At what point to things start falling apart?

[Geo-TH,In]

I have a 15 year rule.
After a car or truck gets 15 years old expect things to start falling apart.
Old Buick is 16. Boss said AC stopped working. I popped the hood and the Power steering pump is leaking. Oil all over the belt. Belt is original, 130k. AC is fine.

I'm too old to even think of replacing the pump. Going to take it to a country mechanic 2 miles south. He's done work for me in the past. Good guy. Years ago I took the Buick to him to have the plugs and plug wires replaced. He calls me and said I have good and bad news. Good news plugs are in. Bad news front wheel bearing is bad.
I told him to replace it. He says, don't you want to know what is going to cost?
No replace the wheel bearing, I'm heading to Florida soon. Are you sure you don't want to know what it's going to cost. Again, No, I'm going to Florida. Are you sure you don't want to know. No, If I feel you charged me too much, take a pic of me as I leave. You won't see me again.

So what would you think a fair price for removing motor mount to get to back spark plugs, plug wires, and a wheel bearing cost? Parts and labor? Buick Rendezvous

What do you think it will cost for a new power steering pump and belt?

 

[Bill(Wis)]

Get rid of that General Mediocre stuff you're driving and get a Toyota. Something I learned many years ago.

 

[DRussell]

Probably 400 for the power steering pump and belt.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Each to their own. I like my Buick, GMC and XT5. No plans to ever buy a Toyota.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

After helping my brother change the spark plugs on his 1997 Chevy Monte Carlo with the V6 many years ago, my answer is:

"Whatever the mechanic wrote on the bill."

Chilton's book says remove the engine mount, roll the engine ahead. What a crock. That gains you about an INCH, so you have a sum total of... AN INCH to get at the rear plugs and wires.

We crawled all over that car for hours, fishing extensions and universals in behind the engine, turning plugs out a click of the ratchet at a time.

Swore I would never own a vehicle with a transverse mounted V6 engine, ever.

Then there's the brilliant placement of the coil packs on a 1996 Hyundai Elantra. We tried, gave up. Took it to an independent mechanic. When he finished with it he told us to never ever bring that car to him again, only half-joking. He was a good guy.

 

[WESnIL]

So what is/was the repair bill?

 

[Bud Sather in MT]

To me I noticed it about 64. Just before Medicare kicked in. Bud

 

[Geo-TH,In]

It didn't take me long to decide I didn't want to change plugs.

Best part was the mechanic test drove car and discovered I need a wheel bearing. I
can't hear like I used too.
Just having mechanic discover I need a bearing was priceless.
What if I got stranded on the interstate in the middle on no where?
Great way to screw up vacation plans.

 

[Bruce from Can.]

Years I dont think are as important as miles driven . If you bought the car or truck new, and drive regularly, but not far. Say 10,000 miles per year. The first 10 years should be practically trouble free, just regular maintenance and wearing parts, like tires and brakes. After 100,000 miles you can expect crazy stuff to start to show up with some vehicles. Things like cam shaft problems, timing gears/belts, and computerized ignition and fuel systems are common faults that can occur with cars and trucks over 100, 000 miles. All depends on your appetite to spend money repairing the old car versus buying the next. They will all eventually fail. And manufacturers only have to supply repair parts for a limited number of years. More and more parts are proprietary properly, and once a manufacturer decides to stop making some parts, no aftermarket parts are available either. Which makes keeping cars and trucks 10-20 years less attractive idea. I like to sell them to the next guy, and let them make time payments at the repair shop. I dont want to be the last owner of any piece of equipment. Not a car, tractor, baler not anything. Cause the last owner just has scrap

 

[Traditional Farmer]

X2

 

[Geo-TH,In]

You'll have to wait for the mechanic to replace ps pump.
Not many have offered price estimates.
Many want to condemn GM.and not give estimates.

 

[ss55]

I had something similar several years ago on a 1996 Bonneville with traction control. A replacement front wheel bearing was $316, about three times what most cost because of the uncommon sensor.

