Hi All,

I was just quoted $950 to do my rear bearings by the local Midas shop. I'm out in the sticks and haven't had much luck finding a shop I'm comfortable with and even less luck finding one that even knows how to work on an Audi. I've liked the work the Midas shop has done on our cars but this seems absurdly high.

My available tools are limited as is my time so unless there's an easy way for me to do this (I obviously don't have a press) then I need it done. Is this price realistic? I thought I had read about people paying around $400 for this work.

Thanks for any advice/input on this matter.

NOTE: '98 A4 2.8 Quattro

 

You can always take the hub assembly in and have a shop press it for you.. For tools as far as I remember you just need metric sockets and wrenches, c-clamp (press down the brake caliper to remove the ebrake cable), needle nose, and a hammer. Allen key sockets are nice too, but not necessary (they hold plates on the back of the wheel carrier and you probably dont need to remove them for the shop that presses the bearings). As far as time goes, its tough to say, suspension work can be a real PITA we did both sides of my buddies car in a day though.. if you dont have experience doing suspension work though I wouldnt try to do it yourself. Youll have to call around, that does sound expensive but not extremely outrageous from what some shops have quoted for other things in my area.

 

where do you live? the rear end is a bit tricky with the way the whole thing is set up. 950 is way too much though. i bought 2 bearings, had the stealership do it and i only got charged 300.

 

Thanks for the info Dallas09!

hiwords....I live in Stony Creek, NY (The Adirondacks). How long ago did you get that done at the Stealership?? Why'd you get the bearings on your own? I'd jump all over $300 plus the bearings! I'd even drive down to the one that did it for you!

 

are u quattro or fwd? if ur fwd its easy, i didnt even use a press... just a piece of metal and a brass hammer to put the bearings in and it only cost me 40 bucks in parts... hopefully it works out for you though

 

That seems really high, but hey man, I had my AC compressor seize up on me on my honeymoon in the Adirondacks. We had our car taken to a great shop in Sernac Lake that treated us real good. The guy there even let us borrow his personal vehicle for the evening. I think it was called the Car Spa. It was across from the Donkin Donuts next to the McDonalds in Sernac Lake. (?sp) Very reasonably priced. I don't know the relation to you from there, but if it's near by, might be worth a phone call.

 

I bought a new rear wheel bearing for $45 bucks. I then paid $50 to a mechanic on craigslist to do it for me. I was going to do it myself and bring the hub to a place to press the bearings in but I found this guy on craigslist who would do it for the same price a place would charge me just to press in the bearing. He just used an air hammer to remove and install the bearing with no problem. I have a 99 1.8t quattro.

 

Yep dealers usually get $250-300 per corner in p/l if you just drop off the car. I ordered my rear bearings for $56.11 shipped per side, including axle bolts, from GermanAutoParts.com. Removed the spindles at home and Goodyear did the pressing for $28 per spindle. Took them home, reinstalled the spindles, and all is good.

 

Thanks for all the replies.

Okay so I'm going to consider both options some more. Either way though $950 sounds excessive. If I remember the conversation correctly it sounded like he was going to replace the bearings AND hubs. Why would that be necessary?

mikekey: Sounds like a good deal up in Saranac Lake but that's about two hours north of me and not really an option at this point.

 

i got them done 2 years ago. the hub doesn't need to be replaced. go to germanautoparts.com, they're in albany and i get next day shipping because i'm so close. i think it's 40 a bearing for the rear end. find a shop who will install bearings you bring in. it'll be cheaper because the shops have to buy the bearing, jack up the price and ten sell it to you while also including labor cost. i know they're thieves.

J it wasn't 250 a corner, it was 300 total for the rear end.