Car Repair Question

[CloneFan03]

The thread that was brought back to life made me think of this.

I took my car into a place here in Nashville for an oil change, and when they removed the oil plug it stripped the threading completely out of the oil pan. I was quoted $320 for the new oil pan and installation. Is this reasonable? I searched the pan itself and I can get one for about $18 dollars so this seems like a lot.

Also a little skeptical because they tried to charge me $60 to replace the middle break light....which I did that day for $2.99 and 5 minutes of my time.

 

[Ames]

So when they were changing your oil they over tightened the oil plug and stripped the threads, but now want to charge you to fix it?

The break light makes sense. They have to pay for a building, insurance, employee, yada yada, and make money.

 

[Dopey]

brake*

 

[B.L.]

I think some one over tightened it and messed up now trying to pawn it off on you. Only way to mess up if somebody crossthreaded it when they put it back in. Talk to the manager.

 

[Dopey]

I wish they would make the oil plug softer than the pan so you would just have to replace the plug rather than risk trashing the pan.

Anyway, you should be able to drill a larger hole and retap the existing pan for an oversized plug. You shouldn't have to get a new pan, unless this has happened before.

 

[cstrunk]

The threads on my oil pan got messed up last year. They can be re-tapped to save you a bunch of money.

 

[htownclone]

I had Midas screw me over similar to this once. I was getting a routine oil change and got my fluids topped and flushed. The mechanic accidentally punched a hole in my radiator and they tried to charge me for an entire new radiator. I talked to the manager and they said they would knock off the labor charge for it, but wouldn't pay for the radiator because mine was old and they said it could have happened at anytime. I ended up calling the regional manager and getting a hold of him and told him what had happened. He told me there wasn't anything he could do for me either. So instead of paying $30 for an oil change, I ended up getting screwed over for considerably more. I will NEVER take my car to Midas again.

 

[herbicide]

Is the car still there? I ask because if you drove off with them saying it is stripped out, it is 100% a scam; if its stripped out then they can't put it back in. Plus, if it did strip out, it is either their fault or where you had the oil changed before's fault.

$320 might be reasonable, it is a PITA job, plus you need gasket(s) to do it.

 

[CykoAGR]

I had something similar happen. My wifes car had a horrible shake/shimmie when driving at 40+mph. I took it to Tuffy's in Waukee, said could they balance the tires (i noticed that one did not have the weight on it but I could see where one had been. They said the ty-rod end was worn, $250 bucks and it still had the same problem. I took it back and they said that the shocks/struts were worn and needed to be replaced, wanted $1200. The car was older with high miles so I said eff that and took it to Shotenkirk, $45 for balance and it fixed the problem.

Places can try to screw you, and most of the time they can legitimately say that they replaced something that was worn-out or near worn out and get away with it.

Fight it if you can!

 

[Ficklone02]

Just to add in a reputable place in Des Moines, I have all my repairs done at Hickman Auto. I don't care if they don't have the cheapest oil change in town, they are trustworthy.

 

[acoustimac]

The thread that was brought back to life made me think of this.

I took my car into a place here in Nashville for an oil change, and when they removed the oil plug it stripped the threading completely out of the oil pan. I was quoted $320 for the new oil pan and installation. Is this reasonable? I searched the pan itself and I can get one for about $18 dollars so this seems like a lot.

Also a little skeptical because they tried to charge me $60 to replace the middle break light....which I did that day for $2.99 and 5 minutes of my time.

It used to be that you had the corner repair shop that had a reputation that everyone knew about. I avoid the big chain places and always go to a local shop that has been there for a while. I talk to people who have had work done to see if they are happy.

As for the charge for the oil pan...320 is reasonable IF they have to basically lift the engine to pull the pan. Some nestle right down on top of the cross frame and are a pain to replace. I'd follow the advice of others here. Get it re-threaded and use an oversized plug. You can't really blame this crew for the damage. The plug could have been put in cross threaded during the previous oil change and stripped out when it was removed. Now if this is where you always get the oil changed you would have a case. The brake light sounds normal too. They have a set rate for labor that gets charged. Often times you get charged an hour even if the job takes 15 minutes. A reputable shop won't necessarily do that, but many do. Keeps them from getting nickel and dimed to death, but also (imo)keeps people from seeing them as a place to recommend to others.

 

[VTXCyRyD]

What kind of car do you have. Some can be done easily, some not so easy. My cadillac you would have to pull the engine to change the pan. To pay someone to do it would easily cost $1500. My dad had his changed and it only cost him $180, because all they had to do was drop the pan and change it.

 

[Cyclonesrule91]

I had something similar happen. My wifes car had a horrible shake/shimmie when driving at 40+mph. I took it to Tuffy's in Waukee, said could they balance the tires (i noticed that one did not have the weight on it but I could see where one had been. They said the ty-rod end was worn, $250 bucks and it still had the same problem. I took it back and they said that the shocks/struts were worn and needed to be replaced, wanted $1200. The car was older with high miles so I said eff that and took it to Shotenkirk, $45 for balance and it fixed the problem.

Places can try to screw you, and most of the time they can legitimately say that they replaced something that was worn-out or near worn out and get away with it.

Fight it if you can!

Tuffy's in Waukee is the biggest scam place I have ever come across. The place is filled up with more crooks than the Polk county jail.

Also agree on drilling out and re-threading the current oil pan. Pretty sure the place that did it has the drill bits and tap and die set that could have it done in 5 minutes but wants to bend you over the fence post.

 

[hiltonisheaven]

I agree, Tuffy's in Waukee is a Scam! My sister got ripped off there several times before she finally quit going there.

To the guy w/ the stripped drain plug, I've had two different shops strip out plugs on two different cars. Both times they wanted $500 for a new oil pan, labor, gaskets, etc. Both times I told them to re-tap it and had good results. First time it cost me $70, the 2nd shop only charged $7 (i wonder if the guy felt guilty for breaking it in the first place). I think they are forgetting to replace the crush washer and also over-tightening the plug which leads to the problem. Has anyone tried the Quick-Drain/Fumato Plug to alleviate this from happening in the future? Thanks