I have a 1994 Ford Explorer XL. I took it to a mechanic today because of an overheated engine and he says I need to change the radiator and the water pump. He quoted me $750-900 for the job. Is this a fair price? Thanks for your help.
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Answers by: Mike T.
While $750-900 is a fair price to remove and replace the radiator, water pump, and related hoses, the larger question for the mechanic is, "did the overheating cause any damage to my cylinder heads or head gaskets?" Those types of repairs are VERY expensive.
I've had a similar situation where I took my vehicle to a mechanic to replace a radiator/timing chain/water pump which I paid $500, but the vehicle still didn't run due to another problem. So, then I'm out $500 bucks with a vehicle that still didn't work. I took it back to the mechanic, and he quoted me another $700 to replace the head gaskets. At that point, I donated my vehicle to KQED and cut my losses.
I suggest you ask a couple of other mechanics for estimates, as well.
- MT