I called Keyes Acura about 2 times before my "goodies" arrived. I received the following:

Comptech headers
Comptech sways
AEM CAI

I must recommend Tim over at www.autocarparts.com -- he is great.

However, I do have some questions/comments.

First:

When I called Keyes Service, I got a quote for:

Headers -- $220.00 labor
Sways -- $200.00 labor

CAI -- "We don't know, we will have to look at it"

So, I mentioned that Park Ave (Jens place) will do the sways for $75.00. On last weeks call, I got a, "We can work with that."

When I called today to "final check", I got the following:

1. Headers still $220.00
2. Sways -- we will work with you (Service Manger said it was hard to do the front, and said that the prices in New Jersey were all cheaper. He said his shop rate (at Keyes) was $75/hour.

3. CAI -- I don't know, we need to look at this. We probably can. Does it have instructions?

I asked about a rental/lease car for the work. They said they would have to call a rental company for me to arrange for me to pay for a rental. I said I would give notice.


So:

1. What shop rates do you guys pay?
2. I though we got loaners/lease cars -- are installing "options" different than repair/maint?

What gives -- any comments?


------------------
Silver 2001 CL-S with NAVI

• Mud guards
• Wheel locks
• Toyo T1S 235/45ZR17-97W* Proxies on 17x8" SSR Competition wheels (48lbs less than stock)
• Kevlar/SS Brake lines ordered
• Comptech headers & sways ready
• Silver AEM CAI ready
• 6 coats of Zaino magic

 

EricL,

Demand better service than that. I got my sways, springs, and alignment all for $350. The dealer should be giving you a loaner. After all, you are giving them business.

------------------
Frank
01-S White/Parchment
Comptech Sways & Springs

 

Eric

For the labor on my springs/sways/alignment I was charged around $290 over at Park Avenue. This included a Teg loaner offered before I even asked. I agree with FDao. While it is a courtesy and not required your dealership should offer you a loaner. Makes business sense I'd think.

Here's Park Avenue's price listing if it helps:

http://www.parkaveacura.com/comptech_pricing.htm

Good Luck



------------------
"01" CL Type-S
White\Black
Comptech Springs
Comptech Sways
Navigation System
Burlwood Shifter
Guards+Fenderwell Trim
PIAA16969
Smokers Package
My Car

 

I went to Sunnyside Acura, in Nashua, and I slaped Park's Avenue Comptech Price list in their face. Sure they are pissed as a guy who wants to pee!
The best they claimed they can do is to match the price + sales taxes, though in NH there is no slaes taxes . Talk about greed and ripping off a nice customer!

Park Avenue is the BEST! They do know afterall how to treat their customers well.

Wayme, and Jens, even I never had my car serviced at your dealership yet, I would not mind given you all excllent rating on any Acura's Survey that comes my way

------------------
Black, Ebony, 3.2 CL Type-S, NAV.
- 3M clear bra, by Stonguard (full front bumper, and side mirrors, and partial hood)
- Acura Spoiler, Moonroof visor
- Splash guards, Winter mats, Trunk liner
- Valentine V1 Radar Locator
- HELMS Service Manual
- PIAA 19169 road lamps
- 03/19/01: Injen Polished CAI
- 04/10/01: 235/40/18 NITTO 555 on 18x7.5 Koing Imagine in Silver with wheels locks

 

I don't know about the headers and the CAI, but Discount Tires in El Monte installed my Comptech sways for $50, and my Comptech Springs for $100. Those guys do a lot of suspension mods, so they are quick and do good work.

 

Sways are 1 hour labor according to comptech and according to the mechanic who actually installed them in my car in 1 hour.

always get a free loaner man. Go to a different dealership if they won't do that for you.

------------------
Silver CL-S w/ Navi, Spoiler, Wheel Locks, Trunk Tray, 19169, 9005
Toyo 235/45ZR17-97W* T1-S Proxes on 17X8 SSR Competition Wheels (47.2 lbs lighter than stock wheel+tire setup)
Comptech Sways
G-Tech (Full tank of gas, 60F, VSA off, SS) - 5.94 seconds
V-1 Hardwired

 

How come it says 3-4 hours labor on Comptech web site? I called Competh and was told I should expect to pay 3-4 hours of labor. They said the front one is really wound up there. I am just confused.

