A**o F***e parts and service charges

[Monkey King Stu]

I recently did some work on my Toyota Vitz 2007 KSP90 3 cyl. 1000cc. My only experience so far has been with the local makabaas... so i'm new to these type of garages and their prices... I went in with a budget of 150k and came out spending over 350k...

The owner Sajaad Zuhair (a racer) is a great guy and i trust him but I just ended up spending so much more than i had hoped that i'm reaching out for some assurance that these prices are justified and that i didn't get fleeced... (i don't believe i did).

I checked prices with Toyota Lanka and it seems some are more and some are less, although i had hoped that prices at the garage would be less because i expected them to pass on the discounts to me since they were earning from the hefty labour charges...

Could some please let me know if this is like the market rate for these type of places? I'll post just the totals for parts and labour below:

170k for listed parts (all original Toyota except for the shocks)

58k for listed labour, cleaning, and servicing

There's more but i just mentioned the main ones. I didn't feel it appropriate to mention prices individually... I just want to know if these numbers look about right. I was told that i was actually charged much less for the engine overhaul than normal.

Chould/Should i have bargained? I did try... ?

I'm happy i got it done, it's just that i'm not used to spending that much money... i just feel guilty not knowing and it would be so assuring to know it was money well spent, if not then at least i'll know better to have asked here first next time... ?

Hope i haven't violated any forum rules!

*UPDATE*

From research and responses so far it appears to me that this garage charges a premium (profits) for parts sourced from agents or dealers which on average come out to be slightly higher than getting it ourselves. But i believe that we are paying a premium for services rendered which include timeliness, reliability, and responsibility.

So as long as one goes in knowing the facts beforehand then it's just a matter of making the choice. I hope this thread has been of use to others as much as it has for me. Thanks to this forum and all users. ?

*I haven't been able to get any comparative data for labour so I'll have to settle for what I've got so far

Edited October 29, 2019 by Monkey King Stu

[Hyaenidae]

When you say "EPS rack repair", it could be either tightning a loose nut [5min work] or a 8-hour repair so I don't think  anyone would be able to say if the their charges seem reasonable or not.

If you want to compare you could try comparing their hourly rate with the agents rates...

[Monkey King Stu]

19 minutes ago, Hyaenidae said:

When you say "EPS rack repair", it could be either tightning a loose nut [5min work] or a 8-hour repair so I don't think  anyone would be able to say if the their charges seem reasonable or not.

If you want to compare you could try comparing their hourly rate with the agents rates...

It was a 28k repair on the steering rack, there was some play and they initially thought maybe just the rack end. But i see what you're getting at...

I've edited my post and removed any subjective repairs and adjusted the price accordingly, thanks for the heads up!

Edited October 24, 2019 by Monkey King Stu

[Crosswind]

7 hours ago, Monkey King Stu said:

I recently did some work on my Toyota Vitz 2007 KSP90 3 cyl. 1000cc. My only experience so far has been with the local makabaas... so i'm new to these type of garages and their prices... I went in with a budget of 150k and came out spending over 350k...

The owner Sajaad Zuhair (a racer) is a great guy and i trust him but I just ended up spending so much more than i had hoped that i'm reaching out for some assurance that these prices are justified and that i didn't get fleeced... (i don't believe i did).

I checked prices with Toyota Lanka and it seems some are more and some are less, although i had hoped that prices at the garage would be less because i expected them to pass on the discounts to me since they were earning from the hefty labour charges...

Could some please let me know if this is like the market rate for these type of places? I'll post just the totals for parts and labour below:

170k for listed parts (all original Toyota except for the shocks)

58k for listed labour, cleaning, and servicing

There's more but i just mentioned the main ones. I didn't feel it appropriate to mention prices individually... I just want to know if these numbers look about right. I was told that i was actually charged much less for the engine overhaul than normal.

Chould/Should i have bargained? I did try... ?

I'm happy i got it done, it's just that i'm not used to spending that much money... i just feel guilty not knowing and it would be so assuring to know it was money well spent, if not then at least i'll know better to have asked here first next time... ?

Hope i haven't violated any forum rules!

A 2007 car needing an engine job and a suspension overhaul doesn't sound right. What have you been doing? Running the car without oil changes or topping up water? 

Or is this the fate of all 1000CC cars?

[Monkey King Stu]

10 hours ago, Crosswind said:

A 2007 car needing an engine job and a suspension overhaul doesn't sound right. What have you been doing? Running the car without oil changes or topping up water? 

