fair price??

[crazyboy3012]

Just a few days ago, I created a post about a screaching sound from one of the belts .I recived a lot of replies and as per feedback I took my car to the local infiniti dealer this evening who charged me $145 incl of parts and labor to replace the alternator belt and the AC belt. I am wondering-

1. Is it common for these belts to wear out by 50K miles?2. Is $145 a fair price?3. I was told that the 60 K scheduled maintenance is nearing and that it would cost $400 approx. Is the 60K scheduled maintence that expensive?

I called up the local Nissan dealer and he quoted me a $600 something for the 60K maintenance . Now i am throughly confused . Whats a fair price for the standard 60K maintenance ?

Thank you all in advance

-V

[champagneG35]

Well I had my 30K done earlier this past year and it cost me just over $500 to have it done. I was informed there were 3 left the 30k the middle 45K and the 60K. The 30&60K are the big ones and pricey sitting around 5 something. The 45K one which I'm past due on I was told runs around $200.

As far as the belts I'd say $149 if you're comparing dealer to dealer is pretty good. Mine wanted an additional $200 on top of the normal service charge to change them out. Now the belts themselves you can pick up from your local autoparts store dirt cheap and put them on yourself to save alot of money. I was told mine were cracked and needed replacement at about 42K miles. I told them not to replace them and when I got my car back I looked at them and sure there was some very slight cracks in it but nothing major, now 12,000 miles later at 54K I just might get around to changing them soon to be on the safe side . All I can say is check them yourself, shops like to find anything they can to replace and make it sound really bad when it's not.

[SVTCOBRA]

I purchased one of my 05's with 40K miles and the belt was making noise so I had them replace the belts as part of the deal.

When I changed the belts on my 01 pathy, Nissan's prices were cheaper than the parts store. So, I would say1) Yes,2) OK price3) Don't know, will investigate when mine hits 60K and will probably do the service myself.Don't understand why Nissan would be more than Infiniti.....they are normally less. I would ask Nissan if they have any coupon books.

[crazyboy3012]

Thank you champagne/SVT for your quick replies. Since Wichita has just 1 Nissan and 1 Infiniti dealer i will call Ok city and Kansas city dealerships to find out. I can't wait to get my own house and have a garage so that i can start working on my own cars!!!

[telcoman]

Thank you champagne/SVT for your quick replies. Since Wichita has just 1 Nissan and 1 Infiniti dealer i will call Ok city and Kansas city dealerships to find out. I can't wait to get my own house and have a garage so that i can start working on my own cars!!!

Keeping a vehicle garaged does seem to make a difference in making belts and hoses last longer.If you spend time on this site you will discover there is a considerable amount of maintenance that you can do yourself to save money. Items such as oil changes, oil filter, air filter, cabin filter, tire rotation, checking tire pressure. checking fluids, etc is all part of vehicle maintence.I don't know what the Infinity labor rate is in kansas but here in NJ it is over $100 per hour.I think the price for the belts was ok. As I do my own maintenance that I described above, I probably would let the dealer do the belts. I had a very bad experience a few years ago when I needed new tensioners for my timing belt on my 1988 Mazda 929. I initially took it to STS that installed incorrect parts. Long story short after two months of hassle, I finally had to take it to the Mazda dealer. I disputed the charge on my credit card and received a refund for poor performance by STS.After that experience, I would rather pay a little more to the dealer than to have to deal with unqualified A$$holes working in independant shops

I would advise everyone to never pay for anything in cash, check, or debit card.Always use a credit card especially one that doubles any manufactures warranty. Always pay your bill in full each month. You won't have to worry about interest rates and your FICO credit score will keep rising.

Telcoman

[champagneG35]

Always use a credit card especially one that doubles any manufactures warranty.

First I've heard of doubling a warranty via credit card Could you explain that a bit for us that missed that memo ?

[smockers83]

I would advise everyone to never pay for anything in cash, check, or debit card.Always use a credit card especially one that doubles any manufactures warranty. Always pay your bill in full each month. You won't have to worry about interest rates and your FICO credit score will keep rising.

Telcoman

Here's the thing with credit cards though, they're much less efficient than cash economically. With credit cards there are lots of transaction costs, not particularly towards the user but the store that you used it at. Credit card companies charge a percentage of each transaction to the store. Cash virtually has no transaction cost. Credit cards should only be used wisely and only with a budget. Only if you know exactly what you're doing should you use credit cards all the time, in which you yourself could possibly have more money in the process.

[telcoman]

First I've heard of doubling a warranty via credit card Could you explain that a bit for us that missed that memo ?

American Express is one but that card has an annual fee.

Citibank Platinum is another one with no annual fee

When traveling abroad Capital One has no foreign transaction fees or an annual fee.

My Marriott Rewards gives me points that can be used for free overnight stays or can be converted to airline miles for free flights. All our food shopping goes on that card. When buying a new car and you are absolutely sure this is the car for you ,try to put like a $5k downpayment on it if the dealer will allow. Pay the charge at the end of the month. Bingo your credit score just went up.

You need to read the fine print and ask a lot of questions. Also certain credit cards pick up the CDW when renting cars at airports.

Telcoman

[champagneG35]

Telcoman....still confused here. I know about those types of cards that have rewards built into them I have one. I don't know about the warranty doubling part ? Or do you just mean a credit card that gives you rewards not necessarily tied into the warranty ?

[crazyboy3012]

Ok..i just checked out the 60 K scheduled maintenance prices at couple of other locations. Let me summarize.

1. Infiniti of Kirkland (WA) - 945$+ tax (Moving to the seattle area in 3 weeks)2. Sewell Infiniti- Dallas (TX) - 1135$+tax (I am in Dallas right now)3. Stevens Infinit - Wichita (KS) - 400 something + tax4. Davis Moore Nissan - Wichita (KS)-600 something + tax

I cannot believe how the prices differ from city to city. I expected a modest $ change. But there seems to be a big $ change.

I have decided to do the following. 1. Get the Oil change done for 29.99 as usual from the Nissasn dealr.2. Change the air filter and in cabin micro filter myself. (Planning to get the K & N air filter)3. Rotate and balance the tires at midas or elsewhhere when they have a promo going on4. Just changed the drive belts last week for $145 at the local nissan dealer..so i am not worried abt the belts.5. Top off all the fluids.

Anything else????

Thanks