Went in for an oil change. Now I'm $850 lighter.
 

'05 needed an oil change. I noticed there was also some play in the steering, so I asked them to look at that. Seems the idler arm and pitman arm were bad.


Here is the price breakdown:
Waste oil disposal 3.50
Synth blend oil 24.95
Idler arm 249.95
install idler arm 1.30 labor 117.00
Pitman arm 179.95
install pitman arm 1.90 labor 171.00
Alignment 59.95
Shop supplies 32.00
tax 39.44
less 24.95 for Groupon
Total 852.79
Ouch

All sounds good except for the idler arm and pitman arm prices. Not sure what could go wrong w/ a pitman arm as the ones I'm familiar w/ are just a chunk of iron.

While the pitman arm requires a special puller and is a real PITA to get off, the idler arm just requires a pickle fork and is an fairly easy DIY project.

I assume this was done at a dealer.

they probably installed the idler arm and idler pivot for that price which is what I would want installed if it were my truck


the part prices may be a bit high but the alignment and oil cost were really cheap.


the idler is easy but the pitman requires removal of the steering box.

they charge for waste oil disposal? Interesting