Q: estimate on axle replacement

The rubber boots covering CV axle outer joints can tear and the grease can then leak out and eventually the joint wears excessively and fails. If the tear in the boot is detected early enough the joint can be saved; all you have to do is replace the rubber boot. If the axle needs replacement because the boot is torn, that is a mundane, commonplace repair even if one were to replace the whole axle and not the boot alone. Most CV axles are not hugely expensive and the labor time on most cars is "moderate". However, if the axle has been damaged due to collision, abuse of the vehicle, or other causes, that would be a different matter and would have to be investigated.

A pre-purchase vehicle inspection is a good idea. That inspection, carried out by a certified Mechanic, dispatched to your location, will give you very specific data regarding any current problems that the car has and likely repair needs and costs. You have additional opportunities, too, to in evaluating particular used car models. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration maintains a database of consumer complaints, official recalls and factory service bulletins for all makes and models, by year. I encourage you to go to the NHTSA website and enter the vehicle’s year, make and model and review the existing reports which will give you an excellent idea of what has been experienced by other owners insofar as faults in the particular make, model and year you are interested in. I would post the text of the reports here, but they are detailed so it will be more practical for you to view them online (it is free). In addition, "Consumer Reports" publishes system by system vehicle reliability data for all years, makes, and models. This data is available free in the library or on-line if you are a paid subscriber. That reliability data will give you an excellent indication of the relative likelihood that key systems on the model (and year) of interest will fail at greater, or lesser, frequency compared to those rates reported for other vehicles. Obviously, what you want to be looking for in that database is an indication that the vehicle "make and model year" is not a "lemon" insofar as reliability. If you are unable to access any of these resources, or desire data of a different type, please do not hesitate for a moment to re-contact YourMechanic and we will assist you further in your attempts to make a wise used vehicle purchase.