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Hi,
I enjoy driving my 1998 Toyota Raum in central Auckland as it's nippy and easy to park. So it doesn't have bells and whistles but it does have lots of room (apparently Raum means room in German!) and headroom (I'm tall). However, it's just failed its WOF because the rear wheel bearings need replacing. I've had quotes between $650 and $950 for this. I also need to get the rear brakes done in the next 6 months. It's done 164,000kms - but it's a Toyota, right?
As you can tell, I'm unwilling to let it go, but is it time to do so? It doesn't owe me anything - I paid $5000 for it in 2008. I always go for low mileage cars around this price because they've always lasted well. But I'd rather this one lasted longer as I need to make some (retirement) lifestyle decisions in the next year or so, which will guide what sort of car I'll need in the future.
What are your thoughts on this?
Hi there,
Wheel bearings and brakes are fairly normal items to have replaced and is not really out of character on a vehicle of this age or mileage. If you are thinking long term and you like the vehicle then why not keep it a little longer. However it is getting to that mileage that you could find repairs will be needed in order to pass each wof. You may also be needing larger maintenance items replacing, like a cam belt and water pump next year, coolant ect which could be another $1,000.
Thank you for that. Yes, I'm now thinking I'll hang onto it for another year.
I've asked for quotes from a few garages, with interesting results. $950 to $750 to $650 and the 4th guy is questioning whether the car needs whole hubs or just has pop out wheel bearings. He rang around his suppliers and even they didn't know! Seems some Toyotas need the whole hub but nobody seems to know about the Raum. The pop-outs cost $80 each!!
What do you think?
You may like to hear the outcome. I took the car to the 4th guy. He found that a) my car doesn't require the whole hub being replaced but just the bearings and b) it only needed tightening! He also found a fuel cap for me (another reason I failed the WOF) and tightened my rear brakes and charged me a total of $40!!! Instead of $950!?
I took the car back to VTNZ and got my WOF, much relieved.
Meanwhile, though, I have incurred $400 in fines for 'No evidence of inspection' x 2. I thought one has a month after inspection to get one's warrant, but apparently not. The second time I was displaying my fail notice on the dashboard, but this doesn't suffice. And as I don't have off street parking, I'm not sure how I'm supposed avoid further fines while arranging the work.
What a weird world we live in. Just saying. Cheers.