Indie Mechanic/glendale, Ca

[prix]

I've been to this guy several times now, and he's very competent. I get more 'done' (my questions answered, tests performed) in five minutes there than I would get in 3 hours at the dealership. His work is great, and the prices are even better -- $60 per hour, plus he runs specials. He will let you bring your own parts to him to save even more money. His parts prices (if you have him order them up) seem about the same as a dealer... so for all the work he did for me I brought my own parts...

One day when he needed my car all day to work on it? Gave me his Toyota Camry to drive around to go shopping. Saved me the price of a rental car. Yes, it's that kind of place. Not a big expensive place with loaners and salesmen in expensive suits, but you get taken care of all the same. He makes you feel at home and listens to what you have to say.

For those of you in the LA area who are looking for an alternative to a dealer (I'm willing to commute to get to him, because it's worth it), he's at Foothill Independent in La Crescenta, CA (near Glendale) and his phone is 818-279-3933. Tell him you heard of him on a Lexus forum. Not getting anything in return for this blurb, but would like to help out anyone else who needs an factory trained indie mechanic at a good rate (he worked in Lexus dealership for more than five years)...

Good luck!

[monarch]

If he's so good, then how come he let you pour $1,500 into a LS400 power steering system that has only 66,000 miles on it?

An honest and competent mechanic would have told you:

To eliminate fluid leaks and solve the stiff steering your PS system just needs the solenoid filter cleaned, the fluid changed with $2 worth of new fluid, the PS pump resealed with a $26 Lexus pump reseal kit and a new $67 air control valve installed on the PS pump.

And why is he now suggesting replacing the entire throttle body on your 66,000 mile car to solve an occassional stalling problem when the TB is designed to last hundreds of thousands of miles?

[nc211]

Prix, I can't argue with monarch's suggestion, if this is the guy that has been giving you this advice over the problems. In all honesty man, someone is giving you some boogus advice on what needs to be done 1st to fix a problem. Those suggestions are what the dealership would recommend to make money on the parts. Are you sure this guy isn't getting these parts at deep discount "dealer internal prices" and making his spread in profits on selling you them? I understand the cheap hourly rate and letting you use his own car and all, but if he's making up for it on the back side in selling you the parts that don't need to be replaced in the first place, then I have to agree with monarch and you're not getting that good of a deal...even if he is very nice. When it comes to money, it ain't personal, it's business. I'd gladly shake your hand, borrow my own car and buy you a beer if you were willing to make me lots of money.

[914lps]

I don't know if this guy is being straight with you or not, or if all your parts really needed replacement or if you could have done less. But if this guy is so good, why the problems with the power steering after he did the work.

I have used a shop in the Valley two times when in Los Angeles. They seem honist and OK. Rates are standard. But if you want to check out a diferant shop, you may want to see what they have to say and how you feel about them. It was Steve's Independant, but the are now going by Automotive Instincts, 818-883-4172, 19831 Ventura Blvd, Woodland Hills.

The fixed my seat when a screw came loose and jamed the track. The spent about two hours taking it apart, tighting everything and putting it back togaether. No parts needed.

I also just used them to replace my Fuel Filter when my car started stalling etc., and I was in LA. The charged about 115.00 for parts (OEM) and labor. They did not try to upsell. I went in complaning about the car acting up, and stated I thought it was fuel filter. They inspected car. Stated it could be filter or other things, but it made sence to start with filter and see if that's it as filter is over due for change, and among the cheeper items to try.

I'm sure there are other great shops in the area, and cheeper. But after two trips over a yr plus, I feel OK with these guys.

Have you tried posting and asking for recomendations to a shop near you?

[oohryry]

If he's so good, then how come he let you pour $1,500 into a LS400 power steering system that has only 66,000 miles on it? 

An honest and competent mechanic would have told you:

To eliminate fluid leaks and solve the stiff steering your PS system just needs the solenoid filter cleaned, the fluid changed with $2 worth of new fluid, the PS pump resealed with a $26 Lexus pump reseal kit and a new $67 air control valve installed on the PS pump. 

And why is he now suggesting replacing the entire throttle body on your 66,000 mile car to solve an occassional stalling problem when the TB is designed to last hundreds of thousands of miles?

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Man I don't know what to say. I need a new throttle body the dealer told me but I'm going to just get it cleaned next Friday and cut off the a/c to see if the problem is still there. I got 113000 miles on mine. It's at the shop now getting a starter put on for 600.00 @ One Stop Auto.

[prix]

Well, no one is obliged to go to him; it's just my opinion, in comparison to what I get when I go to a dealer, where they recommend that I replace everything.

