Testing a new mechanics, prices I should expect?

[SlapDash]

So I'm testing a new mechanic. I brought the car in to diagnose a steering issue. He came back with that it was the lower control arm and the ball joints. The latter, at least on one of them, the boot is shredded and as dry as a Steven Wright joke.

Anywho, parts and labor, what is a reasonable price to pay for this sort of work?

[MR 325]

One arm? With parts and labor I would guess $225.

[Drmoussaka]

$180 if you do it yourself. Its not hard. There are plenty of threads on this forum that can walk you through it.

[Schneller 3er]

Buy a new control arm from autohausaz.com. Ball joints are already pressed in.

31121127725LEM Lemfoerder $103 (free shipping over $50)
or
31121127725 Meyle $80.93

You will need the following sockets:
17mm (lollipops/control arm bushings bracket)
19 mm (ball joint on lower strut tower)
22mm (inner ball joint, under motor mounts).

Jack the car up and get busy. It's not hard to do.
Good Luck.

[mcr_driver]

done that on my e46 not hard at all might need an alignment afterwards it depends...

[txtorquemade]

DIY... Ive done e46 control arms and e30s.. both are just too simple to have someone else do.

[SlapDash]

Right on. Thanks for all the advice. I think I might have my mechanic do the work and make him let me watch (he seems like he would do this). I've always been a little sketchy about screwing something up like the steering, y'know, 'cause of the whole wheels falling off thing.

Let me go to the bunker and think on it...

Thanks again.

[FredK]

He'll also have to press in a new control arm bushing, which is pretty easy, but not THAT easy if you don't have the proper tools. Sometimes the control arms won't budge from the knuckle or subframe, and you need to use a pickle fork to remove them. You can rent it free from Autozone.

If you have a garage or place to work on the car, this job is super easy. If you don't, then things get a little harder, and it might be worth to pay a mechanic an hour of labor to install the stuff.

I'd help you out, but I'm going to be away this weekend.

[MR 325]

I think I might have my mechanic do the work and make him let me watch (he seems like he would do this).

Just to let everyone know... Every mechanic I know hates this.

[Lance Racing]

Besides the liability of letting you on the shop floor, they are managing multiple jobs each day. Having to schedule a job around you being there adds to their PITA factor.

And probably they don't want you to see how quick the job is. Of course when you are a pro mechanic, have a lift, have $60k in Snap-On tools so you can always grab the absolute right tool for the procedure, and have done the same exact job 50 times before, it will go rather fast.

[SlapDash]

I see what you're saying about the PITA factor. He is a one-man, two-bay shop and he is quite busy. I'm just trying to scam some free knowledge.

But I don't care if it takes 30 seconds and he charges me for the hour. I just want to learn how to do it, so if I blow the rally car up in the Maine woods somewhere, I can at least attempt to fix it on my own.

[mcr_driver]

+1 on the mechanic thing unless they are a specialty guy and time isn't a factor for them

But i still watch anyways gotta learn somehow right? Does bmw offer and outside mechanics course or do you have to become a bmw tech in order to take those courses i've always wondered...