Parts + labor to replace front control arms: $566. Does this sound right?
 

Greetings,

To start, let me say that I found this mechanic via Yelp:
Hi Tech Automotive - Anaheim, CA

He has 29 5 star reviews so I thought I would give his shop a go. After getting recommendations for shops from friends (which haven't always panned out in the past), I decided to go ahead and make myself ultimately responsible for selecting a repair shop.

In any case, I started getting a clunking noise in my front suspension (2002 Civic LX). Took it to the shop this morning, the mechanic put it on the lift and showed me the busted up bushings in the front control arms.

He says the bushings can be replaced but that is not something he advocates and does not perform in his shop. He recommends the purchase of new Honda control arms.

Cost for parts and labor is $566 + tax. I am curious to know what others think of this quote in terms of fairness.

Regards,

Jeff

Well ofcourse they would want you to replace the whole thing.
LOL

IMO, why would you replace the whole lower control arm if its not bent or broken or anything. Installing new bushings sounds more resonable to me. And you would probably save a few bucks...

Here's a "How to"
How-to: Front Lower Control Arm Bushing Replacement - LCA - Honda-Tech

A lot of places don't like replacing just bushings for the fact that it's easy to bend or crack a control arm (aluminum bends, cast iron cracks) while pressing the old bushings out, in which case the whole control arm will need replaced anyway.

For HOP control arms installed, $566 actually sounds like a pretty decent price, and that's coming from a Subaru dealer technician.

Both methods have merit. If you're a DIY kind of guy, try the cheap DIY method. If you bend or break a control arm, you'll need new ones anyways.

Honda Control Arms
 

If you wind up doing it yourself or buying the control arms ahead of time we carry the 2002 Honda Civic LX front left and right lower for $69 each at our new site FCPimport.com This might also save you some money.

http://s3.amazonaws.com/fcp-product-...jpg?1272483064

This is what the mechanic told me. I am going to go ahead with the work as quoted by the shop. Thanks for the input.

Follow the mechanic and don't just replaced the bushings, purchase a new control arm, you can get it online at a lower price and you might want to check youtube for videos on how to install it.

Take your mechanic's advice AND give THEM the business. And do not cut off the bolts! You will still have to take out bolts with a 14mm..

Honestly the only reason why you would want to replace the entire control arm.. 2 valid reasons.. 1 its bent or cracked..2 its easy to replace as a whole than replace the bushings. Cause than you have to deal with pressing new ones in. And all that crap.

alot of shops won't just press in new bushings for fear of cracking the arm during installation.