$2500 repair...to do or not to do...?
#16
02-05-2010, 07:55 PM
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Northeast
Posts: 3,445
Rep Power: 183 
I don't work on Nissans for a living, but IIRC the cats are bolted directly to the manifolds on that engine. If it is 4wd, they can be a PITA it do. The other thing to consider is the quality of the cats. Aftermarket cats are not required to meet the same performance of an OE cat. I have had several cars over the last few years where the customer has wanted to use a aftermarket cat, only to have the car still flag a P0420 code. After a bunch of my time on the phone with the mfg. of the cat, it was determined that the car would require a California spec cat(closer to OE). If you are going to keep the truck, or live in an area that requires emissions testing, I would recommend that you get the OE cats.
The other thing that you need to remember is that some cars have plugs that retail for close to $30 a piece.
If your truck is V6, 4wd, auto trans, etc., I think the estimate that you got is just about right.
The other thing that you need to remember is that some cars have plugs that retail for close to $30 a piece.
If your truck is V6, 4wd, auto trans, etc., I think the estimate that you got is just about right.
so i ended up paying for 2250. the dealer wanted to give me 8000 for trade in but decided to get the car fixed. i am in vienna.
well i found out that the bolts that hold up heat shield for exhaust sheared off due to "rust" when i inquired about it because the exhaust was rattling. they wanted to charge me 10 hours of labor + parts for tapping and remounting those heat shields. talked to the manager and getting that fixed next week. they thought those heat shields are there for no good reasons and they wanted to just take them off.
i thought it's a common sense to let customer know whatever is going on with the vehicle while performing work on the car. it just doesn't make any sense how they work. you have headers going through cats and the exhaust. in the end, they took responsibility for not letting me know about this issue regardless of importance.
anyways, cats suck
and straight pipes ftw 
[edit] oh yeah, spark plugs were replaced too.
Last edited by Enilder; 02-05-2010 at 08:03 PM.
#17
02-05-2010, 08:13 PM
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Northeast
Posts: 3,445
Rep Power: 183 I think cats have platinum in them which is why they are so pricey. I may be wrong.
My SUV also needs cats but I have a shop that does some kind of flush on them to get them through emmissions. It's worked 2x now.
The engine light comes back on of course but I opened the dash and put a black cap over the sodered bulb so you cannot see the light now.
IM me if you want the shop name....Sterling VA.
I am not ready to part with my truck it still looks new, but I certainly dont want to pay the $2500 either for a car with 130k mls.
My SUV also needs cats but I have a shop that does some kind of flush on them to get them through emmissions. It's worked 2x now.
The engine light comes back on of course but I opened the dash and put a black cap over the sodered bulb so you cannot see the light now.
IM me if you want the shop name....Sterling VA.
I am not ready to part with my truck it still looks new, but I certainly dont want to pay the $2500 either for a car with 130k mls.
i hope it lasts another 100k without another BIG repair bill. i know transmission and steering fluids need to be replaced soon. pads and rotors are good.
i also thought about getting another truck but after all these toyota/honda stuffs going on, i guess i am stuck with nissan.
#18
02-06-2010, 12:42 PM
you nailed it. V6, 4wd, auto trans.
so i ended up paying for 2250. the dealer wanted to give me 8000 for trade in but decided to get the car fixed. i am in vienna.
well i found out that the bolts that hold up heat shield for exhaust sheared off due to "rust" when i inquired about it because the exhaust was rattling. they wanted to charge me 10 hours of labor + parts for tapping and remounting those heat shields. talked to the manager and getting that fixed next week. they thought those heat shields are there for no good reasons and they wanted to just take them off.
i thought it's a common sense to let customer know whatever is going on with the vehicle while performing work on the car. it just doesn't make any sense how they work. you have headers going through cats and the exhaust. in the end, they took responsibility for not letting me know about this issue regardless of importance.
anyways, cats suck and straight pipes ftw
[edit] oh yeah, spark plugs were replaced too.
so i ended up paying for 2250. the dealer wanted to give me 8000 for trade in but decided to get the car fixed. i am in vienna.