I had had a power steering rack leak for years, the power steering pump was leaking, the hoses were 12 years old and one of them had been replaced due to leaks. It was my decision (not my mechanics!) to go with all new (or rebuilt) components. I did this on the advice of Maval, who said the LS400 is the ONLY make/model of car that they recommend all components of the PS system be replaced at one go.

I purchased rebuilt Maval (or at least thought I did), because they assured me that the seals they use in the rack and the pump were of a quality that would withstand the heat of the engine on this make/model car...and they also said Lexus has been aware for some time of the constant 'issues' with the power steering system (components leaking after only being in the car for three years or so). Since I was on my FOURTH PS pump (all of these pumps replaced piecemeal by the dealer, btw), and my THIRD RACK (also all done by a dealer) I decided to get rebuilts from Maval for the lifetime warranty. The 'piecemeal' fixes never ever worked. If the pump leaked, then next year it would be a hose and the following year the rack. A vicious cycle, if you ask me, and I was tired of it.

So, yes, spend $1500 on an entire new system, get a lifetime warranty on those parts, then if anything goes wrong in a few years, I am covered, at least on replacement parts.

This guy charged me a fraction of what the dealer quoted me on putting in the PS system, and he did a great job. He also did a lot of diagnostic work (as a followup) for free. I don't see it as his responsiblity AT ALL that I was sold a crap part, with a bad solenoid.

If you want to pay 2K+ at the dealer for timing belt service, be my guest. I can get the same work done for $800 or so by this guy, and I guarantee you the work will be of the same or superior quality as the work I get done at the dealer. I watched one mechanic (at the dealer) years ago puzzle and puzzle over how to replace a bulb in my tailight. He finally called someone over to help him. Now THAT's scary.

But I digress: The bad solenoid on my 'new' rebuilt rack and pinion (the one that was causing the stiff power steering) was already on the 'new' rebuilt Maval rack that I gave the mechanic. Post install, when we realized the steering was stiff, he immediately suggested switching out the solenoids (using my original instead) and I refused, reasoning that surely I would be better off with a 'newer' rebuilt component. Why would I want to put in an 'old' solenoid in my new rebuilt rack? Surely there was something else causing the stiff steering. I spent weeks looking for other causes for stiff steering. Yesterday, without asking me (because I would have said 'no', don't do that) he switched out the solenoids and bingo, problem solved.

The only thing I fault him for is an overfill on the fluids when he did some other intermediate service work, but I'll cut him some slack because of 'settling' in and my not going back the next day to have him check it a day later.

It took me a very long while to locate someone I could go to outside of the 'Dark Side' as someone here once put it, and I now have not one, but three options -- three indie shops that I know of -- none of them located terribly near me -- but they are all much more reasonable in price than the dealer and they have factory trained mechs to work on Lexus. Good enough for me...

My car has slightly more than 66K miles on it (now) and as I said, that was my decision, not his. I have no problem at all investing some cash in this car, given that I have had virtually no subtantial outlays for repairs (almost all were covered by warranty). So that doesn't bother me at all. What bothers me is thinking that I may have been sold parts that are not genuine Maval rebuilds. I am still investigating those issues...

Would you rather than I spent 3 grand at the dealer to replace the PS system? Because that's the impression I am getting.

If he's so good, then how come he let you pour $1,500 into a LS400 power steering system that has only 66,000 miles on it? 

An honest and competent mechanic would have told you:

To eliminate fluid leaks and solve the stiff steering your PS system just needs the solenoid filter cleaned, the fluid changed with $2 worth of new fluid, the PS pump resealed with a $26 Lexus pump reseal kit and a new $67 air control valve installed on the PS pump. 

And why is he now suggesting replacing the entire throttle body on your 66,000 mile car to solve an occassional stalling problem when the TB is designed to last hundreds of thousands of miles?

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[prix]

nc211 -- thanks, but who said anything about him selling me parts? how many mchanics do you know who will let YOU take your parts to them and just charge you for the install? that's what he did for me. the last shop i called and asked if they would do that told me to take a hike. he has never sold me a single part. not one.

Prix, I can't argue with monarch's suggestion, if this is the guy that has been giving you this advice over the problems. In all honesty man, someone is giving you some boogus advice on what needs to be done 1st to fix a problem. Those suggestions are what the dealership would recommend to make money on the parts. Are you sure this guy isn't getting these parts at deep discount "dealer internal prices" and making his spread in profits on selling you them? I understand the cheap hourly rate and letting you use his own car and all, but if he's making up for it on the back side in selling you the parts that don't need to be replaced in the first place, then I have to agree with monarch and you're not getting that good of a deal...even if he is very nice. When it comes to money, it ain't personal, it's business. I'd gladly shake your hand, borrow my own car and buy you a beer if you were willing to make me lots of money.

