Is Honda Workshop ripping me off or are there prices really that high?

[contact_wolfpack]

Greetings and Assalam o Alaikum folks

I recently bought a Civic 2002 ES 7th Gen

Unfortunately it was after purchase that I realized that the car had a leakage under engine room, took it to Honda Workshop they ramped it up and the mechanic said car has leakage for Tapet cover, chamber below, Axle Seals and Hydraulic pipes of power steering

I asked them for parts they took chassis number and quoted following prices for the rubber seals they had

Valve cover seal (tapet jain) > 2880Rs

Axle Seal Left >3000Rs

Axle Seal Right>3500Rs

They didn't have any chamber seal in stock and i couldn't find in other stores either, some people said silicone method for sealing the chamber below is good while the honda mechanic said we have replaced the chamber seals before on this model it didn't help

I asked the other 3rd party store for the same parts they quoted bring the seals and we will hand you by comparing the size, we don't have by part number, according to them
Axle Seal pair (left and right) was 900Rs
Valve Seal 1800Rs

This had me Wondering that 3rd party estimate is 2700Rs in Total while Honda OEM estimate is 9380Rs for the same parts

Also Honda OEM Manual transmission fluid they quoted 2800/L I think(if required)

So I thought I should consult experts here whether what should I opt for

Also the labour of replacing Valve seal along with Left and Right Axle Seals at Honda Workshop is

5750RS

As for Hydraulic Steering leak repair they quoted around 15k as they said for that they'll have to remove suspension to get to it(They had quoted 13k for suspension work to me before), to which I asked since they are charging for Suspension, will that be covered in this cost of hydraulic leak repair too since they are charging for suspension, they said yes(but you'll have to source parts e.g shocks etc if required)

So If I spend like 30k+ smth they'll fix the leaks and suspension plus extra for the other parts of required

Are these prices justifiable?

Kindly guide me what to do, what should I opt for, Also I have been considering Electronic Power Steering as I have heard thats the go to for 7th generation, if someone would quote me how much it would cost these days and what stuff would I need would be great

Your help will be appreciated, I want to turn this into a project car and turn this into a true JDM beauty

Thanks in advance much appreciated

[Xulfiqar]

So you are telling us that a Honda workshop quoted you all the prices etc on a post it note? And used words like typet jain.

Is this an imaginary workshop?

[fastian04]

Genuine part is expensive vs rip offs and always makes more sense. U can find someone else as mechanic and bring parts from dealership . Going for local parts and seals is just wastage of time and money

[ifadey]

What Salman said is correct. OE parts are always expensive than after market. It's best to buy original parts due to quality and longevity.

[contact_wolfpack]

I gave the mechanic the post it note to write down the estimate (as they were quoting lots of things) it could have been on any paper, I don't see hows that relevant or are they supposed to print it out or something? And yes I kept referring to it as valve seal but the mechanic kept referring to it as tapet jain and that writing is of the guy from Honda who was giving me estimate from a printed list he had on hand, as you can clearly see he wrote axcel instead of axle, This imaginary Honda Workshop does exist and is the only official Honda Workshop located in Quetta

Even this picture of post it note was taken at the honda service center, if some could pull the location from the picture I am happy to post the original file

Nevertheless brother your feedback on the issue would have been more helpful

[affanhaq94]

Part prices seem decent. If you have all the part numbers, call any other honda dealership in the vicinity and ask for quotes by giving them the part number.

Or, you can contact PartsCentral for parts as well. He can quote you genuine Vs aftermarket quality parts using their whatsapp. That way, you can make your decision yourself.

Dealerships usually quote a bit higher for parts. Avoid local cheap brands as the quality is bad.

Any decent mechanic can install them as well.

You don't need EPS if your car is working fine. If per say, your entire p/s system was destroyed and its costing an arm/leg to repair, that's when you may consider a retrofit.