Or is this the fate of all 1000CC cars?

err... topping up water what now? where am i supposed to do that? Are you talking about coolant?

Anyway i think the problem is mainly that these 3 cylinder 1000cc cars are way underpowered for the workload, because i notice such a huge difference in performance/pulling power when a/c is off. Heck i even tried running around Colombo with a/c off and shutters down, but it just took a few days for the upholstery in the car to start turning black from the fumes!

The other mistake i seem to have done is that i drive immediately on a cold start in the mornings... never had the patience to wait even 30s... ?

But probably worst of all i took too long to change the oil... Been using Toyota 10w30 synthetic, but i drive on average less than 5000kms a year, which is around when i change the oil... from what i've been told, i should have changed every 6mnths regardless of how much i had driven...

I didn't think i needed engine work either, but it was definitely underperforming and i was only getting 7+km/ltr (already tried changing fuel filter) which i is why i decided to go ahead with just a service on the head. But after opening up, the piston rings were worn (maybe reasons for performance drop?) and bearings seemed to be worn/scratched at some places and some sludge buildup so ended up with some work on engine body as well.

As for the suspension, i'm pretty sure they were shot, cause i know how smooth the ride was before, now i can feel the stiffness when going over bumps. I think maybe i took the shocks for granted before and didn't slow down much on bumps since they were working so well... ? So maybe i abused them too much? I don't know how bad they were, i was told they needed to be replaced, but i felt that when i accidentally went over those narrow low triple bumps as if it was damaging the car because i could feel and hear the clanks.

Being a layman i'm at the absolute mercy of the garage recommendations...

[alds]

Out of curiosity, what is the mileage on the car? Because for 350k, I feel like you could've replaced the engine entirely.

[alpha17]

23 hours ago, Monkey King Stu said:

I recently did some work on my Toyota Vitz 2007 KSP90 3 cyl. 1000cc. My only experience so far has been with the local makabaas... so i'm new to these type of garages and their prices... I went in with a budget of 150k and came out spending over 350k...

The owner Sajaad Zuhair (a racer) is a great guy and i trust him but I just ended up spending so much more than i had hoped that i'm reaching out for some assurance that these prices are justified and that i didn't get fleeced... (i don't believe i did).

I checked prices with Toyota Lanka and it seems some are more and some are less, although i had hoped that prices at the garage would be less because i expected them to pass on the discounts to me since they were earning from the hefty labour charges...

Could some please let me know if this is like the market rate for these type of places? I'll post just the totals for parts and labour below:

170k for listed parts (all original Toyota except for the shocks)

58k for listed labour, cleaning, and servicing

There's more but i just mentioned the main ones. I didn't feel it appropriate to mention prices individually... I just want to know if these numbers look about right. I was told that i was actually charged much less for the engine overhaul than normal.

Chould/Should i have bargained? I did try... ?

I'm happy i got it done, it's just that i'm not used to spending that much money... i just feel guilty not knowing and it would be so assuring to know it was money well spent, if not then at least i'll know better to have asked here first next time... ?

Hope i haven't violated any forum rules!

The shock absorbers from KYB would cost around 30-35k (Our next door Vitz needed replacements for rear shocks and one cost around 5k). Mounts will be around 50k-60k(not sure). I did a rack repair on my previous 121 and costed me 7k from a known place, so lets say it’s 10k. Let’s set aside another 50k for other jobs, the gaskets and others. Simple. They ripped you off!!!

I bought all 4 engine mounts for my 2013 from Toyo** Lan** costed me 62k only. For the shock absorbers they quoted around 110k(all 4). Better to do something!

[alpha17]

Also note that agent’s hourly rate is like Rs.2700

[Monkey King Stu]

5 hours ago, alds said:

Out of curiosity, what is the mileage on the car? Because for 350k, I feel like you could've replaced the engine entirely.

89k total, did 47k in 9 years after i bought it.

350k was not just for the engine work, engine work cost around 140k. It included:

*I believe the engine body repair was probably installing the piston rings, bearings, maybe honing cylinders...

They offered me an alternative used engine option for 110k (including labour) but only if the condition of my engine was bad or the sludge situation was unmanageable. After opening up we decided to go ahead with overhaul and i consented because i have no idea what condition the used engine would be in and i'd have to open it up as well to verify and my base cost itself would start at 90k! so i figured the overhaul was the better option.

I have no idea what a new engine would have cost, if that's what you are getting at.

