I really dislike going to plumbers, mechanics, repairmen, etc. etc. for repairs and stuff (friends aside). The reason for that is because my dad always used to do those kinds of things himself. He would do his own oil changes, coolant replacements, brake fluid replacements, fix the boiler, repair the plumbing, you name it. And it's for that reason that I really distrust those repairmen (again, the exception is when they're actual friends of ours). I can't help but think that they're charging a shit-ton for labor and that we could do the same thing ourselves, provided we have the skill and know-how, for so much less. Not to mention sometimes they charge ridiculous amounts for parts and suggest fixes you don't actually need.
Anyway, enter RepairPal.com. It gives estimates for auto-repairs, and even adjusts them based on your location!
Right before I left to go back to school from winter break, a repair shop told us we needed to replace our 1999 Toyota Sienna's thermostat, thermostat gasket, upper radiator hose, and lower radiator hose, and quoted us $750 for it (and all we wanted to do was get our car inspected!). Repairpal's upper estimate for all four jobs is $583.
Now of course, I'm still all for doing it myself. I looked at our Sienna repair manual and replacing the four parts really didn't seem difficult at all. You don't even have to drain the coolant. That'll be a project for when I get home.
http://repairpal.com/
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