Midas is telling me that it will cost $1700 to replace all brake lines and fuel lines. Is that unreasonable?

Question

the lines are rusted on my 1998 Toyota Camry. The labor is $85.00 an hour here in Nashville, TN.

Answer 1

very unreasonable, go find an independent mechanic.!

Answer 2

As a retired mechanic I know exactly what is there. The first question I would ask is are they leaking? if not don't do them. If they are leaking, (which is my guess) then they have to be replace. It's not unreasonable to find a Camry to have this issue....seen it a lot. The reason you need to both the fuel and break lines need to be replaced is they run together under the uni-body of the car. This provides a breading ground for any corrosive agent. The hard part about giving an estimate is every time this job is done it turns out different. There are no true replacement parts for this-- each line needs to be bent correctly (much harder than it sounds and double flared (no easy compression fittings will hold up to the pressures!) all this while working with your hands above your head! To answer the asked question, this is a high end quote, they should have offered you the fact that it may not take the full time allotted and you could end up paying less. At their hourly rate even with allowing for a generous parts cost, they seem to be charging about 17 hours to do the job. That is way too much. If they cannot do this in 12 hrs or less I would find someone else to do the job.

Answer 3

I agree with the first answer. I doubt that you need all new lines. Instead, go to an independent shop (NOT a national chain store like Midas) that can cut out any leaking sections of the steel brake or fuel lines and insert a proper repair line and connectors. I did that on my vehicles and I recommend you simply have any rusted out line segments cut out and replaced with a short new steel line segment. The cost will likely be about 1/3 the cost or about $500.

http://www.IATN.net/shopfinder

Answer 4

Run, don't walk, run away from there and get at least two or three different opinions.

Especially being in Nashville, you're not near the salt air of the ocean or even the salt on the roads and what could possibly cause all your lines to rust out.

If you still have brakes and you can still drive it, do yourself a favor and go somewhere else.

Answer 5

i kinda doubt you need all that stuff dear. heck my car is a 1988 and i don,t need all that. i believe i would get a few more opinions if i were you. i,am sure you can look around and find a small time mechanic too look at it for you. what was the reason you went there in the first place? just because the lines are rusty that don,t mean they need changed, all steel lines will rust.

Answer 6

It would be unlikely that both brake and fuel lines would need replacing after only 10 or 12 years, get another opinion, and get a third if you have too. and why is midas doing fuel lines? I thought they were a brake company. hmm you need more information best of luck, let us know if it turns out midas was full of something? ok?

Answer 7

The price may not be unreasonable, but I question the diagnosis. Get a second opinion.

Answer 8

Since they have to flare bulk tubing,deal with all the rust,and basically rebuild the the arteries and veins of a car.I would say it's reasonable.

Answer 9

call AAA auto insurers company they will tell you a good repair shop. stay away form big shop

Answer 10

that high, but not out of the range. I also question whether you need them replaced