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[prix]

Hi, thanks for another shop recommendatio. As I said, I now have three, which I am okay with. At least one of them I got off this board, and the Foothill guy I learned about through someone at a Lexus dealership (the guy would probably be fired for giving away dealer business, so I won't say which one). The Foothill guy thus far has proved faster and cheaper than the others, but I am not above getting second opinions either if it comes to expensive repairs. It was my decision to replace all components, after having done quite a bit of reading about the 'constant' issue with failure of PS components on this make/model of car.

I don't know if this guy is being straight with you or not, or if all your parts really needed replacement or if you could have done less.  But if this guy is so good, why the problems with the power steering after he did the work.

I have used a shop in the Valley two times when in Los Angeles.  They seem honist and OK.  Rates are standard.  But if you want to check out a diferant shop, you may want to see what they have to say and how you feel about them.  It was Steve's Independant, but the are now going by Automotive Instincts, 818-883-4172, 19831 Ventura  Blvd, Woodland Hills.

The fixed my seat when a screw came loose and jamed the track.  The spent about two hours taking it apart, tighting everything and putting it back togaether.  No parts needed.

I also just used them to replace my Fuel Filter when my car started stalling etc., and I was in LA.  The charged about 115.00 for parts (OEM) and labor.  They did not try to upsell.  I went in complaning about the car acting up, and stated I thought it was fuel filter.  They inspected car.  Stated it could be filter or other things, but it made sence to start with filter and see if that's it as filter is over due for change, and among the cheeper items to try.

I'm sure there are other great shops in the area, and cheeper.  But after two trips over a yr plus, I feel OK with these guys.

Have you tried posting and asking for recomendations to a shop near you?

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[nc211]

Oh...ok! I didn't know that part of the story. I thought you were taking the car to him to diagnoise the problem, he says "xyz part is bad, you need a new one and they're $XXX amount, I can get it tomorrow". But if you're just employing his labor, than nevermind my post. I have a couple indi's here that I too take them the parts to install for me.

Well, no one is obliged to go to him; it's just my opinion, in comparison to what I get when I go to a dealer, where they recommend that I replace everything. 

I had had a power steering rack leak for years, the power steering pump was leaking, the hoses were 12 years old and one of them had been replaced due to leaks.  It was my decision (not my mechanics!) to go with all new (or rebuilt) components. I did this on the advice of Maval, who said the LS400 is the ONLY make/model of car that they recommend all components of the PS system be replaced at one go. 

I purchased rebuilt Maval (or at least thought I did), because they assured me that the seals they use in the rack and the pump were of a quality that would withstand the heat of the engine on this make/model car...and they also said Lexus has been aware for some time of the constant 'issues' with the power steering system (components leaking after only being in the car for three years or so). Since I was on my FOURTH PS pump (all of these pumps replaced piecemeal by the dealer, btw), and my THIRD RACK (also all done by a dealer) I decided to get rebuilts from Maval for the lifetime warranty.  The 'piecemeal' fixes never ever worked.  If the pump leaked, then next year it would be a hose and the following year the rack.  A vicious cycle, if you ask me, and I was tired of it.

So, yes, spend $1500 on an entire new system, get a lifetime warranty on those parts, then if anything goes wrong in a few years, I am covered, at least on replacement parts. 

This guy charged me a fraction of what the dealer quoted me on putting in the PS system, and he did a great job.  He also did a lot of diagnostic work (as a followup) for free.  I don't see it as his responsiblity AT ALL that I was sold a crap part, with a bad solenoid. 

If you want to pay 2K+ at the dealer for timing belt service, be my guest.  I can get the same work done for $800 or so by this guy, and I guarantee you the work will be of the same or superior quality as the work I get done at the dealer.  I watched one mechanic (at the dealer) years ago puzzle and puzzle over how to replace a bulb in my tailight.  He finally called someone over to help him. Now THAT's scary.

But I digress: The bad solenoid on my 'new' rebuilt rack and pinion (the one that was causing the stiff power steering) was already on the 'new' rebuilt Maval rack that I gave the mechanic.  Post install, when we realized the steering was stiff, he immediately suggested switching out the solenoids (using my original instead) and I refused, reasoning that surely I would be better off with a 'newer' rebuilt component.  Why would I want to put in an 'old' solenoid in my new rebuilt rack?  Surely there was something else causing the stiff steering. I spent weeks looking for other causes for stiff steering.  Yesterday, without asking me (because I would have said 'no', don't do that) he switched out the solenoids and bingo, problem solved. 

