A good friend needs to replace the clutch in her 1993 Jeep Wrangler. It has the 4.0L inline-six. It's red in color.
She's out in San Diego and was quoted $1650 for the job. That seems a bit high considering an Exedy clutch kit costs about $160 at Rock Auto. Then add the usual slave cylinder, gaskets, etc.
Am I missing something here, or is this shop overcharging her?
(Sorta of related: Anyone have a trusted shop in San Diego?)
Thanks.
No clue about Jeeps - not my thing.
But latest info from the So Cal scene - Just got three quotes for my EVO clutch. Doesn't need it, but while I was doing my T belt last weekend, was asking couple of places for future reference.
OEM exedy clutch + labor, slave cylinder, gaskets+fluid = $1850-$2100 3 shops in LA/SD.
Cherokee unibody or framed Wrangler? Wrangler is cake. Cherokee not so much. I did a TJ a while back with the 2.5, and it was less than 4 hours flat rate.
Don't use Rock Auto pricing as a direct comparison, unless you wish to supply the parts and forgo any shop warranty.
Cali labor rates are stupid high, as evidenced about the dodge ram rearend repair thread.
I assume it is a wrangler/cherokee which are about a 3-4hr job for r&i. That's $800. The clutch you get for $160 is doubled in price for customer pay, $320 now. Plus the aforementioned incidentals. It's not $1600 worth but a grand is easily spent now.
I paid 2300 with taxes here in Truckee CA for a 96 cherokee. I had no options as I needed the car fast. That was replace all parts in the middle.
That is on par with what I paid for my Subaru clutch in Northern California.
Telling a shop "I can get that clutch for $160 from Rock Auto!" is a great first step towards having to change your own clutch.
My bad, Wrangler–like, a Jeep, Jeep.
And I brought up the Rock Auto priece. She told me $1650, and I thought, That seems a bit high....
If I have a shop do work on my vehicles I never look at parts costs on Rock Auto.
Stupid question. It's been too many years ago to mention but I had some work done in Tijuana ( just across the border ) for a tiny fraction of what was asked in San Diego. .
I sat and waited and all new parts were used and more care than was typical in A San Diego repair shop.
Is that still possible?
The most bare bones clutch job I'd do in my shop (clutch kit, flywheel, release bearing/slave, pilot, new trans fluid, new clutch fluid) comes to $1297.83 5.6 for heavy lifting, .2 to R&I pilot, .3 to bleed hydraulics
David S. Wallens said:A good friend needs to replace the clutch in her 1993 Jeep Wrangler. It has the 4.0L inline-six. It's red in color.
...
I think everyone here missed this is a red Jeep ... obviously the high performance version and therefore uses a much more expensive clutch 
Is it 4x4 is another question.
Byrneon27 said:The most bare bones clutch job I'd do in my shop (clutch kit, flywheel, release bearing/slave, pilot, new trans fluid, new clutch fluid) comes to $1297.83 5.6 for heavy lifting, .2 to R&I pilot, .3 to bleed hydraulics
Byrneon27 is in York PA. $350 more in San Diego (does the 1650 include sales tax?) on a 6+ hour job does not feel outrageous if they're changing all the same parts.
clownkiller said:Is it 4x4 is another question.
I was told this was a large chunk of hte labor cost.
Datsun310Guy said:If I have a shop do work on my vehicles I never look at parts costs on Rock Auto.
I buy parts from Rock Auto because it is cheaper than my cost from suppliers.
Gauging repair shop bills vs. buying parts from a wholesaler is like going to a restaurant and wondering how they can charge $15 for 25¢ worth of noodles and some mooshed tomatoes.
The last time I did a clutch in a Wrangler was about ten years ago and the bill ran about $8000. I also had to cut out and recap the frame because the trans crossmember/skidplate was held in by two bolts on the right side.
Crickey. The clutch job in my Nissan truck years ago was $350. I guess I'll do the next one.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
That's why I don't compare the two costs. I pay the man and move on to gouging my customers for hoses and gasket material (JK, I would never do that).
Pete. (l33t FS) said:The last time I did a clutch in a Wrangler was about ten years ago and the bill ran about $8000.
Datsun310Guy said:In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
That's why I don't compare the two costs. I pay the man and move on to gouging my customers for hoses and gasket material (JK, I would never do that).
Yup my math is, if I will pay the shop 9.2 hours of book time to do my EVO clutch, when it needs it, I will just figure out a way to make a lot more money in that same 9 hours ;)
Seems in line with what I'd expect a shop to charge for a clutch replacement...
I just tried to have the 4l80e replaced in my 2000 k2500 4wd 6.5l truck. I couldn't justify paying for a new transmission ($4k installed), and of the other 3 shops I called who said they would install a used transmission from the local, respected truck junk yard, 0 never actually got back to me with a quote & drop off date. I was expecting was expecting in the $2200 range, with about $900 being the tranny...
I ended up doing it myself as I spent nearly 20% of the time of the replacement time on the phone trying to get someone else to do the job.
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