repair for dummies and am well on my way is any of this something that can be done on my own with jack stands and tools?
You can do all of that with a few simple hand tools.As for the caliper...just replace it with a re-man,use the leaker as the core.The parts alone shouldnt top 400 bucks.
Well these are Canadian prices but--calipers, $40.00 plus cores, rotors,cheap 1s-60.00, good 1s 100.00, pads under $40. depending on weather metalic or not. No way in hell are shocks $400.00. Now these prices don't include labor. You should be able with a few hand tools replace everything with no trouble. Lots of info and even maybe a hand from some1 who lives close if you feed him and a couple of beers AFTER the work is done. JMO.
I agree with the respones so far. Altho, some times, it's easier to just let the profesionals do the brakes. NO WAY on the price for the shocks. The lower bushings can be tricky but with the right hand tools almost anyone can do them. PS hoses can be messy and hard to locate.
Do large cities like yours have those shops where you can rent a bay to work on your car in? Kind of like on the movie Christine? lol Yeah I know poor example. My dad always told me though that you will either pay money on the car payment or to repair an older car but money will go out one way or the other. I never could afford to pay someone to work on my cars or trucks so I learned to fix my own. Those prices even though Canadian seem outrageous. Maybe if you ask around someone on here is close enough to you to help you out. I also wish you were closer as I would love to get to know some local Maverick/ Comet owners and would gladly help you. I bet someone on here lives close enough to help you out. clint
Anyone close to Albany???? Shoot I will even drive a few hours to save 500 bucks. Some fried chicken, mac and cheese, biscuits and beer on me....courtesy of popeyes of course lol.
I will stick with my original advice: Sell the car. For a little bit more than what you have been quoted....you could buy a car from this millinium.
Yeah I thought about it, but at this point I decided to stick with the car for many different reasons. I did do ALOT of thinking and weighing of options, pros and cons, and decided to stick with this and see what happens.
Really not trying to rain on your parade.....but I can tell you what is going to happen. This car will nickle and dime you to death. A car in that condition, that is also that old, just doesn't make a good, sensible daily driver for a person with very limited mechanical ability. Because of that...the nickle and dimes will be more like fives and tens. I wish you were closer....I would try and help you out.
Not for nothing, but my car doesn;t really have any of that stuff and it passed inspection. for some reason I believe they are stiffing you. DO like I recently did(I am to a car newbie) and get one of those Chilton manuals for these cars.
If you decide to change the shocks yourself, be careful. If you put the car on jackstands, with the wheels off the ground the shocks, both front and rear, will be fully extended and UNDER TENSION from the springs. Unbolt them like that and the springs will decompress violently. Did that once with my head under the rear axle an narrowly missed getting my head flattened.
