Seeking expert advice for Nissan Altima problems..?

I have a 1997 Nissan Altima .It works fine .I had taken it to a Monroe Muffler shop for a oil change and they told me that my car needed urgent attention,I am writing those below please tell me what these mean and if they are indeed serious. I am thinking of asking a friend to do the repairs.





1)Ceramic Brake Pad --the grip on the brakes have come low with wear and tear


2)Brake Fluid Exchange


3)Clean %26amp; Adjust brakes





Above is 200$





4) L/F CV Shaft


5) R/F CV Shaft


6) Oil Filter


7) Radiator Cap





The above is around 500$


8) Sparkplug


9) Fuel System Procs





Above is 150$





Thanks for your patience in reading !Seeking expert advice for Nissan Altima problems..?
Let me break this down by the numbers, they'll be out of order..


6: oil filter.. you went there for an oil change.. that better include changing of the filter.





1) ceramic pads are OE specified for your car. if they are low, then, yes they need to be replaced.


2) brake fluid exhange.. this is actually a practice that nobody ever does because nobody realizes that brake fluid can wear out as well.


3) clean %26amp; adjust brakes.. this should be done WITH the brake job period.


$200 is a very good price for a front brake job. Average price for a front brake job is $500+ from the dealer.


Ask if turning of the rotors is included with this price.





4 %26amp; 5) If the axle's are bad, they must be replaced. Nobody rebuilds axles anymore. So to tell if the shaft's are bad.. you need to see if the boots on both ends are torn or leaking. Also if you hear a clunking sound as you drive, that's an indication of a worn out axle as well.





Radiator cap.. umm.. just goto a local auto parts store and get one. they're $6, and replace it in the morning before you start the engine.


$500 for replacing 2 axles is on the high side.. average time is 1 hour per side, each axle is about $80+ from a shop. shop rates vary, I'll say $90/hr for this midas.. so $180+$160= $340 is a more friendlier price.








8) spark plugs.. OK.. that's a partial tune up.. your car also has a distributor cap and rotor. If you're going the spend the money to replace spark plugs, spend a little more and do the job right... cap %26amp; rotor as well. A better tune up would also be replacing air and fuel filter as well, and cleaning the throttle body.





9) Fuel system procs.. this is a complete waste of money.


Goto an auto parts store, buy a bottle of fuel injector cleaner, I recommend Seafoam or Techron, put it in your tank, fill with gas. DONE. you spend $8 vs. $100 for the same thing.





the idea behind teh fuel system cleaning service is the car is literally run off of a can of fuel injector cleaner, so the injectors are getting cleaned forcibly, it does work. Is it necessary? NO. Why? a bottle of injector cleaner in the tank does the same thing, only it takes 80 miles of driving vs. 5 minutes.


It is a waste of money for you, but an excellent profit for a shop.


In rare cases it is necessary to do it, but not in your case.





I'm surprised they didn't try to sell you on a power steering rack %26amp; pinion flush.. that should be done every few years as well.





I would bring your car to someone else, and ask them for a quick inspection. If they mention the same items, then assume they're right and not trying to oversell you.





since the economy is in bad shape, shops are finding new and creative ways to get work.





Please ask your friend to verify the brakes, and axles.


the oil change.. well I'd just have him do that too, so you know you're getting it done right.. (i.e. filter change and correct oil)