Transfer Case Removal

[4G63 for Me]

My car is at Chrysler getting recall work done for the transfer case. They are replacing the transfer case entirely. Now, I have a 3 inch custom exhaust on the car and they are telling me I will be charged $100 to remove and reinstall the exhaust because it is aftermarket, and wouldn't have to do that if the exhaust was factory.

I looked in a repair manual and the step states to disconnect the front exhaust pipe. So doesn't that mean they have to remove the darn exhaust anyway, even if it is from the factory?

Any input is greatly appreciated.

[sbiggi]

They are full of shit.

The stock exhaust is more of a pain to remove then a aftermarket in most cases. Plus the stock exhaust would have to come off anyways.

Most of the time you can disconnect it from the o2 and just push it out of the way with out removing it.

[BIG16GDSM]

I would not pay $100.00 for that. All they have to do is remove the down pipe, four bolts and and pull three hangers. That is #@!*ing outrageous.

[DSMtuned]

You should offer to go down there yourself and take 5 minutes to pull the downpipe. When they are ready you can come back, install the downpipe and drive off with your fixed car.

This is why I do all my own work. It sucks it's a recall and you can't do it yourself.

-Craig

[Hal]

Since they want to charge you the $100, just go buy the parts and do it yourself.

They are far less than $100

Hal

[4G63 for Me]

They changed their story. Originally it was because it was too large, they had to take it off, and if it was a factory exhaust, they wouldn't have had to. After I faxed them the steps stating that it needed to be removed anyway, it changed to "well we knew that but since it is welded pretty much all the way through, there aren't enough breaks so we have to take a lot more off than necessary." She also dropped it down to $55.

I suppose I can live with a brand new $55 transfer case that probably shouldn't have been covered under the recall.

Thanks for all your input. And in case anybody was wondering, this is the Faricy Boy's Chrysler Dealer by Woodmen and Austin Bluffs in Colorado Springs.

[TSi21]

I went down there when my turbo was about to go out. They quoted me over 1300 to replace just the turbo. That doesn't include labor or anything. Lesson learned: don't go to dealerships.

Chris

[denverdandb]

Dont go to dealerships, if you want to know why you can ask, (long bad story). Tell them that you can do it yourself at the most, (im not sure of your exp. level.) All it takes to get the exhaust off is the 2 bolts from the turbo exhaust housing, if it needs more than that the exhaust can always be completely unbolted with little trouble, just a bracket and a few more bolts, all easily accessable. the whole exhaust may need to be removed to get the T-case out, but its nothing you should not be able to do yourself, given you can work a wrench, jack, shims and a wrench. watch out for oil
:D!

PS Ive only done this on a 1g, If you have a 2g im not sure what to do.

(Get a Gvr4 T-case, just so you can have FWD if in the case that it is a 1g!, just if you want.)

[Bryan Savage]

That's an interesting story. I used to be a tech at The Faricy Boys, but I quit and went back to school because an honest mechanic can't make any money. That's how that business works.

Trying to charge you extra money for an operating procedure that would have to be performed anyway is a pretty underhanded maneuver, but the tech is just trying to make some money off the deal. Warranty pays next to nothing for recall work. I'll be willing to bet there was nothing wrong with your transfer case, but that's easier to replace than the front yoke and u-joint. Instead of actually looking at the problem, the tech just looks at the easiest fix and orders that part.

When I worked there, I hated it only because we're where the buck stops. Everyone hates the dealership because of things like the underhandedness, but I bet you don't ever go there for anything else. Nobody brings anything but warranty work to dealerships. Since warranty pays less than nothing in most cases, there's no choice but to try and pinch the customer for extra money.

The only other thing dealerships seem to be good for are other shop's screw ups. The dealership is where everything ends up if nobody else can figure out the problem, or somebody else thought they did, and made things worse.

I wish everybody would go to the dealer for everything. They have factory support and they know more about everything. The more people would go there, the less they would have to gouge you when you bring them an old recall.

However, to be a hypocrite, I don't go anywhere because I can't afford it. I learned to work on cars so I wouldn't have to go anywhere, because I know how the service industry works. If you had a service history with The Faricy Boys, they wouldn't have charged you extra for the exhaust.

[denverdandb]

My car has been in the shop going on 6 weeks (Arapahoe Mitsubishi), Im going to have to agree w/ Mr. Savage on this one. If you say something in the right way they may let you take the exhaust off yourself. In the 6 weeks that my car has been there, I have been to do work myself on my car numerous times. Just make 'friends' with the service manager and see if he'll let you.

My advice would be, take it to someone who isnt trying to shaft you for thier own ignorance.

[4G63 for Me]

I had taken my car there before when I thought the ball joint had given out. I was going 45 at the time so there was some hefty damage. They informed me it wasn't because of the ball joint recall, then turned me away to someone else (because they didn't do body work).

In all honesty, I would LOVE to be able to take my car to the dealership to get the work done, but they charge too much and it is very impersonal. I want to know who is working on my car.