It all started when the van wouldn't start. This forum has been a great help - it was the starter motor. But as we all know, as soon as you open the hood.....

We'll, that's a bit of an overstatement - I knew the serpentine belt was overdue for being replaced and that ingition lock need to be replaced. Some of the other stuff, well it was kind of inevitable...

Anyway, just thought I share this with y'all.
<TABLE border=1 width="75%">
<TR><TD width="33%"></td> <TD width="5%" align=right>PARTS</td> <TD width="5%" align=right>LABOR</td></tr>
<TR><TD>Starter Motor</td><TD align=right>224.51</td><TD align=right>114.00</td></tr>
<TR><TD>Serpentine Belt</td><TD align=right>69.80</td><TD align=right>76.00</td></tr>
<TR><TD>Ignition Lock Cylinder</td><TD align=right>58.91</td><TD align=right>152.00</td></tr>
<TR><TD>Ceramic Brake Pads (front)</td><TD align=right>79.75</td><TD align=right>76.00</td></tr>
<TR><TD>Clean + Service Rear Brakes (Brake Cleaner)</td><TD align=right>6.95</td><TD align=right>38.00</td></tr>
<TR><TD>Sway Bar Links</td><TD align=right>37.94</td><TD align=right>76.00</td></tr>
<TR><TD>Replace Outer Tie Rod Ends, and Realignment</td><TD align=right>98.88</td><TD align=right>152.00</td></tr>
<TR><TD>Anti-Rattle Clips</td><TD align=right>3.70</td><TD align=right>0.00</td></tr>
<TR><TD>SUBTOTAL</td><TD align=right>580.44</td><TD align=right>684.00</td></tr>
<TR><TD colspan=3><hr></td></tr>
<TR><TD colspan=2>Parts and Labor Total</td><TD align=right>1264.44</td></tr>
<TR><TD colspan=2>Environmental Fee</td><TD align=right>30.00</td></tr>
<TR><TD colspan=2>Taxes</td><TD align=right>30.52</td></tr>
<TR><TD colspan=3><hr></td></tr>
<TR><TD colspan=2>TOTAL (U.S. Dollars) </td><TD align=right>1324.96</td></tr>
</table>

I still luv my aerostar, but it's an expensive love....

 

Was the work done at a dealer or other shop?
Do you know what their hourly rate is?

 

thats why we fix our aeros ourselves! my gosh man, im so sorry!

dang! what kind of gold plated starter did you get for $224.51? holy cow. where did you get this fixed? the dealer? the parts prices are ridiculous! I got my LIFETIME warranty starter for $46. my tie rod ends were $12 each, serpentine belt was $27, and I got lifetime replacement brake pads for $36.

Ive never done anything to the rear brakes, or the sway bar links, so I cant tell how bad you got shafted there. but everything else was very simple to repair, myself, and i'm no genius i tell ya!

get a chiltons manual. its the best 12 bucks you'll ever spend! it makes car repair like legos.

you could have bought a used aero for what you paid to fix yours! I hate mechanics! ugh, they will take you for everything you have!

better luck next time!

 

First, I have to say I live in Alexandria, VA, which is an expensive place to live.

I got it fixed at a near by repair shop, Huntington Car Care. I checked with the BBB (Better Business Bureau), they only listed one complaint with a satisfactory outcome. I could have gone to Ourisman World of Ford, but I wouldn't have done any better, and possibly would have done worse.

I could buy the Chilton manual, but it wouldn't help. Being raised a typical girl, I never learned how to work on car engines. I would love to take some classes, but I'm not sure where to go... Plus, I live in a condominium complex that frowns upon residents working on their cars in the parking lot. Where would I go to work on my van?

Sigh.....

 

Yup, those condominium board members and their rules....LOL
Well if you're not capable of fixing your aero, then at least stick around the forum to learn what really needs to be done so you aren't taken for a ride by a leech.

 

If you want to take some classes look into a community college in your area. Most of them that I have seen offer automotive classes, in my opinion a basic automotive systems class should be put into drivers training so that people at least know a little about the vehicle they depend on. Anyways take good care of the cooling system, the people that owned my aero last didn't and I had to replace a cracked head on her.

 

find a single guy who also drives an aerostar! or a single guy who can work on cars! then you wont get stuck with a crazy repair bill. my mom and dads neighbor will fix about anything on their car for a case of beer.

 

Ranchofiasco:

You live in Alexandria, VA? My cousin lives there, and he's remodeling his house. How about remodeling his house for him, and he'll fix your car

 

Well here is a thought, go to a local park and fix your car. food for thought, your a woman, they took you for the proverbial ride.... don't play so gullible next time... write down prices for parts you want from local parts house and confront them with that... and don't believe every BBB story you read....

 

too bad. I live in Ill on the ky border., i would have done all that for hundreds less.... what in the heck did you need ceramic brakes for and clean rear brakes?????? oh brother,,,, that starter better last a long time. I would have had you running in about 6hrs and total cost would have been about 580.00 and that is replacing rear brakes and a few other items.. I do have references... hundreds...sigh,,,, for 1300.00 I would have come to you and fixed it....

 

We all know how much shops mark up parts prices. These guys just got a little (cough, cough) carried away.

Labor is expensive, period. Those of us who can fix our own tend to forget how much shops charge for working on a vehicle. It's been a while since I had to have someone else do the work for me, so I'm sometimes not attuned to just how high labor costs are.

I wanted to see how much a dealer would charge for changing plugs and wires on mine, so I gave them a call. They quoted me $330 for the work. It was a wake up call, to say the least.

Now I know why I do my own work..........................