------------------
01 CL-P

 

The book my service guy showed me from comptech said 1 hour

------------------
Silver CL-S w/ Navi, Spoiler, Wheel Locks, Trunk Tray, 19169, 9005
Toyo 235/45ZR17-97W* T1-S Proxes on 17X8 SSR Competition Wheels (47.2 lbs lighter than stock wheel+tire setup)
Comptech Sways
G-Tech (Full tank of gas, 60F, VSA off, SS) - 5.94 seconds
V-1 Hardwired

 

Headers and Downpipe, Stainless Steel (2001 CL Type S)
$1249.95
Polished stainless steel headers & downpipe
30hp maximum gain, increased power from 4000rpm
for years: 2001 CL Type S
installation time: 2-3 hours
that is directly from comptechs website

 

As you can see, they vary A LOT. I think is depends on the amount of work and experience a particular dealer/service center has with spring and sway replacements. Park seems to be very comfortable with this type of work, places like Sunnyside Acura in NH are not. They guys who are not will charge "book" rates cause they don't really know how long it will take and Jens will charge an hour cause he knows he can get it done - he's done it before.

So I am not sure you can totally blame the dealer - you might just want to find a shop that does alot of this - you also have to take into account the guy is earning $0 on the parts that you are bringing in.

I got a quote from a shop that is an independent Acura/Honda repair shop - all ASE certified mechanics and they quoted 1 1/2 for the sways and 2-2 1/2 for the springs - mostly since they had not done them on the '01 CL yet and did not know what it would take - he did say that most of the time they beat the book times but until they had done one or two, would not price it lower. Seemed fair since they really didn't know what they were getting into.

------------------
CL-S #22,299 Black/Parchment/Nav, spoiler, door & fender guards, wood trim, PIAA 19169 & 9005, V1 w/remote, trunk & winter mats, no headers, no sway bars, no springs, no CAI, no money! (but I got a nice new kitchen!)

 

when i had my comptechs spring it tool like an hour at my friends shop

------------------
2001 cl type s,custom voltage blue paint job, comptech headers, 18 inch ssr agle strusse rims(painted voltage blue with chrome lip), greddy evo exhaust, cross drilled rotors, pioneer avx 7000 tv, playstation2, iceman cold air intake(custom)nos fuel pressure regulator, piaa ion yellow fog lights, slammed on nex suspension (level ten torque converter and b&m tranny cooler)3.5 litre upgrade on april 16!(dommed topped pistons, mdx crankshaft, rods , bearings, heads ported and polished, vtec timing

my old car www.hondatech.org/99acv6ic.html
my cl http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?...064&Sequence=0

 

Man Comptech keeps on raising the price of their headers, and yes the Comptech website says that the sways take 3-4 hours to install, although IMO that is way too long,
hey Technique where did you get your sways installed at?

------------------
2001 Satin silver CL-S
* no navi, spoiler, mudguards
* wheel locks, full front mask
* fenderwell and door trim

 

I was talking about sways. And also from the comptech manual for mechanics, not their website.

------------------
Silver CL-S w/ Navi, Spoiler, Wheel Locks, Trunk Tray, 19169, 9005
Toyo 235/45ZR17-97W* T1-S Proxes on 17X8 SSR Competition Wheels (47.2 lbs lighter than stock wheel+tire setup)
Comptech Sways
G-Tech (Full tank of gas, 60F, VSA off, SS) - 5.94 seconds
V-1 Hardwired

 

Comptech just raised the price of their Headers and exhaust by about 10% yesterday. When I spoke with them about why they did'nt give any warning to the resellers, they said it was from their suppliers of stainless and the cost of power in Ca. Oh well. BTW- the install time for sways is 1 hour and springs 3. The springs are much more work then the sways.!

------------------
Wayne Gruen
Service Manager
Park Ave Acura

 

I got them installed at Hopkins Acura. I think they told me it takes 1 hour PER SWAY (so 2 hours for front and back) but then they showed me the comptech manual and it also only took them 1 hour to do both.

