Am I getting scammed???

[JCJPark]

I went to the Nissan dealership because of a CVT whining sound. From what I found on NICO, this is a common problem and is covered by warranty. They told me they would run a diagnostics test and call med in a day or two but its been nearly 4 days without a call so I decided to head down there and check up on it.
First of all, the fact that they did not call me is suspicious. When I got there, the papers were just sitting on a pile onthe counter and they just read me a list of problems they found on the car. Here's what they told me:
1. There is nothing wrong with the CVT, the diagnostics tool they used gave out no codes from the CVT meaning there is no fault in the CVT. Also because there is no proof that the transmission fluid was changed at 60,000 miles (currently at 67,000), the warranty would not be able to cover it unless I change the fluid first and see that the problem does not go away. They said that the "whining" sound I heard when I revved was the sound of the tire....??? Also because the CVT is not at fault, I would have to pay a diagnostics fee because the warranty did not take effect.
2. The brakes were making a "clicking" sound, almost like there is something stuck on the rotor that kept scraping against the caliper. Mechanic said if I change the pads to OEM Nissan pads, the problem would go away, but if the pads were at fault, wouldnt there be a constant sound? not a ticking sound like something going around and around?
3. The CV boot (???) is broken and the drive belt is "cracking"
4. Price:
Diagnostics fee: $120*
CV Boot: $366
Drive belt: $200
Transmission fliud: $350
OEM Brake Pads: $250 per axle, $500 total
total: ~$1,600 after tax and other labor costs.
*Required even if I decide to take the car as is, no repairs.

Am I getting scammed? To me, these prices are a little over the top, especially the fluid and brakes. Also it still doesn't make sense to me that I have to pay $120 to not get the CVT replaced, and if the warranty covered it, I get a brand new CVT from Japan for free. I went into the dealership pretty certain the sound was coming from the CVT, are they just saying its the tires to avoid more work and get me to buy a $350 fluid change? How can the tires make a whining sound only when i rev the engine and go back to being quiet when i let go of the gas but still stay at freeway speeds?

[asoomal]

You're getting scammed.

[VTMike24]

They don't call it a "stealership" for nothing.

[SanoSuKe]

%100 scammed. Search the forums a bit, I remember there was a similar problem a while back. He ended up suing and won.

[Ranga14]

lol, omg!!! $500 for 2 brake pads!!!! wooooooooooooooow

[JCJPark]

lol, omg!!! $500 for 2 brake pads!!!! wooooooooooooooow

actually i believe it was $500 for 2 axels, which is all 4 wheels, 2 pads each, so 8 brake pads for $500. still, I can get decent pads off amazon or autozone for a fraction of the price

[allan51394]

holy s*** lol do the pads your self, really simple. just go on youtube

[JCJPark]

holy s*** lol do the pads your self, really simple. just go on youtube

lol yep. exactly what i plan on doing once the pads wear out a little more

[mikethemike]

Jesus, do the pads yourself, and get the fluids flushed at a local shop for like $60. I would NEVER bring my car to a dealership. Just because they have OEM parts, doesn't always mean they have top quality mechanics. I know locals mechanics who are much more knowledgeable and trustworthy that Nissan mechanics.

[JCJPark]

Jesus, do the pads yourself, and get the fluids flushed at a local shop for like $60. I would NEVER bring my car to a dealership. Just because they have OEM parts, doesn't always mean they have top quality mechanics. I know locals mechanics who are much more knowledgeable and trustworthy that Nissan mechanics.

Yeah i plan on doing the pads myself. too bad the other parts still add up close to $500 even from local mechanics...

[normmynorm]

Wonder what the whining noise was tho. Doesn't sound like they knew what it was.

[JCJPark]

Wonder what the whining noise was tho. Doesn't sound like they knew what it was.

They told me it was the tires, which makes no sense to me as the sound stops whenever i let go of the gas or if I change to neutral. Local mechanic also said he has no idea what they mean by a whining sound like that coming from the tires. It was more of a mechanical whining sound so me and the mechanic decided that it was most likely the CVT that the dealership failed to recognize as the problem, or the damaged cv boot allowed dirt into the joints. When I get official word from the mechanic, I'll post here what happened.

[JCJPark]

UPDATE

I dropped off the car this morning to a mechanic friend that has been servicing our family cars for the last 10 years or so. To recap,
dealership said the transmission oil change would cost upwards of $350, mechanic did it with OEM Nissan fluids for less than $200,
dealership said the driver side cv boot was damaged and it would be $366, mechanic lifted my car up as soon as I mentioned CV boot and showed me that both were damaged and leaking, costing between $300~$350,
Dealership said brakes needs to be changed to OEM for $500 total, mechanic said brake pads are still fine but could be replaced at my request for between $100~$300 depending on brand and type choice,
Dealer said drive belt would be replaced at $200, mechanic said he is estimating around $100.
total with brakes: $1,500 at dealer vs. $700 at mechanic

[Rogue One]

And what lesson did we learn from this? Always get a second or even third estimate from someone other than the stealership.