[contact_wolfpack]

Hmm I see, thanks brother for the feedback Honda Dealer ship gave me a total estimate of

9380 for 3 seals
5750 for seal repair
And 17k for suspension removal/fix and Hydraulic repair
2k discount

For a total of 30k with extra charges for parts I'll have to source from 3rd party

Here in my city given their setup and power tools they jad on hand I don't have an issue paying them for this I just dont know if they are quoting too much or ripping me off with these quotes also I was thinking since I have paying for suspension and all that fuss should I also opt for Electronic Power steering in this cost

[affanhaq94]

Maybe call another honda dealership, anywhere else. Give them the work you need done, and ask them for the prices.

You will know if you are being ripped off or not. Yes it may seem pricey, but it's a lot of work and time/labor.

[valkyr]

@contact_wolfpack
Go only for OEM parts and Honda dealership maintenance as already suggested by @fastian04

[contact_wolfpack]

Thanks mate and thanks folks for the replies, I'll look it up at Parts Central also I noticed on the forum that many people pointed out that Hydraulic Power Steering on 7th gen always ends up leaking and making noise, my steering is not factory great but okayish, It does make sound turning in 1st gear around 1k RPM, actually I was wondering If I am paying extra 15k for suspension fix + hydraulic leak fix should I be opting for EPS as I am already paying for all this repair It will be a done deal once and for all, although I am not sure which one is the best @Mun33b did a swap on his Honda too, waiting for his feedback

[affanhaq94]

Check the fluid level, it could be low causing your pump to wear out. If it's full, then the pump 'may' be on its way out.

However, someone with more experience may chime in. Especially with the EPS conversion as I dont have the experience or knowledge to comment.

[Xulfiqar]

when a dealership workshop quotes you a repair job, they will give you an estimate of parts and labour on their own printed paperwork, not a post it note with line items that say "axcel" or "typet" or "jain"

you need to get out of that imaginary shop and head to an actual shop.

[contact_wolfpack]

Unfortunately this "Imaginary Shop" is the only Official Honda Dealership and Service Center here in Balochistan,so far I've not seen them handing estimates on printed paperwork instead I have noticed here it is after that you have opted for repairs and purchase they hand you printed receipt not before at least that's how it is here, for me it was an actual Honda Service Center which is listed their official website, maybe you should pay them a visit and turn imagination in to reality

Nevertheless thanks for your help I think

[contact_wolfpack]

Okay brother, I have checked the Power Steering fluid levels it's sitting in between Upper level and Lower level when parked

[Xulfiqar]

If that shop is doing shady work, transport your car to a more reasonable place and have this work done.

You have a rather old model and very easy to repair too, they are everyday r&r items for any workshop, official or not.

[contact_wolfpack]

Thanks, I'll do a bit of research on their pricing, unfortunately here in Quetta we don't have much of great services available in this regard, I think I'll end up paying them 30k for this I just have to sort the EPS thing out, regarding how much it will cost me

[Xulfiqar]

Dont go for eps, this car has a very simple hydraulic steering, one pressure line, one suction to pump, a few return rubber pieces to join the return/cooler line.

It will be very cheap just to replace the leaking line(s) after a full leak check, clean the reservoir tank and fill with new honda psf all the way,

[valkyr]

@contact_wolfpack
All the best for the car maintenance.
Don't be offended by @Xulfiqar Bhai's messages. He's a maestro in car things

[contact_wolfpack]

Thanks for the reply, I didn't change the HPS after all, also I heard on highways and what's not with HPS one feels more connected to the road in comparison to EPS, also you mentioned Honda genuine PSF, which I did some research on is transparent, the PSF my car came with is more like a Red one like in Toyota cars and I presume its thicker, what do you suggest should I drain and swap or that will cause even more problems

[contact_wolfpack]

no not offended at all, he does have a point its very un professional of Honda dealership to be handing out estimates on sticky notes lol, but after having an year of experience with them I have come to realize they have a lot of shady people over there and its not ran like a proper dealership