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Q: I own a 2007 BMW 530 and have been told it needs a new starter. Can you give me an estimate on what that would cost? I do know the price will vary based on labor rates, but I want to be prepared.
A: The labor to remove and replace the starter motor is 2.9 hours. For estimating purposes, I use $135 per hour. The cost for a starter from BMW is $431.
You could choose an aftermarket part that meets or exceeds the quality of the BMW starter, and that could save you several hundred dollars. A Bosch starter can be purchased for as little as $165.
Repair shops typically mark up parts around 40%, which would bring that starter price closer to $275. You may also find a shop that would install a part you purchased, which could help keep costs down, but, of course, if that part fails, you would be responsible for the replacement cost.
Is a standard transmission available on electric and hybrid cars?
Q: I prefer to drive a car with a standard transmission. Are there any electric or hybrid cars that offer standard transmission as an option?
A: None that I am aware of. The last might have been the first-generation Honda Insight. In that case, there was a small electric motor sandwiched between the gasoline engine and transmission. Electric cars produce torque instantly, and electric motors spin at higher RPMs, so they really only need what amounts to a single-speed transmission.
Hybrid vehicles will use a continually variable transmission or a dual clutch transmission. These transmissions provide some of the feel of a traditional manual transmission with the ease of driving an automatic.
Manual transmissions are even rare in non-hybrid vehicles. In fact, the latest Chevrolet Corvette does not have a manual transmission option.
Can you buy a car with a manual transmission? Yes, the Ford Mustang, Mazda Miata, Porsche, BMW, Honda Civic and sportier versions of the Hyundai Elantra can be ordered with a manual transmission. Ford had a manual transmission in the Bronco and Ranger, although I have never seen one.
Long, strange trip to fixing Mercedes-Benz check engine light problem
Q: I wrote to you a while back with a check engine light issue on my 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK 350 after doing the software update. You suggested that the update may not have been performed properly. You were right. Sort of.
To make a (very) long story short, it took six visits and loaner cars for Mercedes to solve the problem. To their credit, they did finally solve the problem at no further charge to me. According to them, the fuel injectors have serial numbers that must be encoded into the software. The update was supposed to grab those numbers and code them to the computer, but the software failed to do that. A field technician was brought in and finally solved the problem by hand-coding the serial numbers into the software. After that last visit, no more check engine light.
A: Even though your car is 10 years old, it demonstrates how today’s cars are rolling computers. To quote an old computer programmer, “garbage in, garbage out” (GIGO). If the information going to the computer is faulty, the information coming out will be flawed. It seems that this was the case with your Mercedes.
Thanks for letting me know.
Where is the power steering fluid leaking from on 2004 Jetta?
Q: The power steering reservoir in our 2004 Volkswagen Jetta is low after about a month or two. Our mechanic sees no leaks in hoses or pump. Any ideas where the fluid may be going, or what to look for to diagnose?
A: There really are only three possibilities: a hose leak, a pump leak or a steering rack leak. The most common are hose leaks, followed by steering rack/gear leaks and, in some cases, the pump seals can leak.
You have two choices: Add fluid until the leak gets bad enough that it’s easier to spot, or add a special dye to the fluid that can be checked with an ultraviolet light to trace the leak.
My guess is that the slow leak is in the steering rack. Considering the car is 19 years old, you could also add a power steering sealer that may slow the leak even further. Lucas and Blue Devil both make a product that readers tell me works well.
John Paul is the AAA Northeast Car Doctor. He has more than 40 years of experience in the automobile industry and is an ASE-Certified Master Technician. Write to John Paul, The Car Doctor, at 110 Royal Little Drive, Providence, RI 02904. Or email jpaul@aaanortheast.com and put “Car Doctor” in the subject field. Follow him on Twitter @johnfpaul or on Facebook.
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