Hi, it's Max, the automated assistant over at Maple Test Auto here in Barrie. I'm calling about the 2019 Ram 1500 that came in for service — have I caught you at an okay time to run through the estimate with you?
Hi Max, this is Jamie Smith. Yes, I have a moment to go through the estimate. Thanks for calling!
Perfect, Jamie! Thanks for making time. Let me pull up what the technician found. Alright, so we've got four items to go through. I want to start with the most important ones first — the technician flagged a couple of safety concerns.
First up: all four tires are worn down below the wear bars, which means they're bald. This is a safety issue — both for your stopping power and for traction. We're looking at replacing all four with new tires. That's one thousand, two hundred and forty dollars, which includes six hundred and twenty dollars in parts and six hundred and twenty dollars in labor.
What would you like to do about the tires?
Oof, that's steep! Can you break down how much of that is for parts versus labor again? And is it safe to wait a few weeks on those?
Sure thing — so the parts themselves are six hundred and twenty dollars for the four tires, and labor to mount and balance them is another six hundred and twenty dollars, so it comes out to that one thousand, two hundred and forty dollars total.
As for waiting — I can't tell you it's safe to drive on bald tires. That's really a call you need to make, but I'll be straight with you: the technician found they're already below the wear bars, which is the legal limit in most places. Traction in wet weather, stopping distance, blowout risk — those all get worse the more worn they are. If you're going to use the truck in the next few weeks, I'd really recommend getting them done sooner rather than later. That said, the choice is yours.
What are you thinking?
I appreciate the honesty, Max. I think I'm going to have to decline the tires for now because of my budget. Let's move on to the next item. What’s next on the list?
I hear you — budget's real. Let me record that, and we'll move on. Next up is the outer tie rod ends. Both of them have excessive play, and the technician flagged this as a safety concern too. Worn tie rod ends affect your steering and handling — they can make the truck feel loose or pull to one side, and in worst cases, they can fail. We need to replace both of them. That's four hundred and twenty dollars total — two hundred and ten dollars for the parts and two hundred and ten dollars for labor.
What do you want to do with those?
What happens if I don't do those tie rod ends?
Good question. Like I said, excessive play in the tie rod ends means your steering can feel loose or unpredictable, and the truck might pull to one side. In the worst-case scenario, if one fails completely, you lose some control over steering. I don't want to scare you, but it's a safety item — the technician flagged it for a reason. That said, I can't tell you exactly when they'll fail or what will happen in your specific situation. That's the honest answer.
Given that you're already looking at a tight budget, I'd say this one's worth prioritizing over the maintenance stuff we'll look at next. But it's your call to make.
Thanks for the thorough explanation, Max. I understand the importance of safety here, so I’ll approve the replacement of the tie rod ends. What’s next on the list?
Great decision, Jamie. Let me record that. Perfect. So far you're approved for four hundred and twenty dollars, and with tax that's four hundred and seventy-four dollars and sixty cents.
Next is the serpentine belt. It's cracked and starting to fray. That's the belt that runs your alternator, power steering pump, and air conditioning compressor — when it goes, all of those stop working. We'd replace it for one hundred and eighty-nine dollars total, which is ninety-four dollars and fifty cents for the belt and ninety-four dollars and fifty cents for labor. The technician flagged this as something to keep an eye on, though it's not quite at the same level as the safety items we've covered.
How do you want to handle that one?
Is that something that really needs doing right now?
That's fair to ask. The belt is cracked and fraying, so it's definitely on its way out. The thing is, I can't tell you exactly when it'll fail — could be tomorrow, could be a few weeks. Once it does break though, you're stranded and you can't drive the truck until it's fixed. Plus, if it fails while you're driving, you lose power steering and your alternator stops charging the battery, which can be pretty hairy.
That said, it's not the same kind of immediate safety risk as the tires or tie rods. If you're watching your budget tight right now, you could wait a bit and keep an eye on it. But honestly, at under two hundred bucks, it's the kind of thing that's cheaper to fix now than to deal with on the roadside later. Your call though.
I see your point. I think I’ll go ahead and approve the serpentine belt replacement. What’s the last item on the list?
Great, let me record that. Excellent. You're now at six hundred and nine dollars before tax, and six hundred and eighty-eight dollars and seventeen cents with tax included.
Last item is the front brake pads. They're down to about three millimeters, so they're getting pretty thin. We'd replace them for three hundred and twenty dollars — one hundred and sixty dollars for the pads and one hundred and sixty dollars for the labor.
What would you like to do about the brake pads?
Does the price you quoted include tax?
Good catch — no, that three hundred and twenty dollars is before tax. With the thirteen percent tax added on, it'll be a bit more. But let me know what you want to do about the brake pads first, and I'll give you the final total once we've gone through everything.
Alright, I’ll go ahead and approve the brake pads replacement. Now, can you give me the final total for everything I approved, including tax?
Perfect, let me record that. Alright, Jamie, here's what you've approved: the outer tie rod ends, the serpentine belt, and the front brake pads. Your subtotal is nine hundred and twenty-nine dollars, plus one hundred and twenty dollars and seventy-seven cents in tax, for a final total of one thousand and forty-nine dollars and seventy-seven cents.
Does that all sound good to you?
Yes, that sounds good. Thank you for going through everything with me, Max! I appreciate your help.
You're very welcome, Jamie! Thanks for being straightforward with me about the budget — I appreciate that. We'll get those tie rod ends, serpentine belt, and brake pads taken care of for you. The shop will be in touch if they need anything else from you, and your truck should be ready soon.
Take care!
Thanks again, Max! I really appreciate your help. Take care!