The only thing I fault him for is an overfill on the fluids when he did some other intermediate service work, but I'll cut him some slack because of 'settling' in and my not going back the next day to have him check it a day later. 

It took me a very long while to locate someone I could go to outside of the 'Dark Side' as someone here once put it, and I now have not one, but three options -- three indie shops that I know of -- none of them located terribly near me -- but they are all much more reasonable in price than the dealer and they have factory trained mechs to work on Lexus.  Good enough for me...   

My car has slightly more than 66K miles on it (now) and as I said, that was my decision, not his.  I have no problem at all investing some cash in this car, given that I have had virtually no subtantial outlays for repairs (almost all were covered by warranty).  So that doesn't bother me at all. What bothers me is thinking that I may have been sold parts that are not genuine Maval rebuilds. I am still investigating those issues...

Would you rather than I spent 3 grand at the dealer to replace the PS system?  Because that's the impression I am getting. 

If he's so good, then how come he let you pour $1,500 into a LS400 power steering system that has only 66,000 miles on it? 

An honest and competent mechanic would have told you:

To eliminate fluid leaks and solve the stiff steering your PS system just needs the solenoid filter cleaned, the fluid changed with $2 worth of new fluid, the PS pump resealed with a $26 Lexus pump reseal kit and a new $67 air control valve installed on the PS pump. 

And why is he now suggesting replacing the entire throttle body on your 66,000 mile car to solve an occassional stalling problem when the TB is designed to last hundreds of thousands of miles?

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[Threadcutter]

oohryry:

I will apologize in advance for being beligerent........

If your problem is indeed being caused by the throttle body, then all it needs is a good cleaning. Unless of course there is some kind of mechanical damage that has been done to it. It is a large hunk of aluminum with a large hole bored through it, More specifically, it is a casting, made of aluminum with a large butterfly plate inside of it. It is about as un-complicated as any piece of mechanical equipment can get. Unless someone beat it with a hammer, cut a hole in it with a torch or saw, or drilled holes through it, I cannot envision any reason whatsoever to replace it. I did some checking last night online and the discounters want about $750.00 for a replacement. Labor extra.....

Conversely, most new cars (not just Lexus) periodically need the thottle body cleaned of carbon buildup. The buildup is normal and happens over time.

I just get *BLEEP*ed when I see someone getting "hornswaggled". Is it the dealer that is telling you this? Hmmmm......wonder what they'd do with your old one if they replaced it? Probably give it a bath in "Seafoam" over night. It would look like brand new the next morning........

[monarch]

prix, all those pumps , racks and hoses were replaced on your car because the dealer failed to clean the solenoid filter screen which in turn meant that abnormally high fluid pressures were still present in the system after the components were replaced.

My point is your "genius" independent mechanic goofed up too by delivering your car to you with a stiff steering problem. What kind of Lexus "expert" can he really be if after 15 years of working on LS400's he was still unaware of the importance of the solenoid filter screen?

Maval appears to be feeding you a line of bull too by claiming they use seals that are superior to those that Lexus uses instead of informing you that a clogged solenoid filter screen is the root cause of high system pressures that lead to system and rack leaks.

[prix]

let me repeat: i gave him a rack to install with a solenoid already on it. are you saying he should have removed the solenoid to test it before installing the rack? i supplied him with parts and hired him to install them, period. which he did. by the time we took it for a test drive, it was too late to do any more troubleshooting as to the cause of the stiff steering, it was dark, and all i wanted to do was get on the freeway and get home. and the car was driveable, so i left with a 'deal with it later' attitude. he immediately suggested checking the rebuilt rack's solenoid and i refused to let him take it off to do that, because i was convinced i had a 'new' rebuilt maval that would have a clean solenoid. i don't follow anyone's advice 'blindly', btw, and i agree that it's important to keep a critical eye on all advice. since i am not a mechanic, that makes it even more of a challenge for me to assess how 'valuable' or 'informed' the advice i am given really is. i usually do this by asking lots of different opinions and then drawing my own conclusions. i believe the onus for this fiasco rests solely with the person who sold me crap parts. they were advertised as rebuilt by maval, and i may have been defrauded if i did not get those. i will know more later, but if it turns out these are not maval rebuilds, then i will pursue them for the extra labor charges i will incur if/when i have to replace these rebuilts.

lexus dealership never told me anything about clogged solenoids being the root cause of anything, you are correct. they just kept replacing parts in the PS system. four pumps; two(?) or three racks...i lost count...all under warranty.

btw, this mechanic had enough on the ball to get out of the clutches of the dealers, who kept almost all the profits from any work he did and paid him next to nothing. today, he probably makes a better living, and not by selling me parts. i have gotten a lot for my $ there, compared to the dealer experiences of the past. i take it back, btw, i think i purchased one part from him: a fuel filter!

prix, all those pumps , racks and hoses were replaced on your car because the dealer failed to clean the solenoid filter screen which in turn meant that abnormally high fluid pressures were still present in the system after the components were replaced. 

