$210 to change top radiator hose?

hydroman08, Apr 11, 6:13pm
Is this the normal sort of price!
Had a small hole in the hose and pretty much exploded it (coolant everywhere).
2002 WRX

phillip.weston, Apr 11, 6:23pm
say $30-50 for the hose
$20-30 for coolant concentrate
$5-10 for a pair of new hose clips
an hours labour at $80-90+GST to drain the cooling system, replace the hose, and refill the cooling system, bleeding it correcting, and taking for a test run to make sure it doesn't get hot again.

it all starts to add up. having said that I wouldn't pay $210 to change a top hose.

curlcrown, Apr 11, 8:22pm
an hour's labour is way to much even.

skyline_guy_r34, Apr 11, 8:43pm
But where does said top radiator hose go to on a 2002 wrx! Might start in a nice place but end in a not so nice place causing more time to the mechanic, those wrx's arent the nicest engine bays to work on.

quickstitch, Apr 11, 11:17pm
an hours labour may not be too much. customer rings up, take s few minutes of your time booking job in. customer comes in, another few minutes, maybe drop customer off as we frequently do.aniother few minutes phoning for quotes on hose or a drive to pick one up. time on the job. clean up mess. wash hands etc. write invoice. ring customer (maybe the cost of a mobile call), a few more minutes dealing with customer.close to an hour used on one little job.

r15, Apr 12, 1:29am
if you dont like what it costs to take your car to a workshop you have a number of options
1: dont own a car
2: do it yourself
3: works better if you're a female- trade your services for the services of a mechanic you like the look of in his own time

gtf, Apr 12, 2:15am
What does the invoice detail as to what was charged! Roughly about $180 + gst! Did they clean up the mess in the engine bay too!

franc123, Apr 12, 3:10am
Hehe you're on to it.Will that be Cash, Eftpos, Credit Card or Credit Couch!

tuttyclan, Apr 12, 7:41pm
Did you get the bottom hose done as well,best to be done in pairs otherwise you will have to one day soon repeat the whole process.
Having said that I too would have done it myself for the cost of hoses and some antifreeze.

mottly, Apr 12, 8:43pm
hope you got a free valve grind for that price!Sheesh, what a rip!

elect70, Apr 12, 10:47pm
^^ i would expect a full engine o' haul at thatprice

therafter1, Apr 13, 2:17am
There has already been a practical explanation at # 5 !

If you are unable to do the job yourself then you have to pay someone else to do it. The time starts when you grab the keys for the vehicle and it isn't done until you are satisfied that the job has been done correctly, the vehicle parked and the invoice made up.

It isn't quite as simple as yanking the blown hose off then whacking on the new hose that you had been carrying around in your pocket in anticipation of the job, chucking some fluid of some description in the radiator and determining that she'll be right !

And at the conclusion of the process, if it aint right WHO is going to be held accountable !

dent, Apr 13, 2:27am
I think some people are either very naive or just have no idea. Time adds up very quickly. It doesn't take much to add up to a couple of hundred now days.

ladatrouble, Oct 25, 2:12am
''Exploded'' the hose did it! I'd factor in a head gasket job too.or two for a Subaru.