• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Colorado B/S Thread

Re: The Colorado BS thread

hey any of you guys on the survival bandwagon?i am always trying to add to my bag of junk for things to help keep me dry and alive in case i am broken down or stranded. or come across those who are, and unprepared.
 
Re: The Colorado BS thread

Depends on just what level of survival nut or prepper you're talking about. I used to have a reasonable stock pile of ammo for my fire arms set aside along with a decent supply of MRE's. Unfortunately those were all destroyed when my basement mysteriously flooded. I never realized how easily guns, ammo, and MRE's would literally dissolve in a flooded basement.
 
Re: The Colorado BS thread

Anyone a mechanic full time? My girl got two quotes to replace rear struts and the dealer is 700$ cheaper than Christian brothers wtf?
09 corolla
 
Re: The Colorado BS thread

One of everything?


Gunter said:
i mainly mean stuff to keep in the Heap for breakdown and stranded situation. or BLM blocking i25
Click to expand...
 
Re: The Colorado BS thread

Christian bros has $371.62 per strut, and $260.00 labor, followed by a 79.99 wheel alignment total quote= 1176.10

Dealership only listed replace both rear shock absorber 509.82, this was on a print out of other maintenance needs to be done. Not a whole break down, but she was told that was for parts and labor after she asked.
 
Last edited:
Re: The Colorado BS thread

4x4JeePmaNthINg said:
Christian bros has $371.62 per strut, and $260.00 labor, followed by a 79.99 wheel alignment total quote= 1176.10

Dealership only listed replace both rear shock absorber 509.82, this was on a print out of other maintenance needs to be done. Not a whole break down, but she was told that was for parts and labor after she asked.
Click to expand...

Christian Bros must be selling her gold plated ones! The dealership price is only 71.00 for each shock (they are coil overs, not struts). You can buy a pair loaded with the springs for 120.00 online.
 
Re: The Colorado BS thread

It should be aligned after. You need to see what each are selling. Dealer maybe a strut or whatever only, the other maybe a complete strut (more expensive). Independent shops will mark up their parts. It's how they make money, it's how you get a warranty. Honestly nothing annoys me more than someone who comes in and says well I can get that for 1/3 less online. You want cheap parts? Ok, but when it craps out in 6months guess who's paying the labor again.

The estimates aren't that wrong but you dont have much info on either.
 
Re: The Colorado BS thread

I used a 2009 Carolla LE 1.8L when looking it up.

According to All Data its 2hrs to replace both rear shocks. No alignment required as its beam style rear suspension with just a shock/spring combo and not a "strut". You can replace just the shock part if you have a good set of spring compressors and the deep offset box wrench to hold the nut on top. Or you can buy loaded units. At O'Reilly's its 73$ each for Monroe shocks or 172$ each for the loaded units. Autozone has Duralast loaded units for 120$ each. If you get loaded units its literally 3-4 bolts per side to do the job.
 
Last edited:
Re: The Colorado BS thread

The $370 a strut they're selling the struts for would make sense then. Most shops margin on parts of average 40-60%. So 370 for a loaded "strut" would be about a 60% margin. This is how most if not all shops pretty much are. Plus they're probably not going to price you the cheapest part if that means they're likely to warranty it. Nobody wants to have to redo the work.

Thanks for the clarification on the beam axle Dutch. While an alignment would not be required, if not done in a while it wouldn't be a bad idea. Some places will only charge a check fee (usually about $30) if they find an alignment isn't needed.
 
Re: The Colorado BS thread

60% over retail? Really? That's ridiculous. And $260 labor makes sense on a 2 hour job, except if their charging him for loaded shock assemblies then its like a 15-20 min job. That 2 hour labor rate is for replacing the shocks, and the procedure for replacing the shocks is to remove the spring and put it on the new one.

What is there to align on a rear beam? The wheel bearing or stub shaft bolts directly to a flange on the beam and the beam is attached directly to the chassis with large bushings.
 
Re: The Colorado BS thread

Nothing, unless it's bent. If it's out they must be shimmed (more labor and parts). But it can still be aligned with the front. Or at least verified it's not bent all crazy.

And yea the margin is crazy. It's not even over retail, it's a profit margin. A $100 part you sell for $220 nets you 60% margin. Not everyone uses 60%=but they all use some kind of margin on parts. I agree 60 is crazy but it's the price you pay for warrantable parts and labor.
 
Re: The Colorado BS thread

@4x4JeePmaNthINg

If you need somebody to take care of the rear shocks for you I can do it. Spend the extra money on the loaded shocks (I would recommend the Monroe over the DuraLast, but wither will be fine) and I won't even charge labor. I can do just the shocks too, I'll do it for $80 labor.
 
Re: The Colorado BS thread

No worries. If you get the loaded ones its literally 3 bolts per side. Jack up the car, take out the top two bolts from inside the truck, remove the large shock bolt underneath, remove the assembly and reverse the process with the new one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
Funeral for the Colorado Chapter of NAXJA
2
Replies
26
Views
2K
Led
Led
TheXJDrew
2023/2024 SEC president introduction
Replies
8
Views
637
UNCC_99XJ
UNCC_99XJ
N
2000 XJ, high miles, lots of new parts, still have vibration
Replies
10
Views
1K
N8N_99xj
N
Hypoid
Re: Colorado For Sale/Wanted: PLEASE READ
Replies
0
Views
43
Hypoid
Hypoid
C
2019 Land Use Donation At Work
2
Replies
26
Views
2K
Phil
Phil
Back
Top