96 cherokee coolant leak

i got my cherokee to a dealer today and they told me what was wrong with my
jeep. they said its radiator is clogged, i need a new thermostat for it,
and i need a flush. they quoted me an outrageous price. $200 for the
radiator plus labor and $129 for a flush are 2 that stick out.

am i being ripped off?
i've heard '96 cherokee's radiators are a pain to get in is that why they
would be charging me $500+?

billy ray wrote:
> If the radiator is 'clogged' you probably need more than a flush but
> as far a pricing goes a flush-n-fill kit is $5, the flush solution
> $5, and the thermostat $10.
>
> That gives you $20 in materials and $480 for about an hour's labor.
>
> Sounds like typical dealership charge to me <g>

Yep. The labor rate and time alloted to each task is fixed.

For 500$ you could get a new aluminium radiator from radiatorbarn.com
and still have money left over.

As for cleaning it, call around to radiator shops.

You should find yourself a good local auto shop. There is nothing
magical about dealerships.

As for difficulty, dunno. The ZJ requires you take out the fan
and shroud then it's realy easy to pop out the radiator.
http://revbeergoggles.com/hb/
I had the radiator out when the harmonic balancer needed replacement.


> "gcdenis" wrote in message
> lkaboutautos.com...
>> i got my cherokee to a dealer today and they told me what was wrong
>> with my jeep. they said its radiator is clogged, i need a new
>> thermostat for it, and i need a flush. they quoted me an outrageous
>> price. $200 for the radiator plus labor and $129 for a flush are 2
>> that stick out. am i being ripped off?
>> i've heard '96 cherokee's radiators are a pain to get in is that why
>> they would be charging me $500+?

I just pulled a Cherokee rad out. It took less than a half hour and I
am disabled, not able to turn a wrench well at all.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

gcdenis wrote:
>
> i got my cherokee to a dealer today and they told me what was wrong with my
> jeep. they said its radiator is clogged, i need a new thermostat for it,
> and i need a flush. they quoted me an outrageous price. $200 for the
> radiator plus labor and $129 for a flush are 2 that stick out.
>
> am i being ripped off?
> i've heard '96 cherokee's radiators are a pain to get in is that why they
> would be charging me $500+?

You mean BSAs (AKA "the BSA Drip").


DougW wrote:
> billy ray wrote:
>
>>I thought that is what the oil leaks were for...
>
>
> That's Harleys.
>
>
>>"L.W.(Bill) Hughes III" > wrote in message
...
>>
>>> It's a Jeep thing, it's supposed to mark it's territory.
>>> God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
http://www.billhughes.com/
>>>
>>>gcdenis wrote:
>>>
>>>>Hey DougW
>>>>I got under my jeep this morning to see if i could find where it was
>>>>leaking from. i opened the radiator cap and there was coolant there.
>>>>there
>>>>are 2 spots on the ground right below the radiator. the biggest
>>>>spot near the trans. seems to have "rode a rail" from the front and
>>>>dripped back there. even though i've seen the 2 spots under the
>>>>radiator, i can't find where it is coming from. any suggestions
>>>>from these findings? thanks!
>
>
>
>


--

This website supports what I thought would be true, So It Must Be
(tm).” David Winsemius willingly creates an anti-motto at room
temperature in AFU Labs.

gcdenis wrote:
> i got my cherokee to a dealer today and they told me what was wrong with my
> jeep. they said its radiator is clogged, i need a new thermostat for it,
> and i need a flush. they quoted me an outrageous price. $200 for the
> radiator plus labor and $129 for a flush are 2 that stick out.
>
> am i being ripped off?
> i've heard '96 cherokee's radiators are a pain to get in is that why they
> would be charging me $500+?

The local Midas shop put a new after market radiator in my `96 Cherokee
for $400.