Harmonic Balancer $440 replaced ?

[aussieghostrider]

My car was getting the rattle so took in to mechanic across road from my work anyhow he said a genuine gm new harmonic balancer is $280.

this is 2nd time its been replaced and i cant remember how much it cost me last time.Mechanic said the one I had in there was a reconditioned balancer.

some people say balancer are like $100-$150

My vn is a 1990 november model so I looked up the part on rare spares website and they want $300 . Are the balancers for my model expensive compared to later models ?
heres link to rare spares -->
https://rsp-secure.com/rarespares/de...VS%20COMMODORE

Product Code: 88959268
Description: HARMONIC BALANCER V6 VN TO 11/90
Price inc GST($AUD) : $292.22 EA
Anyhow ended up $440 inc G.S.T for labour , balancer , new front seal ..

seems bit expensive compared to others on here have said or would it be the fact because its a brand new GM balancer ?

[Tom_1569]

440 bux, sheez you could fit another engine for less.
Seem to be about 150 on ebay, could of sworn they were cheaper then that.

[PaRaDoX]

shouldn't cost you a cent over $110 mate...
i never bothered getting a new one, $10 at the wreckers was too tempting, i only ever killed 1 from wearing the keyway groove

then again they're a bastard to remove the first time... especially without a puller

[Glen_P]

I just recently replaced mine for $80 for secondhand balancer in perfect condition and put it in myself. Had the job done in 2 hours and replaced the CAS while I was there, got one for $28 new off ebay, needed a compressor and impact wrench to do the bolt back up on the balancer though.

[Troyziee]

i had to get myne done when i was gettin my CAS changed, all up new harmonic balancer CAS and labour was 300, so tha harmonic balancer wasnt taht much

[aussieghostrider]

I guess thats what i get for a new part and not reco ... he didnt exchange my old one as it was sitting in the bin.

I have found some reciepts going back to 2001 .. cost me $200 for a reconditioned balancer to be replaced on exchange ... then 2005 it went again was $300 that time ... so hopefully with it being new and not exchange that i get longer than 5 years out of it.

[Boonz]

we sell harmonic balancers at work that are brand new for $140.... so dunno where the rest of the money is coming from cos its a 20 minute job to replace one

[Emackulation]

I think you have an underlying issue if your car keeps killing them mate, something else is causing them to die...

[aussieghostrider]

I do drive it like its a race car sometimes .. also very easy to spin the wheels even when you not trying to ... lol

Im actually thinking of selling it as it's 17 years old and even though its looked after Im still throwing $$$ into it ... Might be time to get a nice honda bike considering petrols gonna be $2 a litre within a year ....

[greenfoam]

It's pretty standard 40$ labour or less to have one put on and less than $200 for the balancer. Probably time to find a mechanic that doesn't double his cost price on parts and double his labour while he's there

[Tom_1569]

It's pretty standard 40$ labour or less to have one put on and less than $200 for the balancer. Probably time to find a mechanic that doesn't double his cost price on parts and double his labour while he's there

Is what ****s me, is mechanics get trade price, not to mention they buy their oil in a drum usually, yet they will charge retail price and sometimes more.
I know of a mechanic that charged us delivery cost for the parts to come from the store to the workshop, when the shop actually does free delivery to all trade clients.
I like my mechanic, gives me everything trade price, picks parts up for me drops them off. doesnt charge. Will help me install parts at no cost, or do put them in for me. Also will come at any time or anywhere i need help...ahhh thankgod for my sister going out with a mechanic lol.