Hi everyone,

I need to address my leaking CV boots. I believe it's the outter ones that need to be serviced. I have a mechanic who wants to just change only the boots for $500.00 and another who wants to install new axles instead for the same price. I was told that the axles weren't necessary and the origianal ones are better. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

find another mechanic,you can buy both sides for a lot less at Ebay or FCP Groton
which advertised on this site,and have them installed by anyone,they are not hard to install. you might end up saving anywhere between $100.00 and $200.00

 

I never change boots... to me, it's like doing more work to repair a worn part. Most auto parts store new or remanufactured CV axles have a lifetime warranty on them, and I've had to use that maybe one time. (I'm a mechanic who specializes in European cars.) Axle boots don't have a warranty. Changing the boot costs less in parts, but more in labor, as you have to take the whole axle apart to do them, and who knows what junk got in there while the boot was torn. A reasonable price for having the axles replaced on your car... well, if the shop will install customer- supplied axles, book labor is 1.3 hours for the right side and .9 hours for the left side. (not that it really takes .4 hours longer to change the right side...) Going shop labor in my area is $85/hr, so that's $187. Auto parts stores such as advance typically sell the axles for $75 each, so that's $150. If you let the shop get them, you're probably looking at around $250 in parts after the shop gets their markup... so $500 is a little on the high side, but not that bad.

 

Great advice. Thanks!

I wonder what happens if I wait too long. Will the CV joint eventually break and leave me stranded?

 

I actually installed axles L and R on my car today! I ordered the axles yesterday for $156 for both, and they got here today so I went out in the cold and did em in about 3hrs. If you can do brakes... you can do axles.. and yes if you don't fix it you will be stranded!