Kit Price

[Haitian_King]

Before I place this order, I'd like to know from anyone who's ordered it, the price of the Chain Guide Replacement kit. The site shows it @ $429.37. Would I benefit more from calling Joe, or whoever is there? Or would it be the same ordering from the site?

If calling the order in is better, I won't be able to till Monday, according to the website.

Anyone?

Also, I'm considering tacking on the Under Plenum Hose kit. How much more labor would you estimate it would add to the guide replacement job and VC reseal? If it's better to get it done now, I might as well, or is it something that can wait?

I've read that a VC reseal for a 90-93 needs "half-moon plugs". What the hell are they? I can't find them on the site.

[Haitian_King]

So I guess I should just sit and chop onions? That's cool.

[Lifted79CJ7]

I remember reading somewhere that you could pick them up for ~$300 and some change. I would call our buddies out west and see if you can't save yourself $50 or so.

As for the plenum hoses, I haven't checked mine either, but the best thing to do is preventative maintenance. We are driving decade and a half year old cars. Keep us updated with the prices you get!

Jack

[Haitian_King]

Ah. Thank you. I guess I won't be ordering them today from the site. I'll call tomorrow when they open.

About the hose kit, I want to change them, I'm just wondering what sort of extra labor would be attached. I want to get this damn engine taken care of and move on to other things.

Thanks for the info.

[maxnix]

If you remove the plenum, little extra labor to install new hoses as opposed to old ones if they are still intact.

[Haitian_King]

If you remove the plenum, little extra labor to install new hoses as opposed to old ones if they are still intact.

I should have posed the question with a bit more clarity. It was my intent to find out how much more labor in hours. How much time would it add to the chain guide replacement and VC reseal if the plenum was removed, new hoses installed, and the plenum replaced?

I'd like to just get the hoses out of the way while the car is in the shop and at the moment the UPHK is in my shopping cart along with the CGRK.

[Haitian_King]

Anyone with any info on the "half-moon" plugs?

zer...93933

the 90-93 Valve Covers are sealed with RTV and half-moon end plugs. Do I need to replace mine and get new ones?

Never mind. Google saved me.

zer...03961

I'll add them to the list when I call IOS.
Modified by Haitian_King at 2:06 PM 3/2/2008

[Q45tech]

I would guess chain guides [no drive chains except oil chain and no oil pan drop] would be 8-10 hours , valve covers 5-6 hours and plenum hoses 5-6 hours [without KS or injector work] 18-22 hours................now experts familiar [ doing these on a weekly basis] with the process could probably do it a little faster but don't expect faster than 2 days labor.

The question is how many hours get added to make up for profit lost on parts and what a labor day is charged 8 or 10 or 12 hours....................I would think $2200 for labor only would be fair for both parties but everyone has their own overhead and business calculations.

This grouping of labor is a common recommendation and we usually add to it KS and harness parts and 1 hour. Often a matter of doing things to protect the owner in the future.

The rub is when there are missing pieces in the oil pan adding another 5-6+ hours.

See this is $3700 why I recommend used 90-93 buyers have at least $3,000 in spare cash.

When you add in drive shaft , transmission, ac system, radiator, brakes hopefully you can see $6600 +$3700 = $10,300.

Why I use the $3-10K possibility, add in shocks and suspension, tires, misc things you can see an upto $15k eventual rehabilitation.

Not many buy a used car when they know they could be spending $15,000 to return it to near normal, even half that is a shocker.

But as you can see the listed items are those that frequently get replaced by forum members just not all at once.

[Haitian_King]

I would guess chain guides [no drive chains except oil chain and no oil pan drop] would be 8-10 hours , valve covers 5-6 hours and plenum hoses 5-6 hours [without KS or injector work] 18-22 hours................now experts familiar [ doing these on a weekly basis] with the process could probably do it a little faster but don't expect faster than 2 days labor.

The question is how many hours get added to make up for profit lost on parts and what a labor day is charged 8 or 10 or 12 hours....................I would think $2200 for labor only would be fair for both parties but everyone has their own overhead and business calculations.

This grouping of labor is a common recommendation and we usually add to it KS and harness parts and 1 hour. Often a matter of doing things to protect the owner in the future.

The rub is when there are missing pieces in the oil pan adding another 5-6+ hours.

See this is $3700 why I recommend used 90-93 buyers have at least $3,000 in spare cash.

When you add in drive shaft , transmission, ac system, radiator, brakes hopefully you can see $6600 +$3700 = $10,300.

Why I use the $3-10K possibility, add in shocks and suspension, tires, misc things you can see an upto $15k eventual rehabilitation.

Not many buy a used car when they know they could be spending $15,000 to return it to near normal, even half that is a shocker.

But as you can see the listed items are those that frequently get replaced by forum members just not all at once.

Holy hell!

I don't mind sinking $15K into the Q over the next 3-5 years. As long as it keeps me happy.

So I'll be looking at $1530 for labor, best case? ($2210 if the pan needs to be dropped) That's the figure I've come up with if the labor rate doesn't increase because I supplied my own parts. But wouldn't the parts come from the same place? Who else besides IOS supplies major parts for G50's?

Keith recommended getting the parts myself and keeping them in the trunk or something until I was ready to do the job, but I didn't order them. Do you think he'd change the rate on me? (I mean, he has every right to.)

For the two kits, I'm looking at $600 and change.

Wow.

I'm wondering about the hose thing. Would it be best to get them done while the VC's are getting done and the front cover off? Or save them for a later day and do it myself?

A pretty penny. I have $3k set aside for this job, but the total cost seems to be approaching my threshold. My "budget" had included the cost of a rental.

Goodbye G35, hello Cobalt.

[Q45tech]

All dealers [parts department] give local independent shops a discount [based on annual purchase volume] so they can mark the parts up to MSRP [retail] and make 15%-20-25% on parts they sell [with labor] so that labor rate doesn't have to carry the entire cost burden.

Same thing ocurs with dealership service department they pay the parts department and get a discount.................the parts department makes 25% profit [markup to pay inbound freight, space rental, emplyee salaries, and the massive loan they must service to maintain the million in inventory.

All IOS is doing is giving Inet customers the same or slightly less than they would give a Large Phoenix Independent Shop.

We buy $100,000 + worth of parts per month from dealers and are lucky to average 21% discount BUT they deliver mornings and afternoons daily and pick up cores and defects. The semis from the warehouse deliver to dealers 2-3 times per week so any part is just 2 days away worst case.

[Haitian_King]

Ah. Damn.

I'll be calling Keith in the morning and will run this down with him.

[Q45tech]

Small shops may have smaller overhead or just take what you have "as sometimes some paid work is better than no work" Plus act as though this is just your 6 month budget and you can be counted upon to return and return and return.

[Haitian_King]

Ok. Thanks for the advice. I will be returning to get my driveline issues fixed. Mount, shaft, and seals.

[lino]

How much of this work have you done so far? Just curious since more than 2 years has passed by

[qship96]

Pretty sure he was one of the many short term Q owners who have passed through Nico, not understanding the true costs involved in purchasing a old lux car.....since thrown in the towel and moved on to another car

[Infinitiguy19]

He was a cool guy who loves the Q...I think its far more likely he doesn't like the new forum. I don't see many members because of the new NICO, And the ones that came back aren't as active.