Hey guys, haven't been on here in a while...

I took my Intimidator in for an oil change today at my local Chevy dealer, and I was told that my front wheel hub bearings are going bad and need to be replaced. They quoted me a price of over $1,000, including labor, to complete the job. I told them I would bring it back in if I wanted that done.

Have any of you had any experience with that? Is the dealer price in line with the work to be done, or are they pulling highway robbery like they do with almost everything?

The car has 70,600 miles.

Thanks for any info!

 

That is highway robbery. You can get two hubs for around 100 bucks a piece. And it's not that hard to do IMHO.

 

They are playing you... A $1,000 for 2 front wheel bearings, parts and labor? LOL what a rip, typical dealer crap, no wonder people avoid them. I would check to see if they are actually bad, jack your front end up and wiggle the tires from side to side and if there is no movement they were scamming you in the first place. Hell at 70,000 miles they are probably still just fine....
Here are actual A/C Delco brand wheel bearings on eBay. 2 for $290 and no tax. Put them on yourself in about 2 hrs tops and save $700. Or you can get another brand name Timken 2 for $200 and save yourself $800 They are actually so easy cheesy to install. Watch a You Tube video on it or get a mechanically inclined friend. You could even replace your front brake pads at this point if they need it for about another $50 since your pulling your rotors off to get to the bearings....

Click on the links provided below for parts and prices..

ACDelco OE Service FW304 Front Wheel Bearing Hub Assy | eBay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TIMKEN-51317...1658b1&vxp=mtr

 

I have done a BUNCH of FWD hubs (most on W-Body cars, like the Monte, including one on my '04 Monte). For me, these are easy to change. I favor the use of a Timken wheel hub (about $100 sometimes more, but great quality and made in the U.S.A.). I typically buy my Timken hubs from RockAuto.com.

It usually takes me 1 hour per hub (that's getting the tools out on the driveway and picking them back up when I'm done). I've never used the method GM advises (using a puller). I have always used an air hammer with a chisel bit and it works every time. In my opinion, if you don't have an air hammer, I don't advise trying this yourself (the hubs are pressed in and without the right tools, it can be a pain).

I do my own work, so it's tough for me to say what price is fair or not. But considering the hubs are ballpark $100 a piece (and that's for GOOD ones) and it takes ME (a non-mechanic, just an average joe working in his driveway) an hour typically to do this, I don't see how the total estimate is $1000!!! I completely understand the shop buffering in their estimate "if things go wrong" but that still seems WAY high to me. That's saying it's $800 in labor for 2 hours worth of work (or maybe even 4 hours if things go bad).

 

The actual price for the GM ACDelco hubs are around $230/hub through the parts department, so they are hitting you up for about $500 in parts and it books for about 1.5 hours of labor for each, so that's 3 hours labor. I have seen anywhere from quotes of $750 - $1000, so yes it is highway robbery from them, but it's common highway robbery lol

According to the books, they are charging you what they probably should be. If you do it yourself, get a HIGH-QUALITY hub replacement. I recommend the Timken Hub. I have used those and they are good quality.

 

I know prices vary depending on locale, but $1000 sounds right in the ballpark to have the job done at a dealership or union shop. It was slightly over $1200 to have both front wheel hubs, both outer tie rods and a 4 wheel alignment done to mine at the dealer, but with my extended warranty it was only $70 out of pocket for me.

 

Thanks for the help guys. I am not mechanically inclined at all, so doing it myself is out of the question. However, you have at least helped me determine that there are cheaper options than what the dealer is giving me. I am going to try to get a few more months out of it, then find a good mechanic who can do the work for me. I'm going to steer clear of the dealer on this one!

Thanks again!

 

@Chris - You may want to do yourself a favor and buy a recommended/reliable part (so you can price shop it and not have a dealer/shop mark up the cost of the part). Then find a shop you trust to do the work.

Chibi mentioned the OEM AC Delco part costs about $230, that's a CRAZY high price for the part. A bunch of people here and myself highly recommend the Timken hubs. They are NOT the most expensive nor are they the cheapest, but they are great quality. Use Amazon or RockAuto to get the hub at the best price (RockAuto still has a coupon code that's valid posted on this site somewhere).

If you price shop the job and rely on a shop to supply the part, unless they specify what part they are putting in, they might be putting in a cheap/junky hub assembly they will not last very well (I've seen a 90's Grand Am and '03 Alero that hadcheapo hubs put on, they only lasted about 1.5 years before needing changed again as they were whining REAL bad). Saving $20-$30 on per hub is not worth it if the labor cost to change it is very expensive.

 

As stated before they aren't that hard to replace. The only difficulty I have ever found is that the backside bolts are hard to get a good angle of attack. As far as being pressed on I've never encountered any issue with getting them off.

 

Mine was "salt rusted" to the car. It took about 20-30 minutes of hitting it with a BFH before I could get that thing off.