New Zealand Datsun Club

Hey everybody,

The other week i took my car to the garage to have the driveshaft universal bearing replaced. The joker there told me that the whole driveshaft had to be sent to nelson for it to be machine removed or something. It came back a few days later and job was done.

today though the damn bill turned up. $589.55 for:
trace vibration, removed driveshaft, send to nelson for repairs and balance, refit and secure driveshaft, road test.
- repair driveshaft/balance $385.60 (nelson)
- freight $20.38
- workshop consumables $8.84
- technician fee $97.83
- + gst $76.90

Am i just being a little bitch here and complaining about everyday costs or have i been ripped?

What kind of car is it?

I'd be asking for a breakdown of the work done in Nelson but the rest of it seems reasonable. Not sure what workshop consumables you'd consume changing a driveshaft though, maybe some CRC?

DJZ wrote:What kind of car is it?

I'd be asking for a breakdown of the work done in Nelson but the rest of it seems reasonable. Not sure what workshop consumables you'd consume changing a driveshaft though, maybe some CRC?

I figured it was his pie and drink for smoko haha but na Its off my datsun 1200 ute. Yeah i might just ask him whats up. When i originally asked for an estimate he said that it shouldn't be anymore than a couple of hundy. Just sucks with the weeks wages gone. All good, will just pay and get it over with.

Anyone know of any good mechanics in BoomTown (Blenheim) that i should be using?

Wow, sure you could have got a new driveshaft made for that money, or purchased one from one of the members. Thats a bit tough.

If your driveshaft has the staked/crimped style of universal joints, then it would be a job for an engineering type place to machine out the old joints, and refit new ones. For that price, you'd hope like hell that they've modified it so that if issues arise in the future, you can just fit the replaceable type uni joints.
Although in my opinion if the estimate was a few hundy, they should have at least informed you that the dildo was going to come out like that. (I for one would have looked for a sencond hand d/shaft with replaceable joints, and had it shortened to suit your ute)

Bartman wrote:If your driveshaft has the staked/crimped style of universal joints, then it would be a job for an engineering type place to machine out the old joints, and refit new ones. For that price, you'd hope like hell that they've modified it so that if issues arise in the future, you can just fit the replaceable type uni joints.
Although in my opinion if the estimate was a few hundy, they should have at least informed you that the dildo was going to come out like that. (I for one would have looked for a sencond hand d/shaft with replaceable joints, and had it shortened to suit your ute)

I asked about second hand d-shaft's and he said better to get it sorted than have this issue again in the future. Seemed logical to me at the time but it seems now that he was already getting the lub ready haha. We'll I'm not really overly mechanically minded (just know how to pull shit apart) so i've learnt that ill ask on these forums before i do anything from now on.
Thanks for the help

I suspect the reason the price seems high is because of the charged out sourced work.
From workshops Ive worked out, its always been any materials including out sourced work is to include a +40% handling fee.

So the out sourced

Tony_Whenua wrote:- repair driveshaft/balance $385.60

Was Probably only $196 +GST ( + 40% ) = $385

I can see how the price soon climbs.
This is why people DIY

Mechanic has to make money some how.

torqued wrote:I suspect the reason the price seems high is because of the charged out sourced work.
From workshops Ive worked out, its always been any materials including out sourced work is to include a +40% handling fee.
So the out sourced

Tony_Whenua wrote:- repair driveshaft/balance $385.60

Was Probably only $196 +GST ( + 40% ) = $385
I can see how the price soon climbs.
This is why people DIY
Mechanic has to make money some how.

Yeah i've had a few days to look at it now and the whole thing seems reasonablel. I think it was more the shock from not expecting that price when the bill turned up. Now I just gotta find a whare that has a sweet garage so I can DIY.

Remember there is a wealth of knowledge on this site, so IMHO learn to DIY

My b2000 needed uni's done last week, thought it would be a cheap easy job to do so removed it and found it had a staked type uni so took it to engineer for repair quote, came back to me with 2 options.

Option one replace both end unis by machining them out and fitting new ones in and fitting new centre bearing but because of the size of new unis it will take less load than factory $750.

Option two replace complete drive shaft uni ends with after market ones and replace centre bearing but will be stronger than factory $1000.

I just about fell over when he told me my options, fair to say i told him to do neither option.