------------------
Silver CL-S w/ Navi, Spoiler, Wheel Locks, Trunk Tray, 19169, 9005
Toyo 235/45ZR17-97W* T1-S Proxes on 17X8 SSR Competition Wheels (47.2 lbs lighter than stock wheel+tire setup)
Comptech Sways
G-Tech (Full tank of gas, 60F, VSA off, SS) - 5.94 seconds
V-1 Hardwired

 

Wayne, can you quote me your shop time. I did download your "price list." The guy at Keyes said that New Jersey Acura dealers had a lower shop rate. I mentioned Park Ave, and he said it again.

Keyes shop rate: $75.00

? What is yours ?




------------------
Silver 2001 CL-S with NAVI

• Mud guards
• Wheel locks
• Toyo T1S 235/45ZR17-97W* Proxies on 17x8" SSR Competition wheels (48lbs less than stock)
• Kevlar/SS Brake lines ordered
• Comptech headers & sways ready
• Silver AEM CAI ready
• 6 coats of Zaino magic

 

OK, one more note...

Now the deal has change to:

$220.00 for header install
$75.00 for sways
??? for CAI (possible do-it-myself time)

Keyes only pays for a "loaner" if the job is going to be over 24 hours!!!!!

They do seem to want to work it out for future business -- we shall see...




------------------
Silver 2001 CL-S with NAVI

• Mud guards
• Wheel locks
• Toyo T1S 235/45ZR17-97W* Proxies on 17x8" SSR Competition wheels (48lbs less than stock)
• Kevlar/SS Brake lines ordered
• Comptech headers & sways ready
• Silver AEM CAI ready
• 6 coats of Zaino magic

 

Good job Eric in negotiating a lower price for your sway installation. Saved yourself $125.

------------------
2001 Satin silver CL-S
* no navi, spoiler, mudguards
* wheel locks, full front mask
* fenderwell and door trim

 

Our labor rate at Park Ave Acura is currently at 74 dollars per hour.Jens

------------------
1992 mazda Miata lowered with Eibach springs KYB AGX adjustable struts Sparco racing buckets 4 point safety harnesses Momo steering wheel lo profile headlite system with PIAA superwhite bulbs Custom audio system Custom gauges Jackson racing supercharger with header and Greddy cat back exhaust and a ton of other stuff 2000 Honda Civic on APEX coilovers Full Alpine Audio system factory fogs with Piaa bulbs Catz ZETA high beam headlamp system H.I.D. Xenon low beam tinted, custom taillites and on and on

 

Technique:
Do you remember who did the installation for you at Hopkins? I call them the day before, and was told that they don't do aftermarket installations. Guess I wasn't asking the right person. I did ask for a service advisor.

So are these fairly acurate statements?

1. The 1st mod, or cost effecitve way to improve the handling is sway.

2. Snook's site is the best place to get comptech sway, that's a consensus.

3. no consensus on labor, but anything around 1 hour labor charge should be reasonable.

Thanks.

------------------
01 CL-P

 

About the 1,2,3 (I think they were for all...)

1. Not sure, but I'm going to put some on next week. Cost tires ~= $650-700 (total), the sways with install ~= $370. The tires really make an amazing difference (you can always wait for your stock ones to wear out).

2. Snook/Tim is the best guy you would ever want to work with. He really cares about his customers. Rating = ***** (5-stars) TOPS

3. After much bounding around, I finally got Keyes to agree on 1 hour for sways.




------------------
Silver 2001 CL-S with NAVI

• Mud guards
• Wheel locks
• Toyo T1S 235/45ZR17-97W* Proxies on 17x8" SSR Competition wheels (48lbs less than stock)
• Kevlar/SS Brake lines ordered
• Comptech headers & sways ready
• Silver AEM CAI ready
• 6 coats of Zaino magic

 

Thanks. Yeah, I know what a difference tires can make from my previous experience. But since they are consumable, I will wait till I run out the stock tires. That's kinda expensive and quite a shame to waste the stocks. I just hope they won't last 60k miles.



------------------
01 CL-P

 

I put my springs and sways in myself. In general I live by the idea that, "If you want something done right you have to do it yourself." So picture this, two mechanical engineers with power tools. Any MEs out know what I am talking about. Me and coworker with access to a full service garage completed the job in four hours. We managed to separate a CV axle in the process, that cost me an hour.

The point is it took us four hours. If I knew then what I know now it would have taken about 2 hours.

------------------
Silver Type S '01
Comptech springs
Comptech sways