Just spent $5,000 fixing GU

[Timbo]

Hi all,

Just thought I'd share my recent experience getting my 4WD fixed.

Had a noisy gearbox/clutch problem. Got told it sounded like bearings in the gearbox and not to go too far out of civilisation in case they fail and end up putting metal through my gearbox. Awesome!

I drove it around for months with this massive whine coming from the gearbox for months. Finally got around to booking it in with my local mechanic who I've used for quite a while now.

Just called me up with the price and some more bad news.

Gearbox ended up being around $2600 - bearing AND input shaft was shagged. I don't know anything about gearboxes to be honest, but all the parts are there waiting for me to look at.

Clutch cost $1250 - He converted the Dual Mass unit to a solid clutch so I ended up paying for a solid flywheel and clutch. He said he gets a good deal from the guy and it worked out a bit cheaper. Bonus is a clutch will be cheaper if I ever need one again.

Rear Main seal needed replacing. I think it was about $60-$70.

Then labour was only about $300

Brings me up around $4,000 which is a bit more than I thought It'd be. I was expecting about $3,500.

Then, mechanic tells me the gearbox noise was drowning out another noise which happens to be the bearing in the rear diff. To get them replaced is about $600. So I had to say yes.. would be silly of me to say no wile the 4WD is there.

I also needed a steering alignment and my tacho fixed. Don't think I'll worry about the tacho but definitely need the steering straightened out. Probably $150 there with labour.

So all up looks like I'll be parting with around $5,000. Been an expensive trip to the mechanics this time. Hopefully this is an interesting look at rough costs for anyone else who needs similar things done to their 4WD.

Cheers.

[Bob]

Bloody hell it almost the cost of buying a 2nd hand Unit.

[DX grunt]

Well done, Timbo. At the end of the day, you have one mean truck that you can now have lotsa fun with.'

Take care out there.

Ross
DX grunt

[Bigrig]

Sorry to hear mate, but sounds like you did the right thing and had it all sorted properly rather than any band aid measures.

[Sir Roofy]

Ouch how long have you had this vehicle for

[Boagie]

hey mate,i just dropped five and ahalf grand on my old girl.i still have to do brakes,wheel bearings and put a canopy ,spotties /exhaust/etc etc----it's just the way it goes.if ya want to play with the big boys toys--ya gotta put ya hand in ya pocket quite regularly.---what else do ya want to spend ya money on?--or ya could just go drop 55k on a new 1!!!!!!

[Timbo]

lol err.. no, I couldn't drop 55k on a new one. haha. I'll probably spend 55k on this 4wd in total.

There's plenty of things I want to spend money on. I'd love to spend money on my other car as well! But I'm probably better off selling it now.

I've had very bad luck with this 4WD (my first). When I bought it from the car yard, the glow plus were shagged and the tacho stopped working. (tacho still dead after 2.5 years)
Got glow plugs fixed then couple weeks later, car wouldn't start. Turns out I have 17 cracks in the head and had water in 1st and 6th pots.

Needed a reco. Fought with car yard guy for weeks trying to get it fixed through warranty I paid extra for. He said they don't cover that type of damaged. I made some threats and they coughed up $2500 out of the $7000 it cost for the engine reco. So there's $4500.

Then I ended up rolling it which ended up costing about $3500 because I did all the work myself with the hand of a panel beater after hours and bought second hand doors, bonnet, roof etc. Also cost me a full year of nearly every weekend/weeknight though.

And now this $5000 I have to pay out.

So there's $13000 in about 2.5 years and that's not including the services I've had done which probably tally in the vacinity of $4,000 and then another $1000 on new 33" coopers (got a bargain!).

All up I estimate I've spent about $20,000 in about 2.5+ years. WOW.. it's bad when you work it out like that. Never taken notice.

I bought the 4wd for about 19k.. that's ridiculous.

[bradmanda]

Ouch! Thats what im concerned about when buying a 4WD! We are looking at the moment!

[Clunk]

oh but just think of how many years of happy 4wd'n you'll have (hopfully) now that you've got a sorted machine

[Sir Roofy]

thanks timbo very well explained