club.liberty.asn.au

Hi guys, I'm usually posting on the Skylines Forum as I've got 2 R32 GTRs, but my wife's got a 05 Liberty GT Wagon and it's coming up for 100k klms and needs the appropriate service. It sent into a specialist independent and got an oil change and some other misc items attended to. As they had not seen the car before they wrote a report on the balance of the items needing attending to, the price of which shocked me (and this is coming from a guy running 2 GTRs.......). So I just wanted to get some feedback on the workslist and pricing:

Front a rear brake pad replacement $520 - no machining, no fluid flush
Timing belt - $380
Auto trans service - $180
Brake fluid flush - $160
Front lower control arm bushes - $520

Now, to me the brakes seems OTT, I don't mind the timing belt cost, the fluid changes don't seem unreasonable, but the low control arm bushes seem very expensive - is this a prick of a job as the parts can't be more than $100. That's 4-5 hours labour to replace 2 bushes.....

Anyhow, some feedback would be good. Thanks.

p.s. my wife said they were great to deal with and we'd happily go back on their service levels and communication but the prices seem too high. Also posted on the WRX forum.

Hi Nick
I recently did my 100K service for just over $1400, which included genuine timing belt & pulley kit, all fluids etc. Whilst my bushes weren't replaced I know from reading other threads on this forum that the OEM items don't last very long. See PHATGT on this forum he can point you in the right direction for a bush upgrade, I plan to get some for mine sometime down the track. In terms of brakes I haven't had to do mine yet so hopefully someone can chime in and give you a better idea. If you want to upgrade the pads the general concencus is the Dixcel type m I believe. Also see the PHAT man. Hope this helps ya.

Nelson

$520 for pad replacement and $520 for LCA replacements? wtf. buy the parts yourself and find someone else to install it. in fact id probally go somewhere else and just else... running 2 gtr's im sure youd know mechanincs/ shops which could do this for a better price.

Yeah unfortunately you have been had with that quote, the LCA and pad replacements is where they have rubbed their hands together with glee.

That's intense, phats bushes + install cost me $340... and pads, install them yourself, that's the most hectic price I've ever heard of to take off 4 wheels and undo 2 bolts or so per wheel , with stock pads?

Get another specialist. Buy the parts yourself via Phat GT and save some money.

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll chase up your recommendatons as the work has not been done yet. We've cancelled the existing booking.

EDIT: Is there a PM restriction on this site for low post count? My PM to PHATGT is sitting in my outbox and I'm not sure why...? Perhaps I'm being impatient?

Outbox just means the recipient has not read it yet. It's been sent!

Are you handy with a spanner or do you just "own" 2 GTR's?

Not being smart, just asking. With even a little mechanical knowledge those two jobs are very easy.

I paid $100 for Whiteline LCA bushes. Took me 30 mins to remove both lower control arms, but I had to take them to Pedders to get the bushes pressed out and the new ones pressed in @ $50. Then 30 mins to re-install lower control arms.

Subaru pads are easy. The rears you can push the pistons in by hand to make clearance for the new pads, the fronts will need a clamp to press them in. Approx 1.5 hour Job including bleeding the lines. Pads can be had cheaper and better than oem.

Im an electrician also, not a mechanic.

If you want to get on to Phat, use his e-mail address - it's listed in his vendor forum here.

I had my stock bushes replaced with the silicon ones from Phat. If your wife would prefer the stockies (the silicon ones will provide a slightly harsher ride than these - though it's almost unnoticeable to me) you can have mine for $50 (or some appropriate offer) The mechanic commented they're still in fine condition.

cruisn wrote:Are you handy with a spanner or do you just "own" 2 GTR's?

Not being smart, just asking. With even a little mechanical knowledge those two jobs are very easy.

I paid $100 for Whiteline LCA bushes. Took me 30 mins to remove both lower control arms, but I had to take them to Pedders to get the bushes pressed out and the new ones pressed in @ $50. Then 30 mins to re-install lower control arms.

Subaru pads are easy. The rears you can push the pistons in by hand to make clearance for the new pads, the fronts will need a clamp to press them in. Approx 1.5 hour Job including bleeding the lines. Pads can be had cheaper and better than oem.

Im an electrician also, not a mechanic.

I love owning, driving and hotting up cars. I don't love swinging spanners. I just don't have the temprament for it. Thanks for the feedback on the time it took you to do the job. Gives me some sort of yardstick as to how much labour I'll be paying for.

SegR wrote:If you want to get on to Phat, use his e-mail address - it's listed in his vendor forum here.

I had my stock bushes replaced with the silicon ones from Phat. If your wife would prefer the stockies (the silicon ones will provide a slightly harsher ride than these - though it's almost unnoticeable to me) you can have mine for $50 (or some appropriate offer) The mechanic commented they're still in fine condition.

Thanks for the offer. Is it much trouble to PM me a pic of the bushes?

Will do that late tonight if I remember.

A guy on this forum just posted a set of J Speed lower control arms from Phat GT for $200+postage.
http://forum.liberty.asn.au/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12989

I have these in my car and they improved the steering and handling somewhat and they outlast the OEM bushes by a LONG way. For more info, see http://forum.liberty.asn.au/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=5481