Inspection problems with steering

[TheOctane]

I searched but only two threads came up and nothing to my effect.


Okay so i had the get my 98 GSX inspected this weekend so i could get real plates on it and be good to drive...I took it to a local mech shop and an hour later i go to pick it up and they said "only ONE thing failed, it needs a left front inner tie-rod"
Being in the Auto Damage industry (insurance side) i felt like probing...and i asked whats wrong with it stripped? loose? bent?

They said "it has a lot of play" Now i am no expert but play would be loose no? and loose is fixable? They said you need a new inner tie-rod and an alignment.....$305....and that some crap


Anyone ever heard of only the inner tie rod needing replacement from having PLAY? Ive seen them bent and stripped but never because they had "play".

How hard are they to fix? and how much would it be for just the inner tie rod? Im thinking it cant be more than $30-40 for the rod so that would leave them wanting 5 hours of labor ($40/hour maryland labor rate) which i think is BS. Any insight ?

 

[Defiant]

Being in the Auto Damage industry (insurance side) i felt like probing...and i asked whats wrong with it stripped? loose? bent?

They hammer loose over time. The ball wears too much play into its socket. Make him show you the measurement and the spec.

A $300 repair on a modern car is like a free ride.

 

[93blacktsi]

they do wear out over time man.and my shop charges 110 an hour in labor