Edited October 25, 2019 by Monkey King Stu

[Monkey King Stu]

2 hours ago, alpha17 said:

The shock absorbers from KYB would cost around 30-35k (Our next door Vitz needed replacements for rear shocks and one cost around 5k). Mounts will be around 50k-60k(not sure). I did a rack repair on my previous 121 and costed me 7k from a known place, so lets say it’s 10k. Let’s set aside another 50k for other jobs, the gaskets and others. Simple. They ripped you off!!!

I bought all 4 engine mounts for my 2013 from Toyo** Lan** costed me 62k only. For the shock absorbers they quoted around 110k(all 4). Better to do something!

They charged me:

• 34k KYB front shock pair +6k labour
• 20k KYB rear shock pair +4k labour
• 58.5k mounts (L/H+R/H) & engine moving control +5.5k labour
• 28.5k EPS rack repair + 5.5k labour (repairs are subjective so i don't see how we could judge on this...)

I checked mount prices at TL who quoted 56k; cost 58.5k at garage. I even checked the gasket overhaul kit which cost 24k at garage while TL quoted 25k, so minor differences both ways; i don't see any evidence of any rip-off so far... But i don't how much TL would have charged for labour so i have no idea in that department...

The only major expenses i can't compare is the labour, and i have yet to confirm the KYB shock prices, otherwise it looks okay to me, though i had hoped they would pass on any dealer discounts to me on the parts...

I think there is some misunderstanding about the cost... 350k was for all the work, not just engine and shocks, although they made up the bulk of it...

[Monkey King Stu]

2 hours ago, alpha17 said:

Also note that agent’s hourly rate is like Rs.2700

I don't know how i would use this to calculate labour if the garage uses fixed rates or unless they supply me with detailed records...

[iRage]

@Devinda_Z...see ? Another case.

Again..thanks for sharing. Is it okay if we merge the two threads you created for you Vitz ? I believe the previous thread and this one together might make more sense ? 

Again....for the mileage of the car you would not expect it to have such a lot of repairs of that nature.  Some of us have been going on a rant the last few weeks/months about how user MUST replace parts before they completely wear out and carry out preemptive maintenance on time. Eg. a 100K or 10year scheduled maintenance work list (for some cars) might include replacing of gasket, etc....and checking the bushes and and replace if needed at a 5 or 7 year mark....this way you won't be dumping a whole lot of cash in one go but spread it out over a period; however the biggest benefit is you wouldn't be creating more problems in your car that you would need to spend money and fix later on. If you had changed your oil at a regular interval, then to be honest I don't think you would have had to replace things like piston rings and bearings in your engine.

Find yourself a reputed garage...I usually do not try to recommend any because the experience once has with these garages depends on one's personality as well. Then come up with a proper routine and do not cut corners. You can be economically sensible and not cut corners. 

Edited October 26, 2019 by iRage

[kush]

You may have got a lemon in the first place, how reliable was the original mileage in the clock when you brought the car. Vitz engine should give reliable 150-200K with out issues and will stand to abuse.

Seem you have overpaid for shocks KYB should be around 30-35K max for all 4 for a Vitz

Mounts seems excessive too

Edited October 26, 2019 by kush

[RWD]

As someone who has been sending my cars to the aforementioned garage since 2003 I will say this. They are not cheap. But their mechanical work is excellent and they have very knowledgeable mechanics. I have maintained a bunch of my Japanese cars there from my Nissan Primera, V35 skyline, Mark X, Civic, Vezel etc. Their prices are on par with the agents but they have very good mechanics and Sajaad has a wealth of experience with his knowledge on racing and performance cars.

Also they have a service package and they are the only garage I know who believes in preventive maintenance for local conditions. For example eveytime they service your car they remove and clean and de-grease the break pads and discs. Because of our dust and rain and traffic makes it very hard on the brakes. They also strongly recommend the 6 month mark for synthetic oil changes. De-carbonizing if you have a Direct injection engine every 2-3 years because of our fuel and driving habits. I know this is important because the Mark X really needed it. And of course conservative changes of stuff like ATF before manufacturer recommended intervals. 

Compare this to the agents who give your car a glorified car wash when you service and only change the oil. Or a bass who doesn't know any better at your local garage. 

I really don't know the prices of all the stuff you replaced. It seems on the high side. But if you have done your research and its on par with the agents and you are satisfied with the job done I wouldn't worry about it. 

[Monkey King Stu]

6 hours ago, iRage said:

@Devinda_Z...see ? Another case.