Mechanics don't have much control over the cost of some parts. It seems the mechanic knew your power steering pump would be an expensive part and tried to warn you. I don't think you can pretend to be outraged at the cost after you refused to listen to the estimate.

So what would you think a fair price for removing motor mount to get to back spark plugs, plug wires, and a wheel bearing cost? Parts and labor? Buick Rendezvous - $1000 parts and $1000 labor?

 

[1206SWMO]

We drove Buick Regals for many years with great luck but sadly our 2004 Rendezvous only lasted one year....We and many others just couldnt keep BCM's in them...After eating 4 in just 6 months we had to get rid of it....More than once I drove it home after dark on the back roads with only the headlights working..Everything else electrical was gone...One time the GM dealer called to tell us that it was ready to go after the BCM had been replaced...I went out to start it and it wouldnt start.. They were also notorious for wheel bearing failure, intake gasket failure, wiring issues,AC problems, bad transmissions-etc..A local GM dealer got the lemon law enacted on 3 of them..One customer lost 8 BCM's and 9 wheel bearings.That being said I still see several on the road in my area..It sounds like yours has done better than most of them...We liked its roominess, handling,ride,etc...

 

[1206SWMO]

We have owned several Toyotas with the best one being our 2004 Highlander which we loved......However our 1987 Camry wasnt so great...It had wiring issues that couldn't be fixed...We just couldn't keep lights on it..It was once at the Toyota dealer for 4 weeks..They'd replace one thing and it led to another..I finally traded it to them for a Buick Regal.

 

[jimg.allentown]

As I recall, it wasn't that hard to replace a power steering pump on that car. Getting to the lines was the hardest part. Wheel bearings can get a bit pricey because everything is built into one non-serviceable unit - bearing, hub, and ABS sensor all in one unit.

 

[fastfarmall]

I knew a guy.[Bob] he was pretty smart kind of guy on electrical things, he said the the amount of failure is built in too products,I guess they just overdone it on the BCM,s, i got a GM car, 315,000 miles, never changed a wheel bearing, yet!!

 

[jimg.allentown]

If you disconnect the top 'dog bone' mounts, you can roll the engine more than an inch. The secret is to take it
out of PARK! Unless you take it out of park, the transmission limits how far forward you can roll the engine. I
found that you can roll it far enough forward to even get to the oxygen sensor that way.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Toyota recalled my boy's camery. It needed motor rebuilt at 150k excessive oil consumption.
All cars will fail, some sooner others later.

I buy cars that are mostly made in the USA by American Auto Workers.

It's your money, buy what you want. No car is perfect.

Toyota and other non-domestic automakers, are not represented by a union. Hyundai, Kia, Honda and Nissan.

 

[Bill(Wis)]

My experience with Toyotas has been virtually trouble-free. For about 23 years, I put 5000 miles per month on my vehicle. 60000 miles per year. Never had one breakdown. Engine oil changes at 10000 miles. Mobil One oil. Toyota filters. When I finished driving one it would have about 400k-500k on it and I would give it to someone in my family. My grandson learned to drive a stick shift in one of my old Tacomas and drove it until he could afford a new car. He sold it to someone for $4000 almost immediately after he put a for-sale sign on it. When I bought a new Tundra someone stopped in to ask if my old Toyota truck was for sale. It wasn't as I gave that one to another son. One of my other sons drove one of my old Toyotas for years as a handy truck until he ran out of room for it. It sold quickly and the guy who bought it said the only reason he was buying it at that price was because it was a Toyota.

 

[rustyfarmall]

I have no idea of what a new pump and belt will cost, but it will still be less costly than a NEW vehicle, IF you can find one.

 

[Tramway Guy]

I went to change plugs on my MILs Buick V6, and absolutely could NOT get the wires off the plugs.

 

[steve_in_mo]

For me it was 66, tearing the old deck off our house, building a new one, and attaching it to the house.

 

[RayP(MI)]

I have replaced many a wheel bearing. Not fun, but I think I could still do it. Look to pay up to $200 plus for a bearing, plus install
My NAPA stores have two grades. BUY THE BEST ONE. Part with the extra bucks. They last a while

 

[DelMN]

At 75 years old!

