atthecshore

My wife took her G37 in for the 70k service (@$600) and they told her that the valve covers are leaking so they, and the cam cover gaskets, need replacing, estimate $2,107.

This seems like a lot to me, especially given that the car is only 6 years old and has 70k miles on it. Plus I don't see any oil on the garage floor.

What do you think... is this legit? They've been good in the past but just built a big, beautiful new facility and showroom and I'm wondering if they're trying to pay it off by upping the service income.

They also say that the drive belt ($230), rear output shaft seal ($230), brake flush ($159) and power steering flush (159) are recommended.

I'm interested in your opinions on this. Thanks.

hurleyguys

the valve covers it depends on how much oil consumption you experience between oil changes. if you are versed with a wrench you can do it yourself. its an easy job just take you time.

the belts check to see if they are worn or cracking. if they are replace them.

the brake flush do it the next time you need pads and rotors.

dont worry about power steering. (another one you can prob do yourself)

not sure about the rear shaft seal.

blnewt

iTrader: (13)

If you aren't one to do mechanical work yourself I'd surely take it to a Nissan dealer or a reputable private shop for a second opinion.

Welcome to the site BTW.

atthecshore

Thanks guys. I'm not going to do the work myself, so a 2nd opinion sounds like a good idea. I don't think we've been losing any oil, which seems suspect.

Does the $2,107 seem high? Does the engine need to come out to do this?

blnewt

iTrader: (13)

Engine doesn't need to come out for the valve cover/cam seals but if they have to remove that front timing cover everything in the front of the motor (including the bumper) has to be removed, so it could be a very labor intensive job. Not sure what's involved in that rear shaft seal, so it's possible for that one that the motor may have to be removed but TBH I don't know.

canucklehead

iTrader: (9)

^ some of this may indeed be the upsell you are worried about, but some is also likely decent advice. at 6yrs/70k miles most folks would be doing their drive belt and pwr steering. if you have not yet done brake fluid change, that must be done soon. usually that is a ~3 year cycle.

all the quoted prices are way high, as expected from a dealer. unless they have a promo on to reduce labor/parts costs, get the work done elsewhere. there are lots of highly-regarded independents shops around who do great work on imports. the G37 is nothing exotic.

as a reference, i bought a new drive belt for $25 and paid $30 (CAD!) for install at my local independent while they were doing some other work. my dealer did the brake bleed/flush for $99, and i did the pwr steering fluid exchange on my own, $20 for fluids. these are Canadian prices which should be more than US.

i have no idea what the rear output seal is all about, that is not preventative maintenance so the dealer must have seen something failing. this also applies to the valve cover and cam gaskets. i would ask for more particulars on those items to clarify how they diagnosed the problems. valve cover leaks can be slow and not really noticeable with oil consumption, so that is not critical. it will just get a bit worse over time.

the cam cover gasket is a known issue with our cars (pre-2012) but that failure typically triggers limp mode and codes being thrown due to the low oil pressure. mine was replaced under warranty and it would have cost ~$2k if i had to pay. cheap part, expensive labor.

a 2nd opinion doesn't sound like a bad idea if you are not satisfied with the dealer's explanation of their diagnosis.

slartibartfast

iTrader: (7)

Valve covers don't need to be replaced, only the gaskets.

qmantran

If you are so doubtful, just ask your service adviser to show you the leaking valve cover gasket. They will never deny a customers request to look at their vehicle. You may even run into the tech working on your car and you can directly talk to the tech about any questions you have.

Valve cover gaskets - Depending on how severe the valve cover gasket is, you may be able to just leave it alone. If it's actually leaking bad you can buy the valve cover gaskets yourself and pay a REPUTABLE independent shop to install it for you for 1/2 the cost the dealership would charge.

Cam cover gaskets - These are known to fail on certain year model G37s. The later models had a redesigned gasket made out of a different material. When these fail you would normally get a check engine light (service engine soon) or like someone else mentioned, the car would be in limp mode (restricted to certain rpm, speed and/or gear).

The dealer could be trying to recommend this because they are aware of it. Maybe they are doing this as a preventative measure.

OR

The dealer could be trying to get some money out of you because around holidays, like now, business is typically slow for dealerships so they try to make the most out of any customer they do manage to get in. Add the fact that you did mention they just newly remodeled.

Drive Belt - From personal experience I recommend you replacing it ASAP. But not at a dealership! I've read that the service interval for the drive belt for our cars is 60K miles. The drive belt on my car ripped apart while I was driving home from work with 52,000 miles.