My point is your "genius" independent mechanic  goofed up too by delivering your car to you with a stiff steering problem.  What kind of Lexus "expert" can he really be if after 15 years of working on LS400's  he was still unaware of the importance of the solenoid filter screen? 

Maval appears to be feeding you a line of bull too by claiming they use seals that are superior to those that Lexus uses instead of informing you that a clogged solenoid filter screen is the root cause of high system pressures that lead to system and rack leaks.

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[monarch]

prix, I agree former Lexus dealer mechanics who leave to go work for themselves can be good people to work with and hopefully you can now enjoy many years of troublefree service from your PS system.

[prix]

Not to quibble (well, yes i am quibbling), but the 'seals' used by Maval are either made by or named Vitons (Viton?), or something similar, and they are in fact a cut above the seals you will get in a power steering rebuild kit from Lexus. These seals are designed to withstand higher temperatures. They also cost more than other seals. Maval knows what they are doing, which is why I chose that brand. So much so, that lexus will in all likelihood contract with Maval to be their 'official' supplier of rebuilt pumps in the near future. They already do all the rebuilds for Lexus on the racks (they are the official supplier of rebuilt racks to Lex...)...

prix, I agree former Lexus dealer mechanics who leave to go work for themselves can be good people to work with and hopefully you can now enjoy many years of troublefree service from your PS system.

[prix]

Update:

I used another indie shop to resolve this 'power steering replacement' fiasco, Luxury Motor Works in Monrovia. No longer going to the Foothill Indie guy.

After the rebuilt Maval rack was in the car for only four months, it developed a leak. The pump I was sold was still groaning on turns. I sent both those parts back, and had Luxury install a new factory Lexus pump and a reman Lexus rack. The car is fine now, but v. upsetting to have to do this again after only four months.

Of course nobody is interested in taking any responsiblity for the fiasco. The person who sold me these parts says in her 25 years of being in business, she has never had a leaking rack returned. The distributor who sold her the parts says, 'we are going to test these parts to make sure they are defective" (because, I guess, basically they do not believe me). Maval says, if that rack had a clogged solenoid, then it did not come from our plant...yet their records show that that rack was indeed built at their plant in the fall of '05. We know, because the serial numbers clearly show that. So how did that filthy solenoid get on that reman rack. It takes years and years to gunk up a solenoid like that. So, that's the mystery. No one has any answers for me about that.

I will get a refund on those parts, which are under warranty. I am out, however, additional money on the reinstall.

Ok, have at it. How could you be so dumb, etc. etc. Make it worth my time to read your post please (as in, be inventive!).

PO'd in LA

[914lps]

two thought . You are in calif. Burow of auto repair. Yes they do help!

Small claims court limi is $5,000.00 if you loose you are out some time and less then $50.00, but if you win! If parts did not come from shop that did the work, I would sue the supplier and manufacter.

The fact that you went back again and again to shop helps your case. Also thr facted that you put in a deferant unit, and bingo all is good.

[prix]

It hasn't come to that just yet, but I will certainly consider legal action if necessary...I am waiting to hear whether I will get a credit on those parts. Should know in a few days. A distributor can return defective components to Maval, so I have no idea why they want/need to 'test' the components before giving me a credit. Further, no one but Maval has a machine that can do that kind of testing. Maval built their own testing machine and it cost them 50K. So the distributor is full of it when they say they are going to test the components to make sure they are defective. Went to Luxury, because it's a bigger shop, clean, better staffed, etc. The other guy (Foothill) still has best rates, and the owner is incredibly personable.

two thought . You are in calif. Burow of auto repair. Yes they do help!

Small claims court limi is $5,000.00 if you loose you are out some time and less then $50.00, but if you win! If parts did not come from shop that did the work, I would sue the supplier and manufacter.

The fact that you went back again and again to shop helps your case. Also thr facted that you put in a deferant unit, and bingo all is good.