well i found out that the bolts that hold up heat shield for exhaust sheared off due to "rust" when i inquired about it because the exhaust was rattling. they wanted to charge me 10 hours of labor + parts for tapping and remounting those heat shields. talked to the manager and getting that fixed next week. they thought those heat shields are there for no good reasons and they wanted to just take them off.
i thought it's a common sense to let customer know whatever is going on with the vehicle while performing work on the car. it just doesn't make any sense how they work. you have headers going through cats and the exhaust. in the end, they took responsibility for not letting me know about this issue regardless of importance.
anyways, cats suck
and straight pipes ftw [edit] oh yeah, spark plugs were replaced too.
That is still too much... even though the cats are right off the manifold, all can be taken off and they can be replaced for much less than $2250.
Stealerships or stealershops FTW.
Glad it is fixed for you.
Cheers,
Allen
#19
02-06-2010, 01:09 PM
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Northeast
Posts: 3,445
Rep Power: 183
learned my lesson. do you own a shop? just wondering.
#20
02-06-2010, 02:40 PM
I guess all of us techs are supposed to work for peanuts?
How many jobs do you know that require the employee to spend 50k-100k of their own money just to be able to do the job?
We work a lot harder for our money than people that make much more and dont have the cash out of pocket just to do the job.
How many jobs do you know that require the employee to spend 50k-100k of their own money just to be able to do the job?
We work a lot harder for our money than people that make much more and dont have the cash out of pocket just to do the job.
#21
02-06-2010, 06:01 PM
I guess all of us techs are supposed to work for peanuts?
How many jobs do you know that require the employee to spend 50k-100k of their own money just to be able to do the job?
We work a lot harder for our money than people that make much more and dont have the cash out of pocket just to do the job.
How many jobs do you know that require the employee to spend 50k-100k of their own money just to be able to do the job?
We work a lot harder for our money than people that make much more and dont have the cash out of pocket just to do the job.
Why so defensive?
Feel free to read up on all the Frontier forums... lots bought aftermarket cats and had them welded in... $600 to $1000 jobs at some shops.
Lots have also chose to have the secondary cats cut out and had pipes welded up with bongs.
I know the shop I am affiliated with would do it for similar quotes aformentioned. I can't help some shops have great fabricators and can weld but yet they don't cost as much as other shops and especially dealerships.
I apologize if me stating what price a local shop would do the job for offended you due to the prices where you work might be higher.
http://www.courtesyparts.com/frontie...4910_4912.html
There is enough room to weld in an aftermarket cat, wether it be a magnaflow or maybe an eastern that cost around $200 for both front cats. *shrug*
Spark plug prices...
http://www.courtesyparts.com/kb_sear...rk+plugs&cat=1
Last edited by Almo; 02-06-2010 at 06:52 PM.
#22
02-06-2010, 07:04 PM
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Northeast
Posts: 3,445
Rep Power: 183 I guess all of us techs are supposed to work for peanuts?
How many jobs do you know that require the employee to spend 50k-100k of their own money just to be able to do the job?
We work a lot harder for our money than people that make much more and dont have the cash out of pocket just to do the job.
How many jobs do you know that require the employee to spend 50k-100k of their own money just to be able to do the job?
We work a lot harder for our money than people that make much more and dont have the cash out of pocket just to do the job.
#23
02-07-2010, 09:09 AM
Why so defensive?
I know the shop I am affiliated with would do it for similar quotes aformentioned. I can't help some shops have great fabricators and can weld but yet they don't cost as much as other shops and especially dealerships.
I apologize if me stating what price a local shop would do the job for offended you due to the prices where you work might be higher.
I know the shop I am affiliated with would do it for similar quotes aformentioned. I can't help some shops have great fabricators and can weld but yet they don't cost as much as other shops and especially dealerships.
I apologize if me stating what price a local shop would do the job for offended you due to the prices where you work might be higher.
I am well aware that there are shops out there that can do very nice fab work at reasonable prices. I was trying to give the OP information from my perspective as a professional tech and a licensed VA emissions repair technician and inspector.