 

[1206SWMO]

To replace the plugs, wheel bearing-etc $500-750....Using factory GM parts over $1200 for PS pump and belt..Using aftermarket about half that or less..

 

[paul]

Boy, a 15 year rule.

I bought my newest tractor ever last year, it is a 2000 model NH 8970.

Everything else on my farm is older.

Vehicles I have a 2010 pickup, thats the new one. I think these newer computerized things dont last as long, if you go new you might need to change to a 10 year rule.

Paul

 

[1206SWMO]

I too have never changed a wheel bearing on a GM vehicle and have driven them probably 700,000 miles or more.....We didnt keep our Rendezvous long enough to change a wheel bearing but they had a terrible reputation of eating them..I used to be on a Buick forum on Edmunds and lots of unhappy Rendezvous owners were on there and the amount of problems some had was unreal..

 

[Hobo,NC]

Well folks buy an extended warranty for their washing machine but are hesitant to pay a mechanic a fare price to warranty his work...

I put a brake booster on a 98 K1500 a few weeks ago to make matters worst it had a Viper security system hard wired to the steering column, column needed to come out to get the booster out. It add a extra hour are so to the bill and I charged for it. It sure did not plug and play : (

A week later its back the booster is leaking vacuum inside the car I got to eat the second one. Him paying me my price he got an extended warranty : )

 

[Mike M]

I worked at a Buick dealer when those Rendezvous came out new. Those things really ate up wheel bearings !

 

[Steve@Advance]

Lets hope it's something other than the pump.

I've had lots of bad pumps from the rebuilder. Work a while and start howling. New are out of sight on the price.

If it were mine, I would try to fix the one that's on it or maybe a used one.

 

[jimg.allentown]

It is all Tiger Woods' fault!

 

[UncleTom]

Toyota Tundra and Tacoma are built in Texas. I love my Tundra!

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Mike,
I bought it new. One thermostat, one wheel bearing and now PS pump.
I can't complain. 16 years old.
So how much for a new PS pump, wheel bearing, plugs and wires?

 

[Geo-TH,In]

HoBo,
No way will I complain paying someone for doing work I don't want to do anymore.
Besides it nice to have a mechanic 2 miles away and has better hearing than I do.

So how much for plugs, wires, wheel bearing and PS pump?
What's a fair price??

 

[SVcummins]

I dont buy em until They at least 15 years old . Theres some repair to do but cheaper than a 5 or 600$ a month payment

 

[SVcummins]

I also do not pay for anyone to do repair work only in rare circumstances so I save money that way easy to rack up a big bill at 100$ an hour shop rate

 

[Hobo,NC]

Year and engine size and model of Rendezvous there are several versions...

This post was edited by Hobo,NC on 10/08/2021 at 07:04 pm.

 

[rusty6]

(quoted from post at 15:38:31 10/08/21) I dont buy em until They at least 15 years old . Theres some repair to do but cheaper than a 5 or 600$ a month payment

A 15 year old vehicle would be a new one for me. My newest is a 97 Blazer. Still seems like new. My 81 GMC pickup just won't quit. Not sure I'd want to drive it to Florida but it will cruise the gravel roads at 120 kph plus if need be.

 

[Stephen Newell]

The way they build cars today I wouldn't expect anywhere near 15 years.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Sv,
When I was young, I couldn't afford anything new. Like you I would pull motor and rebuild it. Had machine shops that could get work done there. Machine shop are gone.

I'm too old to turn wrenches. Instead of pulling motors, I pull mussels.

I have no choice but to buy new and start paying for repairs when they are around 15.

 

[SVcummins]

Thats not a bad position to be in honestly George other than the old part

 

[caterpillar guy]

I was going to suspect a 1000.00 but looking at some of the one here I guess I better raise it a bit to more like 12-1500.00 Wheel bearings with these new one piece things are junk. I changed 3 on an Escape.