I would go to O'reilly auto and buy a "Gates" branded belt for $30. Find a REPUTABLE independent shop to install it for you. They should charge anywhere from $60-$90. Your total cost would be $120 vs dealership $230 + tax + shop fees.

Rear output shaft seal - Again, ask the service adviser that you would like to see the leak. The rear output shaft seal is where the driveshaft goes into the transmission. If it's leaking, it will be leaking reddish colored fluid which would be transmission fluid. If it's been going on for awhile you'll see a lot of dark dirt around where its been leaking.

I also have a 2011 with 72k miles and my output shaft seal isn't leaking, so it's definitely not normal if yours is.

$230 is a fair price considering the labor involved. They'll need to remove a portion of the exhaust so they can remove the drive shaft. I'm actually surprised the dealer isn't charging more than $230 for this. This seal is probably ~$30.

Power steering and brake fluid flushes can be done at a shop for $80/ea vs dealership $160/ea.

You can save a lot of money as long as you find a trustworthy independent shop.

Victory

Guys, the cam cover gasket is not the same thing as the rear timing cover gasket.

Anyway, starting your post with the words "my wife" was the only clue i needed that the dealer is trying to pull a fast one. Get a second opinion

Marinda

I have a 2011 G37x, with 115K miles - Bought it brand new. Three months ago, I was told that the Value Cover Gaskets need to be replaced because there is a leak. I forgot all about it, and recently took my car to the dealership for an oil change, and the service manager reminded me of the leak, and that I need to have the Value Cover Gaskets replaced.

After researching and talking to my friend who knows a lot about cars, the leak happens when the gasket has gone bad - dried up, cracked, etc... If the Valve Covers are not damaged in any way (including cracking), then you just need to replace the gaskets. Replacing the gaskets is labor intensive - according to my service manager. It will cost $850.00 to replace, and majority of the cost is labor. I searched online, and the gasket is about $20.

If the Valve Covers are damaged - either dented or cracked, they will need to be replaced. The Valve Cover is about $250 or less, each, = $500 total. The cost would be $1,200 to replace at my dealership.

Either way, my dealership always have specials/coupons, I will probably get 10% off the $850.

I did some searches online last night, and saw some posts that some dealership charged a lot more. I guess it is depending on which dealership you go to... and which City, State? I'm in the Washington Metro Area - DC/Northern Virginia/MD.

I'm thinking about taking my car to another shop for a 2nd opinion. I texted the guy at the shop, and he said that he needs to look at the car but he thinks the cost is around $400.00. My friend who maintenance his cars told me that he would do it for me if I bring the car to his house (1.5 hours away), but he's not a certified mechanic. I read many posts that some people just did it themselves, but I rather not take chances and end up messing it up. I recommend getting a quote from the dealership and then go to a reputable mechanic and get a quote there.

woofersus

iTrader: (3)

I have a 2011 G37xS with 157k miles. I recently had valve covers and gaskets replaced because one was leaking, and after sourcing the actual parts myself for around $400 the labor at a local shop was around $300. Definitely don't pay the dealer prices for something like that.

Marinda

Thanks. The Labor Rate is determined based on locality, too.

Here's a website where you can search for the parts: https://www.infinitipartsusa.com/

I selected my car model info, Engine = Engine, and Parts = Parts. For my 2011 G37x, here's the result:
https://www.infinitipartsusa.com/201...ng-s/43979.htm

#4 and #5 are the Valve Covers and Valve Cover Gaskets, respectively. Scroll down to the list located at the bottom of the picture to #4 and #5. Note that there is a part for the Right and one for the Left:

G37 VALVE COVER Part Number: 13264-EY01C G37; RightG37 VALVE COVER Part Number: 13264-EY01E G37; LeftG37 VALVE COVER GASKET Part Number: 13270-EY01A G37; RightG37 VALVE COVER GASKET Part Number: 13270-EY01B G37; Left

saywat?

iTrader: (3)

why the hell do people think they need to change to covers?

Marinda

For the G37, I don't know why people think they need to replace the covers, unless the covers are damaged (dented or cracked). I only need to replace the gaskets.

I did read on another post that for the G35, the Cover and the Gasket are 1 part. If it leaks, the cover will need to be replaced. --- not sure how accurate that is.

saywat?

iTrader: (3)

yes for g35 and the seal tube gaskets. but not the g37