How do these shop prices look?

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Radiator price and valve cover job is wayyy high....I own a shop in VA Beach, have a big toyota customer base. I always remove the Radiator when doing timing belt jobs, just makes it easier. At that point a new Radiator is just the cost of the part, no additional labor. Same with the hoses. Valve cover gasket job is easy, assuming none of the lower bolts break off. That changes things, but you can't charge for that before it happens! If I recall that's only a 3/3.5hr job. Doing the plugs with the covers again should just be parts no labor, at least that's how I do it for my customers. It's not hard to make money and be plenty fair at the same time! .... good luck on this quest of yours!
 
I’ve spent $~40k on my 100 over the last 100k/ 10 years. I pay a shop to do 99% of the work.

$17k purchase shipping/ taxes/ in 2014
~$10k armor / lift etc
$13k in maintenance. 2x timing belt water pump jobs, brakes a few times, steering rack, alternator, spark plugs, starter, AC compressor, leaky valve covers

She purrs like a kitten at 155k miles and will stay in my stable indefinitely. I say all this bc not all of us on here are mechanics.

Idk what other vehicle could do what the 100 has done for me for that price. I could have don’t without $8k of bumpers/ winch/ roof rack but I like it.
 
Moparsncruisers said:
Radiator price and valve cover job is wayyy high....I own a shop in VA Beach, have a big toyota customer base. I always remove the Radiator when doing timing belt jobs, just makes it easier. At that point a new Radiator is just the cost of the part, no additional labor. Same with the hoses. Valve cover gasket job is easy, assuming none of the lower bolts break off. That changes things, but you can't charge for that before it happens! If I recall that's only a 3/3.5hr job. Doing the plugs with the covers again should just be parts no labor, at least that's how I do it for my customers. It's not hard to make money and be plenty fair at the same time! .... good luck on this quest of yours!
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Thanks for the advice. There was a good looking 07 LX dealer serviced with 70 service records at the Lexus dealer in VA Beach a couple weeks ago. I almost went down there to pick it up.
 
ELEX470 said:
Thanks for the advice. There was a good looking 07 LX dealer serviced with 70 service records at the Lexus dealer in VA Beach a couple weeks ago. I almost went down there to pick it up.
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If you're ever down this way let me know, you're more than welcome to stop by the shop and hang out for a bit!
 
Thank you all for encouraging me to take on some of these fixes myself! I've replaced all the sway bar end links and now I'm in the middle of repacking or replacing the wheel bearings, and changing the rotors pads and calipers.

When I dug into this job I found the outter axle nut was barely torqued down and that may be why the shop recommended repacking the bearings.

How do these bearing look? Should I replace these bearings and races? Thanks so much! It's been fun learning.

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rbrave said:
Also in the Baltimore area. If you find a good shop let me know - I have yet to find somewhere reasonable or good for my LC, and am largely doing work myself or with my mechanic neighbor (thank god for good neighbors!).

I can absolutely point you away from Automotive Concepts for glass, despite the local Toyota dealer using them for repair work. PGW is good glass, though.

I had an inspection done recently on mine, and was quoted $3k by that shop for lower and upper control arms, front pads and rotors, and switching out the D console light. MD inspection is stupid and I have done all of this on my own for about $500 in parts, largely OEM. I was close to tagging historic when I got that initial bill…
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How’d you buy control arms, brake pads and rotors- bearings and misc supplies for 500 bucks?
 
I would take advantage of this sale if you need OEM parts. It ends the 24th.

Lexus is having a big sale right now on OEM parts. I found that Chatham Parkway Lexus in Savannah, GA (31405) has the best discount. They are offering 41% off, best I could find from other dealerships was 40%. Free shipping credit up to $100, you don't have to spend $100, you can get a $3 oil filter and they will ship it for free. You also don't pay any sales tax if you live outside of GA. They ship everything FedEx from NJ, CA and GA.
 
MechE30 said:
For reference on the windshield. I (insurance actually) has paid $1400 for OEM glass install at a non-dealer (and not fancy) shop on my rig…twice.
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From my experience, insurance doesn't "pay" for anything. They are very profitable businesses for a reason, ask Warren Buffett (GEICO). They are simply lending you the money and you'll eventually pay them back. You're better off paying out of pocket and usually you can get a better price if you offer to pay in cash.
Insurance companies don't like to see claims on your record, especially for petty things like a windshield.
Carry a high deductible (at least $1,000) and only get insurance involved for major claims, like a total loss or theft (if you carry comprehensive coverage).
Car insurance is getting to be very expensive and your rate will only go up with the more claims that you make.
 
ELEX470 said:
Hiw would you suggest I clean them up? Brake cleaner? What should I look for to determine of they're still good?
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Soapy water(dawn) and a parts cleaning brush will make it nice and clean. Or a few cans or brake parts cleaner! You want to look for scratches and/or pitting on the roller bearings. It's rare but does happen. Also the rollers shouldn't be flopping around inside the cage!
 
ELEX470 said:
Hiw would you suggest I clean them up? Brake cleaner? What should I look for to determine of they're still good?
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If you don't know the history and you already have them out, I would replace. I checked RockAuto and you can get all 4 Timken bearings and races for just under $100 out the door, if you use the 5% discount code. It looks like Lexus no longer sells the bearings and they do list Timken and Koyo as being OEM.
 
Goose17 said:
From my experience, insurance doesn't "pay" for anything. They are very profitable businesses for a reason, ask Warren Buffett (GEICO). They are simply lending you the money and you'll eventually pay them back. You're better off paying out of pocket and usually you can get a better price if you offer to pay in cash.
Insurance companies don't like to see claims on your record, especially for petty things like a windshield.
Carry a high deductible (at least $1,000) and only get insurance involved for major claims, like a total loss or theft (if you carry comprehensive coverage).
Car insurance is getting to be very expensive and your rate will only go up with the more claims that you make.
Click to expand...
Certain states have regulations against your last sentence with regards to glass.

My coverage did not change when I made a glass claim, and all paperwork had language saying it wouldn’t. My $0 glass deductible paid out $1700 for all OEM windshield bits with an installer of my choosing. I even specifically asked for a windshield from Lexus and they approved it without fuss.
 
Rhetoric said:
Certain states have regulations against your last sentence with regards to glass.

My coverage did not change when I made a glass claim, and all paperwork had language saying it wouldn’t. My $0 glass deductible paid out $1700 for all OEM windshield bits with an installer of my choosing. I even specifically asked for a windshield from Lexus and they approved it without fuss.
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Your rate might not go up but the claim will count against you when trying to shop insurance. IME
 
I'd be more concerned with the legalities around filing an insurance claim for pre-existing damage to the windshield that occurred before you purchased and acquired coverage.

Insurance fraud is a felony!
 
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