[lne937s]

In terms of the CVT fluid, do not do a flush unless they have flushing equipment dedicated to CVT's that never touches any other kind of transmission (unlikely with private mechanics). CVT fluid is not at all compatible with automatic transmission fluid (ATF). Even a small amount can damage your transmission and, if they are using the same flushing equipment, then it will have some residual fluid left in it. CVT fluid has to play a balancing act between gripping the belt, providing hydraulic pressure and providing some (limited) lubrication, and proper maintenance is essential (much more so than other transmissions). However, a flush that potentially contaminates your fluid with ATF will do more harm than good. It is better to do multiple drain and fills than to do a flush every 60k. A small brake bleeder vacuum pump can help you clear additional fluid out of the lines.

[lne937s]

If you really want to see if you are paying too much, I looked up some parts costs…

From Rock Auto (not opting for the cheapest or max performance, just good quality parts, rounding up)
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,carcode,1440205
CV Joint Boot ($11)
Belt $25 ($50 with tensioner)
Brake Pads front and back ($50-$100).... If you need new rotors and pads (Power Stop $150 daily driver-$275 drilled and slotted)
I always get spare bleeder nipples in case one breaks ($5)

On Amazon:
NS2 Nissan CVT fluid ($14/quart, $100/case) you can find it for less on Ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/12-Quarts-of-Ni ... 6a&vxp=mtr

At your local parts store
Brake fluid $15-20
Vacuum pump $35+
CV joint grease $2

So, for what they are quoting you, the parts and fluid would cost about $200 (rounding up for incidentals)-- and that is including bleeding the brakes (which they don’t mention). For ~$500, you could have better than what they quoted, with drilled and slotted rotors, upgrading wear parts (like the belt tensioner), and have spare CVT fluid for your next drain and fill. If you aren’t afraid to get your hands dirty, all of these things are pretty simple to do. If you were in the NYC area, I would come over to help out...

[JCJPark]

Turns out the brakes still had more than half of their life left and the parts came out to be just slightly more than expected, but everything was fixed within the day and I picked it up next morning for $600. CVT fluid was pretty expensive, but the mechanic had all the right tools and fluids ready and was still half the price of the dealership. Both CV boots on both sides were damaged and leaking, and after considering the cost and possible damaged from the leaks (possibly dirt going in or too much grease leaking), we decided for $20 more, replacing the entire axle was a better option. Overall, the car feels much sturdier and I'm hearing much less mechanical and grinding noise. It wasn't cheap, but compared to what I could have paid at the stealership and what further damage could have been made in the future, I'm glad I did this now.

on a side note, if anyone near Los Angeles needs a mechanic, search for Young's Auto Repair. It's in Koreatown and speaking Korean is preferred, but Mr.Oh is surprisingly good at English. He is by far the most trustworthy and honest mechanic I have met and over 30 years of professional experience doesn't hurt either. He's the shop owner but he's also the main mechanic that handles almost every major repair himself and after comparing multiple mechanics in multiple areas, this is the place I chose. Might not be as big as other shops, but just as capable.

[asoomal]

If you really want to see if you are paying too much, I looked up some parts costs…

From Rock Auto (not opting for the cheapest or max performance, just good quality parts, rounding up)
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,carcode,1440205
CV Joint Boot ($11)
Belt $25 ($50 with tensioner)
Brake Pads front and back ($50-$100).... If you need new rotors and pads (Power Stop $150 daily driver-$275 drilled and slotted)
I always get spare bleeder nipples in case one breaks ($5)

On Amazon:
NS2 Nissan CVT fluid ($14/quart, $100/case) you can find it for less on Ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/12-Quarts-of-Ni ... 6a&vxp=mtr

At your local parts store
Brake fluid $15-20
Vacuum pump $35+
CV joint grease $2

So, for what they are quoting you, the parts and fluid would cost about $200 (rounding up for incidentals)-- and that is including bleeding the brakes (which they don’t mention). For ~$500, you could have better than what they quoted, with drilled and slotted rotors, upgrading wear parts (like the belt tensioner), and have spare CVT fluid for your next drain and fill. If you aren’t afraid to get your hands dirty, all of these things are pretty simple to do. If you were in the NYC area, I would come over to help out...

Throwing drilled and slotted rotors isn't going to increase braking performance on a stock setup, it'll reduce the amount of material for the brakes to grab.