I purchased a 2004 black coupe from a private party last month. Went to the dealership (Boston, MA) to have an oil change and was shocked when received bill $175. (Unfortunately not too many independent shops in my area). "Tech said Mobil 1 oil very pricy compared to Penz oil. " Also informed me that I need a "steering damper" price labor and materials around $290--seems high to me. Is the steering damper same think as steering stabilizer. Was wondering if this a big job? Thanks for any info you can offer.

 

Steering damper is $20 at http://www.joetlc.com/steering-dampn...2udpt3r5s8fn45

2 nuts to replace it, jack up front, remove plastic pan ( 4 8mm bolts, one plastic thingey )
then you will see it.
About 15-20 min job, skill level 1 ( means you can hold a wrench )

( MAKE SURE CAR IS SECURE, DON'T LET IT FALL ON YOU - THAT WOULD RUIN YOUR DAY )

 

If you feel uncomfortable underneath jackstands (like me) you can always buy HD ramps. For me, it's so much easier to just drive onto them instead of messing with a jack and jackstands.

As for the job, the oil change and steering dampener are both a piece of cake and would cost you less than $75 for both if you take advantage of the oil sales (Mobil 1 0W40) at the autoparts stores.


$40

 

HD ramps ? Heavy Duty ?

I have an old set of steel ramps, and I find it impossible to drive up on them.
I have a polished concrete floor in the garage, and those suckers just scoot away when I try.

Maybe I should try gluing some rubber strips on the bottom ?

 

Thanks for the information -- kind of thought chrysler dealership was ripping me off.

 

Yes, heavy duty. Mine have rubber inserts on the bottom that keep them planted on concrete. One of my best investments in the garage for sure.

 

Even the mechanically inept (like me) can do an oil change and steering damper.

Mobile 1 is expensive, but if you buy it at AutoZone it's only 'expensive', if you get it at a dealership it's "way expensive".

Steering dampers are cheap and I can't see ANYONE charging more than 1/2 hour to do one.

 

As others have said....do your own oil change. If you get the oil on sale, and the filter (often there are combo sales) then the cost for the materials is about $60 - $70 dollars. If you don't want to jack up the car and do the oil from underneath then buy and oil evacuator. I bought one for about a hundred bucks (you can get them cheaper but mine holds 2 oil changes) and you'll make up that cost in 1 to 2 DIY changes. You just pump out the oil. Heck the filter is on top front of the engine so it is a piece of cake. Done in 15 - 20 minutes with no mess, no lifting and at half the price or more from what the dealer charges you.

As far as the steering damper, the other guys on here know best (I haven't had to change mine yet) but I plan to do it myself when the time comes............
Good luck.

 

If you bring your own mobile1 to the dealer a single wrench service is like 70 bucks and they check all the other stuff on the list for you as well. As others have said the damper that the dealer tries to sell better have gold plating because it is a huge rip off. Even at the MB dealer its only 90 bucks. Online 20-40 easy and not hard to put in. I have replaced one myself and had the dealer do another one (think it was 30$ charge for install). If you don't want to do it yourself just bring all the supplies to the dealer and you can save that way. Still not "cheap" but much more bearable.

 

You have 313 posts so you must have been here for a while, and you just now realized what a dealer charges for things?

 

Crossfire purchased last month, probably first trip for maint. Post count has no correlation to his knowledge or the questions asked. I admit that I looked at the ownership costs before purchasing mine but not everyone does. Sorry for OT but that post was of no benefit to OG poster or anyone with these same questions looking in regardless of how many times they have been discussed previously.

 

Point of interest... the po changed the oil for me at the dealer just before I bought the car. The dealer put in 5-40 Penzoil synthetic and a sticker to have it changed in 3000 miles.
My local Chrysler dealer has a sign on the wall that their labor rate is $110 an hour!!! That's more than jet airplane mechanics charge.

I buy my oil at CostCo when I see specials and just hang on to it.

 

Got quoted $109 from an auto store that does oil changes on premise... compared to the cost of the mobil 1 and fram filter, which would come out to $95, not that bad

 

Any place that still says to change oil after 3000 miles, not even taking into consideration its synthetic, automatically loses all credibility

 

Had an oil change yesterday at the dealership - $112. Cost was not unexpected. Resetting the FSS by the mechanic was an effort (just like people say in the various posts). Guy said that he thought maybe the sequence for a 2008 might be a little different from the earlier models. Right / wrong? Car was much admired by the females working at the dealership. One who had been there for a number of years told me that when the XFs were delivered they came in enclosed transport vehicles. None of those open new car delivery transports. I thanked the mechanic who did the work and reset the FSS - he could not have been more surprised. Guess it is the service techs/reps who usually get the thanks.....I liked talking with the mechanic. Alicia

 

Alicia and mechanic, sitting in a tree, K I S S I N G

 

?????? Well - he was an attractive guy - but too young for me. Notice that I did not say that I am too old for him....

One way to a woman's heart is to keep her car running! Alicia

 

I was just kidding ......

 

I bought six oil filters for my 2005 roadster limited from my Chrysler dealer before the auto bailouts, Fiat's "purchase" of Chrylser, and so on. Several years ago at least. The OEM filters (I think made by Mann) cost about $15 each. Last year, having run out of filters, I wandered over to the same Chrysler dealer to buy two more filters. I was shocked when I was told that the cost for two filters was $70. YIKES. From $15 up to $35 each for the same filter? I ran over to a parts store and they sold me the same Mann filters for $17 each.

Also, a couple of months ago I needed new shocks all around. According to All Data, the only source of the correct shocks was Chrysler, and they were shown as $465 EACH! Add in the installation and the complete job was quoted atjust over $2,000. Two grand for shocks?! That was the "choice" the independent shop gave me. It turns out that there are wonderful Koni and Bilstein (which I think makes the shocks for Chrysler) shocks available for MUCH less. I had a set of four Bilstein's shipped to the house (total cost was under $500 including shipping), and changed all four shocks myself in about 90 minutes.

I think the moral of the story is: when new car sales cratered, dealers needed to make more money from parts and service, and they raised prices accordingly. Buyer beware!

 

Fred's at almost 82,000 miles so I purchased the following parts/products as I found them at reasonable prices;

8 qts 0W-40 M1 & Mann Filter
Zerez G-05 antifreeze (bought 3 gallons & cut in half with distilled H2O)....will also do Wilma eventually.
Double platinum plugs (12)
Pentosin Super DOT4 Brake fluid (1 liter)

I paid about $110-120 for these products
Local garage is gonna charge me about 200 to 300 bucks for labor.


Just out of curiosity I called the Chrysler dealership.....for these parts & labor they wanted (with tax)over $1,300..............