Quote:
Originally Posted by primus
...I find out not only are the bearings going out, so is the tranny, power steering pump, oil pump, TPS, rotors (which was expected), timing belt, exhaust, suspension linkages, struts, I have an intake manifold leak, the A/C compressor is dead
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First of all, I agree with those who said they're out to help you thin your wallet. I've worked for a lot of shops, both good and bad, and recognizing the bad has become second nature. Treat it like surgery, get a 2nd and 3rd opinion.
Now I highly doubt all of that stuff needs the work they told you. I wouldn't worry about the oil pump unless you've got your oil light coming on here and there without an obvious reason. The timing belt could be done as preventative maintenance IF you don't have previous records of when it was done. Both the intake leak and the TPS could be causing your hesitation. Both are easy as pie to diagnose. You know the bearings need replacing. I'd only consider the transmission after everything else is done and you still have shifting problems. If your rotors need replacing, you will have a noticeable pedal pulsation as you're stopping, with it being increasingly worse at higher speeds. Only consider the power steering pump if you hear it whining when you steer, are getting puddles, or are having a hard time turning the wheel. AC compressor is totally up to you, but I'd leave that until last. Many times if the compressor is out, there's something else that caused the system to empty of refrigerant, leading to the compressor failure. The struts likely have some typical age wear to them, I suggest a proper diagnosis. As for the linkages, the wear is likely just aging. They could probably use replacing, but I highly doubt it's an urgent issue.
Overall, you probably need to put in less than $1,000 to be happy again. Take Jeff's offer for help, it'll save you more money than you can imagine. Lastly, anything you decide to tackle, bounce it off people here what the best type of part from which vendor you should go to. I'm pretty new here myself, but in my experience with communities like this, they're a wealth of information willing to spill their beans to a fellow enthusiast.