Well I took my car to get an inspection at my local chevy dealer and I got a call back tellin me I had several things wrong. A coolant leak, rear pinion leak, tranmission leak, head gasket leak, and a water pump leak. This really sucks and I have no idea how much it's going to cost to fix.

 

Ouch

 

You will save a ton of money if you have the work performed at a regular shop and not at the overpriced dealer. I really hate to see what they are going to charge you for that kind of work. I'm sure the service writer there has a big smile on his face though as he is adding up the figures.

 

Well, you have a starting point--they informed you of all your leaks. Now it's time to have a couple other outfits check it out for confirmation. Don't tell them that you already had it done and be there so that they can show you where the leaks are.

Even taking it to a quick change oil place will help you out since the guy in the pit can get a good close up look of the underside and has lots of experience in most oil leaks.

Then determine whose telling the truth by what you see and whether it is worth paying to have it fixed or whether you can fix it yourself or just live with it.

It's not unusual for a garage (dealer or shop) to point out a lot of things that are either not true or not as bad as they claim.

Had a guy at a quicky oil change tell me that my brake light was out--I said really, let me see---sure enough it was NOT out. If I had just said go ahead and fix it--taking his word....

Also, many cars have leaks, especially with older cars and worn gaskets, but oil on the garage floor doesn't justify the cost to do some of the repairs.

I don't know why, but mechanics and service techs seem to think everyone is ignorant (and many times they are right) however just taking their word for it is not a wise way to go. JMHO

 

BTW, if you had a water pump leak (unless it was just a bad gasket) that would usually mean a bad pump, in which case I would hope that they would know enough which it was, since if the pump was shot you would be in big doo doo if you drove it like that.

 

dang i feel ur pain... but its going to be a **** load money from the dealer at least id say 5000 or more a local shop is ur best bet

 

Dont let the stealership do the work.

 

I once read that Chevy's run better when they leak..has some logic because you have to keep putting in new fluids..I say fix your leaks while you upgrade..

 

All the dealership service writers are on commision and will recommend lots of work that doesn't need to be done. They will recommend brakes is you have less than 50% left which means have alot of usage left.

 

A coolant leak is easy to fix if it's just a hose. depends on where it is. A pinion leak usually isn't serious. Hell I have a pinion leak and ive got 57k on my car. Tranny leaks aren't serious usually. Any older car is going to have leaks. I have yet to see a leak free fbody.

Head gasket and a water pump are serious issues however.

 

Well the coolant I'm assuming is a hose because a new radiator was put in in september. The car had an inspection at an oil change shop that they do and they never told me anything. There may be a couple other shops but a mechanic I know told me that they do good work at my local dealer, but if your talking $5000 well wtf. I don't know what to do and now im second guessing their honesty, I remember seeing a bit of fluid on the front of the tranny dripping down and some on the bottom front of the motor as well too.