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Need FAST Reliable cheap ball-joint mech Mesa AZ

cannesdo
Explorer
Explorer
Ball joints are out on my F250. They're asking almost $1000 at Reliable Diesel in Mesa. Guy with his own shop advertising on CL (I have had great luck with these kinds of listings and saved a lot) is asking just $550.

Also, Good Sam paid to tow it to Reliable Diesel who diagnosed it. What does Good Sam cover? The diagnosis as well? If I choose to go to a different place is the towing out of my pocket? I'm guessing yes. But still worth it. And if I do have it moved to a new place I'm guessing Reliable will charge me for the diagnosis? I haven't had much car trouble in my life...no idea how all this works.

Anyone know of a good honest mechanic in the Mesa area with great prices?

Thanks!
31 REPLIES 31

cannesdo
Explorer
Explorer
rhagfo wrote:
cannesdo wrote:


One is gone, the other is close to gone. Maybe I'll have them do the one then do that other later. Just as I was getting into Mesa the clanging started.


Missed this earlier! How in the name of God can you let ball joints go that far!! Mine were still within tolerances, but the truck was wanting to follow the road ruts too much for me. To get one to the point of failure that truck must have driven like it had a mind of its own.


Aw, you guys are always so sweet to me. I can always count on "told you so's" and sarcasm and comments generally suggesting I'm so stupid I deserve to die on the open road from this bunch. Is it just your generation or is this the way men talk to each other all the time?

To answer your incredibly rude question:

1. I'm a woman, whose never owned anything but Subarus, which never need work and never die.

2. There was absolutely no indication there was anything wrong with the truck. I've had it 7 years and it felt just like it did the day I got it. It went from working great to clunking like crazy. No indication during the two day trip...I just got to Mesa and stopped at a light and started up and the clunking began.

And before you conclude I'm just some fragile flower without a clue I've saved 15K in the last 7 years doing work myself, just installed new carpet -- myself. Removed and rebuilt my shower with new glass -- myself. Fixed my refrigerator by removing it -- myself, turning it upside down and replacing it -- myself. Replaced my roof antenna, redid all the caulking on the roof, replaced 800 exterior screws, removed all my day/night shades, washed and restrung and rehung them and instaled a 2nd A/C -- MYSELF.

It's both funny and sad -- but mostly sad -- how you guys assume the absolute worst about everyone...people you've never met. Oh, if she's only going to do one, then that means she's just going to wait for the other one to fail. Then she's going to come crying back to us. Really... is that my plan? You make up a whole story about what a naive irresponsible loser I am. Righto...Truth is, I'm bright, probably brighter than you, as I do use critical thinking skills to determine which risks are worth taking and which aren't. And I save a lot of money that way and I've yet to get it wrong. I meet great hardworking people by doing this as well. And, since I'm on a roll, I treat other people -- including those I don't know at all -- with respect, because unlike you I'm not some kind of shaming power junkie looking for a fix.

How about telling me how to recognize the signs of ball joints going bad rather than coming in here and waving your ____ around and telling me what an idiot I am. Are you here to make the world a better place or just in it because it lets you deliver some quick anonymous kicks to the virtual kidneys of complete strangers? Squirrely steeering? I didn't notice anything like that. What else? Do you have anything kind to say, anything helpful? Because I just drove 15K lbs a thousand miles and the last hour was scary as hell and I'm 3 days behind on work and the last thing I need right now is this **** on top of everything else.

And after that nightmare, when I was finally here, exhausted and shaken, I got both tires of a 36' 5er a half inch from the concrete pad on the first try. I've seen you guys park. Sometimes it takes you 40 minutes to get it in there and it's *still* crooked. And if I was a man I would probably come over and say, "That might be too much rig for you, Brother." But as a woman I don't even think it. All I do is think about how to make your day better. I may not know anything about ball joints but I've gone above and beyond for my neighbors everywhere I go, crawliing up on their roofs and fixing their ceiling fans, curing their pets of their food allergies and just generally helping out any way I can.

So I suggest you check yourself and begin again, or just back off, because right now, energetically, I am at a really...low...ebb.

And I would suggest, if there's a woman in your life you go and get her some flowers because if that's the way you talk to people who are having a rough day, my guess is she deserves them.

cannesdo
Explorer
Explorer
Guy offering it for $500 and change for all four joints has an A rating by the BBB and the reviews give him a 4.76 out of 5 stars. That works for me. Chas's Desert View Automotive. I'll report back about my experience. I'm thinking about about $100 or so for the inspection at the other place? $125? Still coming out $300 ahead. I tried calling the place that has my truck right now (Reliable) all afternoon and just got a recording. Everytime I got that **** recording I wanted more and more to go somewhere else. I like helping out the little guy.

rhagfo
Explorer III
Explorer III
cannesdo wrote:


One is gone, the other is close to gone. Maybe I'll have them do the one then do that other later. Just as I was getting into Mesa the clanging started.


Missed this earlier! How in the name of God can you let ball joints go that far!! Mine were still within tolerances, but the truck was wanting to follow the road ruts too much for me. To get one to the point of failure that truck must have driven like it had a mind of its own.
Russ & Paula the Beagle Belle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 Aisin DRW 4X4 Long bed.
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS, 32' GVWR 12,360#

"Visit and Enjoy Oregon State Parks"

ScottG
Nomad
Nomad
Gdetrailer wrote:
ScottG wrote:
1k parts and labor is a normal cost.


Eh.. a bit on the high side.

Seems to me the last time I had ball joints changed (all 4) on our 2006 F250 2wd the entire job was about $800 AT THE FORD DEALER.

Could the OP "save" some money?

Since their vehicle is already in a shop and the shop will charge for the estimate AND the next tow will cost them a bundle, NO.

