Hi all, a friend of mine brought her car in for a RWC as her plate expired.
The RWC passed but she got the car with strange noises when idling and accelerating. Apart from that, she was charged with L/control arm bushing R&R, type pressure sensor replacement, and wheel alignment.
Are these really necessary for RWC?
Yes, if there are issues there (not sure on the middle one, tyre pressure sensor maybe?). I'd be more questioning what it cost rather than what was done.
The real lesson here is: don't let your plates expire.
She has been through some terrible things lately, hence forgot her plate expiration. The cost is about $1100, bushing ($320 part + $270 labour), sensor ($322 and $70), wheel alignment $120 for a Jeep Patriot 2014.
LOL WTF
i thought owning a BMW was expensive, don't tell me about Jeeps
Price for bushing parts and labour seems reasonable.
I don't see how tyre pressure sensor is a roadworthy item, and that seems pricey.
You can get cheaper wheel alignments than that, but only slightly and only if you shop around, and for the convenience/ accountability factor you might as well get it done at the same place that did the LCA bush.
Bushing yes, this would be a RWC item.
Wheel alignment would be strongly recommended after changing out any steering components. Not a RWC item, but is part of replacing the bushings.
TPMS sender… meh, it’s part of the safety system. If it was throwing an error, they may not pass it. You can’t have any safety related lights up on the dash.
Also lol @ Jeep Patriot. Gets what she deserves. Price for bushings was about on par. Sensor sounds a bit expensive, but may be a genuine one. And $120 for a wheel alignment sounds like highway robbery. But, paying through the nose for shit is part of the overall “Jeep” experience…
Jeep
We're going to need a bigger B̶o̶a̶t̶ Wallet
Around $100 is a pretty common price for a wheel alignment on a 4x4 in Melbourne, so $120 ain’t that bad when playing Just Empty Every Pocket.
Around $100 is a pretty common price for a wheel alignment on a 4x4 in Melbourne, so $120 ain’t that bad when playing Just Empty Every Pocket.
I think you may find the Jeep Patriot sold in OZ is front wheel 2WD.
Many 2WDs have adjustments available on the front AND rear.
Absolutely not. $60-$70 for a 4 wheel alignment for OEM specs is what you should be paying. I paid $110 for a custom alignment from a performance shop with additional camber when I installed coilovers. In Melbourne.
My work has 3 mechanics and 2 tyre places on the books and they ranged from $90 to $109 for an alignment on a 4wd late last year.
@mapax: Maybe prices have gone up since I got an alignment a couple years ago, but seems like daylight robbery to me.
$80 is the going rate for a green zone person that hasn't a clue how to do an alignment.
For somebody that understands what they are doing $120+.
Somewhere like Heasemans or Safer Steering $200+
Also lol @ Jeep Patriot.
🤣🤣🤣
Should have moved the car on and spent the money on a Toyota.
These sound all pretty standard items.
To be honest though, I think she should consider selling it once the rwc is done, and buying something more reliable/cheaper to maintain.
VicRoads send me email reminders a month or so prior to rego expiring - then take it outta my account on due date.
They warn me again about 3 days before.
I live in SE Asia now, very handy for my two cars.
It's almost impossible to say you didn't know your rego expired in Victoria. You get bombarded with reminders.
You just have to find the right person to pass the inspection. The dude I usually go to works from home now….has had his wife and children leave him… and he looks like he's got 5 days left to live.
He doesn't give a flying fcuk anymore lol. As long as it makes it in and out of his driveway, it'll pass.
You just have to live in SA or one of the other states that don't have this revenue generation scam for garages that roadworthiness inspections are. Legislators here have so far seen through the garages lobby's claim that they are primarily about safety, when the reality is they are primarily about blackmailing you into getting lots of expensive and often unnecessary work done on your car.
What a load of crap. There are a lot of people out there too dumb or wilfully ignorant to maintain their vehicles and we have to share the road with them.
Agree with this. Lived in VIC for 15 years and worked in varying automotive jobs while there and can say that not having regular RWC on vehicles, people are driving around in death traps.
Once most cars are out of warranty, people just stop looking after them. By the time it needs a RWC at sale time, it’s already been a death trap for a number of years and the reason it’s being sold is because it’s broken and (fropanity).
It seriously made me contemplate not driving on the roads there when I would regularly get to see some of these cars come in as a trade. I would think “how have you not killed yourself or someone else driving around in a car with those issues?” Issues that would absolutely be picked up on regular RWC inspections.
Cant really say but quite likely a control bushing needed replacing on an older car, yes its a roadwlrthy check item. Would need a wheel alignment after that.