[WLADiscoII99]

According to my mechanic my valve cover gaskets have a severe oil leak. They want to charge $476.88. Fine. No problem. But now I'm reading all that's required is a few minutes torquing the bolts! The bolts were tightened 25k ago. In a head gasket job with brand new factory parts.

So I asked them about torquing the bolts and they said:


"We are all familiar with basic mechanical terms (even I am). We understand what torqueing and re-torqueing means. Your valve cover gaskets cannot be re-torqued because there are spacers which will not allow the bolts to tighten any more. The answer to your question, even after your generous vocabulary lesson, is still, therefore, no." "You could also change the plugs with the valve cover gaskets as it is overlapping and is usually the first course of action in resolving misfires."


What should I do?

 

[Disco Mike]

Yes, some times you can re-tighten the v/c bolts but most likely you will need to replace then. How mechanical are you? For $30 worth of gaskets and some of your labor you can save a good $450.

 

[WLADiscoII99]

Yes, some times you can re-tighten the v/c bolts but most likely you will need to replace then. How mechanical are you? For $30 worth of gaskets and some of your labor you can save a good $450.

How mechanical am I? I'm not. I'm book smart. And hands on stupid. Hope that makes sense.

Ok Mike. Based on your advise I'll tell the shop to proceed with the $500 job. $500 for a 10 minute repair job. Outrageous.

Damn bolts have not been tightened in 25k. But I don't have the time or mechanical ability to fix it. I need my car.

 

[beecoach]

Why not try to tighten them just a bit first?

 

[WLADiscoII99]

Why not try to tighten them just a bit first?

Because they said the spacers wont allow the bolts to be re-tightened "anymore". They are new and have never been tightened before. Bottom line is I need my car. This repair takes 8 minutes to do on YOU TUBE. And that's with the mechanic stopping to explain every little detail.

And I'm being banged up the ass for $500.

That's $3,750 per hour. Not even a brain surgeon makes that much!

I do not have the TOOLS to work on this car. Otherwise a few turns of a screw would stave this off.

I wonder what it will be next?

The Heads?
The Steering Column?
The Actuator?


When I can waste another $500 of hard earned money for a few minutes work. It's like tearing shirt. Then you pay $100 to the tailor to fix it because it's a Gucci or Versache when the same effort is put into a regular shirt for $5 or $10.

I don't understand why OLDER luxury cars are charged the same prices as NEWER luxury cars. It's common sense. A 2013 showroom floor Land Rover is more expensive and indicative of the drivers high finances. Plus it's more DIFFICULT to work on. It's new. Computerized. New things to learn etc.

But a 1999 Land Rover Discovery II costs $5k. $10k TOPS. Generic Parts from China are CHEAP. There is no reason for these mechanics to gouge for $250-500/hr in labor like it's a fully loaded 2013 Range Rover.

Same thing for BMW's, Mercedes or any other name brand. Not fair.