Dealer vs Private Mechanic

[Spunke]

Should I service my 1999 Q45t at teh dealer or try to find a private mechanic?? I have taken my Q to the dealer for years but this Turbine sensor repair for over $900 has me a bit concerned? Danco quoted me $350 for the same repair??

Would I be wise to find a private mechanic for the O2/ knock sensor repairs or will I just get myself into more problems???

[qship96]

How do you know oxygen sensors and knock sensors need replacing? Have both been tested? What symptoms are you experiencing due to suspected faulty turbine sensor? Easy to throw money at the car in hopes of "improving" things,but more cost effective to test,retest,and only replace definite worn out parts....

[Spunke]

The knock ad O2 are not in need or replacing at this point but my service manager tell's me that they will need to be at some point. The car is in the shop currently getting a new Turbine sensor at around $900, I was only curious if people are taking the Q to privet mechanics or sticking with the Infiniti dealer??

[qship96]

every part of ANY car will need replacing if you keep it long enough

[RAP]

The knock ad O2 are not in need or replacing at this point but my service manager tell's me that they will need to be at some point. The car is in the shop currently getting a new Turbine sensor at around $900, I was only curious if people are taking the Q to privet mechanics or sticking with the Infiniti dealer??

My newly purchased 2000 Q45 will never see the the shade of a dealers building With the FSM, a little savvy, some elbow grease, some shade trees and of course THIS SITE a person should be able to properly maintain most any automobile, wheelbarrow, rototiller or whatever.

But you need to get involved...

Jack

[maxnix]

Yes, but dropping transmissions safely is a little beyond most DIY endeavors.

[maxnix]

Be sure to at least replace the rear main seal while the transmission is dropped.
Modified by maxnix at 9:59 PM 11/28/2007

[Q451990]

It all depends on the dealership and the private technican you're considering. If it was between my local dealership, who has never - not even once - put all of the bolts and parts back on my car after a major service vs. the private T3 in Atlanta, T3 wins hands down!

I would say try an independent tech. if he has documented Infiniti (or at least Nissan) experence and will use OEM parts. If the independent you're considering is sort of a jack-of-all-trades who gets most of his parts from NAPA or Autozone, I would think in terms of using a dealership.

Heath

[Q45tech]

A good technican is like a good doctor or tax accountant!Unfortunately most don't do due diligence on any professional they contract with to serve their needs.

Dealerships have a wide range of employees and only the Service Manager knows the capabilities of who might get your job!Even then they are torn between using the lowest quality tech who can usually do the job and keeping their STAR well feed and happy.

Nissan only requires that each dealership have at least ONE Master certified tech to open..................if that one guy leaves they don't know it until the annual audit, if then!

The real question to ask is how many of my models and year does the tech work on each week/month! The usual answer is not many even at dealerships.

Even T3 doesn't do a turbine sensor at each shop every month on the same model Q. S. Cobb store might do 8-10 per year if you add in the 5 company owned Q which tend to be the best maintained.

[nismo silvia]

The best is to buy the tools and to do it your self the manual is on the forum. Usually if you take it to anyone leke a dealership the **** around and do unessesary things like rev your engine to red line and all kinds of stuid s**t I see it all of the time when I'm getting parts at nissan or an alternative is to watch them the whole time but it is usually alot cheaper to do things your self then you get the satisfaction lol.