Again..thanks for sharing. Is it okay if we merge the two threads you created for you Vitz ? I believe the previous thread and this one together might make more sense ? 

Again....for the mileage of the car you would not expect it to have such a lot of repairs of that nature.  Some of us have been going on a rant the last few weeks/months about how user MUST replace parts before they completely wear out and carry out preemptive maintenance on time. Eg. a 100K or 10year scheduled maintenance work list (for some cars) might include replacing of gasket, etc....and checking the bushes and and replace if needed at a 5 or 7 year mark....this way you won't be dumping a whole lot of cash in one go but spread it out over a period; however the biggest benefit is you wouldn't be creating more problems in your car that you would need to spend money and fix later on. If you had changed your oil at a regular interval, then to be honest I don't think you would have had to replace things like piston rings and bearings in your engine.

Find yourself a reputed garage...I usually do not try to recommend any because the experience once has with these garages depends on one's personality as well. Then come up with a proper routine and do not cut corners. You can be economically sensible and not cut corners. 

Merge away if you are a moderator, i have no problem ?. I put that in Toyota thread because it was more car specific, and this is about the garage prices, but if you feel they should be together i have no problem.

Thanks for the advice, i agree completely about finding a reputed (reliable) garage, that's the whole point of this thread. I feel this is a good place, owner is a nice guy. I've realized they are expensive and i'm gonna have to make a choice, i just want the assurance that they aren't overcharging me for parts i could easily source cheaper outside (including transport costs), or overcharging me for labour just because i don't know any better...

I just don't want to be taken advantaged of... I don't mind paying a little extra to the garage for parts because they would have to bear complete responsibility for any consequences.

[Monkey King Stu]

4 hours ago, kush said:

You may have got a lemon in the first place, how reliable was the original mileage in the clock when you brought the car. Vitz engine should give reliable 150-200K with out issues and will stand to abuse.

Seem you have overpaid for shocks KYB should be around 30-35K max for all 4 for a Vitz

Mounts seems excessive too

Maybe my lack of knowledge and the delayed oil change with ignored vibration did the damage, either way I guess i'm making lemonade then... ? Car was selected at Japanese auction so mileage genuine i guess.

I'll reply about KYB as soon i get the prices from them.

Mount prices have been confirmed from TL to be around the same, so we are clear on that i believe.

[iRage]

9 minutes ago, Monkey King Stu said:

Merge away if you are a moderator, i have no problem ?. I put that in Toyota thread because it was more car specific, and this is about the garage prices, but if you feel they should be together i have no problem.

Thanks for the advice, i agree completely about finding a reputed (reliable) garage, that's the whole point of this thread. I feel this is a good place, owner is a nice guy. I've realized they are expensive and i'm gonna have to make a choice, i just want the assurance that they aren't overcharging me for parts i could easily source cheaper outside (including transport costs), or overcharging me for labour just because i don't know any better...

I just don't want to be taken advantaged of... I don't mind paying a little extra to the garage for parts because they would have to bear complete responsibility for any consequences.

Okay...since your rationalization does make sense lets keep it separate. TBH I really did not check where you had created them.

Can you find a garage that is cheaper....yes..always....can you find a part that will be cheaper...again..yes..always. Should you go for the cheaper option...not always the case.

Based on the Toyota Japan EPC...the ring set costs a little less than 15,000yen. The Bearing SET cost 8600yen and the GASKET OVERHAUL KIT costs 22,000yen. Mind you these are Japanese parts that are licensed OEMs. In Sri Lanka some parts are from Toyota Thailand and some are from Japan. Even by your own research you can see that the price for parts is not that different. Many Toyota owners will say that those parts are expensive and panchi will be cheaper...not true. The Panchi parts are usually Chinese/Taiwanese 3rd party ones or ripoffs. Original Manufacturer licensed parts will be expensive. 

As for their labor prices..again...good mechanics are expensive...but you get long lasting results and garages with good mechanics and a good reputation will fix whatever they did wrong either on their own account or minimally charged or give a warranty for a short period. Maka baases are cheap...but as you found out...you will never get the car fixed and you will be walking in and out of a revolving door with more and more things falling apart.

[alpha17]

KYB rear shock price is around 5-6k. Confirmed. I mean some garages does their work well, but try to rip off the customer when they come to know about his/her knowledge. But the engine vibration is definitely due to worn engine mounts. But the problem is at 87,000km what is the reason to do an engine overhaul!!! I previously had a 121 which sometimes I used to push it to its limits but when took it to Toyo Lan for tune up they said that the engine is in pristine condition(which is a bit rare these days).

