QuestionQUESTION: I have a 2002 Toyota Camry LE, 4 cylinder sedan that needs a clutch repair. I was told by the mechanic that the labor associated with replacing the clutch will be approximately 14 hours due to the way this year's model was made. Does this sound accurate? I am often wary of being given misinformation about my vehicle.
ANSWER: You didn't say if this was a toyota dealer or independent garage, in either case 14 hours is a little high, the factory flat rate manual lists this job at about 5.0 hours which is warranty time, the dealers usually charge between 8 and 10 hours multiplied by their labor rate per hour. I would suggest getting another quote elsewhere.
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QUESTION: Thank you so much for the speedy reply. Your answer was very concise. I want to be sure before I confont the mechanic (independent garage) about this and I was told that due to the way that particular model year was made, accessing the manual clutch requires significantly more work to get to the clutch to replace it. When you site the manual, is that for all Toyota's or is that specific to this particular make and model?
AnswerIt's specific to the camry, I know what's involved in removing this transmission and although I agree that it's quite a bit more involved because of the front wheel drive configuration, much more than a rear wheel drive model I still think 14 hours is a little out of line. However there is one thing to keep in mind and that is what is the actual dollar amount charged for the labor,dealers, mechanics and repair shops usually don't quote in labor hours but rather the total labor in dollars. I can tell you that it doesn't take 14 hours to do this job, it's more like 8 or 9 actual time.