Towing isn't cheap and most likely will cost them at least $150-$200 just to tow it.. So, since it is there you may as well get it done for the $1K..

I would however steer clear of the $500 place, they may not have decent mechanics and or they may skip (or charge extra) the alignment (hidden cost)..


I'm sure it depends on where you live. Things are high here.
I had mine done on my last 2WD truck about 13 years ago. It was over 1K then.

Gdetrailer
Explorer III
Explorer III
Old-Biscuit wrote:
One is gone, the other is close to gone. Maybe I'll have them do the one then do that other later.


Say WHAT :H

That sounds like another future post asking 'Where can I get front end work done in such and such place?"


Do yourself a favor, just get ALL of them done at the same time.

In the long run the LABOR cost will be cheaper since the shop will have your vehicle on the rack AND you will only need ONE alignment done.

Splitting the job will require paying for a second alignment..

Generally if one is done the others will be very close to being done and will only buy you a short amount of miles down the road.

Been there, done that and learned the hard way.

BurbMan
Explorer II
Explorer II
BINGO, there is a big difference in part quality, and if you are going to pay the labor to have the parts changed, put in the best parts you can get. I have always liked Moog, Raybestos Professional is good also, and of course Motorcraft.

rhagfo
Explorer III
Explorer III
cannesdo wrote:
Found a guy who will move the truck to another shop for just $55 tomorrow. Going to ask them what they would charge me for just the estimate at the place it's at now.

You don't state 4X2 or 4X4. I installed Moog ball joints on my ram and parts were $400. I see some store brands for under $20. I think I would rather have the Moog, for piece of mind pulling our 5er.
Russ & Paula the Beagle Belle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 Aisin DRW 4X4 Long bed.
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS, 32' GVWR 12,360#

"Visit and Enjoy Oregon State Parks"

transamz9
Explorer
Explorer
cannesdo wrote:
Found a guy who will move the truck to another shop for just $55 tomorrow. Going to ask them what they would charge me for just the estimate at the place it's at now.


What model year F250 do you have? 2X4 or 4X4?
2016 Ram 3500 Mega Cab Limited/2013 Ram 3500 SRW Cummins(sold)/2005 RAM 2500 Cummins/2011 Sandpiper 345 RET (sold) 2015 Sanibel 3601/2008 Nitro Z9 Mercury 250 PRO XS the best motor made.

cannesdo
Explorer
Explorer
Found a guy who will move the truck to another shop for just $55 tomorrow. Going to ask them what they would charge me for just the estimate at the place it's at now.

cannesdo
Explorer
Explorer
Like a month or two. I won't be doing anything but (workingg 12 hrs a day and) sitting by the pool for the next 3 months. Post office I need for work is right on site. This would get me mobile so I could find another option for the other side. "close to gone" are my words. He gave me the measurements. The 2nd ws twice what the first one was.

GSRoadsideAssis
Explorer
Explorer
Thank you for your post, cannesdo. I would like the opportunity to speak with you and assist you concerning your post. I would be more than happy to contact you…please send me a private message with your Good Sam Roadside Assistance membership number and contact information: telephone and e-mail. I am looking forward to speaking with you.
Thank you,
Frank
Good Sam Roadside Assistance

Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Explorer III
One is gone, the other is close to gone. Maybe I'll have them do the one then do that other later.


Say WHAT :H

That sounds like another future post asking 'Where can I get front end work done in such and such place?"
Is it time for your medication or mine?


2007 DODGE 3500 QC SRW 5.9L CTD In-Bed 'quiet gen'
2007 HitchHiker II 32.5 UKTG 2000W Xantex Inverter
US NAVY------USS Decatur DDG31

Gdetrailer
Explorer III
Explorer III
ScottG wrote:
1k parts and labor is a normal cost.


Eh.. a bit on the high side.

Seems to me the last time I had ball joints changed (all 4) on our 2006 F250 2wd the entire job was about $800 AT THE FORD DEALER.

Could the OP "save" some money?

Since their vehicle is already in a shop and the shop will charge for the estimate AND the next tow will cost them a bundle, NO.

Towing isn't cheap and most likely will cost them at least $150-$200 just to tow it.. So, since it is there you may as well get it done for the $1K..

I would however steer clear of the $500 place, they may not have decent mechanics and or they may skip (or charge extra) the alignment (hidden cost)..

cannesdo
Explorer
Explorer
New parts, certified, BBB....I've had so many of these low-overhead one-man operations do work on my vehicles at great savings and never had any problems. Always have a great experience. I've got a pretty good gut as well. I tend to go with that over any cut and dried expressions. It's never steered me wrong yet. I read people very well. He told me I could get the parts myself and recommended a brand and a place to get them.

One is gone, the other is close to gone. Maybe I'll have them do the one then do that other later. Just as I was getting into Mesa the clanging started. I just come through the mtns from Peyson and was so glad it didn't go down in one of those gullies where there's no cell reception. I called a random tow guy and just asked if he knew what it could be and it if he thought it was safe to crawl to the resort. He was the owner of the company and was driving toward me the whole time as I was crawling along the side of the road with my hazards on. He came and got underneath and drove it 30 feet and heard it and said he thought I could crawl to the resort. Took 50 min. to get 6 miles. He stuck with me and blocked traffic and didn't charge me a dime. Had to very carefully ease it along. Worse when accelerating. Got unhooked and it was driving normally this morning for 50 feet or so but the guy at the shop didn't even make it out of the parking lot before it started up again and he declared it unsafe to drive.

Everyone talks about that short-cut through Peyson but no one told me about the crazy long inclines at the far end. Not doing that again. So glad it didn't go there.

ScottG
Nomad
Nomad
1k parts and labor is a normal cost.