Auto advice please!

Apparently I need to replace the heater core in my car. The jiffy lube guy told me this could cost from 150 to 700 depending on who I know and who does the work.

I know nothing about cars and don't even know how to fake like I do. Of course I want it done right and don't want to get ripped off. Any suggestions on how to go about choosing a place or some places to go? You can pm me if you would rather or post here. I have an American made car less than 10 years old.

Thanks!

I don't know of any shops in KC but can recommend some in Lawrence if you head down this way.

Heater cores are a major pain to replace since they're buried behind the dash. It's probably a 6 - 10 hour job, maybe a bit less; so the jiffy lube tech's estimate might be on the low end. It took me about 16 hours to replace mine and I wish I would've paid someone else to do it.

Have you made sure it really is the heater core? Do you have an oily liquid on the floor on your passenger side? Another thing to test is if you warm the car up and turn your defrost on, does your windshield fog up or get an oily coat on it?

I do have the spill on the passenger side and yep it fogs up with the oily coat. It won't even make it to Lawrence at this point.

Thanks for the tips though...you obviously know what you are talking about.

I love Lawrence btw...KU Alum.

Xoxo,

Ari

Not a mechanic, know just enough to be dangerous, but isn't it relatively easy reroute the hoses to bypass the heater core in order to make the car driveable and get it to a place where it can be serviced, if she would like to take it to Lawrence for instance, or even wait a while to get it fixed?

Not a mechanic, know just enough to be dangerous, but isn't it relatively easy reroute the hoses to bypass the heater core in order to make the car driveable and get it to a place where it can be serviced, if she would like to take it to Lawrence for instance, or even wait a while to get it fixed? Originally Posted by ez2plz

Have done the above on a 77 Nova, worked good.

first of all never trust a jiffy lube guy!!

They only specialize in LUBE

BD,

I admitted to knowing nothing about cars! Although..I think that it really is the problem given the other signs that I have (listed above). So what's a woman to do when she is overdue for some lube and an oil change

bend over and i'll show you.

Exactly the kind of answer I was looking for!

lol, famous Christmas Vacation quote.

I know a guy not hobby related at all that can come pick it up and probably patch it together enough to get it to his shop in Gardner. He doesn't charge more than his cost for parts and is usually around half the cost of a regular shop. PM the car type and year and I will see what he will charge.

Basic information; a heater core takes water channeled from the cooling system and uses it to heat air going into the interior. If the core fails you engine cooling water will end up on the road and you will overheat fairly quickly. Depending on how you drive you may get five or six miles before your car starts to buck. You have to shut down and let the engine cool before you can go again. If you can, get under your car or look deep inside the engine compartment and you can see a hose going through the firewall. Another hose comes out of the firewall and goes back to the engine block. Just use the hose from one side and route it to the other side like a U turn. Fill the radiator again, plain water will work in an emergency and for a short time, and continue. You will not have a heater anymore which could be bad in an ice storm (I know this from personal experience) but you can drive the car anywhere. What does it cost to fix it??? I have no idea but you do have to go into the dash board.

Ari, have had your flux capacitor checked as well? They tend to go hand in hand. Stupid 1.21 gigawatt systems.

Just go to a new vehicle dealer for your brand or specialized shop. Penny wise, pound foolish to use the "hey, I know this guy" guy. If it is an older car you may want to weigh cost of repair against merely trading it in for another unit.

Ari-
Call/go to Lindan Auto in Merriam. Just north of Johnson Dr., 1/2 block east of Merriam Lane. Ask for Danny. He owns the place, he is honest and has worked on my cars for years. PM me. You can give him my name. No worries.