Damaged Rear suspension, how much should i expect to pay?

[eting_pro5]

so in my first dumb teen driving move i backed into a steep curb at a faster-than-i-should-have-been speed. As i assessed the damage, I discovered the wheel was rubbing in the wheel well. Having driven about 200 meters on it, i had done enough damage to warrant replacing it. i placed the spare on, and because it's smaller it didn't rub. I then drove it to a local repair shop. Here's what they've told me so far.

The rim is ok.
A new tire, the same type, will cost $250 dollars
Labor will cost $230
They did not tell me what parts were damaged yet and there is no price for the parts yet, as they can't contact a dealer today. I do know that it was very obvious the right lateral link arm was bent beyond repair.

Does this seem ridiculous to anyone else? My stock tires are not worth $1000 dollars.....I can't imagine there being more than three hours of work. I'm thinking of trying another shop on Monday, or maybe the local dealer. Any suggestions?

[Dexter]

no way the tire is $250!

[eting_pro5]

can someone tell me what brand, model and the size of the stock tire on a 2003 protege5...i know the rim is 16 inches

[Brian MP5T]

Originally posted by eting_pro5
can someone tell me what brand, model and the size of the stock tire on a 2003 protege5...i know the rim is 16 inches

Dunlop Man, Just go to the Mazda dealer as it is a special order tire just for our cars.

Later

[Douggie]

Originally posted by eting_pro5
can someone tell me what brand, model and the size of the stock tire on a 2003 protege5...i know the rim is 16 inches

Should be Dunlop SP Sport 5000, size: 195/50/16. The last time I checked (tire.com or tirerack.com) was slightly over $100 a piece. But maybe you have a bent rim as well, so that price might include the wheel.

[mazdaspeedpower]

for 250 american, they better replace the rim too. It doesn't even cost that much canadian to replace the tire. Yeah, the dealer is the best place to get it, and your car fixed cheaper, as they'll have most of the parts available, other shops may have to order them special

[rodslinger]

I'd look for another shop. Sounds like someone is trying to rip you off. I bought 2 replacment Dunlops from the Tire Rack and it was about $230 total with delivery and all.

[eting_pro5]

the rim is not bent. they told me that. the $250 dollars was for the tire, and mounting and balancing, not even including "labor"....so now it's up to whether i try a new shop, or the dealer....what do you think about buying the tire from the dealer, and supplying it to a 3rd party shop....will the shop let me do that?

[Douggie]

Originally posted by eting_pro5
the rim is not bent. they told me that. the $250 dollars was for the tire, and mounting and balancing, not even including "labor"....so now it's up to whether i try a new shop, or the dealer....what do you think about buying the tire from the dealer, and supplying it to a 3rd party shop....will the shop let me do that?

I'd say you'd better try to get a quote from the dealer. We all think $250 just to fix the tire is too much. Besides, if wheel was rubbing in the wheel well after it hit and that you said the rims are not bent, the crucial damage is not in the tire/wheel! So what about the other parts?

What's wrong with the tire anyway? Is it blown? torn? Bubble?

[eting_pro5]

right...my mom answered the phone when they called with the estimate, so i don't know every part that's damaged. i do know the lateral link arm was bent.

i drove for like 200-400 meters on with the tire on and then smelled some burning. I put the spare on cuz it's smaller and doesn't rub in the wheel well. The stock tire has an incredible amount of wear on the inside edge now.

[eting_pro5]

When they told me $250 for the tire, they said that included the mounting and balancing....if i were to walk in to a discount tire how much would it cost for them to mount and balance one tire?

[Douggie]

Originally posted by eting_pro5
When they told me $250 for the tire, they said that included the mounting and balancing....if i were to walk in to a discount tire how much would it cost for them to mount and balance one tire?

If you buy the tire from discount tire, they will mount, balance and give you the valve stem for free! Plus it includes Road Hazard protection as well!

http://www.discounttire.com/dtc/comparePricing.jsp

[alexlitov]

I think it's like $15 a tire at a normal shop...

[eting_pro5]

HA! i'm so pissed at this shop....i forgot to mention, when they called with the estimate, they asked what the chances are we would make an insurance claim....that should have been a huge sign that they're scheming money whores

[eting_pro5]

well i'm definitely not going to use the shop that i just got the estimate from...so while i'm taking it to either a new shop or the dealer, i'll grab the wheel out of my trunk. I can have the shop do the suspension parts, and buy the tire from Discount Tire and have them mount and balance it for free, then when i get back my pro, i'll stick the wheel on myself.

[Douggie]

Yeah, that's a great idea. But I don't know if they can do alignment with the spare tire or not (i don't see why not though)

[eting_pro5]

GET THIS!

the guy calls back today, says the two damaged parts a Drag Link Bar and the Rear Sway Bar will cost $100...that's good news

My mom asked him why the tire would cost $250...he says "Oops, it's supposed to be $150"

Then some how the labor went magically from $230 to $156 when we questioned that.

It pays to be an informed consumer.

[KYREDP5]

Go with an aftermarket rear sway bar. :D

[eting_pro5]

Mom's a bit too mad for me to be bringing up modifications (although i am paying)

Out of curiousity, how much does an aftermarket rear sway actually change the handling? Does it make the ride a whole lot rougher? How much does one cost?

[KYREDP5]

It decreases the amount of body roll. Don't think it would make the ride any rougher.

Prices from www.protege5online.com
19mm 2 Position Ajustable - $140
19mm Fully Ajustable - $182
21mm Fully Ajustable - $202

If your gonna keep your stock stuts you'd be better off with one of the 19mm ones.

[eting_pro5]

So Novi Motive got scared of my immense knowledge, mom came home with the bill...$380 for the tire, Sway Bar, Lateral Link arm (for some reason they called it drag link, yet the receipt says Lateral Link, which i know it is) Mounting, balancing, alignment, and labor

Much better than the $500 they tried to quote me for a tire and labor.

[laserbluemp5]

I have a brand new Mazdaspeed (Racingbeat) rear sway bar compleate with new end links and bushings (still in the bags) I will sell you for $100 shipped ! they are just sitting here I bought the front and rear kit for my car but I only needed the front sway I can ship tomorrow next day if it's not to expensive .PM if intrested