[kush]

Totally agreed, however if you know what youre doing and get the parts from reputed places other than the agents there will be substantial savings. There are reputed places who deal in genuine parts for most mainstream brands.

For instance brake pads for Corolla 141 was around Rs. 24k at TL and i got them from G* M****s for half price few yeras back. Thay also has the compatible for Rs. 4500 if any one wanted to be a cheapo.

If you get the KYB it will be significantly cheaper and most probably OEM cold be KYB too

You need to do your research / shop around and especially if you need to spend significant sum always get a second openion even if cost you bit more.

I dont think Japan produces parts anymore (may be few like the engine stuff) most of the stuff could be from Thailand/ China... if they are OEM i dont think one should worry too much

[kush]

14 minutes ago, alpha17 said:

KYB rear shock price is around 5-6k. Confirmed. I mean some garages does their work well, but try to rip off the customer when they come to know about his/her knowledge. But the engine vibration is definitely due to worn engine mounts. But the problem is at 87,000km what is the reason to do an engine overhaul!!! I previously had a 121 which sometimes I used to push it to its limits but when took it to Toyo Lan for tune up they said that the engine is in pristine condition(which is a bit rare these days).

my BIL had a Vitz which he ran like a taxi, serviced at makabas with what ever the oil and filter of cause at 5000k interval when it was sold had over 140K on the clock with solid engine, no oil leaks, smoke, drop in oil level. Gear box was as good as when it was new.

These cars are built to last and they do

[Devinda_Z]

14 hours ago, iRage said:

@Devinda_Z...see ? Another case.

Again..thanks for sharing. Is it okay if we merge the two threads you created for you Vitz ? I believe the previous thread and this one together might make more sense ? 

Again....for the mileage of the car you would not expect it to have such a lot of repairs of that nature.  Some of us have been going on a rant the last few weeks/months about how user MUST replace parts before they completely wear out and carry out preemptive maintenance on time. Eg. a 100K or 10year scheduled maintenance work list (for some cars) might include replacing of gasket, etc....and checking the bushes and and replace if needed at a 5 or 7 year mark....this way you won't be dumping a whole lot of cash in one go but spread it out over a period; however the biggest benefit is you wouldn't be creating more problems in your car that you would need to spend money and fix later on. If you had changed your oil at a regular interval, then to be honest I don't think you would have had to replace things like piston rings and bearings in your engine.

Find yourself a reputed garage...I usually do not try to recommend any because the experience once has with these garages depends on one's personality as well. Then come up with a proper routine and do not cut corners. You can be economically sensible and not cut corners. 

@iRage Looks like it to a certain extent

 

11 hours ago, kush said:

You may have got a lemon in the first place, how reliable was the original mileage in the clock when you brought the car. Vitz engine should give reliable 150-200K with out issues and will stand to abuse.

Seem you have overpaid for shocks KYB should be around 30-35K max for all 4 for a Vitz

Mounts seems excessive too

I'm finding it hard to believe that what seems to be largely un-abused Toyota would have these issues at sub 100k mileage

7 hours ago, Monkey King Stu said:

Maybe my lack of knowledge and the delayed oil change with ignored vibration did the damage, either way I guess i'm making lemonade then... ? Car was selected at Japanese auction so mileage genuine i guess.

I'll reply about KYB as soon i get the prices from them.

Mount prices have been confirmed from TL to be around the same, so we are clear on that i believe.

@Monkey King Stu any chance the first owner locally tampered with the mileage? Do you have any service records from the previous owner?

5 hours ago, alpha17 said:

KYB rear shock price is around 5-6k. Confirmed. I mean some garages does their work well, but try to rip off the customer when they come to know about his/her knowledge. But the engine vibration is definitely due to worn engine mounts. But the problem is at 87,000km what is the reason to do an engine overhaul!!! I previously had a 121 which sometimes I used to push it to its limits but when took it to Toyo Lan for tune up they said that the engine is in pristine condition(which is a bit rare these days).

 

[Monkey King Stu]

4 hours ago, RWD said:

As someone who has been sending my cars to the aforementioned garage since 2003 I will say this. They are not cheap. But their mechanical work is excellent and they have very knowledgeable mechanics. I have maintained a bunch of my Japanese cars there from my Nissan Primera, V35 skyline, Mark X, Civic, Vezel etc. Their prices are on par with the agents but they have very good mechanics and Sajaad has a wealth of experience with his knowledge on racing and performance cars.

