u/lemons0808

2014 BRZ Bay Area. Pics of the actual quotes attached. Brought it in for oil leaking from the front of the engine, and the diagnosis came back as a timing cover leak and cam cover leak, plus evidence that the head gaskets are starting to fail.

The plan they laid out is to pull the engine and do the head gaskets (both banks, full OEM gasket kit), which while it's apart also covers resealing the cam carriers, cam covers, timing cover, and oil pan, so it knocks out the original leak in the same teardown. All in, that's about $4,992. Labor is 18 hours at $200/hr, and the parts looked priced near OEM list with basically no markup.

A few things were listed as optional: cylinder head machine work / resurfacing ($800), new valve guides ($300), and an OEM clutch kit ($850, since the engine and trans are already separated). Brakes were quoted separately, front and rear pads plus rotors in OEM, around $1,135, with a discount offered if I bundle everything.

Questions for anyone who's actually done this on an FA20:

• Is roughly $5k in line for an engine-out head gasket on this platform in a high cost of living area, or am I high? Most online estimates I find are for easier engines.
• On the head resurfacing, my gut says that's not really optional on a head gasket job and skipping it is how you end up doing it twice. Agree?
• Is doing the clutch while they're in there worth the $850, or is that an upsell I can skip if my clutch feels fine?
• Brakes: is ~$1,135 for OEM pads and rotors front and rear reasonable, or should I do those separately and not let the bundle discount talk me into it?
• Anything else you'd insist on doing while the engine is out that isn't on here?

The estimate is well itemized and I don't think I'm being scammed, I just want a gut check from people who've paid for this exact job on whether the numbers and scope track.

Engine Quote: https://i.imgur.com/NlPUjt5.jpeg

Brake Quote: https://i.imgur.com/m536iML.jpeg