Rx330 Rack

[Kie]

Hi!
Have any you guys had a problem with the Rack&Pinion?
I went to the car service around my house(Knoxville, TN). They told me mine is leaking and needs to be changed. 
I'm having a hard time deciding to change or not because it cost like 1500$
Do any of you have recommendations or any other place I should have service?

Thanks!

[jjbrahma]

Hi. I'm not sure but, that seems rather high. Depending upon your particular parts you can get a complete rack & pinion set, on Amazon, for anywhere from $150 to $450; these are refurbished parts, as all major auto parts are these days. Of course you can always buy brand new parts for major dollars.

If you're mechanically inclined you may want to replace the parts yourself and then have a Service Center adjust them for you later. Just make sure you have a grease pencil so you can mark the current set's placement then adjust the replacement set to match the current set.

Or you could find yourself a "shade tree mechanic" who is an ASE Certified Mechanic who just needs extra work; like all professions these guys and gals are everywhere.

On the other hand, most places use the Chilton's Manual to determine labor costs and labor is always the highest portion of any job. For example $150 to replace a brake light bulb, which takes about 5 minutes max...ridiculous! Then, depending upon your State, you may have to pay a Sales Tax on the Labor Charges!!

Just check around with various mechanics. See how much they'll charge if you bring your own parts. Compare the cost of their parts to what you may get on your own. Also, make sure any and all parts are OEM parts. Ask your Service providers about a Warranty on parts and labor. Check the BBB; there are alot of disreputable Service Centers. If in doubt about all, try to afford your Lexus Dealer as a last resort.

Good luck!

[Kie]

14 hours ago, jjbrahma said:

Hi. I'm not sure but, that seems rather high. Depending upon your particular parts you can get a complete rack & pinion set, on Amazon, for anywhere from $150 to $450; these are refurbished parts, as all major auto parts are these days. Of course you can always buy brand new parts for major dollars.

If you're mechanically inclined you may want to replace the parts yourself and then have a Service Center adjust them for you later. Just make sure you have a grease pencil so you can mark the current set's placement then adjust the replacement set to match the current set.

Or you could find yourself a "shade tree mechanic" who is an ASE Certified Mechanic who just needs extra work; like all professions these guys and gals are everywhere.

On the other hand, most places use the Chilton's Manual to determine labor costs and labor is always the highest portion of any job. For example $150 to replace a brake light bulb, which takes about 5 minutes max...ridiculous! Then, depending upon your State, you may have to pay a Sales Tax on the Labor Charges!!

Just check around with various mechanics. See how much they'll charge if you bring your own parts. Compare the cost of their parts to what you may get on your own. Also, make sure any and all parts are OEM parts. Ask your Service providers about a Warranty on parts and labor. Check the BBB; there are alot of disreputable Service Centers. If in doubt about all, try to afford your Lexus Dealer as a last resort.

Good luck!

Thank you for your comment! it's really helpful! I just went to check with another service. They told me they are not sure it is the pump or the steering is leaking. So, they clean and put dyer and ask me to drive for another 400miles.