Also they have a service package and they are the only garage I know who believes in preventive maintenance for local conditions. For example eveytime they service your car they remove and clean and de-grease the break pads and discs. Because of our dust and rain and traffic makes it very hard on the brakes. They also strongly recommend the 6 month mark for synthetic oil changes. De-carbonizing if you have a Direct injection engine every 2-3 years because of our fuel and driving habits. I know this is important because the Mark X really needed it. And of course conservative changes of stuff like ATF before manufacturer recommended intervals. 

Compare this to the agents who give your car a glorified car wash when you service and only change the oil. Or a bass who doesn't know any better at your local garage. 

I really don't know the prices of all the stuff you replaced. It seems on the high side. But if you have done your research and its on par with the agents and you are satisfied with the job done I wouldn't worry about it. 

?This! This is the assurance i was looking for! Thank you! ?

Good to confirm about their high agent level prices! And yes Sajaad is definitely a knowledgeable guy, being a racer and all, I really appreciate his hands on approach, never shy's away from a question, takes the time to listen and answer, very rare in SL, can't say the same for some of his underlings which he himself acknowledged... ?

I actually thought he wouldn't pay much attention to me or my car, since i wasn't a racer but i really surprised by the treatment i got! ?

I also do believe that his techs probably know more than agent techs because of their workload and cars that come through, and also from personal experience with TL ?

So far the prices i've checked up on match up with the agent so i guess like you say, i shouldn't worry about it. As soon as the KYB shock prices come in, i should be able to find the closure i want. ?

 

[Monkey King Stu]

5 hours ago, alpha17 said:

KYB rear shock price is around 5-6k. Confirmed. I mean some garages does their work well, but try to rip off the customer when they come to know about his/her knowledge. But the engine vibration is definitely due to worn engine mounts. But the problem is at 87,000km what is the reason to do an engine overhaul!!! I previously had a 121 which sometimes I used to push it to its limits but when took it to Toyo Lan for tune up they said that the engine is in pristine condition(which is a bit rare these days).

Main reason i went for the engine overhaul was because the car was under-performing and i was getting only 7+km/ltr, which gradually declined from 8+, and i'd already done a fuel filter replacement earlier as well. I didn't want it getting worse and figured might as well try it as i was already committed to fixing up the car.

Also the initial estimate was for gasket overhaul which was estimated at 52k with labour, it burgeoned to 140k because of parts and labour on engine body work later on.

I couldn't tell them NOT to replace piston rings which were worn (they appeared to be worn into the grooves) and bearings which had visible markings, i had to take their word for it since i had no clue about these things. Sludge cleaning cost 14k which seemed rather excessive but again i had no clue as to what kind of effort really went into it. I did try to bargain with no luck... ?

I figured i'm probably never gonna open up the engine again, so might as well get whatever needs done.

How did TL comment on condition of your engine without opening it up?

[Monkey King Stu]

8 hours ago, kush said:

You need to do your research / shop around and especially if you need to spend significant sum always get a second openion even if cost you bit more.

I did try to shop around, my FIL has a spare parts shop over in Polonnaruwa, but when he called around people in Colombo nobody had stocks. So i figured might as well let the garage source the oem parts from TL.

Only the KYB shocks happen to be aftermarket.

Edited October 26, 2019 by Monkey King Stu

[Devinda_Z]

13 minutes ago, Monkey King Stu said:

Main reason i went for the engine overhaul was because the car was under-performing and i was getting only 7+km/ltr, which gradually declined from 8+, and i'd already done a fuel filter replacement earlier as well. I didn't want it getting worse and figured might as well try it as i was already committed to fixing up the car.

Also the initial estimate was for gasket overhaul which was estimated at 52k with labour, it burgeoned to 140k because of parts and labour on engine body work later on.

I couldn't tell them NOT to replace piston rings which were worn (they appeared to be worn into the grooves) and bearings which had visible markings, i had to take their word for it since i had no clue about these things. Sludge cleaning cost 14k which seemed rather excessive but again i had no clue as to what kind of effort really went into it. I did try to bargain with no luck... ?

I figured i'm probably never gonna open up the engine again, so might as well get whatever needs done.

How did TL comment on condition of your engine without opening it up?

Compression test perhaps along with the general state of the plugs coupled with a diagnostic and review of emissions test reports??