I'm a tech that works for a small independent shop that specializes in BMW's.
#24
02-07-2010, 03:08 PM
Not defensive. As a tech, I just get tired of people complaining about prices that are not really that far out of line. Shop owners and techs need to earn a living in order to keep our equipment up to date. I spend thousands of dollars each year keeping my personal diagnostic equipment up to date. The cost of this ultimately gets passed to the consumer. The estimate that the OP had received was a tad high, but not totally out of line for the D.C area and the job being done with OE parts.
I am well aware that there are shops out there that can do very nice fab work at reasonable prices. I was trying to give the OP information from my perspective as a professional tech and a licensed VA emissions repair technician and inspector.
I am well aware that there are shops out there that can do very nice fab work at reasonable prices. I was trying to give the OP information from my perspective as a professional tech and a licensed VA emissions repair technician and inspector.
#25
02-09-2010, 01:37 PM
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Northeast
Posts: 3,445
Rep Power: 183
Another breakdown...Service engine light came on and dropped it off this morning on the way to work. Fuel/Air sensor needs to be replaced...roughly another $400 job.
Problems after problems. I am not happy.
Problems after problems. I am not happy.
#27
02-09-2010, 02:51 PM
You have had the truck back just about long enough for the monitors to run. I would be curious if there was a problem with the MAF originally that could have damaged the cats (MAF out of range causing rich mixture, for example) that the shop neglected to tell you about or diagnose? What were the original codes that the shop gave you?
#28
02-10-2010, 01:15 PM
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Northeast
Posts: 3,445
Rep Power: 183
I had to.
The original code was for cats. They told me that I can drive fine without properly working F/A sensor. He said he will call me back on Monday. He is trying to tie both the cat problem with this one so we get this one fixed for free.
If you are right, I am basically damaging my new cat by driving with improper F/A mixture. This is bad news.
You have had the truck back just about long enough for the monitors to run. I would be curious if there was a problem with the MAF originally that could have damaged the cats (MAF out of range causing rich mixture, for example) that the shop neglected to tell you about or diagnose? What were the original codes that the shop gave you?
If you are right, I am basically damaging my new cat by driving with improper F/A mixture. This is bad news.
#29
02-11-2010, 06:35 AM
It is possible, but the likelihood is not that great that you would damage the cat that quickly. I'm glad that they are going to try and take care of it for you, It sounds like someone did not take the time to really analyze the data before condemning the cats.
#30
02-21-2010, 07:45 AM
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Northeast
Posts: 3,445
Rep Power: 183
I have an update...
So, the service engine light came on for the third time on the way back home after I went to the dealer for the second time. I was told that they "forgot" to reset ECU or something stupid like that and they told me they'd like to put 10~15 miles on the car, which they did. They also did an oil change for free.
After visiting the dealer for the third time, the car was picked up yesterday and the light comes on again for the fourth time. The dealer is closed today so I will be calling them on Monday but what would you do if you were in my situation? It becomes "Lemon" when I go there 3 times in a row for the same problem.
Just a recap...
1st = Cat failed
2nd = F/A sensor failed, which they end up fixing it for free because they thought it was somewhat related to the cat.
3rd = ECU wasn't "reset" so they reset
4th = Unknown
This got to be the worst car experience I've ever had.
So, the service engine light came on for the third time on the way back home after I went to the dealer for the second time. I was told that they "forgot" to reset ECU or something stupid like that and they told me they'd like to put 10~15 miles on the car, which they did. They also did an oil change for free.
After visiting the dealer for the third time, the car was picked up yesterday and the light comes on again for the fourth time. The dealer is closed today so I will be calling them on Monday but what would you do if you were in my situation? It becomes "Lemon" when I go there 3 times in a row for the same problem.
Just a recap...
1st = Cat failed
2nd = F/A sensor failed, which they end up fixing it for free because they thought it was somewhat related to the cat.
3rd = ECU wasn't "reset" so they reset
4th = Unknown
This got to be the worst car experience I've ever had.