Some things are necessary.. some can wait.. - Edit 1
Before modification by Kel at 19/01/2012 03:49:24 PM
Well, you need this this and this ...
what they want to do is:
- flush power steering,
Honestly, I have to agree with everynametaken. He said this much better than I could.
- flush brake fluids,
Same as the power steering fluid. Probably came up on the maintenance schedule, so they threw it in.
- remove corrosion off the battery terminals,
You can do this yourself, easily. Just like Nate said, just use some steel wool or a wire brush, (they even make a brush specially for this in an auto parts store). A work of caution, use care when taking the terminal connections off, making sure not to touch the end of the wrench (or steel wool when cleaning) to any other metal. Also, don't wear a watch or rings when doing this. Clean the terminals with the wire brush, and/or use a little bit of baking soda in water to clean them. This repair is important, so definitely do this repair. If the terminals get too corroded, you'll probably end up with a dead battery one morning when trying to get the Jeep started.
- replace the control arms
This one i'm not sure about, but i'd definitely get a second opinion. If the bushings are worn out on the control arms, you could end up with a problem while driving. You can probably have this checked at any tire dealer that also does suspension or alignment repairs.
- coolant service
Always a good idea, but if you're pressed for cash then just have the mechanic check the coolant level and mixture. If it's OK, you can probably wait on this one til later. Also, probably came up on the maintenance list.
- rotate the tires
Like Nate said, you can do this one yourself with a little patience and time. You just use the jack and spare tire that came with the Jeep. Look online or in your owners manual for the tire rotation diagram.
-replace the drive belt. ... 1800$ total (the control arms were 950$ of that ...)
If your main belt is worn, this one should be taken care of right away. Newer cars use one belt (called a serpentine belt) for everything, and if it breaks you're walking. If they're talking about a timing belt (inside the engine), then more than likely you're due to replace it at 90,000-100,000 miles and it should be done soon. Same as a serpentine belt, but if the timing belt breaks you will probably end up with serious engine damage. The only Jeep engine that uses a timing belt is the 4-cylinder (2.4L). All the rest use a timing chain, which you shouldn't have to worry about at your mileage.
Is this just how oil changes are now a days ... you go in thinking you only need a simple procedure, and you come out wondering if the cars going to flip over and die next time you turn the wheel. I declined all their options ... the main reason involving the brake fluids, which I'm pretty sure they flushed and replaced back when they replaced the brakes ... (that is standard procedure?) ...
Pretty much.. they do the same thing when we take our car into the dealership. I usually just politely decline.
Anyway, how necessary is this selection of flushes and parts replacement, and why so expensive, 160$ to replace power steering fluid? 60$ to polish the battery terminals?
I'm sure it's probably been mentioned, but have you gotten a quote from a non-dealership mechanic? Often, their labor rates are cheaper, and they provide equal quality work. The nice thing about using a dealership mechanic is you have someone to back them up if something goes wrong, but you pay more for that extra protection.