Hi there,
Yesterday I had a nice new set of Goodyear Weather Handler L/* installed on the car. It drives really smooth, and I'm sure will get thru the snow a lot better than my old ones.

They checked the car over, and found lots of other problems. About $1500.00 worth:
Tie Rods, inner and outer
Rear wheel cylinders (leaking slightly)
Catyletic converter (weld where it attaches to the manifold has small holes)
Flush power steering fluid
Flush break fluid
Replace windshield wipers

I could fix it myself, but I just don't have the facility to do it in. Wheel cylinders are not something you want to do in your snowey driveway!

Can the pipe to the converter be re-welded?
Oh, they disturbed a sleeping giant... I guess it'* better to know than be unpleasantly surprised!

Adam

sounds like they'ye just trying to soak you for un-needed ****.

As well-well maintained as mine are, the oil change place ALWAYS finds stuff.

Leaky cylinders? Check 'em. Holes in the cat weld? Check it yourself and have it re-welded.

Tie-rods? Check 'em yourself. If you don't notice them when driving, you're being soaked.

I haven't noticed anything when I'm driving, but I'm not sure what I should be looking for?
When he shifted the front spindle side to side, I did notice some play but not a lot.
You could see the play in the tie rod end, but it didn't seem excessive.

The wheel cylinders are leaking out the front seal. A bit of fluid has leaked onto the front portion of the rear brake pad. Is that unsafe? Am I going to step on the peddle sometime and wish I could stop like Fred Flintstone?

Adam

As for the CAT, just get it re-welded, it will be fine. The leaky cylinders I would replace, but if they are just leaking slightly right now, keep an eye on em. Go to autozone and buy new wipers lol, as for the tie-rods, like Wren said, you'd notice them while driving.

They quoted you $1,500.00 for that stuff??? Man, they must think your dumb....(no offense), but I wouldn't buy into it. Oh and FYI, I have never flushed my PS fluid, or the brake fluid for the heck of it. When you do your rear wheel cylinders and bleed them, there'* your brake fluid flush right there

2X what others have said. Tire places are famous for crap like that. Particulaly those that do automotive repair work in addition to selling tires. You should do the leaky brake cylinders if they are actually leaking. Can you confirm that? Or did they just tell you it was so. I'm suprised they did not tell you the fluid in your headlights needs changing also.

Well, they said my headlight fluid could use a flush

They actually took me to the car to see what they were looking at. I'm with them 100% about the wheel cylinders. The other stuff isn't as bad.
The fluid flushing? Not goona happen. I think I can change my own P/* fluid just fine using a turkey baster. Brake fluid flush? No. It likes the fluid it has, plus I had my master cylinder done last year, and I'm pretty sure fresh stuff went in.

There is a little garage near my house I'll take it to get the wheel cylinders and important things done. I will then post what that garage charges me, so we can compare.

I agree. Tire places are a typical place that searches for problems that may/may not exist!

Adam

Pleasant update!
I took the car elsewhere and got the tie rods, rear wheel cylinders, cat replaced, alignment, and leaky trans line replaced for just under $700.00.

It pays to shop around

Adam

Damn, so shes like a new car now!

Yeah, sweet deal!

And boy, it sure is worth it to have someone do the rear wheel cylinders for you.... mine made me want to kill my car... lol